Casefile True Crime – Casefile Archives 3: Tina Herrmann, Kody Maynard & Stephanie Sprang

Release Date: January 24, 2026
Host: Casefile Presents

Episode Overview

This episode of Casefile delves into the harrowing 2010 disappearance and murder of Tina Herrmann, her two children Sarah and Kody Maynard, and close friend Stephanie Sprang in Mount Vernon, Ohio. Initially a Casefile Premium exclusive, the episode methodically reconstructs the case from the first signs of worry through the discovery of the culprit, Matthew Hoffman. Listeners are taken through the investigation, the chilling recovery of the only surviving victim, 13-year-old Sarah Maynard, and the aftermath, highlighting themes of community resilience and survivor strength.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Disappearance and Early Investigation

• Tina Herrmann’s Absence: Tina’s uncharacteristic no-show at work quickly triggers alarm among her friends and colleagues. Valerie Haythorn, Tina's manager and friend, begins a welfare check that snowballs into a missing persons report.
  • “Tina loved her job and her colleagues, and she had never missed a shift...So when she failed to show up for work...Valerie noticed immediately.” (02:05)
• The Scene at Apple Valley: When checked, Tina’s home appears normal at first glance except for absent occupants and later, a gruesome bloodstained interior.
  • Blood evidence is found in multiple rooms, with clear signs of struggle and failed attempts at concealment using motor oil.

2. The Widening Circle: Multiple Disappearances

• Stephanie Sprang, Tina’s best friend and neighbor, is found missing at the same time. The count of the missing quickly rises to four, including Tina’s two children.

3. The Crime Scene

• Key Discoveries: Investigators uncover a scene of violence involving extensive bloodstains, cleaning supplies, and attempts to conceal evidence. Shoe prints suggest multiple people were present, and Stephanie’s Jeep is found inside Tina’s garage.
• Timeline: Events likely occurred after Tina’s morning errands, pinpointed by a grocery receipt around noon on November 10, 2010.

4. The Suspect Emerges

• Initial Suspicions Cleared: Boyfriend Greg Borders and other close associates are initially suspect but cleared after providing verifiable alibis.
• “From the outset, investigators had a possible suspect.” (16:40)
• Breakthrough Clue: Walmart receipt and security footage reveal a mystery man buying cleanup supplies and tarps, leading to Matthew Hoffman, a recently unemployed local man with a criminal and violent history.

5. Matthew Hoffman: The Chilling Perpetrator

• Background: Hoffman, with a past of arson and burglary, had a recent domestic violence report and odd behavior noted by neighbors.
• Bizarre Home Interior: When police raid his house, they find “leaves...piled three feet high,... over 110 bags of dead leaves stacked in the bathroom... strange markings on the walls, and next to no furniture.” (53:10)
• Discovery of Sarah Maynard: Officers find 13-year-old Sarah alive but bound in Hoffman’s basement, lying atop a pile of leaves—providing the one glimmer of hope in an otherwise devastating case.
  • “The investigator shone a torch on the person and shouted for them to show their hands. The small figure sat up but couldn’t show her hands. They were wearing black work gloves and had been duct taped together, then bound even tighter with yellow bungee cords.” (53:48)

6. Sarah Maynard’s Ordeal

• Sarah describes being kidnapped, restrained, left without food, and repeatedly threatened by Hoffman, including acts of sexual assault.
• “He would just stand there staring at her and not saying a word. Then he’d head back upstairs.” (58:34)

7. Hoffman’s Interrogation & Confession

• Hoffman is at first largely uncooperative, communicating in gestures and only speaking with investigators after lengthy silence or bargaining.
  • “Heart hurts, one of the officers guessed. ‘I don’t understand sign language, Matt.’ Hoffman rapped on his heart again and then made a snapping gesture.” (01:07:50)
• Only after being promised the death penalty would be dropped does he reveal the location of the bodies.
• Bodies Hidden in a Tree: Hoffman had dismembered and stored the bodies in trash bags within the hollow of a tall beech tree.
  • “The woods were part of a large public wildlife area...They found what they had been told to look for by Matthew Hoffman, a tall American beech tree about 60 or 70ft high... opened them up. Inside were...the remains of Stephanie Sprang, Tina Herman, her 11 year old son Cody, and the family dog Tanner.” (01:11:32)

8. Contradictions and Theories

• Hoffman's narrative—a burglary gone wrong—faces skepticism. Some suggest the abduction of Sarah was premeditated, based on his past behavior with other young girls.
• Crime author Robert Scott and Sarah’s father both speculate Sarah may have been the intended target from the start.

9. Sentencing, Community Response, and Aftermath

• Victim Impact Statements: Sarah, through the prosecutor, expresses her loss eloquently:
  • “I never thought I’d lose her and become completely helpless. Everyone tries to help me, but no one can help like her.” (01:23:43, Stephanie’s daughter)
  • “Some memories of Mum. She always made sure we were happy...She was a really caring woman and when someone needed help, she would take her time to go help them. She loved dolphins and sunflowers. One thing she said to me, ‘Sarah, when I die, I want you to send me with the dolphins.’” (01:25:32, read for Sarah Maynard)
• Judge’s Sentence: Hoffman receives life imprisonment without parole.
• Community Memorial: The Apple Valley Lake memorial and purple ribbons become symbols of unity and remembrance.
• Sarah’s Road to Healing: In the years after, Sarah finds solace in advocacy, eventually sharing her experience on a panel with other survivors.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the initial disappearance:
  • “So when she failed to show up for work... Valerie noticed immediately.” (02:05)
• At the crime scene:
  • “The living room carpet was covered in blood… streaks from the major stain led down the hallway and into the bathroom.” (06:34)
• Discovery of Sarah in the basement:
  • “The investigator shone a torch on the person and shouted for them to show their hands. The small figure sat up but couldn’t show her hands. They were wearing black work gloves and had been duct taped together, then bound even tighter with yellow bungee cords.” (53:48)
• On Sarah’s survival:
  • “She was still wearing the same jeans, grey hooded sweatshirt and UGG boots that she’d worn to school several days earlier.” (59:43)
• Police interaction with Hoffman:
  • “Heart hurts, one of the officers guessed. ‘I don’t understand sign language, Matt.’ Hoffman rapped on his heart again and then made a snapping gesture.” (01:07:50)
• Sarah’s statement at sentencing:
  • “Some memories of Mum...She loved dolphins and sunflowers...‘Sarah, when I die, I want you to send me with the dolphins.’” (01:25:32)

Important Segment Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment Description | |-----------|--------------------| | 00:51 – 05:00 | Introduction, discovery of disappearance, initial welfare check | | 05:00 – 12:35 | Crime scene details and early investigation, discovery of blood evidence | | 12:35 – 20:00 | Search expands to family and friends, Greg Borders’ alibi, investigation focus shifts | | 20:00 – 30:00 | Identifying Matthew Hoffman via Walmart footage and car records | | 36:00 – 53:50 | Police SWAT raid on Hoffman’s home, discovery of Sarah Maynard in the basement | | 53:50 – 1:07:50 | Sarah’s account, captivity details, police begin interrogating Hoffman | | 1:11:32 – 1:14:00 | Bodies recovered from the hollow beech tree | | 1:14:00 – 1:25:32 | Legal proceedings, impact statements, sentencing | | 1:25:32 – 1:29:00 | Community response, memorials, Sarah’s healing and advocacy work |

Episode Tone & Delivery

The host’s narration is measured, empathetic, and methodically paced, respecting the gravity of the subject matter. Victim voices and community impact are foregrounded, aligning with Casefile’s signature documentary tone.

Conclusion

This episode delivers a comprehensive account of an especially disturbing crime, weaving in survivor testimony, investigative work, and broader reflections on trauma and recovery. It showcases the worst of human violence alongside the resilience and courage exemplified by Sarah Maynard and the supportive community around her.