10 Horrifying Details Surrounding The Death Of April Tinsley, Whose Killer Was Discovered 30 Years Later

6 /10 Once Again, A Cold Case

Investigators could gain nothing from the message. Without new leads, the case went cold again. Similar messages suddenly appeared in 2004; this time, the notes were neatly put inside a clear plastic bag.

One of the messages also indicated that the sender was the same person who raped and killed April Tinsley 16 years ago.

At the end of the note, the line read, “you are my next victim.” One of the most disturbing parts was that the sender put the message in a little girl’s bicycle basket.

5 /10 Used Condom

There were many spelling errors in the note, and investigators assumed the errors were intentional to help conceal the sender’s identity.

The police found a photograph of a man’s naked body and a used condom in the other plastic bags. Although the authorities could conclusively say that the picture was of the killer himself, the taunting messages were getting too much to handle.

They want to identify whoever wrote and sent the notes and other filthy items and whether or not the investigation could be connected to April’s case.

4 /10 No Prankster

The FBI was now involved in the investigation. The bureau concluded that the killer left the notes and other items, not some pranksters.

Investigators were able to obtain a DNA sample from the used condom. Comparing the sample with the evidence collected in 1988 confirmed a match.

It was a breakthrough but not as productive as anybody had hoped. The DNA profile found no match when compared to the criminal database. The investigation once again was forced to go back to square one.

3 /10 Behavioral Analysis Unit

Reinforcement came to the surface in 2009. As the FBI began reinvestigating the case, the bureau assigned its Behavioral Analysis Unit to build a comprehensive profile of the suspect, not a DNA profile, but personality traits or characteristics and personal history based on the available evidence, including the notes.

The unit determined that the killer was most likely a Caucasian male aged 40 – 50, living or working in northeast Allen County. It did not narrow down the suspects by much but progress nonetheless.

2 /10 Genealogy And DNA

In May 2018, the police used the DNA sample to find a match – not directly to the suspect but to any existing relatives through genealogy. Based on the finding and the suspect’s profile, they narrowed the suspects down to two brothers.

The police collected DNA samples from items in their trash and found three used condoms.

Samples taken from the articles were then compared to existing data, and there was a match. The person who raped and killed April Tinsley was John D. Miller, also from Indiana.

1 /10 Confession

Investigators from the Indiana State Police and Fort Wayne Police Department arrested Miller on July 15, 2018.

When questioned about the disappearance and death of April Tinsley in 1988, the suspect confessed to kidnapping, raping, and killing her. Miller said he strangled April to death before violating her corpse.

In December 2018, John D. Miller was sentenced to 30 years for child molestation and 50 years for murder. He is now serving time at New Castle Correctional Facility, and he will stay in prison until he is at least 99-years-old.