Sarah Maynard -- Found Alive 11/14/10; Kody Maynard, Tina Herrmann and Stephanie Sprang -- Found Deceased 11/18/10

4 people missing in Knox County; foul play suspected
Kenyon College locks down campus

Friday, November 12, 2010 12:10 AM
Updated: Friday, November 12, 2010 12:34 AM
The Columbus Dispatch

Law-enforcement officials were searching a house last night in Knox County, and nearby Kenyon College had locked down its campus, because four people who have been reported missing are thought to be victims of foul play.

Deputies with the Knox County sheriff's office, along with agents for the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation, descended on the home at 481 King Beach Dr. last night.

The house is in the Apple Valley area of Howard Township. Kenyon College is about 7 miles away.

Knox County Sheriff David Barber told WBNS-TV (Channel 10) that Tina R. Herrmann, 32, and her friend Stephanie Spring, 41, along with Herrmann's children, Sarah Maynard, 13, and Kody Maynard, 10, were last seen Wednesday.

Gregory Borders, who lives at the home with Herrmann, reported the four missing Wednesday. Herrmann also didn't report for work, her co-workers said.

A search of the house found signs of violence, Barber told WBNS. He wouldn't elaborate.

Read more:
http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2010/11/11/4-missing-in-knox-county.html?sid=101

Stephanie Spring and Tina Herrmann

I can't find pictures of Tina's children yet.

~Snipped~

Herrmann's pickup truck was at the home Wednesday when the boyfriend reported her missing, the sheriff said, but it was found abandoned Thursday night on property owned by nearby Kenyon College, about 50 miles northeast of Columbus. The college ordered a lockdown of all students until 7 a.m. Friday.

That's pretty odd, who moved the truck after she was reported missing.....?

The missing people are Stephanie Spring (top left), Tina Herrman (top right), Kody Maynard (bottom left) and Sarah Maynard (bottom right).

Search Continues For Missing Women, Children

Friday, November 12, 2010 5:42 AM
Updated: Friday, November 12, 2010 12:57 PM

~Snipped~

According to Knox County Sheriff David Barber, the inside of the house was in "unusual condition." He said he was surprised that children and adults would be living inside.

The children, Sarah Maynard, 13, and Kody Maynard, 11, were not in school on Thursday, Reaves reported.

According to Barber, Tina Herrmann worked at Dairy Queen, located at 1600 Coschocton Ave., in Mount Vernon, and did not show up for her shift on Thursday.

Herrmann's pickup was later discovered near the Kenyon College campus in nearby Gambier.

The discovery of the vehicle prompted the Kenyon campus to be locked down at about 11 p.m. Friday. Students were asked to stay inside campus buildings. The lockdown was lifted Friday at 7 a.m.

In an e-mail sent to Kenyon students on Thursday night, college administrators said law enforcement told them that there was a "potentially dangerous person in the vicinity."

"It makes no sense to me," said Larry Maynard, the father of the missing children.

Larry Maynard said that he spoke with one of Tina Herrmann's co-workers, who went to her house and peeked inside her windows after not showing up for work.

"I guess (the co-worker saw) some beer cans and some things that looked kind of out of place, and she knew that something was definitely not right," Larry Maynard said. "My ex kept a pretty clean house. She went and entered the home and when she went into the home, she saw some blood in the home and -- at that point -- she turned around and left."

According to Larry Maynard, the co-worker then called 911. He told 10TV News that Tina Herrmann never missed work and his children never missed school.

Larry Maynard said that Tina Herrmann's boyfriend contacted him after she was reported missing.

"My kids are my world," Larry Maynard said. "It's like somebody had ripped my heart out of me. I don't want to believe that something has happened to my children, but in my heart, I know there's something that's happened to them."

http://www.10tv.com/live/content/local/stories/2010/11/12/story-gambier-4-people-missing-kenyon-lockdown.html?sid=102

4 missing from Ohio home
Last heard from on Wednesday, says source

Updated: Friday, 12 Nov 2010, 3:57 PM EST
Published : Friday, 12 Nov 2010, 3:40 PM EST
ANDREW WELSH-HUGGINS,Associated Press

~Snipped~

Her live-in boyfriend said Friday he last heard from the mother on Wednesday morning.

Authorities were searching for 32-year-old, Tina Herrmann, her 13-year-old daughter, Sarah Maynard, and her 10-year-old son, Kody Maynard. Also missing was 41-year-old Stephanie Sprang, a friend with whom Herrmann was planning to get an apartment, said Greg Borders, who said he and Herrmann had recently ended a six-year relationship.

Herrmann's co-worker at a Dairy Queen went to her home in Howard to check on her when she didn't show up for work on Thursday, Knox County Sheriff David Barber told WBNS-TV.

Borders said Herrmann texted him on his way to work at a distribution center about 80 miles away in West Jefferson about 4:40 a.m. Wednesday to let him know that she'd fed the dog. He said the dog, a miniature pinscher named Tanner, was also missing.

The couple were still living together in the split-level house that sits along a rural road despite splitting up several weeks ago, and they were on the verge of losing house after falling a few months behind on their mortgage payments, Borders said.

"We were fairly civil, as civil as you can be living in the same house when you're split up," he told reporters outside the home. He said they argued, but said their fights were never physical.

Read more:
http://www.wthitv.com/dpps/news/national/midwest/4-missing-from-ohio-home-nt10-tvw_3646027

So, he's really the ex-boyfriend but they were still sharing a house and she was planning on getting an apartment with her friend. I suppose they could have just up and moved out. It would be odd to leave your job and pull your kids out of school with no notice unless you were fearful or running from something.

FBI, BCI&I called in to assist in missing persons case

By George Breithaupt
November 12, 2010 10:08 pm EST

HOWARD — Investigators are testing blood samples taken from a home on King Beach Drive after the Federal Bureau of Investigations and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation were called in on a missing persons case.

Tina Herrmann, 32, her two children, Sarah Maynard, 13, and Kody Maynard, 11; and Stephanie Sprang, 41, have been missing since at least Thursday.

The timeline, according to Knox County Sheriff David Barber, began Wednesday evening when Tina Herrmann did not show up for work at Dairy Queen in Mount Vernon. The manager called the sheriff’s office to report her missing. The deputy checked out the house and found nothing amiss.

“Her Ford pickup truck was in the driveway and no one answered the door,” Barber said. “There were no signs of anything out of place. The deputy came back later in the evening to check again. There were lights lit and the truck was still there.”

Herrmann did not show up for work again on Thursday, so the Dairy Queen manager went out to the house to check on her.

Barber said the manager had permission to enter the house. Upon entering the residence, the manager discovered blood in a couple areas and called the sheriff’s office.

“We have been out here ever since. There is blood in the house and some signs of an injury,” Barber said.

Read more:
http://www.mountvernonnews.com/local/10/11/12/fbi-bcii-called-in-to-assist-in-missing-persons-case

I immediately want to say that they need to check on the BF. He could have sent himself that text message that was sent to him at 4:40 a.m. to tell him that she had fed the dog. How strange is that? The middle of the night. Hey, i fed the dog! Did he think that the message would prove that she was alive when he was somewhere else. I am skeptical when there are rifts between partners when one partner turns up "missing".

Concern grows as 4 still missing
Woman checking on DQ co-worker found blood inside Knox County house

Saturday, November 13, 2010 02:54 AM
By Allison Manning and Elizabeth Gibson
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH


Greg Borders talks to reporters at the King Beach Drive home in Howard that he shares with his ex-girlfriend, Tina R. Herrmann. In the background, authorities wait for investigators to process the scene, where blood was found.

~Snipped~

Borders, 30, said the last time he heard from Herrmann was through a text message at 11:30 Wednesday morning, saying she had fed their miniature pinscher.

Then his mother called about noon Thursday while he was golfing to say that Herrmann and her two children were missing.

"I think something bad happened," Borders said.

He said that he and Herrmann recently broke up after six years together. He said their house was going to be foreclosed upon and he'd heard that Herrmann was taking Sprang with her to look at apartments.

"We were both going to go our separate ways," he said. "We were fairly civil, as civil as you can be living in the same house when you're broken up."

Borders and Herrmann purchased the Apple Valley-area house in 2007 after moving to Knox County from Hilliard.

Borders said he hadn't seen Herrmann since he left for work at the Target distribution center in West Jefferson at 3:40 a.m. Wednesday. He said he spent that night at his mother's house

Read more:
http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2010/11/13/concern-grows-as-4-still-missing.html?sid=101

The above article states he left for work at 3:40am Wednesday, and he had seen her that morning. And the text message was sent at 11:30am Wednesday about feeding the dog. So the "friend" he spent the night with was his mother, I guess Wednesday night. Tina was reportedly at work Wednesday and the kids were in school. The house looks like it's kind of in the boonies, I see a large propane tank.

Sometimes these news reports get so confusing....

MISSING



Stephanie Sprang Unknown
Missing from: Howard, Ohio
Missing since: 11/10/2010
Missing age: 41
Curent age: 41
Date of birth: 11/1/1969
Gender: Female
Race/Ethnicity: White
Height: 5' 03"
Weight: 110
Hair color: Blonde
Eye color: Green



Tina Hermann Unknown
Missing from: Howard, Ohio
Missing since: 11/10/2010
Missing age: 32
Curent age: 32
Date of birth: 2/13/1978
Gender: Female
Race/Ethnicity: White
Height: 5' 06"
Weight: 122
Hair color: Blonde
Eye color: Blue



Sarah Maynard Lost, injured or missing
Missing from: Howard, Ohio
Missing since: 11/10/2010
Missing age: 13
Curent age: Unknown DOB
Gender: Female
Race/Ethnicity: White
Height: 5' 0"
Weight: 90
Hair color: Blonde
Eye color: Gr



Kody Maynard Lost, injured or missing
Missing from: Howard, Ohio
Missing since: 11/10/2010
Missing age: 11
Curent age: Unknown DOB
Gender: Male
Race/Ethnicity: White
Height: 4' 10"
Weight: 90
Hair color: Brown
Eye color: Hazel

Support Growing To Find Missing Family, Friend

Saturday, November 13, 2010 8:01 AM
WBNS-10TV

~SNIPPED~
According to Larry Maynard, Herrmann and Borders were having problems and she needed to get away from him. Larry Maynard told 10TV News that Herrmann was searching for a new place to live and that his children often spoke of problems in the house.

"The kids have told me when (Borders) gets drunk, he becomes somewhat violent," Larry Maynard said. "He throws beer bottles at the pickup truck if their mom tries to leave. He broke the garage door. He gets real vulgar, belligerent when he's drunk."

Borders admitted that the situation was not ideal but the reports of a volatile relationship were not true.

http://www.10tv.com/live/content/local/stories/2010/11/13/story-howard-knox-county-missing-people.html?sid=102

Hopefully, they've taken off somewhere and don't want to be found right away. You would think they would have at least let the children's father know, if that's the case. Stephanie has 3 children herself the youngest being 9. Not sure where they are. And both of their vehicles were left behind.

Facebook page set up for them:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Pray-for-The-Maynard-Kids/174173612594279

Ohio sheriff: Blood in home a factor in 4 missing

Updated: Nov 13, 2010 4:51 PM EST

HOWARD, Ohio (AP) - An unusual amount of blood found in a missing woman's home is evidence of an injury apparently related to her disappearance with her two children and a female friend, a sheriff in Ohio said Saturday.

Knox County Sheriff David Barber did not say who investigators believe was injured inside the home of 32-year-old Tina Herrmann in Howard, about 60 miles north of Columbus, and he would not elaborate.

"The one thing I can say about it is that it's an unusual amount," Barber said of the blood. "It isn't from someone stubbing their toe or cutting their finger, you know, or peeling an apple or something like that."

Hermann was reported missing Wednesday, along with 13-year-old daughter Sarah Maynard, 10-year-old son Kody Maynard, and 41-year-old friend Stephanie Sprang.

Investigators were searching by air and land and in a private lake about a half-mile from the home. Friends and neighbors began their own search at about 7 a.m., leaving from nearby Kenyon College, not far from where Hermann's pickup truck was found Thursday night.

Read more:
http://www.wrcbtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=13496441

Tina, Sarah and Kody





Stephanie Sprang

Thanks for all the updates Piper.

You're welcome, Julie. I just hope they are okay. Isn't that little Kody just the spitting image of his mother or what?

Wow, he sure is!

I hope they're ok, but I don't know.

Residents report two persons removed from Columbus Road home

November 14th, 2010

MOUNT VERNON — According to residents on Columbus Road, just south of Mount Vernon, local law enforcement officers forced entry into a Columbus Road residence about 7:45 this morning.

Neighbors told News Photographer Virgil Shipley they saw what appeared to be one person, presumed dead, removed from the home and one person taken from the home by emergency medical personnel.

Authorities would not confirm these details or whether or not this crime scene is connected to the disappearance of Tina Herrmann, Sarah Maynard, Kody Maynard and Stephanie Sprang.

Read more: http://www.mountvernonnews.com/blog/2010/11/14/residents-report-two-persons-removed-from-columbus-road-home/

From the facebook page:

" I have a friend out in Apple Valley, their children were friends. They were at search party this morning. THe search has been called off now. There are words Sarah was found alive and is getting medical attention, but the other 3 it sounds were located at the home on Columbus Rd and have yet to be released if any are a...live. GOD be with all of the family, friends, classmates and loved ones as this awful story comes clear. None of this has been announced per the sheriffs office at this time. Info all comes from ppl involved in town search party."

Reporter from Channel 10 news on their facebook page just posted this:

Jason Frazer Hi all.. Jason Frazer from 10TV.. I just arrived on scene. Nothing is confirmed yet. We are working with the police to confirm some of the conflicting information. At this point, NOTHING has been confirmed yet. I will try to post something here and 10tv.com as soon as the Sheriff or police have.

6 minutes ago · Like · Comment

Link to the facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Pray-for-The-Maynard-Kids/174173612594279

They are saying a man was taken into custody this morning at 8am.

And that family and friends are surrounding the house. No definite facts released yet from the police.

Sarah Maynard was found alive and was taken to a hospital. A suspect is in custody and there is a news conference scheduled for 2 PM.

http://www.10tv.com/live/content/local/stories/2010/11/14/story-mount-vernon-ohio-missing-girl-found.html

I'm glad Sarah was found alive. Hoping the others are okay as well, it's not sounding good for one of them though..

Picture from J4A's link:

November 14th, 2010




http://www.mountvernonnews.com/blog/2010/11/14/residents-report-two-persons-removed-from-columbus-road-home/

Matthew Hoffman arrested for kidnapping

Sarah Maynard found in the basement, the other 3 are still missing

Missing Girl Found Safe; Man In Custody

Sunday, November 14, 2010 11:45 AM
Updated: Sunday, November 14, 2010 2:52 PM
WBNS-10TV

~Snipped~
Matthew Hoffman, 30, was taken into custody inside the Columbus Road home where he lived and was charged with kidnapping, according to Knox County Sheriff David Barber.

Maynard was found inside the home's basement. Barber said that she was bound and gagged.

Her brother, Kody Maynard, 11, was still missing, along with their mother, Tina Herrmann, 32. A family friend, Stephanie Sprang, 41, was also missing.

http://www.10tv.com/live/content/local/stories/2010/11/14/story-mount-vernon-ohio-missing-girl-found.html?sid=102

Sarah Maynard, 13, found alive, bound and gagged, in the basement of Matthew Hoffman's home.

This guy spent prison time for arson:

Man gets eight years for arson

By Gary E. Salazar
Sunday, January 7, 2001

Steamboat Springs — John Matthew Hoffman's decision to throw a match on the 10 gallons of gasoline he had poured throughout a Steamboat Springs townhome in August earned him eight years in prison on Friday.

The fire was started intentionally in the early morning hours of Aug. 28 to cover up a burglary at The Ridge townhomes near the ski area. The blaze caused an estimated $2 million in damage to 10 townhome units. More than a dozen people were evacuated but no one was hurt in the fire.

District Judge Joel S. Thompson sentenced Hoffman to prison.

"This is outrageous behavior," the judge said to the 20-year-old Ohio man. "This is something that rarely happens in this community."

Read more:
http://www.steamboatpilot.com/news/2001/jan/07/man_gets_eight/

Thanks J4A & Piper for these updates!

Missing Girl Found Safe; Man Charged With Kidnapping

Sunday, November 14, 2010

~Snipped~
The sheriff said that the owner and occupant of the home where Sarah Maynard was found has been arrested and they hope he will lead him to the three persons still missing.

The sheriff said that Matthew J. Hoffman has been charged with Sarah Maynard's kidnapping.

Sheriff Barber said Hoffman listed two residences. One was at 49 Columbus Road where Sarah was found. The second was at 3730 Apple Valley Drive.

The second address is a home owned by Hoffman's parents and is within walking distance to the home from which the four people were reported missing last Wednesday.

Today's events began when The Mount Vernon News reported law enforcement officers forced entry into the home on Columbus Street around 7:45 a.m.

http://www2.nbc4i.com/news/2010/nov/14/10/1-person-found-inside-mount-vernon-home-1-taken-cu-ar-290645/

Here's the live news conference from this afternoon, I found it difficult to hear when watching it live.




http://www.10tv.com/live/content/video/10tv.html?videoUrl=%2Fsites%2F10tv%2Fvideos%2F2010%2F11%2F14%2Fknox-county-update.xml

Man arrested after Ohio teen found bound, gagged in basement; her mom, brother among 3 missing

November 14, 2010|3:09 p.m.

~Snipped~
The two-story house with tan vinyl siding, green shutters and a large television antenna on the roof sits in a middle-income neighborhood with two bars within a block away. Holly grows through the weathered slats of the porch. A sheet covered one window, and blinds were pulled down on the rest.

Dawna Davis, 35, who lives next door to Hoffman, said she told her children to stay indoors when he was out. She said he moved in alone about a year ago and that a girlfriend lived with him temporarily with her son until about a month ago.

"He would sit and listen to us up in a tree. He had a hammock and he would sit there and listen to us," she said. "He was just different. He was very different."

Davis said Hoffman did tree trimming work and had built a fire Wednesday night in his backyard, where there was a mound of ashes Sunday with tree parts on it. She said he walked to a nearby park with a lake almost every day and was a "nature person" who collected leaves.

Read more:
http://www.latimes.com/sns-ap-us-ohio-family-missing,0,1259095.story

I always think the worse when I hear someone had built a fire........

LE has closed off a park this morning called Foundation Park, used to be a gravel pit. Won't allow media cameras in.

Police block off Ohio park near suspect's house

November 15, 2010



MOUNT VERNON, Ohio — Police cruisers have blocked off an Ohio park near a house where a 13-year-old girl was found bound and gagged and a man was arrested.

Mount Vernon police Capt. George Hartz says an officer patrolling overnight found items in the park possibly related to the girl and the ongoing search for her missing mother, brother and another woman.

Read more:
http://ap.cjonline.com/pstories/us/20101115/736489995.shtml

Live video of search of park this morning:




http://www.10tv.com/live/content/video/breaking.html

They are taking pictures of the roped off area down in the park, into the woods.

Looks like they brought out a bag of evidence just now.....

Thanks Piper.

Have they said if Sarah has been able to tell them anything regarding her mom & brother and the other woman?

They haven't said anything else yet about Sarah. News saying search boats are arriving at the lake now.

I missed the live streaming update from the sheriff at 2pm, but heard that Sarah had not seen the others since Wednesday and her statements have been helpful. And that none of them left the house willingly. The suspect was seen around the abandoned truck at the time it was found on the campus.

Thanks Piper!

UPDATE: Police pull car out of lake, possible connection to 3 people still missing

Marc Keinath
November 15, 2010 5:53 PM

MOUNT VERNON, Ohio -- Searchers have pulled a car out of an Ohio lake where they have been looking for three people who remain missing a day after a 13-year-old girl who disappeared along with them was found bound and gagged in a nearby home.

Read more: http://newstalkradiowhio.com/localnews/2010/11/update-police-pull-car-out-of.html

Vehicles in Ohio lake likely unrelated to missing

JEANNIE NUSS, Associated Press
Published: 06:16 a.m., Monday, November 15, 2010

MOUNT VERNON, Ohio (AP) — Investigators say two vehicles found in a central Ohio lake are likely unrelated to the search for three people who remain missing a day after a teenage girl who disappeared with them was rescued from a nearby home.

Authorities found the car and SUV on Monday as they searched for 32-year-old Tina Herrmann, her son, Kody Maynard, and her friend Stephanie Sprang. They've been missing since Wednesday.

Read more: http://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Cars-in-Ohio-lake-likely-unrelated-to-3-missing-811277.php

Candlelight vigil at the church tonight: