REOPENED: A Killer Named Korn

Summary

Cold Case Files: REOPENED - A Killer Named Korn

Hosted by Paula Barros | Released on April 17, 2025

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Introduction

In the gripping episode titled "REOPENED: A Killer Named Korn," hosted by Paula Barros, Cold Case Files delves deep into one of America's most haunting unsolved cases. The episode chronicles the chilling murders of Ruth Dench and Dorothy Hendren, exploring how advancements in forensic technology and relentless investigative efforts finally brought justice to these tragic events.

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The Tragic Murders of Ruth Dench and Dorothy Hendren

Ruth Dench's Murder

The episode opens in Hamilton County, Ohio, detailing the life and untimely death of Ruth Dench, a dedicated teacher and acting principal. On July 14, 1974, Ruth was brutally murdered in her own home. As Robert Dench, Ruth's son, recounts:

"He almost had a kind of a smirk on his face and his eyes were just. He showed no remorse, like he didn't care that he had done such a thing."
— Robert Dench [15:33]

Ruth was found with multiple stab wounds and a gardening axe lodged in her forehead, leading investigators to believe the axe was used post-mortem to mask evidence of the initial assault.

Dorothy Hendren's Attack

Five months later, another horrific crime shook the community. Dorothy Hendren, 54, was violently attacked in Jeffersonville, Indiana. During the assault, the perpetrator demanded Dorothy comply with his demands, leaving her with severe injuries. Robert Dench reflects on the brutality:

"He sat up on the washing machine and he told her to do what he wanted her to do."
— Robert Dench [10:10]

Dorothy survived the attack, providing a crucial description of her assailant, which became a pivotal lead in the investigation.

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Initial Investigation and Suspect: Donald Korn

Early Suspicions

Detective Tom Deaton led the investigation into Ruth Dench's murder. Early evidence pointed to Donald Korn, a local man who had rented a property on Ruth's expansive land. Initially, Korn presented himself as a trustworthy individual with solid alibis. However, suspicions arose when Korn was charged with exposing himself to a minor a month after Ruth's murder:

"It makes you start, you know, your view of him starts to slip a little bit."
— Robert Dench [05:55]

Despite initial doubts, Detective Deaton lacked concrete evidence to link Korn directly to Ruth's death, causing the case to go cold.

Connection to Dorothy Hendren's Attack

The case took a dramatic turn when Dorothy Hendren provided a description of her attacker. Neighbour Kathy Allen revealed that the assailant resembled Donald Korn and had previously attempted to assault her:

"He knocked me down. He was on top of me, and he was trying to get my clothes off. He did get some of my clothes off, and then I started biting, and he bit me back."
— Robert Dench [12:05]

This new information prompted Detective Kemp to re-examine Korn's involvement, leading to his arrest based on Dorothy's positive identification and physical evidence found at Korn's residence, including bloody shoes and Ruth's purse.

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Conviction and Legal Battles

Initial Conviction

In 1976, Donald Korn was convicted of Dorothy Hendren's rape and robbery, receiving a life sentence in Indiana. Subsequently, he was tried in Ohio for the murder of Ruth Dench, where his confession became the cornerstone of his conviction:

"Before I do this, Donald, I need to know something. Did you kill Mrs. Dench in Ohio. He said, yes, I stabbed her in the heart. Did you attack Mrs. Hendren? Yes, I did that also."
— Robert Dench [14:42]

Korn was sentenced to death in Ohio, but his legal battles were far from over.

Appeals and Overturned Conviction

Korn appealed his convictions, claiming his Miranda rights were violated. While Indiana dismissed his appeal, the Ohio Court of Appeals ruled his confession inadmissible, undermining the prosecution's case and leading to the overturning of his conviction:

"When that was done, it kind of gutted the case. I mean, that was at that time the core of the case was his confession. And without that confession, the prosecutor at the time felt that he couldn't prosecute."
— Robert Dench [17:10]

Although Korn remained incarcerated in Indiana, the inability to secure a conviction in Ohio left many questions unanswered.

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Reopening the Cold Case

Detective Frank Smith's Quest for Justice

Two decades later, Detective Frank Smith revisited Ruth Dench's case, determined to secure a conviction without relying on Korn's tainted confession. Smith focused on forensic evidence, particularly the semen sample recovered from Ruth's body:

"When we opened the first packet up and we seen the slides, we knew that they were sealed. And basically we knew we had a very good chance of obtaining DNA because the evidence had been properly maintained over a period of almost 30 years."
— Robert Dench [21:52]

Although the initial DNA analysis provided only a partial match, Smith uncovered a new witness, Charles Jordan, who had observed Korn near Ruth's house on the night of the murder.

Crucial Testimony and Sister's Confession

Further breakthroughs came when Louise Amberjee, Donald Korn's sister, confessed that Korn had admitted to both murders within the family:

"My mother asked him, Donnie, did you do that? Did you kill Mrs. Dench? And what was Mr. Horn? He said, yes."
— Robert Dench [24:37]

This testimonial evidence, combined with additional forensic analysis, strengthened the case against Korn, leading to his re-indictment and eventual conviction in Ohio.

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Final Verdict and Lingering Doubts

Conviction Secured

In June 2004, after meticulous preparation and presentation of evidence, Donald Korn was found guilty of aggravated murder in Ohio and sentenced to a minimum of 30 years before eligibility for parole. This verdict provided closure for the Dench family:

"Our fear was really a real fear that he would come after us and try to harm us or my daughters. And that was a real fear we had over our heads all these years."
— Robert Dench [26:37]

Unsettling Revelations

Despite the resolution of these cases, Detective Smith believed Korn may have committed additional crimes, including the 1964 murder of Esther Strayer, which remained unsolved until Smith's investigation linked Korn through DNA evidence:

"It's far from coincidence when you take an individual who rents from elderly women and they both end up dead, it's far from coincidence."
— Robert Dench [29:36]

Tragically, before DNA results could solidify this connection, Donald Korn died in prison from a heart attack in 2004. However, DNA matching posthumously confirmed his involvement in Esther Strayer's murder, providing a semblance of justice for that cold case.

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Conclusion

"REOPENED: A Killer Named Korn" serves as a testament to the relentless pursuit of justice. Through unwavering dedication and advancements in forensic science, Cold Case Files highlights how even the most stubborn cases can find resolution. Paula Barros masterfully weaves the narratives of loss, perseverance, and eventual triumph, honoring the victims and the families left in the wake of such senseless violence.

Listeners are left with a profound appreciation for the complexities of criminal investigations and the enduring hope that truth, no matter how delayed, will ultimately prevail.

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Notable Quotes

• "Any good investigator will try to establish a bond with a suspect, because you're not going to get the information you need and want by using some of the old tactics that the movies show in the 40s and 50s."
  — Robert Dench [14:10]

• "There's no doubt in my mind as being an experienced lawman that Donald Korn is a cold and a calculated serial killer. I think that we have probably just touched the very tip of his criminal behavior."
  — Robert Dench [27:21]

• "Our fear was really a real fear that he would come after us and try to harm us or my daughters. And that was a real fear we had over our heads all these years."
  — Robert Dench [26:37]

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Production Credits

• Host: Paula Barros
• Produced by: McKamey Lynn and Steve Delamater
• Associate Producer: Julie McGruder
• Executive Producer: Ted Butler
• Music by: Blake Baples
• Distributed by: PodcastOne

For more cold cases and to explore similar stories, visit AE Real Crime Blog.

Transcript

[Narrator]

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[Robert Dench]

I think she just noticed the paper hadn't been taken in and it was, you know, like noon or 1 o'clock in the afternoon, which was unusual.

[Narrator]

Catherine also noticed that the garage door had been left open as well as the storm door on the front porch.

[Robert Dench]

And so she then went in and knocked on the door and then went into the room right off our breezeway and found my mother's body.

[Narrator]

Ruth's body was just inside the front door. She was only partially dressed and there was a gardening axe embedded in her forehead. The scene was gruesome, but there seemed to be a lack of blood suggesting that the killer had used the axe after Ruth was already dead. Tom Deaton was the lead investigator on the case.

[Robert Dench]

It's one thing to kill a person, but to mutilate a body after it's dead, I mean, that takes somebody that's just a pretty terrible person, in my opinion.

[Narrator]

Ruth's body was sent to the medical examiner for an autopsy. The cause of death was determined to be multiple stab wounds to the chest. The autopsy also recovered semen from Ruth's body. The investigators couldn't imagine who would have had a motive to rape and stab a 72 year old retired educator and then put an axe in her head. The investigators believed that Ruth's murder could have been a random act of violence, a crime with no motive at all. They talked to Ruth's friends, community members, and even delivery people while looking for information. In Ruth's home. The investigators found a receipt book. Ruth had rented out a small home on the back of their 18 acre property. Here's investigator Deaton again found the names.

[Robert Dench]

And began actually looking for those folks to determine where they lived. Were they still in the area? Were they still in the neighborhood?

[Narrator]

One of the renters was a local man named Donald Corn. He had lived in the small house for over a year. Deaton decided to pay Corin a visit.

[Robert Dench]

He interviewed very well. He had me convinced that he was not a person that would do something of this nature. And he had alibis at the time.

[Narrator]

As I recall, Deaton wrote Donald Korn off as a suspect at first. A month after Ruth's murder, though, Korn, who was 29, was charged with exposing himself to a minor.

[Robert Dench]

It makes you start, you know, your view of him starts to slip a little bit.

[Narrator]

Deaton decided to question Korn again and again. He denied killing Ruth Dench, even though they were suspicious of Korn, the investigators didn't have any evidence connecting him to the murder. The case started to go cold. That is, until another attack took place five months later.

[Detective Frank Smith]

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[Narrator]

Shopify.Com cold case it was evening in Jeffersonville, Indiana and 54 year old Dorothy Hendren was sitting in her recliner. She was watching an old sitcom called Chico and the man when someone pulled her head back and put a knife to her throat. She begged for her life and at.

[Robert Dench]

That moment he cut her throat and she was begging him, please tell me what you want me to do. I'll do anything, just don't kill me.

[Narrator]

That was Detective Ron Kemp. The attacker didn't listen to Dorothy's plea and he cut her throat. And while she was still alive, he dragged her into the laundry room.

[Robert Dench]

He sat up on the washing machine and he told her to do what he wanted her to do.

[Narrator]

Dorothy was weak from all the blood she had lost and fell to the floor. The attacker cut her again. She decided to play dead. Dorothy was completely still while the attacker ransacked her house looking for valuables. After he finally left, Dorothy dragged herself to the phone and called 911. An ambulance came and rushed Dorothy to the hospital before the investigators even arrived. The forensics team collected blood and hair samples throughout the house while Dorothy was at the hospital fighting for her life.

[Robert Dench]

We only had Mrs. Hendren waiting for her, hoping that she would survive to give us more information.

[Narrator]

Dorothy survived her attack and was able to give the detectives a description of the man who had attacked her. They weren't able to identify him immediately, but one of Dorothy's neighbors came forward with useful information. Three days after Dorothy was assaulted, her neighbor, Kathy Allen, called the police. She shared information about a man she saw on the night Dorothy was attacked.

[Robert Dench]

I saw him when he pulled up and then I saw him get out of the El Camino and I never dreamed that anything like what happened would happen.

[Narrator]

Detective Kemp took Kathy's statement.

[Robert Dench]

She actually watched him go to the rear of the house. And some 20 minutes later, as I recall, she saw him exit the rear of the house and walk between the houses and back out to his car and left.

[Narrator]

The man wasn't a stranger to Kathy. A month before Dorothy was attacked, the same man had lured Kathy onto his houseboat, where he attacked her.

[Robert Dench]

He knocked me down. He was on top of me, and he was trying to get my clothes off. He did get some of my clothes off, and then I started biting, and he bit me back. And then I bit his hand. And when he let go, I flew.

[Narrator]

Kathy hadn't told anyone about the man who had tried to rape her. After what happened to Dorothy, Kathy not only shared her story, she also gave Detective Kemp the man's name. Donald Korn.

[Robert Dench]

That was obviously the tremendous piece of information missing that we needed. We had a name, we had a car, we had an Ohio license plate, and we knew where this individual worked.

[Narrator]

The investigators tracked the car back to Butler County, Ohio, and were able to get a picture of Donald Korn. When Dorothy saw the photo, she immediately identified him as the man who had attacked her. Detectives in Indiana working on Dorothy's case contacted the investigators from Ohio that had been working Ruth's case. Detective Deaton was eager to talk to Korn, his main suspect.

[Robert Dench]

And right away, he called me and said, we'll be there in 45 minutes by airplane. Do you have him in custody? I said, not yet.

[Narrator]

Detective Kemp believed that Dorothy's positive ID was reason enough to arrest corn.

[Robert Dench]

It was the strongest thing that we had to make an arrest because we still hadn't put together all of the information, the lineup photos, and you can only do one thing at a time.

[Narrator]

Donald Coren was arrested, and while he was in custody, his houseboat was searched. The investigators found a pair of bloody shoes that matched the footprints found at Dorothy's home. They also found her purse. It had been tossed into the river next to Korn's boat. Detective Kemp decided to question Donald Korn using the good cop technique.

[Robert Dench]

Any good investigator will try to establish a bond with a suspect, because you're not going to get the information you need and want by using some of the old tactics that the movies show in the 40s and 50s.

[Narrator]

Kemp got Korn some coffee and something to eat. They talked about families and hobbies. Then Kemp told Korn that he was going to have to turn the interrogation over to the detectives from Ohio who wanted to question him about Ruth Dench.

[Robert Dench]

And I said, before I do this, Donald, I need to know something. Did you kill Mrs. Dench in Ohio. He said, yes, I stabbed her in the heart. Did you attack Mrs. Hendren? Yes, I did that also. And he said, I want to get those things off my chest.

[Narrator]

It seemed that Kemp had closed his case in Indiana and provided the detectives from Ohio with a gift wrapped confession. In 1976, Donald Corn was found guilty of the rape and robbery of Dorothy Hendren and sentenced to life in an Indiana prison. He was then taken to Ohio to stand trial for the rape and murder of Ruth Dench. He faced a death sentence. Robert Dench was the first witness to take the stand.

[Robert Dench]

He almost had a kind of a smirk on his face and his eyes were just. He showed no remorse, like he didn't care that he had done such a thing.

[Narrator]

The only physical evidence tying Corn to Ruth's murder was the receipt book showing that he had rented a house from the victim. The more compelling evidence, however, was Corn's confession admitting that he had committed the crime. He was found guilty and sentenced to death. Detective Deaton had no sympathy.

[Robert Dench]

That's why they make penitentiaries and that's why they make at the time, that's why they made electric chairs, you know, but he's a very brutal individual.

[Narrator]

Donald Corn appealed both convictions. His appeal claimed that his Miranda rights were violated because he had asked for an attorney, but he wasn't allowed one. The detective denied that Corn had asked for an attorney. The appeal was immediately denied in Indiana. But in Ohio, the Court of Appeals took Coryn's claim very seriously. This is attorney Robin Piper.

[Robert Dench]

The Court of Appeals looked at the law and said, you know, we don't have an appetite for what we're about to do, but we feel that the law requires us to throw out the confession because he asked for an attorney. And that's what we're required to do. We're required to follow the law.

[Narrator]

Three years after Korn had been sentenced to death for Ruth's murder, his conviction was overturned and his confession was ruled inadmissible.

[Robert Dench]

When that was done, it kind of gutted the case. I mean, that was at that time the core of the case was his confession. And without that confession, the prosecutor at the time felt that he couldn't prosecute.

[Narrator]

Robert Dentsch was devastated by the Court of Appeals decision to think that he.

[Robert Dench]

Was going to get off scott free on this heinous crime and was sentenced to death to die in the electric chair. I was just shattered that he had gotten off scot free.

[Narrator]

Even though Corn's conviction was overturned, he still had to serve a minimum of 20 years in Indiana before he'd be eligible for parole. Knowing Korn wasn't a risk for 20 years was somewhat comforting, but Detective Deaton couldn't help imagining what would happen if he ended up back on the streets.

[Robert Dench]

All you gotta do is look at this guy and look into his eyes and you can tell that he's a killer. And the way he committed both of these crimes in Indiana and Ohio, I wouldn't want this guy back out on the street.

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[Narrator]

Twenty years after Korn was sentenced in January of the year 2000, an Ohio cold case detective decided to look into Ruth Dench's case. This is Detective Frank Smith.

[Robert Dench]

She was murdered in the most brutal fashion that I've ever seen. And that case right there deserves some answers that obviously had not been provided for the family of Mrs. Dench.

[Narrator]

Detective Smith knew that Donald Corn murdered Ruth, but he needed to find a way to prove it without using Corn's confession. He looked through the box of evidence from 1974 and found the semen that was collected from Ruth's body.

[Robert Dench]

When we opened the first packet up and we seen the slides, we knew that they were sealed. And basically we knew we had a very good chance of obtaining DNA because the evidence had been properly maintained over a period of almost 30 years.

[Narrator]

Smith sent the sample to the state crime lab in London, Ohio, where it was received by Jennifer Duvall. She was only able to extract a partial DNA profile able to be matched to one third of the population. This is Jennifer Duvall. I mean, out of a jury alone.

[Detective Frank Smith]

Four people could have that profile.

[Narrator]

So out of the 12 sitting on a jury, so the stat's not very conclusive at all. Detective Smith was determined to find something that would connect Korn to Ruth's murder. He visited the area where Ruth Dench had been murdered more than 20 years later. Less than a mile from Ruth's house was a farm that could be seen from the Dench property. Charles Jordan, who was 16 when Ruth was killed, still lived on the farm just down the Road. He knew Ruth well, and he recognized Donald Korn as the man who had pulled up at her house that night. This is Charles Jordan.

[Robert Dench]

I saw him pull in there, and my dad said, we'll watch and see, you know, if he pulls back out or not. And I watch for three, four, five minutes, something like that. He never did come out.

[Narrator]

No one had thought to talk with Jordan during the original investigation. Frank Smith had found a new lead.

[Robert Dench]

He had never been talked to before. And we actually had a witness that was still living after the first trial that actually could attest to the fact that he had seen the killer actually pull into the Dench driveway on that fateful day.

[Narrator]

Having Charles Jordan as a witness definitely made the case stronger. But without the confession or any physical evidence, a murder conviction would still be difficult. Smith looked at the original investigation file to see if there were any details that stood out. He found the contact information for a woman named Louise Amberjee, who happened to be Donald Corn's sister. Smith decided to pay Louise a visit.

[Robert Dench]

When I knocked on the door and I introduced myself and I explained to her that I was there because of her brother, she told me that it had been a long time coming, that there was something that she needed to tell us.

[Narrator]

Louise had never spoken with the police about her brother, and it seemed to be weighing on her conscience. She shared the information with the detective and then repeated the story for a tape deposition. Here's a clip from that tape.

[Robert Dench]

My mother asked him, donnie, did you do that? Did you kill Mrs. Dench? And what was Mr. Horn?

[Detective Frank Smith]

He said, yes. All I know is I said, donnie, how could you do that? And he said, don't worry about it.

[Robert Dench]

Says, what's done's done.

[Narrator]

The confession that Donald Korn made to his family would be admissible in a future trial and just as compelling as the one he had made to the detective. Detective Smith made the arrangements for Korn to once again be indicted for the murder of Ruth Dench. In June of 2004, Donald Korn was tried for murder in Ohio for a second time. Almost 30 years later, Robert Dench was present for the trial.

[Robert Dench]

Nothing's changed. He still had that cold, evil look. He still had a smirk on his face. And it was very difficult for me to even look at this person.

[Narrator]

Attorney Robyn Piper prosecuted the case. The evidence, a weak forensic connection, and Corn's sister's testimony wasn't as strong as Piper would have liked.

[Robert Dench]

We had to take a swing at it. Whether we failed, whether we were successful or not, wasn't as important. As the fact that we had to be committed to try to get a conviction so we could keep him in prison for the rest of his life so the rest of us could be safe.

[Narrator]

Piper's case was spread out over three weeks of testimony, explaining every connection in detail. On June 17, the jury returned with the verdict. Corn was found guilty of aggravated murder. Ohio law changed and Donald Corn was no longer eligible to receive the death penalty. Instead, 59 year old Donald Corn was sentenced to a minimum of 30 years before being considered for parole. Robert Dench was able to breathe a little easier because of the sentence.

[Robert Dench]

Our fear was really a real fear that he would come after us and try to try to harm us or my daughters. And that was a real fear we had over our heads all these years.

[Narrator]

Smith was glad that Corn was no longer a danger to society, but believed that he likely had more skeletons in his closet that hadn't been discovered. This is Detective Smith.

[Robert Dench]

There's no doubt in my mind as being an experienced lawman that Donald Corn is a cold and a calculated serial killer. I think that we have probably just touched the very tip of his criminal behavior.

[Narrator]

Frank Smith believed that he might have witnessed a crime committed by Corn firsthand. Smith had been 14 in 1964 when he happened upon a crime scene. A local woman named Esther Strayer had been murdered in her home. Even though Smith was a teenager at the time, he remembered it clearly as.

[Robert Dench]

They brought her body out of the. Onto the curb, off the curb, onto the street. Her little hand actually dropped out from underneath the sheet. I had never seen a dead person at the age of 14 before.

[Narrator]

The investigators in 1964 believe that there was only one possible suspect. Esther's son, Charlie Strayer.

[Robert Dench]

I was the closest one to my mother. I had the most to gain, had everything to gain. I needed money. At the time, there was a big thing. I was about two steps ahead of bankruptcy or maybe a half a step.

[Narrator]

The detectives weren't able to tie Charlie to the murder of his mother, so the case went cold. In a small town, though, a person doesn't always need to be convicted in court to be considered guilty.

[Robert Dench]

You get tired of fighting for your existence. You get tired of trying to make friends with people who in the back of their mind say, well, that's the son of a bitch that killed his mother.

[Narrator]

Frank Smith saw the similarities between the cases Korn had been convicted of and the cold case from his childhood.

[Robert Dench]

It's a memory that haunted me forever. I had no idea that 40 years later that I would be One of the key investigators to assist and break that case. Finally, after all those years.

[Narrator]

Corn was living in the area at the time of Esther Strayer's murder and had even rented a property from the elderly Mrs. Strayer.

[Robert Dench]

It's far from coincidence when you take an individual who rents from elderly women and they both end up dead, it's far from coincidence.

[Narrator]

Detective Smith looked through the evidence collected from the Strayer case and found semen samples, which he sent out for DNA testing against Donald Korn. Charlie Strayer was hopeful that someday he would no longer be seen as the man who murdered his mother.

[Robert Dench]

When I can stand up in the Butler County Court of Pleas and make a victim impact statement, that'll be my satisfaction. Or to put it bluntly, when I can look that son of a bitch in the eye and say what I want to say. Okay.

[Narrator]

In the year 2004, before the DNA results were processed, Donald Korn died in prison from a heart attack. The samples came back as a match. And though Korn would never be tried for Esther Strayer's murder, Charlie was thankful that Detective Smith had closed the case.

[Robert Dench]

Frank Smith, my hero. When Frank gets his teeth in, he doesn't let up. And thank God for the Frank Smiths of the world.

[Narrator]

Frank Smith was glad that he was able to close the case that had stuck with him since he was 14 years old.

[Robert Dench]

The force that has drove me is just simply justice. And hopefully the Mrs. Strayer can rest in peace. And hopefully that her son and her immediate family can have some peace finally.

[Narrator]

Cold Case Files. The podcast is hosted by Brooke giddings, produced by McKamey Lynn and Steve Delamater. Our associate producer is Julie McGruder. Our executive producer is Ted Butler. Our music was created by Blake Baples. This podcast is distributed by Podcast one. The Cold Case Files TV series was produced by Curtis Productions and is hosted by Bill Curtis. You can find me brookegiddings on Twitter and rookthepodcaster on Instagram. I'm also active in the Facebook group Podcast for Justice. Check out more Cold case [e-mail] or learn more about cases like this one by visiting the AE Real Crime blog at aetv.com realcrime Pluto TV has all the shows and movies you love streaming for free. That means laughter is free. With gut busting comedies like the Neighborhood Boomerang and Ferris Bueller's Day Off.

[Robert Dench]

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[Robert Dench]

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[Detective Frank Smith]

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[Robert Dench]

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