Ohio cops insist a slain woman found hung on a fence over the weekend is not another victim of the Chillicothe serial killer, despite striking similarities in her case.
Like previous victims -- some whose remains have yet to be recovered -- this one too was an impoverished female who had a history of substance abuse and related run-ins with the law.
But police announced Wednesday they’re sure they’ve got the 27-year-old man who, in anger, beat Rebecca Cade to death; leaving her corpse hanging beside a railroad trestle where it was at first mistaken as a Halloween prop.
Donnie Cochenour was taken into custody for Cade’s gruesome murder on Tuesday night and placed immediately on suicide watch, a department spokesman said, hinting that the suspect has already somehow confessed.
It isn’t clear how Cochenour became acquainted with Rebecca Cade, but the two were purportedly seen together on the day that the 31-year-old was bludgeoned to death with a rock during an alleged dispute.
There were numerous defensive wounds on the victim’s arms and hands showing that she had tried to fight off her attacker, it was further revealed at Wednesday’s news conference.
A trail of blood at the crime scene also suggested that Cade had even managed to flee from the assault, only to get snagged on fencing she tried to climb over in her desperate escape attempt.
Her accused killer, who has a long criminal record himself, additionally suffers from developmental disabilities, including a speech impediment that makes it almost impossible to understand what he’s saying.
@EponymousRox
serial crime, Chillicothe serial killer
