REOPENED: Innocent Prey

Summary

Cold Case Files: "REOPENED: Innocent Prey" (November 27, 2025)

Episode Overview

This episode of Cold Case Files, hosted by Brooke Giddings, delves into a chilling series of unsolved assaults and a murder in Portland, Oregon, spanning from 1997 to 2001. The story centers on multiple young victims who were preyed upon by the same perpetrator—crimes that went unsolved for years before breakthroughs in forensic technology and relentless detective work finally led to justice. Through the victims' voices, detectives’ recollections, and forensic evidence, the episode demonstrates how cold cases can eventually be solved, offering hope to survivors and families.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Initial Attacks and Missed Connections (00:00–06:12)

Janet Cha (00:03–01:19)

• Incident: In February 1997, Janet Cha was assaulted walking home from her boyfriend's house.
• Victim Statement:

  "He asked me have I ever had sex before? And I told him no. So he said, okay, I won't make you do much." – Janet Cha (00:43)

• Investigation: Biological evidence was collected, but the case received little attention due to the lack of a named suspect.

Michelle Horst (01:19–03:19)

• Incident: Three weeks later, Michelle, age 15, was assaulted in a similar manner.
• Victim Statement:

  "That’s when he came behind me and grabbed me. I couldn’t breathe at all. I just felt like I was gonna like, literally pass out." – Michelle Horst (02:10, 02:35)

• Investigation: Another rape kit was done, but again, the case stalled.
• Detective’s Reflection:

  "During my interview...she said that she didn’t think she could identify the individual. He was a black male." – Detective Paul Larson (03:13)

Systemic Issues

• No connection made between the assaults, and sexual assault cases without suspects were deprioritized by police.
• Both victims went to the same high school yet had no idea they shared an assailant.

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2. Escalation: Akilah Johnson’s Case (04:14–06:12)

• Incident: In November 1997, Akilah Johnson, age 14, was attacked on her way to school. The assailant choked her into unconsciousness and assaulted her.
• Victim’s Experience:

  "I woke up crying, bleary eyed, foggy eyed...then he was there on top of me." – Akilah Johnson (04:33)

• Sketch Attempt: Akilah met with a sketch artist but had trouble recalling the attacker’s features, as he prevented her from seeing his face.
• Forensics: DNA was extracted from her rape kit but found no matches in the state database.
• Detective’s Frustration:

  "It was disappointing...I had the hope that with the DNA evidence that we would eventually make a connection..." – Detective Ron Sturtemant and Akilah Johnson (05:59–06:09)

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3. A Murder Shocks Portland: Melissa Bittler (07:30–10:43)

• Incident: In December 2001, Melissa Bittler, age 14, was found murdered and sexually assaulted near her home.
• Discovery:

  "Sexual assault was the absolute first thing that went through my mind. Seeing the body the way it was..." – Detective Cheryl Kanzler (07:56)

• Investigation: The crime scene yielded a condom wrapper and minimal sperm, leading to a DNA profile.
• Forensic Insight:

  "There appears to have been a condom used...there may have been a hole in the condom. There may have been some manual transfer in taking it off." – Forensic Scientist Terry Koons (10:17)

• Breakthrough: DNA from Melissa’s case matched Akilah’s attacker—pointing to a serial offender.

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4. Connecting the Cases: Tireless Detective Work (10:43–12:53)

• Detectives revisited prior unsolved assaults, finally linking the cases of Janet, Michelle, Akilah, and Melissa by DNA.
• Renewed Urgency:

  "Again, we became more hopeful we would be able to solve this. But again, more worried. He’s out. He’s murdered Melissa. When’s he gonna strike again?" – Detective Kanzler (12:26)

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5. A Critical Tip and the Breakthrough (13:13–17:17)

• April 2002—New Attack: A woman reports being sexually assaulted and strangled in her home by her cousin's boyfriend, LaDawn Stevens, whom she identified to police.

• Detective’s Analysis:

  "She would not...budge off the fact that it was LaDawn Stevens. So I was 100% behind her." – Detective Craig Yost (14:47)

• Stevens’ criminal background included sexual offenses going back two decades. Physical evidence (bite and scratch marks) matched the victim’s account.

• Detective Insight:

  "Detective Minnis said to me, you know, this guy could have done Bittler. And I said, yeah, it’s very possible." – Detective Yost (16:02)

• Stevens’ DNA was entered for comparison.

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6. Scientific Confirmation & Emotional Impact (17:17–18:44)

• Lab Result:

  "I actually sat at my desk and I started to cry...and I said, it’s Bittler. She’s done." – Terry Koons (17:45)

• Stevens’ DNA matched the attacks on Melissa, Akilah, Janet, and Michelle. While a condom prevented a biological link in the most recent assault, blood found on Stevens’ underwear tied him to the case.
• Mary and Tom Bittler’s Relief:

  "It was joyful, and it was. It was done sooner than I expected." – Mary Bitler (18:36)

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7. Justice Served: Trial and Sentencing (18:58–21:51)

• Criminal Charges: Stevens was charged with murder and four counts of sexual assault; the prosecution sought the death penalty.

• Key Evidence: Stevens’ own journal detailed his motivation and targeting of young girls.

  "He literally wrote...that he would target young females...it would give him the most power and the most control and the most fear..." – Prosecutor Rod Underhill (19:08)

• Trial Outcome: The jury found him guilty on all charges.

  "I just wanted to sit there all day and listen to the jurors go, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty." – Tom Bittler (20:14)

• At sentencing, 19 victims gave impact statements. Stevens was sentenced to life in prison without parole, rather than the death penalty.

  "I got to look him in the eyes and I got to let him feel my pain...constantly keeping that eye contact so he would know that I’m not frightened of you." – Akilah Johnson (20:33) "They’re just more upset that a life had to be taken to...stop him." – Michelle Horst (21:02)

• Enduring Grief:

  "Maybe Melissa was supposed to help us catch him because this community rallied...maybe she helped us catch him." – Mary Bitler (21:21)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• Victim courage:

  "I got to look him in the eyes...so he would know that I'm not frightened of you." – Akilah Johnson (20:33)

• Parental heartbreak:

  "My life ended." – Mary Bitler (08:33)

• Justice achieved:

  "It's Bittler. She's done." – Terry Koons (17:45)

• Systemic failure & perseverance:

  "We've developed hundreds of names, if not a thousand subjects of interest. So we believe that he's in there. And so now it's just a matter of trying to get to him." – Detective Weatheroy (12:53)

• Psychological insight:

  "He enjoyed seeing the fear in their faces during his attacks and that he targeted a specific gender together with a specific age because it would give him the most power and the most control..." – Prosecutor Rod Underhill (19:08)

• Sense of closure:

  "I just wanted to sit there all day and listen to the jurors go, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty." – Tom Bittler (20:14)

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Timeline of Key Segments

• 00:03–01:19: Janet Cha’s assault and investigation
• 01:19–03:19: Michelle Horst’s assault and investigation
• 04:14–06:12: Akilah Johnson’s assault and development of DNA evidence
• 07:30–10:43: Discovery of Melissa Bittler’s body and ensuing investigation
• 10:43–12:53: Linking cases by DNA, detectives develop new strategies
• 13:13–14:37: New attack leads to identification of LaDawn Stevens
• 15:07–16:45: Detectives debate whether Stevens is the serial rapist/killer
• 17:17–18:44: DNA match provides emotional closure for survivors and detectives
• 19:08–21:51: Trial, impact statements, sentencing, victim/family reflections

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Conclusion

"REOPENED: Innocent Prey" is both a harrowing account of systemic failures and a testament to persistence—showing how victims and police, even after years of frustration, can achieve justice through determination, evolving forensic science, and unwavering hope. The episode’s respectful presentation of tragic events and voices of survivors underscores why cold case breakthroughs matter not just for closure, but for public safety and vindication of survivor experiences.

Transcript

[Janet Cha / Michelle Horst / Akilah Johnson / Melissa Bittler / Victims' Voices]

An A and E original podcast.

[Narrator / Cold Case Files Host (Brooke Giddings)]

This episode contains descriptions of violence and sexual assault. Use your best judgment. On the evening of February 9, 1997, Janet Cha, a high school freshman, left her boyfriend's house in Portland, Oregon. She walked half a block to the bus stop like she had many times before. This time was different, though. She noticed a man following her, so she crossed the street, but the man crossed as well. Then he caught up with her and grabbed and dragged her into an abandoned garage. This is Janet.

[Janet Cha / Michelle Horst / Akilah Johnson / Melissa Bittler / Victims' Voices]

He asked me have I ever had sex before? And I told him no. So he said, okay, I won't make you do much. After he was done, he stood me up. Now I just laid there and I watched him jump over the fence. And then I stood up and pulled my underwear and my pants up.

[Narrator / Cold Case Files Host (Brooke Giddings)]

She ran back to her boyfriend's house and called the police.

[Janet Cha / Michelle Horst / Akilah Johnson / Melissa Bittler / Victims' Voices]

I couldn't see his face because he wouldn't let me look at his face. But I knew he was bald, you know, shaved head. He was about medium build and he was about 6ft.

[Narrator / Cold Case Files Host (Brooke Giddings)]

Janet went to the hospital where her injuries were documented and biological evidence was collected. Unfortunately, though, in Portland, sexual assault cases were less likely to be investigated without a named attacker. The investigation appeared to be forgotten by the police, even though Janet's memory of her assault was there to stay. From A and E, this is Cold case files. Three weeks after Janet's assault in a nearby neighborhood, 15 year old Michelle Horst was visiting a friend. She eventually said goodbye and began the short walk home. Five blocks later, a man she didn't know crossed her path. This is Michelle.

[Janet Cha / Michelle Horst / Akilah Johnson / Melissa Bittler / Victims' Voices]

I, like, kind of glanced over at him and, you know, just like a friendly smirk, you know, didn't want to be too friendly but. Or didn't want to be rude and stuck up. So I just, you know, just kind of gave him a little. And that's when he came behind me and grabbed me.

[Narrator / Cold Case Files Host (Brooke Giddings)]

Michelle was 5:2, and the man was over 6ft. He dragged her into a yard that couldn't be seen from the street.

[Janet Cha / Michelle Horst / Akilah Johnson / Melissa Bittler / Victims' Voices]

I couldn't breathe at all. I just felt like I was gonna like, literally pass out.

[Narrator / Cold Case Files Host (Brooke Giddings)]

The attacker pushed Michelle to the ground and raped her. When he was finished, he told her to count to 100 before getting up. And then he ran away.

[Janet Cha / Michelle Horst / Akilah Johnson / Melissa Bittler / Victims' Voices]

He told me that he wouldn't hurt me if I just cooperated, did what he said and promised not to yell, so. And I did that.

[Narrator / Cold Case Files Host (Brooke Giddings)]

Scared, Michelle ran back to her friend's house and called the police. She was taken to the hospital for a rape kit. Detective Paul Larson met Michelle at the hospital.

[Detectives and Experts (e.g., Detective Paul Larson, Detective Ron Sturtemant, Detective Cheryl Kanzler, Detective Paul Weatheroy, Detective Craig Yost, Detective Dennis Minnis, Forensic Scientist Terry Koons, Prosecutor Rod Underhill)]

During my interview of her she said that she didn't think that she could identify the individual. He was a black male.

[Narrator / Cold Case Files Host (Brooke Giddings)]

It was dark like Janet before her. Michelle's case was put on the back burner because there wasn't a named suspect. No one had connected the two assaults.

[Detectives and Experts (e.g., Detective Paul Larson, Detective Ron Sturtemant, Detective Cheryl Kanzler, Detective Paul Weatheroy, Detective Craig Yost, Detective Dennis Minnis, Forensic Scientist Terry Koons, Prosecutor Rod Underhill)]

A sexual assault detail. If they have similar cases, then they pursue it. But apparently there was nothing that was giving them indication that there was another incident.

[Narrator / Cold Case Files Host (Brooke Giddings)]

The two cases grew cold together. Janet and Michelle went to the same high school. Neither girl knew the other had been attacked by the same man. Nine months later, in November of 1997, 14 year old Akilah Johnson was on her way to school. The first bell rang at 8:15 and she was running late. She relaxed a little when the school building was in sight. Then she noticed a man standing on the sidewalk.

[Janet Cha / Michelle Horst / Akilah Johnson / Melissa Bittler / Victims' Voices]

He turned to ask me a question and answered his question. So at that time I was just being a bypasser, a friendly bypasser.

[Narrator / Cold Case Files Host (Brooke Giddings)]

A few seconds later the man grabbed Akilah and pulled her between two houses where he choked her until she passed out.

[Janet Cha / Michelle Horst / Akilah Johnson / Melissa Bittler / Victims' Voices]

I woke up crying, bleary eyed, foggy eyed. I swear I seen clouds and everything upstairs when I woke up. But then after everything cleared out from that, then he was there on top of me.

[Narrator / Cold Case Files Host (Brooke Giddings)]

When the attacker left the scene, Akilah ran to school where the police were called. Detective Ron Sturtemant responded.

[Detectives and Experts (e.g., Detective Paul Larson, Detective Ron Sturtemant, Detective Cheryl Kanzler, Detective Paul Weatheroy, Detective Craig Yost, Detective Dennis Minnis, Forensic Scientist Terry Koons, Prosecutor Rod Underhill)]

From her description it sounded as if.

[Janet Cha / Michelle Horst / Akilah Johnson / Melissa Bittler / Victims' Voices]

She had seen him pretty well.

[Detectives and Experts (e.g., Detective Paul Larson, Detective Ron Sturtemant, Detective Cheryl Kanzler, Detective Paul Weatheroy, Detective Craig Yost, Detective Dennis Minnis, Forensic Scientist Terry Koons, Prosecutor Rod Underhill)]

Although he had told her at the near the end of the assault to.

[Janet Cha / Michelle Horst / Akilah Johnson / Melissa Bittler / Victims' Voices]

Put her or cover her face. And what she did was put her coat over her face as he was.

[Detectives and Experts (e.g., Detective Paul Larson, Detective Ron Sturtemant, Detective Cheryl Kanzler, Detective Paul Weatheroy, Detective Craig Yost, Detective Dennis Minnis, Forensic Scientist Terry Koons, Prosecutor Rod Underhill)]

Leaving, not to watch him.

[Janet Cha / Michelle Horst / Akilah Johnson / Melissa Bittler / Victims' Voices]

But she still hadn't been able to see him.

[Narrator / Cold Case Files Host (Brooke Giddings)]

The detective asked Akeelah if she would meet with a police sketch artist and she agreed. Two days later the meeting took place.

[Janet Cha / Michelle Horst / Akilah Johnson / Melissa Bittler / Victims' Voices]

When I did the sketch and they start showing me eyes and a piece of a nose and lips and you know what I'm saying, stuff that I really was just trying to vaguely remember what I saw because I really didn't look at him in his face like that, you know.

[Narrator / Cold Case Files Host (Brooke Giddings)]

The drawing was distributed to law enforcement personnel and also the media leading to 30 suspects being eliminated. However, the evidence collected from Akilah's rape kit was enough to create a DNA profile. Unfortunately, no matches were found in the state DNA database. Here's Detective Sturtevant again.

[Detectives and Experts (e.g., Detective Paul Larson, Detective Ron Sturtemant, Detective Cheryl Kanzler, Detective Paul Weatheroy, Detective Craig Yost, Detective Dennis Minnis, Forensic Scientist Terry Koons, Prosecutor Rod Underhill)]

It was disappointing.

[Janet Cha / Michelle Horst / Akilah Johnson / Melissa Bittler / Victims' Voices]

I had the hope that with the DNA evidence that we would eventually make.

[Detectives and Experts (e.g., Detective Paul Larson, Detective Ron Sturtemant, Detective Cheryl Kanzler, Detective Paul Weatheroy, Detective Craig Yost, Detective Dennis Minnis, Forensic Scientist Terry Koons, Prosecutor Rod Underhill)]

A connection through some subsequent person being.

[Janet Cha / Michelle Horst / Akilah Johnson / Melissa Bittler / Victims' Voices]

Added to the data bank. But you didn't know when that would be.

[Narrator / Cold Case Files Host (Brooke Giddings)]

Akilah's case joined Janet's and Michelle's cases in the Cold Case Files. No one realized the connection between their assaults except for the attacker himself. Is the movie business in peril? We've all heard that before.

[Detectives and Experts (e.g., Detective Paul Larson, Detective Ron Sturtemant, Detective Cheryl Kanzler, Detective Paul Weatheroy, Detective Craig Yost, Detective Dennis Minnis, Forensic Scientist Terry Koons, Prosecutor Rod Underhill)]

I'm veteran producer Todd Garner, host of.

[Narrator / Cold Case Files Host (Brooke Giddings)]

The Producer's Guide podcast. Some of my credits include Con air, Anger Management, xxx13, Goyon30, and the Mortal Kombat franchise. I'm here to address the biggest burning.

[Detectives and Experts (e.g., Detective Paul Larson, Detective Ron Sturtemant, Detective Cheryl Kanzler, Detective Paul Weatheroy, Detective Craig Yost, Detective Dennis Minnis, Forensic Scientist Terry Koons, Prosecutor Rod Underhill)]

Questions facing Hollywood today. Is the next big strike on the horizon? Will studio consolidation affect industry jobs?

[Narrator / Cold Case Files Host (Brooke Giddings)]

Are we getting closer to AI generated features? Is there a real difference between movies and content anymore? Some of my past guests include Adam Sandler, Rebel Wilson, Jeff Probst, Eli Roth, Ed Helms, and Kevin James. Join me on the front lines every Thursday. Get new audio or video episodes of the Producer's Guide wherever you get your podcasts. In December of 2001, four years after the attacks on Janet, Michelle and Akilah, 14 year old Melissa Bittler left early for school. She had an appointment with her math teacher. At 7:30am she said goodbye to her family. She grabbed her backpack and headed out the door. She didn't make it to school.

[Janet Cha / Michelle Horst / Akilah Johnson / Melissa Bittler / Victims' Voices]

911. Police for a medical. Police. What is the emergency? There's a body in our backyard. There's a wife. A body.

[Narrator / Cold Case Files Host (Brooke Giddings)]

Less than 50 steps from her house. Melissa was found lying face down with her pants and underwear wrapped around her ankles. Detective Cheryl Kanzler and Paul Weatheroy were first at the scene. This is Detective Kanzler.

[Janet Cha / Michelle Horst / Akilah Johnson / Melissa Bittler / Victims' Voices]

Sexual assault was the absolute first thing that went through my mind. Seeing the body the way it was, the positioning with the buttocks elevated, the pants down around her ankles.

[Narrator / Cold Case Files Host (Brooke Giddings)]

Drag marks in the grass showed that Melissa had been grabbed on the sidewalk and moved to the backyard. A condom wrapper was found near her body.

[Janet Cha / Michelle Horst / Akilah Johnson / Melissa Bittler / Victims' Voices]

It's like you've done your terrible, nasty little deed and now you're gonna stand up, zip up your pants and walk away and just leave her there like a piece of garbage.

[Narrator / Cold Case Files Host (Brooke Giddings)]

The idea in Melissa's backpack led the detectives to her home where they talked with her parents, Mary and Tom Bitler.

[Janet Cha / Michelle Horst / Akilah Johnson / Melissa Bittler / Victims' Voices]

I cried. Wasn't sobbing. It was. I mean, it was like my, my life ended.

[Detectives and Experts (e.g., Detective Paul Larson, Detective Ron Sturtemant, Detective Cheryl Kanzler, Detective Paul Weatheroy, Detective Craig Yost, Detective Dennis Minnis, Forensic Scientist Terry Koons, Prosecutor Rod Underhill)]

I suspected everybody, certainly my neighbors. I mean, who, who would know? I mean, she left at a different time that morning. I mean, it's right across the street.

[Narrator / Cold Case Files Host (Brooke Giddings)]

The police questioned everyone in the neighborhood, but they couldn't find anyone who could Provide them with a lead. This is Detective Weatheroy.

[Detectives and Experts (e.g., Detective Paul Larson, Detective Ron Sturtemant, Detective Cheryl Kanzler, Detective Paul Weatheroy, Detective Craig Yost, Detective Dennis Minnis, Forensic Scientist Terry Koons, Prosecutor Rod Underhill)]

I believed it was someone that had offended before, and I felt that it was someone that would offend again. I felt like it was a predator, Someone that preyed on little kids for sex and for violence.

[Narrator / Cold Case Files Host (Brooke Giddings)]

The detectives created a list of possible suspects from called in tips and the sex offender registry. They then map the neighborhood into grids to begin their search. This is Detective Cancel again.

[Janet Cha / Michelle Horst / Akilah Johnson / Melissa Bittler / Victims' Voices]

The red indicates a half a mile. And then each of these numbers in red indicate where a registered sex offender lives. We began to look at people who rode her bus because she rode a TriMet, a public transit system to work every day. We contacted the meter readers, the mailman, the garbage man. I mean, it was nonstop 24 hours a day for the first several weeks.

[Narrator / Cold Case Files Host (Brooke Giddings)]

The autopsy of Melissa's body revealed strangulation as the cause of death. The biological samples collected were sent to Terry Coons at the Oregon State Police crime lab. Only a total of eight sperm heads were found, which is not a typical number. Here is forensic scientist Terry Koons.

[Janet Cha / Michelle Horst / Akilah Johnson / Melissa Bittler / Victims' Voices]

There appears to have been a condom used. Why there was a few and not more. Why there was not either zero or a lot, I can only surmise there may have been a hole in the condom. There may have been some manual transfer in taking it off.

[Narrator / Cold Case Files Host (Brooke Giddings)]

Despite the small sample amount, Koons was able to create a DNA profile which she entered into the national database.

[Janet Cha / Michelle Horst / Akilah Johnson / Melissa Bittler / Victims' Voices]

I compared that and saw a match to another case and pulled that case. I now know that we have a serial child rapist who has killed.

[Narrator / Cold Case Files Host (Brooke Giddings)]

The DNA linked the attacks of Akilah Johnson and Melissa Bittler. The investigators reviewed Akilah's case file and then reached out to her. This is Akilah Johnson.

[Janet Cha / Michelle Horst / Akilah Johnson / Melissa Bittler / Victims' Voices]

At first I was like, why are you guys bothering me? You know what I'm saying? Okay, you haven't found him over this many years. Why you keep on messing with me? Cause it's over. I'm just like, it's out of my life.

[Narrator / Cold Case Files Host (Brooke Giddings)]

Akilah agreed to share the details of her attack with detectives Kanzler and Weatheroi. They recognized the similarities between the two cases almost immediately.

[Detectives and Experts (e.g., Detective Paul Larson, Detective Ron Sturtemant, Detective Cheryl Kanzler, Detective Paul Weatheroy, Detective Craig Yost, Detective Dennis Minnis, Forensic Scientist Terry Koons, Prosecutor Rod Underhill)]

When we heard of how he attacked Akilah, we got the impression that he did the same thing with Melissa, that he may have engaged her, some type of brief greeting or conversation, probably jumped her from behind and dragged her into the yard as he had dragged Ms. Johnson.

[Janet Cha / Michelle Horst / Akilah Johnson / Melissa Bittler / Victims' Voices]

We sit down and with the assistance of the sex corps crimes personnel, we begin to look at all the old sexual assault cases. Tedious, slow task.

[Narrator / Cold Case Files Host (Brooke Giddings)]

The detectives Found a small amount of unsolved rape cases that matched the killer's mo. Only a few of those cases had DNA available to be tested. The unsolved cases with untested DNA were sent to the crime lab where the link was finally made between Michelle, Janet, Akilah and Melissa's cases. They had all been attacked by the same man. Here's Detective Kanzler.

[Janet Cha / Michelle Horst / Akilah Johnson / Melissa Bittler / Victims' Voices]

Again, we became more hopeful we would be able to solve this. But again, more worried. He's out. He's murdered Melissa. When's he gonna strike again?

[Narrator / Cold Case Files Host (Brooke Giddings)]

The detectives made lists of suspects to contact and collect DNA from. In April of 2002, five months after Melissa's murder, 75 suspects had been eliminated. But there were still no leads. Here's Detective Weatheroy again.

[Detectives and Experts (e.g., Detective Paul Larson, Detective Ron Sturtemant, Detective Cheryl Kanzler, Detective Paul Weatheroy, Detective Craig Yost, Detective Dennis Minnis, Forensic Scientist Terry Koons, Prosecutor Rod Underhill)]

We've developed hundreds of names, if not a thousand subjects of interest. So we believe that he's in there. And so now it's just a matter of trying to get to him.

[Narrator / Cold Case Files Host (Brooke Giddings)]

On April 28, 2002, at 3:30am A call was received by 91 1. A woman who wished to be anonymous reported being attacked by a rapist in her own home.

[Janet Cha / Michelle Horst / Akilah Johnson / Melissa Bittler / Victims' Voices]

911. I just feel raped. Do you feel safe staying in the house? Why? Where do you think he is? This is Ortez's boyfriend. You don't know for sure who it was? No. Marquez. Kind of strange, but he was choking me so hard I passed out. Maybe it's your cousin, Sue. No, it's the guy. Okay. I've already got the call going. Okay. The ambulance is coming. The police are coming.

[Narrator / Cold Case Files Host (Brooke Giddings)]

In reality, it took the police five minutes to arrive at her house. But it felt like an eternity to the woman.

[Janet Cha / Michelle Horst / Akilah Johnson / Melissa Bittler / Victims' Voices]

When are they going to be here? They're getting there just as quick as they can. I know it feels like a long time, but only been a few minutes. Okay? Yeah. I don't want him to come back. You think I'm dead?

[Narrator / Cold Case Files Host (Brooke Giddings)]

When the police arrived, they took the woman to the hospital. She told them she was sleeping on the floor of her living room. When she had woken up to hands around her throat, Detective Craig Yost took her statement.

[Detectives and Experts (e.g., Detective Paul Larson, Detective Ron Sturtemant, Detective Cheryl Kanzler, Detective Paul Weatheroy, Detective Craig Yost, Detective Dennis Minnis, Forensic Scientist Terry Koons, Prosecutor Rod Underhill)]

She began to struggle. She was choked to the point of unconsciousness. When she came back to, she began coughing blood and saliva. Things came out of her mouth.

[Narrator / Cold Case Files Host (Brooke Giddings)]

The woman got a glimpse of her attacker's face and realized it belonged to her cousin's boyfriend. 33 year old LaDawn Stevens. Here's Detective Yost again.

[Detectives and Experts (e.g., Detective Paul Larson, Detective Ron Sturtemant, Detective Cheryl Kanzler, Detective Paul Weatheroy, Detective Craig Yost, Detective Dennis Minnis, Forensic Scientist Terry Koons, Prosecutor Rod Underhill)]

I think probably once he realized he was observed, I think he tried. Probably would have tried to kill her. And I think the fact that her playing dead saved her, she would not, you know, budge off the fact that it was ladonn Stevens. So I. I was 100% behind her.

[Narrator / Cold Case Files Host (Brooke Giddings)]

Detective yost and his partner, detective Dennis Minnis, brought Stevens in for questioning and also ran a criminal background check on him. They found crimes against women on his record that dated back 20 years, including sexual assault and attempted sexual assault on girls as young as nine years old.

[Detectives and Experts (e.g., Detective Paul Larson, Detective Ron Sturtemant, Detective Cheryl Kanzler, Detective Paul Weatheroy, Detective Craig Yost, Detective Dennis Minnis, Forensic Scientist Terry Koons, Prosecutor Rod Underhill)]

We arrested him, took some photographs of him, because during the sexual assault, she had bit him on one of his hands and caused some scratches under one of his armpits.

[Narrator / Cold Case Files Host (Brooke Giddings)]

Marks on Steven's body match the ones from the woman's description. Though he claimed that they had happened in a work accident, the detectives didn't believe him. Here's detective yost again.

[Detectives and Experts (e.g., Detective Paul Larson, Detective Ron Sturtemant, Detective Cheryl Kanzler, Detective Paul Weatheroy, Detective Craig Yost, Detective Dennis Minnis, Forensic Scientist Terry Koons, Prosecutor Rod Underhill)]

As we're looking at him, some things are coming to mind. Ladonn's date of birth is December 13, which is the day that Melissa bittler was killed.

[Narrator / Cold Case Files Host (Brooke Giddings)]

The detectives noticed too many similarities between the assaults to dismiss.

[Detectives and Experts (e.g., Detective Paul Larson, Detective Ron Sturtemant, Detective Cheryl Kanzler, Detective Paul Weatheroy, Detective Craig Yost, Detective Dennis Minnis, Forensic Scientist Terry Koons, Prosecutor Rod Underhill)]

Detective Minnis said to me, you know, this guy could have done bittler. And I said, yeah, it's very possible.

[Narrator / Cold Case Files Host (Brooke Giddings)]

Detective yost shared his theory with detectives kanzler and weatherroy. Their reactions were mixed, and we all.

[Janet Cha / Michelle Horst / Akilah Johnson / Melissa Bittler / Victims' Voices]

Kind of looked at each other, and I remember some of the detectives saying, it's not him. He struck an adult in a house. That's way out of character.

[Detectives and Experts (e.g., Detective Paul Larson, Detective Ron Sturtemant, Detective Cheryl Kanzler, Detective Paul Weatheroy, Detective Craig Yost, Detective Dennis Minnis, Forensic Scientist Terry Koons, Prosecutor Rod Underhill)]

Well, there was a lot of differences, but I think some of the similarities was that he was very violent, that he was engaging in sex from behind, and he was doing it with force. I think all of those kind of made us think that maybe this might match our suspect who was escalating over time.

[Narrator / Cold Case Files Host (Brooke Giddings)]

Yost, acting on his hunch, submitted Stephen's DNA for testing at the state crime lab.

[Detectives and Experts (e.g., Detective Paul Larson, Detective Ron Sturtemant, Detective Cheryl Kanzler, Detective Paul Weatheroy, Detective Craig Yost, Detective Dennis Minnis, Forensic Scientist Terry Koons, Prosecutor Rod Underhill)]

After I did the warrant and turned the things into the crime lab, you know, I kept thinking, well, maybe he is, maybe he is. But I thought, you know, he's probably not. I'm probably getting my hopes up too high, and I hope I didn't, you know, give them false hope.

[Narrator / Cold Case Files Host (Brooke Giddings)]

Terry coons received the DNA and extracted a profile to compare to the killer of Melissa bittler and the rapist of Michelle, Janet, and Akilah.

[Janet Cha / Michelle Horst / Akilah Johnson / Melissa Bittler / Victims' Voices]

You've spent so much time looking at them, and they're not it. Over and over again, they're not it. And you don't know if you ever will find something that matches.

[Narrator / Cold Case Files Host (Brooke Giddings)]

After the DNA profile was extracted, Koons compared the DNA of LaDawn Stevens and the Profile from Melissa Bitler's rape kit. This is Detective Weatheroy.

[Detectives and Experts (e.g., Detective Paul Larson, Detective Ron Sturtemant, Detective Cheryl Kanzler, Detective Paul Weatheroy, Detective Craig Yost, Detective Dennis Minnis, Forensic Scientist Terry Koons, Prosecutor Rod Underhill)]

I saw tears in her eyes, and so I knew that she had some good news.

[Janet Cha / Michelle Horst / Akilah Johnson / Melissa Bittler / Victims' Voices]

I actually sat at my desk and I started to cry, and people came running over, what's the matter? What's the matter? And I said, it's Hitler. She's done.

[Narrator / Cold Case Files Host (Brooke Giddings)]

That was Terry coons. After matching LaDawn Stevens DNA to Melissa's killer and the rapist of Michelle Akilah and Janet, there was no biological link to the woman who identified Stevens because he used a condom. However, a connection was made when the investigators found a pair of Stevens underwear with the victim's blood on them.

[Janet Cha / Michelle Horst / Akilah Johnson / Melissa Bittler / Victims' Voices]

I call his last rape. He apparently did use a condom, but the evidence that nailed him to that was her blood on his underwear.

[Narrator / Cold Case Files Host (Brooke Giddings)]

For Mary and Tom Bittler, who Melissa's parents, Stephen's arrest was a welcome surprise.

[Janet Cha / Michelle Horst / Akilah Johnson / Melissa Bittler / Victims' Voices]

It was joyful, and it was. It was done sooner than I expected.

[Detectives and Experts (e.g., Detective Paul Larson, Detective Ron Sturtemant, Detective Cheryl Kanzler, Detective Paul Weatheroy, Detective Craig Yost, Detective Dennis Minnis, Forensic Scientist Terry Koons, Prosecutor Rod Underhill)]

We so much thought that he would just go on killing the rest of his victims. He had nothing to lose.

[Narrator / Cold Case Files Host (Brooke Giddings)]

Stevens faced charges for murder and four counts of assault. The prosecutor, Rod Underhill, announced he would seek the death penalty for the murder charge.

[Detectives and Experts (e.g., Detective Paul Larson, Detective Ron Sturtemant, Detective Cheryl Kanzler, Detective Paul Weatheroy, Detective Craig Yost, Detective Dennis Minnis, Forensic Scientist Terry Koons, Prosecutor Rod Underhill)]

He literally wrote in his own handwriting that he would target young females and he would tell us why and that he enjoyed seeing the fear in their faces during his attacks and that he targeted a specific gender together with a specific age because it would give him the most power and the most control and the most fear of all the people that he could think of.

[Narrator / Cold Case Files Host (Brooke Giddings)]

On January 26, 2004, the Capitol murder case against LaDawn Stevens began. Prosecutor Underhill used LaDon's own journal in his opening arguments.

[Detectives and Experts (e.g., Detective Paul Larson, Detective Ron Sturtemant, Detective Cheryl Kanzler, Detective Paul Weatheroy, Detective Craig Yost, Detective Dennis Minnis, Forensic Scientist Terry Koons, Prosecutor Rod Underhill)]

I needed the perfect victim. I decided my victims be female children. We wanted the trier of fact to help use it to help determine his guilt and then ultimately to help determine his punishment.

[Narrator / Cold Case Files Host (Brooke Giddings)]

On February 12, the jury began to deliberate. And after being out for a week, they came back with a guilty verdict on all charges. Here's Tom Bittler again.

[Detectives and Experts (e.g., Detective Paul Larson, Detective Ron Sturtemant, Detective Cheryl Kanzler, Detective Paul Weatheroy, Detective Craig Yost, Detective Dennis Minnis, Forensic Scientist Terry Koons, Prosecutor Rod Underhill)]

I was just so joyous and overcome. I just wanted to sit there all day and listen to the jurors go, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty.

[Narrator / Cold Case Files Host (Brooke Giddings)]

At Steven's sentencing hearing, 19 of his victims took the stand. Here's Akeelah Johnson again.

[Janet Cha / Michelle Horst / Akilah Johnson / Melissa Bittler / Victims' Voices]

I got to look him in the eyes and I got to let him feel my pain and my anger and my hurt and everything all at once, constantly keeping that eye contact so he would know that I'm not frightened of you.

[Narrator / Cold Case Files Host (Brooke Giddings)]

The prosecutor asked for the death penalty, but the jury ruled that he would receive life in prison without the possibility of parole. This is Michelle Horst.

[Janet Cha / Michelle Horst / Akilah Johnson / Melissa Bittler / Victims' Voices]

They're just more upset that a life had to be taken to, you know, for them to stop him.

[Narrator / Cold Case Files Host (Brooke Giddings)]

For Mary Bitler, no sentence will ever be enough to wipe away the memory of of the last time she sent her daughter off to school, or to help her from asking herself, what if?

[Janet Cha / Michelle Horst / Akilah Johnson / Melissa Bittler / Victims' Voices]

What if I had gone with her? I mean, I will always what if? Then I sometimes think maybe Melissa was supposed to help us catch him because this community rallied around her murder case and there were so many people that wanted him caught. So maybe she helped us catch him.

[Narrator / Cold Case Files Host (Brooke Giddings)]

Ladawn Stevens is now 52 years old and he's continuing to serve his sentence in an Oregon State Prison. Cold Case Files the podcast is hosted by Brooke giddings, produced by McKamey Lin and Steve Delamere. Our executive producers are Jesse Katz and Ted Butler. Our music was created by Blake Maples. 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 Brooke the Podcaster 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 RealCrime blog at AE aetv.com realcrime.

[Detectives and Experts (e.g., Detective Paul Larson, Detective Ron Sturtemant, Detective Cheryl Kanzler, Detective Paul Weatheroy, Detective Craig Yost, Detective Dennis Minnis, Forensic Scientist Terry Koons, Prosecutor Rod Underhill)]

Extra value meals are back. That means 10 tender juicy McNuggets and medium fries and a drink are just.

[Narrator / Cold Case Files Host (Brooke Giddings)]

$8 only at McDonald's for limited time only. Prices and participation may vary. Prices may be higher in Hawaii, Alaska.

[Detectives and Experts (e.g., Detective Paul Larson, Detective Ron Sturtemant, Detective Cheryl Kanzler, Detective Paul Weatheroy, Detective Craig Yost, Detective Dennis Minnis, Forensic Scientist Terry Koons, Prosecutor Rod Underhill)]

And California and for Delivery Save over.

[Narrator / Cold Case Files Host (Brooke Giddings)]

$200 when you book weekly. Stays with VRBO this winter.

[Janet Cha / Michelle Horst / Akilah Johnson / Melissa Bittler / Victims' Voices]

If you haven't seen your college besties.

[Narrator / Cold Case Files Host (Brooke Giddings)]

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