Murder of Mandy Stavik

Last updated

Murder of Mandy Stavik
Location Acme, Washington, United States
Type Child murder
MotiveSexual
Deaths1 (Mandy Stavik)
ArrestsTimothy Bass
VerdictGuilty
ConvictionsTimothy Bass: First-degree murder, kidnappingand aggravated sexual assault
Manslaughter
SentenceTimothy Bass: 27 years in prison

The murder of Mandy Stavik was a high-profile case which occurred in the small community of Acme, Washington, in 1989. Mandy Stavik, an 18-year-old college student, disappeared while jogging near her home, and her body was discovered three days later in the Nooksack River. The case went unsolved for nearly three decades until modern DNA technology led to the arrest and conviction of Timothy Bass in 2019.

Contents

Background

Mandy Stavik (born October 16, 1971) grew up in Acme, Washington, a rural town in Whatcom County. She was well-liked and known for her athletic ability. In 1989, Stavik graduated from Mount Baker High School, where she had participated in basketball, track, and cheerleading. [1] [ unreliable source? ][ failed verification ] At the time of her murder, she was attending Central Washington University and had returned home for the Thanksgiving holiday. [2]

Disappearance and murder

On November 24, 1989, the day after Thanksgiving, Stavik went for a jog with the family’s German Shepherd along Strand Road. When the dog returned home alone, her family immediately became concerned, and a search for Stavik was launched. [3]

Three days later, on November 27, Stavik's body was found in the Nooksack River about three miles from her home. Her death was ruled a homicide. [4] An autopsy revealed that she had been sexually assaulted and drowned. Despite extensive efforts by law enforcement, the case remained unsolved, with few leads and no suspects. [5]

Investigation and breakthrough

For nearly three decades, Mandy Stavik's murder remained a cold case. Investigators collected DNA evidence from the scene, but the technology at the time was not advanced enough to lead to a suspect. However, in the late 2000s and early 2010s, advancements in DNA analysis revived the investigation. [6]

In 2013, investigators narrowed their focus on Timothy Bass, who lived near Stavik’s home at the time of her disappearance. [6] Bass had not been a suspect during the initial investigation, but he became a person of interest when police began using familial DNA techniques to trace the unknown DNA sample collected from the crime scene. [7]

Police covertly obtained a DNA sample from Bass by collecting a soda can he had discarded. [7] [8] The DNA matched the sample found on Stavik’s body, leading to Bass's arrest in December 2017. [9]

Trial and conviction

Timothy Bass was charged with Mandy Stavik's murder in 2017. [10] During Bass's trial in 2019, the prosecution presented DNA evidence linking Bass to the crime. Bass, who was married with children at the time of his arrest, [11] maintained his innocence and claimed he and Stavik had consensual sex. However, no evidence supported his claims, and his defense was unable to explain why he had never come forward about the alleged relationship before his arrest. [12]

On May 24, 2019, Bass was found guilty of first-degree murder and was sentenced to 27 years in prison. [13] [14]

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References

  1. ↑ Choiniere, Alyssa (September 20, 2019). "Amanda 'Mandy' Stavik: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know". Heavy.com. Retrieved October 9, 2024.
  2. ↑ Mittendorf, Robert (May 8, 2019). "Mandy Stavik slaying still haunts friends, family and those who worked the case" . Bellingham Herald . Retrieved October 10, 2023.
  3. ↑ "Video College student Mandy Stavik goes missing during run: Part 1". ABC News. October 4, 2019. Retrieved October 9, 2024.
  4. ↑ "28-Year-Old Murder Case Solved Thanks To Co-Worker's Coke Can". LifeDaily. February 18, 2019. Retrieved October 9, 2024.
  5. ↑ Shrestha, Naman (June 1, 2024). "Amanda Stavik: How Did She Die? Who Killed Her?". The Cinemaholic. Retrieved October 9, 2024.
  6. 1 2 Boer, Katie (December 14, 2017). "Cold case arrest: Residents had feared for 28 years that murder suspect lived among them". FOX 13 Seattle. Retrieved October 9, 2024.
  7. 1 2 "DNA Found on Coke Can Leads to Arrest in Teen's 1989 Cold Case Murder". Inside Edition. December 15, 2017. Retrieved October 9, 2024.
  8. ↑ Dooley, Sean; Francis, Enjoli (September 19, 2019). "'I 100% volunteered to do it': How bakery worker got DNA to crack 30-year-old murder case". ABC News. Retrieved October 9, 2024.
  9. ↑ Swenson, Kyle (December 19, 2018). "She swiped her co-worker's Coke can. Police say it Cracked year old murder case". Washington Post . Retrieved October 10, 2024.
  10. ↑ Harris, Chris (December 15, 2017). "After Nearly 30 Years, Suspect Arrested in Murder of College Freshman Who Vanished on a Jog". People . Retrieved October 9, 2024.
  11. ↑ "Man arrested in 1989 rape, murder of teen near Bellingham". The Seattle Times . Associated Press. December 13, 2017. Retrieved October 9, 2024.
  12. ↑ Bratt, Calvin (May 9, 2019). "Bass trial for 1989 Stavik death begins". Lynden Tribune. Retrieved October 9, 2024.
  13. ↑ Pratt, Denver (October 4, 2020). "Timothy Bass to spend nearly 27 years in prison for 1989 murder of Mandy Stavik". The News Tribune. Retrieved October 10, 2024.
  14. ↑ "Video Tim Bass found guilty of murdering Mandy Stavik: Part 11". ABC News. September 21, 2019. Retrieved October 9, 2024.
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