Naman Shrestha
In the episode titled ‘Lost Life, Evidence Found’ of Investigation Discovery’s ‘On The Case With Paula Zahn,’ the primary focus is on the mysterious and untimely killing of 17-year-old Barbara Blatnik in Garfield Heights, Ohio, in late 1987. As multiple puzzles and witness accounts piled up during the investigation, the detectives had a huge task on their hands to identify the perpetrator. However, it took the authorities several decades before they caught the alleged killer using advanced DNA technology.
Barbara Blatnik’s Remains Were Found Several Miles South of Garfield Heights
John and Theresa F. Jamroz Blatnik were blessed with Barbara Ann “Barbie” Blatnik on November 20, 1970, making her their second daughter after Donna Zanath. Growing up in a loving and supportive household in Garfield Heights, Ohio, she attended Erieview Catholic High School in Cleveland, where she earned a reputation as a fearless and rebellious teenager. The friendly and sociable teenager was in a romantic relationship with Jerry Stead. In her free time, she loved spending time with her friends at local bars, partying. On the night of December 19, 1987, she and her friends made plans to meet, but nobody knew that it would eventually lead to Barbara’s untimely demise.
Around 6:30 pm that evening, she left her home with plans to attend several Christmas parties her friends were hosting. After visiting a local bar in Garfield Heights, Barbara called her parents around 10:30 pm to check in and let them know she would return home shortly. Despite her not showing up at the house that night, her parents weren’t concerned, assuming that she might have stayed over at a friend’s place. Unfortunately, their worst nightmare came true when, on the following morning, December 20, 1987, a maintenance worker at the Blossom Music Center in Cuyahoga Falls discovered the 17-year-old’s unclothed remains alongside O’Neil Road.
The detectives rushed to the site and noticed bruising on her arms, damaged fingernails, and a bloody lip. Her remains were identified with the help of her high school ring, which had an inscription of her name. The autopsy revealed that she was strangled to death, both manually and with a ligature, as there were ligature marks on her neck. She also had a severe blunt force injury on the back of her head. The medical examiner also determined that she had been sexually assaulted.
Barbara Blatnik’s Alleged Killer Was Identified With the Help of a Non-Profit
During the homicide investigation, the authorities retraced Barbara Blatnik’s movements the night before her remains were found. As they talked to her friends, they learned that they had dropped her off near her boyfriend, Jerry’s, place at the intersection of Warner Road and Grand Division in Garfield Heights, around 2:30 am on December 20, 1987. The media coverage of the case led the police to a crucial tip from a man who was in the area where her remains were found. The tipster claimed to have seen a suspicious maroon vehicle speeding away in the early hours of the morning. Instead of making the car information public, the investigators decided to keep it confidential and use it against potential suspects. During his questioning, Jerry denied seeing or speaking to her that night.
Investigators cited his prior minor offenses and noted that he owned a maroon car matching the tipster’s description. James told them that he was driving around the Cleveland area with a friend, who corroborated his alibi, and his family confirmed that he was in bed shortly after midnight. Though there were no wounds, scratches or other physical evidence on his body linking him to the crime, he remained part of the police inquiry until they fully corroborated his whereabouts. In the following weeks and months, the investigators looked into more than 100 potential suspects, but no physical evidence directly connected any of them to the crime. The case went cold for more than a decade. In 2003, it was reopened as the detectives tried to interrogate potential suspects once again, this time comparing their DNA samples to the evidence found at the crime scene.
Nevertheless, all their efforts led to dead ends, and the case went cold again. In August 2019, the police decided to rely on genetic genealogy to get to the bottom of the case. To raise funds for the advanced tests, a non-profit organization called the Porchlight Project, owned by James Renner, stepped in. The resultant DNA testing led them to a new suspect, James E. Zastawnik, who was 34 at the time of the murder and lived near the location where Barbara was dropped off on the fateful night by her friends. When confronted with the evidence during the interrogation, he reportedly denied any involvement and eventually requested a lawyer. Thus, on May 6, 2020, he was arrested and charged with aggravated murder and one count of murder in connection with the killing of Barbara Blatnik.
James Zastawnik Passed Away From a Terminal Illness Before His Trial
Not long after his arrest, James Zastawnik was released on a $35,000 bond. He was scheduled to stand trial for Barbara Blatnik’s murder in late October 2021. However, two months before the trial began, on August 24, 2021, the suspect died of cancer at the age of 69. At the time, he was living with his brother in the village of Mogadore, where he was reportedly receiving hospice services.
Following his demise, the Summit County Prosecutor Sherri Bevan Walsh released a statement that read: “I am disappointed to hear that James Zastawnik will not be held legally accountable for Barbara Blatnik’s murder. Her family has been waiting for justice for 34 years and deserved closure. I hope they can find solace in knowing that the person we believe was responsible can no longer hurt anyone.” Barbara’s family also expressed their frustration over the delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and James’ bond release.
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