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James Renner collection on the Amy Mihaljevic case
Special Collections and Archives
James Renner collection on the Amy Mihaljevic case
Special Collections and Archives
James Renner collection on the Amy Mihaljevic case
- Repository: Kent State University Libraries. Special Collections and Archives.
- Title: James Renner collection on the Amy Mihaljevic case
- Inclusive Date(s): 1987-2010
- Bulk Date(s): 2005-2007
- Author: Finding aid prepared by Edith Serkownek
- Creation: Finding aid encoded by Edith Serkownek using the OhioLINK EAD Application in 2010
- Origination: Renner, James, 1978-
- Extent: 2 cubic feet (5 boxes = 1 record storage box, 1 half size box, 1 video box, 1 manuscript box and 1 newspaper box)
- Physical Location: 11th Floor
- Finding Aid Identifier: OhKeUSC0104
- Abstract: This collection contains reporter and author James Renner's research and writing about the unsolved abduction and murder of 10-year old Bay Village, Ohio, resident, Amy Mihaljevic in 1989. Renner published an article on the topic in Cleveland Scene magazine called, "The Coldest Case" (2005), followed by a book, Amy: My Search for her Her Killer (2006). The collection includes material dating from 1987 through 2010.
- Revision(s):
- July 2019 - Revised by Cara Gilgenbach
- Language(s): The records are in English
Biography of James Renner
Reporter and author James Renner was born in 1978 in Cleveland, Ohio. He received an English degree from Kent State University. While working as a staff writer for Cleveland Scene magazine, Renner began investigating the unsolved 1989 abduction and murder of Amy Mihaljevic. Although Mihaljevic's body was found in early 1990 an intensive hunt for her kidnapper and killer was unsuccessful. Renner's article titled "The Coldest Case" appeared in the July 20-26, 2005 issue of the magazine. Renner eventually left his job in order to research and write a book on the case. Amy: My Search for her Killer was published in October 2006 by Gray & Company.
Currently Renner edits an alternative newspaper, The Independent, and he has also produced several independent films. He continues to maintain the blog, http://www.amymihaljevic.blogspot.com, to which people can send tips or write comments about the case.
Scope and Content
This collection contains reporter and author James Renner's research and writing about the unsolved abduction and murder of 10-year old Bay Villiage, Ohio, resident Amy Mihaljevic in 1989. The contents of the collection include original newspaper accounts of the crime, Renner's research and interview notes with friends, family, police, FBI agents and suspects, and extensive correspondence from readers of his book and blog, http://www.amymihaljevic.blogspot.com, as well as transcripts of the article and book he published on the topic.
Statement of Arrangement
The James Renner collection on the Amy Mihaljevic case is divided into series as follows:
- Series 1: Research and Working Files
- Subseries 1A: Research and Working Files: General Research Files
- Subseries 1B: Research and Working Files: Article and Book Files
- Subseries 1C: Research and Working Files: Blog Posts and Reader Responses
- Series 2: Audio-Visual Files
- Series 3: Oversize
Separated Material
Please note that books from this collection have been catalogued in KentLINK.
Preferred Citation
James Renner collection on the Amy Mihaljevic case. Kent State University Libraries. Special Collections and Archives.
Acquisition Information
Jame Renner placed this collection on deposit with Kent State University Special Collections and Archives in June 2007. He added additional material to the collection and donated it to Kent State Special Collections and Archives in June 2010.
Subject Headings
The following subjects are found in this collection:
- Subjects:
- Murder--Ohio--Cleveland
- Murder victims--Ohio--Cleveland
- Kidnapping--Ohio--Cleveland
- Persons:
- Mihaljevic, Amy
- Functions:
- Investigative reporting
- Authorship
- Places:
- Cleveland (Ohio)
- Occupations:
- Reporters and reporting
- Authors, American
- Material Types:
- Clippings (Books, newspapers, etc.)
- Correspondence
- Research notes
- Manuscripts for publication
Detailed Description of The Collection
Series 1: Research and Working Files, 1989-2010
- Scope and Content
- This series contains Renner's research and working files for his 2005 Cleveland Scene article, "The Coldest Case" and his 2006 book, Amy: My Search for Her Killer. In addition, it contains reader responses and leads on the case following the publication of the book, many of which came through Renner's tip blog, http://www.amymihaljevic.blogspot.com.
- Arrangement
- Files are organized by subject and then chronologically.
- Processing Information
- Renner's original file names have been retained in some cases.
Series 1A: Research and Working Files: General Research Files, 1989-2010
- Box 1 / Folder 1
- Background: Newspaper and periodical articles covering the case and its aftermath, Miscellaneous dates 1989-2002
- Box 1 / Folder 2
- Background: Oprah Winfrey Show transcript on unsolved crimes with Mihaljevic's mother, 1992
- Box 1 / Folder 3
- Renner contacts, correspondence, interview notes and research (folder 1 of 2), 2005
- Box 1 / Folder 4
- Renner contacts, correspondence, interview notes and research (folder 2 of 2), 2005
- Box 1 / Folder 5
- Renner contacts, correspondence, interview notes and research, 2006
- Box 1 / Folder 6
- Renner contacts, correspondence, interview notes and research (folder 1 of 2), 2007
- Box 1 / Folder 7
- Renner contacts, correspondence, interview notes and research (folder 2 of 2), 2007
- Box 1 / Folder 8
- Renner contacts, correspondence, interview notes and research, 2008
- Box 1 / Folder 9
- Renner contacts, correspondence, interview notes and research, 2009-2010
- Box 1 / Folder 10
- Coroner's office and death certificate: Mihaljevic's death certificate and Renner's correspondence attempting to obtain Mihaljevic's full coroner's report, 2005-2007
- Box 1 / Folder 11
- FBI/Police: Renner's research and notes, 2005-2006
- Box 1 / Folder 12
- Friends/Family: Renner's research and notes, 2005-2006
- Box 1 / Folder 13
- Suspect File: Alphabetical: Renner's research and notes, 2005
- Box 1 / Folder 14
- Suspect: File: Alphabetical: Renner's research and notes, 2005
- Box 1 / Folder 15
- Suspect File: Alphabetical: Renner's research and notes, 2007
- Box 1 / Folder 16
- Suspect File: Alphabetical: Renner's research and notes, 2005
- Box 1 / Folder 17
- Suspect: File: Alphabetical: Renner's research and notes, 2008-2009
- Box 1 / Folder 18
- Suspect: File: Alphabetical: Renner's research and notes, circa 2005
- Box 1 / Folder 19
- Suspect: File: Alphabetical: Renner's research and notes, 2005
- Box 1 / Folder 20
- Suspect: File: Alphabetical: Renner's research and notes, 2007
- Box 1 / Folder 21
- Suspect: File: Alphabetical: Renner's research and notes, 2006-2007
- Box 1 / Folder 22
- Suspect: File: Alphabetical: Renner's research and notes, 2007
- Box 1 / Folder 23
- Additional Suspects: Renner's research and notes, 2005-2007
- Box 1 / Folder 24
- Volunteers: Renner's research and notes including poster seeking information on Mihaljevic's murder (circa 1990), 2005
- Box 1 / Folder 25
- Similar Cases: Articles and correspondence regarding similar and miscellaneous crimes, Gathered 2005-2007
- Box 1 / Folder 26
- Miscellaneous: Safety with Slider, children's safety workbook published by A.M.Y. (Community Fund for Assisting Missing Youth), Early 1990s
- Box 1 / Folder 27
- Miscellaneous: Bay Village Directory, 1999-2000
- Box 1 / Folder 28
- Photographs: Police searching railroad tracks for Mihaljevic, Bay Village, and correspondence, November 1989 and undated
- Box 2 / Folder 1
- Volunteers: Press clipping scrapbook covering the Amy Mihaljevic case including volunteer office flyers and requests., 1989-1990
- Personal Name: Scrapbook created by Stephanie Sunseri, a volunteer in the Mihaljevic search effort
- Box 3 / Folder 1
- Book: Buy the Truth. Do Not Sell It!: A Book of Life, A Book of Insight, A Book of Prophecy by Richard Alan Folbert. Internet book by suspect, Circa 2005
Series 1B: Research and Working Files: Articles and Book Files, 2005-2007
- Box 1 / Folder 29
- Cleveland Scene, "The Coldest Case": Article drafts and editor's correspondence, July 2005
- Box 1 / Folder 30
- Amy: My Search for Her Killer: Book-related notes including correspondence with publisher, Renner's chapter notes and Renner promotional speaking brochure, 2006-2007
- Box 1 / Folder 31
- Amy: My Search for Her Killer: Photographs, sketches and posters used in the book and permission to publish forms, 2006
- Box 3 / Folder 2
- Amy: My Search for Her Killer: Book manuscript with notes and corrections, [2006]
Series 1C: Research and Working Files: Blog Posts and Reader Responses, 2006-2007
- Box 1 / Folder 32
- Renner's blog posts on www.amymihaljevic.blogspot.com, August 2006-May 2007
- Box 1 / Folder 33
- Reader responses following the publication of Renner's book including leads and theories, October 2006
- Box 1 / Folder 34
- Reader responses following the publication of Renner's book including leads and theories, November 2006
- Box 1 / Folder 35
- Reader responses following the publication of Renner's book including leads and theories, December 2006
- Box 1 / Folder 36
- Reader responses following the publication of Renner's book including leads and theories, January 2007
- Box 1 / Folder 37
- Reader responses following the publication of Renner's book including leads and theories, February 2007
- Box 1 / Folder 38
- Reader responses following the publication of Renner's book including leads and theories, March 2007
- Box 1 / Folder 39
- Reader responses following the publication of Renner's book including leads and theories, April 2007
- Box 1 / Folder 40
- Reader responses following the publication of Renner's book including leads and theories, May 2007
Series 2: Audio-Visual Material, 1989-2007
- Box 4 / Folder 1
- VHS tape: Channel 19 News report, Undated
- Alternate Form Available
- Please use DVD Reference Copy for access to the content of this VHS.
- Box 4 / Folder 2
- VHS tape: Fox 8 "Amy", Undated
- Alternate Form Available
- Please use DVD Reference Copy for access to the content of this VHS.
- Box 4 / Folder 3
- VHS tape: "Amy", Undated
- Alternate Form Available
- Please use DVD Reference Copy for access to the content of this VHS.
- Box 4 / Folder 4
- VHS tape: Amy book interviews and news stories", 2007
- Alternate Form Available
- Please use DVD Reference Copy for access to the content of this VHS.
- Box 4 / Folder 5
- DVD: Amy at Stephanie Weeks' graduation party, Summer 1989
- Box 4 / Folder 6
- DVD: "Nordonia Library", 2007
- Box 4 / Folder 7
- CD-R: Amy Mihaljevic "scans", Undated
- Processing Information
- 11 EPS files were recovered from the original CD. These files were converted to PDF/A files and burned onto a new CD. The PDF/A files have also been retained separately.
- Box 4 / Folder 8
- CD-R Amy Mihaljevic images by Walter Novak, October 24, 2005
- Box 4 / Folder 9
- CD-R: Interview with Bay Village detective Mark Spaetzel (1 of 3), Undated
- Box 4 / Folder 10
- CD-R: Interview with Bay Village detective Mark Spaetzel (2 of 3), Undated
- Box 4 / Folder 11
- CD-R: Interview with Bay Village detective Mark Spaetzel (3 of 3), Undated
Series 3: Oversize, 2005-2006
- Box 5 / Folder 1
- Trading Times issue, February 15-22, 2006
- Box 5 / Folder 2
- Poster of book cover, Amy: My Search for Her Killer, [2006]
- Box 5 / Folder 3
- Free Times article, "Missing Amy": Editor's copy with corrections, October 11-17, 2006
- Box 5 / Folder 4
- Cleveland Scene article, "The Coldest Case": Editor's copy with corrections (2 copies), [July 20-26, 2005]
- Box 5 / Folder 5
- Cleveland Scene, "The Coldest Case", July 20-26, 2005
