Hi there, I'm a new poster.

The is one case that has been on my mind recently. This is a case that I saw about twelve years ago. I saw it earlier this year and taped it. This case bothers me.

To refresh your memory, Robert Hamrick was a Police Chief in the little town of Rock Creek Ohio in the late 1960s. The town had a violent street gang. When Hamrick had a few of them busted, he began to receive threatening phone calls.

On January 10, 1970, Bob was involved in a highspeed chase when contact was lost. When they located him, his car appeared to have hit a tree. He was semi-concious. Soon after he died. His death was ruled an accident, but it just doesn't add up.

His service revolver and stick were missing. The car's lights and engines were turned off. How can someone who can hardly move turn his lights and engine off but not radio for help?

It's really a sad case.

I remember that case, and I agree that some of the details don't add up. It doesn't make sense that a semi-conscious person who could barely move would turn off the ignition, but not radio for help. There is enough info to point to murder.

I have no doubt that members of the Rock Creek gang were involved. Besides, one resident, whose face was obscured on camera during the UM interview, said that she once overheard some of the gang members boasting about having killed Robert Hamrick.

I also believe Hamrick was murdered, most likely by the gang members. What happened to the gang afterwards? Is there any news regarding this story?

Well I am sure the gang eventually left town. I have no doubt they were the ones behind Hamrick's murder. I dont know if they necessarily intended to kill him or if they just wanted to rough him up to scare him to get him to quit his job and leave town and it just got out of hand. I mean afterall before Hamrick they had forced out two other chiefs of police in less than a year. Hamrick was a guy that couldnt be bullied into leaving, it was clearly getting to him the threats the gang was making and stuff but it seemed like it made him more determined to bust them and destroy the gang. I am still just surprised not a single person would come forward to rat these guys out. They have had 37 years of freedom and are walking aroud living their lives knowing they killed a respected and loved family man and police chief. I dont know if it was their intention to actually kill him but that is what happened. I do think going into it some of the people involved probably thought they would just rough him up some and then when they were beating on him it just got out of hand.

This is one of those cases that makes my blood boil........:mad:

Local Police & the Sheriff's dept. should've opened a crate of shotguns and rode those dirtbags all out of town, threatening to arrest them on trespassing charges if they came back.

There weren't enough brave men to do the job though, save for Robert Hamrick and it got him a crushed skull, courtesy of some white trash bikers (no, I don't for one second believe the convoluted 'accident' theory........).

Those same degenerates, if not already dead from drugs or whatever else, are probably living comfortable middle class lives in the same area, just grinning to themselves about "how we done got away with it....." :mad:

Yes, I dont believe that it was an accident either. I certainly dont believe his injuries were caused from the accident, the scene was a phony set up. IT was horrible what happened to Hamrick, he was a man who obviously loved his job and who cared deeply about the community he lived in and making it a safer place to live. Yes, the ones that are not dead I am sure are living comfortable, middle class lives and could be your next day neighbors and you would never know what they were involved in. I wish we could bring them to Justice but everyone seemed so terrorfied of these guys no one would talk.

...police brutality never seems to be applied to the right people.

If ever there was a case for two dozen cops from out of town to ride in, round up key members of the gang, and beat the s... out of them til someone talks, this would have to be it, wouldn't it?

Must just be haunting for that family.

I agree with you all. It bugs the hell out of me to know that those idiot gang members got away with this. Even after the evidence was noted, Hamrick's death was STILL ruled an accident?

Let's say for a second that it was just an accident. He's run into a tree, he's barely conscious, he obviously needs help. The first thing he would do is call for help or backup, not turn off the engine and headlights.

Why was there not much follow up to the car one of the gang members stole in order to set this whole chase up? Surely it could be proven. The car was identified, it was a mess the next day and needed a tire changed. The woman who actually owned the car brought it in the day before and was surprised that it needed to be kept there over night.

Maybe the segment left out some more information. I would hate to think these gang members were not even questioned after this whole thing happened.

Well I think this case is another example of these small town bullies thinking they are just the king of the crop. It was obvious to me that many in town were just terrorfied of these guys and wouldnt say anything against them out of fear. It kind of reminds me with how people behaved about the motorcycle gang in the Gus Hoffman case. It was where even people in the gang were terrorfied of the leader. When he died people's lips suddenly started moving. I think with the case of Hamrick I think even the police were afraid of the gang and really wanted to avoid dealing with them or doing anything to tick them off so they didnt do much investigation into Hamrick. It is quite sad. Hamrick as I have said before, seemed like a good man who just wanted to make his community safer and do his job and he wasnt intimdated by the gang and in fact them being the way they were towards him made him more determined to do his job and do it well. Unfortunatly it ended him costing him his life because the gang couldnt run him out of town like they had his predecessors. So they tried running him out of town with threats and vandalism and when that didnt work they decided to kill him. The last straw it seems is when they did that sting on the gang and they were furious with Hamrick and decided he had to go. They then came up with a clever, pre meditated scheme of luring him out to the country, running him off the road to make it look like an accident and then killing him. Just terrible and very sad. I remember watching that segment, this will sound corny but honestly it really bothered me even though it was a segment because just picturing those motorcycle creeps beating the chief all because he was doing his job. It is awful.

i am the son of police chief hamrick and um left out alot the men are still living in the area one just died in tenn. and it took 2 mo. for some one to claim the body if your interested in the hole story uncut raw truth watch for my book if i can find a publisher yuo can email me if you have qustions cheif hamrick@yahoo.com

Okay, I'm having random thoughts while I am packing up my apartment to move downstate.

I believe Chief Hamrick was murdered....no doubt about it. A weird thought that came to mind was what if he was NOT murdered by the Rock Creek Gang?

What if he saw something on that last call that he should not have seen or fairly recently? It could have been from people who had nothing to do with the RCG or are involved peripherally, and needed to keep their involvement, either in the RCG or in other dirty stuff, on the DL. Perhaps someone locally prominent?

As for the bragging by the members, the Chief was their main enemy. They could have been blowing smoke to make themselves look badder than they were.

Like I said, these are random thoughts. Have to think of something while I'm packing up crap for Goodwill! LOL. Let me know what you all think, fellow UM-philes.

well you are right one of the men involed was the nephew of the sheriff oh and there was alot drugs being brought through rock creek and sent out in stolen high end sports cars this county is always been run on the good ol boy system we have only had four sheriff's elected in 58 years any qustions or coments email me @ cheifhamrick@yahoo.com:wave: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Please do let us know if you release the book.

Just saw this re-broadcast today. I live about 20 miles from Rock Creek. In fact, until the late 1970's, my family had lived there since the 1840's or 1850's. Three of the family homes from the 1850's still stand at the Grand River on Shaffer Road. I was very young at the time of this murder, and do not recall hearing family members discuss this. On what road did this "accident" happen?

I also heard stories of biker gangs terrorizing nearby Geneva-On-The-Lake during the 60's and 70's. Wonder if there's any connection.

Rock Creek, (Morgan Townshp), Ohio, is a backwoods area of the Country. A lot of illiteracy still prevails here. It is centrally located in Ashtabula. Ohio. This case needs to be re-opened using modern methods of forensics.

I'm Chief Hamrick's other son. As the oldest, I was turning 6 when he died.

It's no secret who these people were. They even confessed to being pursued; but they claimed to have outrun my father and, having "lost" him, to have gone about their business without returning to do him harm. They did not need to run or hide as they were never charged. In fact, after the airing of the Unsolved Mysteries episode, the suspects were interviewed again, and supposedly passed a polygraph--or so the Ashtabula Sheriff's Department claimed )headed as it was by the very corporal who participated in the initial investigation in '70.

As for the key, it was decided that the ignition key was struck by his knee during the impact, but without any damage to the knee. There were many such strange facts.

Right before the tv episode aired in '92, the chief of police of Rock Creek at that time (I don't remember his name) met with us to discuss reopening the case. We warned him to beware of the current Sheriff, as we believed that the Sheriff's Department was corrupt at the time of my father's death, and covered it up to protect their criminal friends. He also told us that some of those criminals still lived in Rock Creek. He said that the tow truck that towed away the wrecked police cruiser was the brother of the driver of the car that was pursued by my father. The current chief also told us that he was investigating suspected voter fraud in the mayoral election, as he suspected that many people who had moved out of Rock Creek were voting absentee ballot. Less than a month later, the Sheriff and the Mayor got together and closed down the Rock Creek police department and fired the chief. As far as I know, that was the end of the police department there.

Having said all this, though, I would like to add some balance... which I have been considering for some time. I honestly estimate that it's about a 50% chance either way, between murder and death from impact (auto crash). I know my brother, sister, mother, and others strongly disagree. I used to be right there with them on this. But the fact is that any time such a young person dies, especially when they leave behind a wife and 3 young children, the mind rebels against the injustice and unfairness--even if it was undeniably accidental or natural causes. The mind cries out, "It's just not right!" And that natural reaction causes a heavy bias toward foul play if there is the least possibility. Did the Sherrif's Department cover it up in '70 and in '92? Most definitely! But they may have merely been interested in concealing their incompetence and negligence. They admit (and it is documented) that Chief Hamrick contacted the Sheriff's dispatcher by radio to report that he was in pursuit of a stolen car, and his last reported location was Callender Road. After not receiving any further contact from Hamrick, they decided to search for him--FORTY FIVE MINUTES LATER.

His death was a great tragedy regardless of the cause. I carried around that immense grief for nearly thirty years; until one night the Lord Jesus Christ finally brought it out, walked me through it, and healed me of it. Now, by the power of God, I am able to say, from the depths of my heart:

If anyone who was involved in any way in my father's death ever reads this, I FORGIVE YOU, AS GOD THROUGH CHRIST HAS FORGIVEN ME.

Ken_Hamrick@hotmail.com

I'm Chief Hamrick's other son. As the oldest, I was turning 6 when he died.

It's no secret who these people were. They even confessed to being pursued; but they claimed to have outrun my father and, having "lost" him, to have gone about their business without returning to do him harm. They did not need to run or hide as they were never charged. In fact, after the airing of the Unsolved Mysteries episode, the suspects were interviewed again, and supposedly passed a polygraph--or so the Ashtabula Sheriff's Department claimed )headed as it was by the very corporal who participated in the initial investigation in '70.

As for the key, it was decided that the ignition key was struck by his knee during the impact, but without any damage to the knee. There were many such strange facts.

Right before the tv episode aired in '92, the chief of police of Rock Creek at that time (I don't remember his name) met with us to discuss reopening the case. We warned him to beware of the current Sheriff, as we believed that the Sheriff's Department was corrupt at the time of my father's death, and covered it up to protect their criminal friends. He also told us that some of those criminals still lived in Rock Creek. He said that the tow truck that towed away the wrecked police cruiser was the brother of the driver of the car that was pursued by my father. The current chief also told us that he was investigating suspected voter fraud in the mayoral election, as he suspected that many people who had moved out of Rock Creek were voting absentee ballot. Less than a month later, the Sheriff and the Mayor got together and closed down the Rock Creek police department and fired the chief. As far as I know, that was the end of the police department there.

Having said all this, though, I would like to add some balance... which I have been considering for some time. I honestly estimate that it's about a 50% chance either way, between murder and death from impact (auto crash). I know my brother, sister, mother, and others strongly disagree. I used to be right there with them on this. But the fact is that any time such a young person dies, especially when they leave behind a wife and 3 young children, the mind rebels against the injustice and unfairness--even if it was undeniably accidental or natural causes. The mind cries out, "It's just not right!" And that natural reaction causes a heavy bias toward foul play if there is the least possibility. Did the Sherrif's Department cover it up in '70 and in '92? Most definitely! But they may have merely been interested in concealing their incompetence and negligence. They admit (and it is documented) that Chief Hamrick contacted the Sheriff's dispatcher by radio to report that he was in pursuit of a stolen car, and his last reported location was Callender Road. After not receiving any further contact from Hamrick, they decided to search for him--FORTY FIVE MINUTES LATER.

His death was a great tragedy regardless of the cause. I carried around that immense grief for nearly thirty years; until one night the Lord Jesus Christ finally brought it out, walked me through it, and healed me of it. Now, by the power of God, I am able to say, from the depths of my heart:

If anyone who was involved in any way in my father's death ever reads this, I FORGIVE YOU, AS GOD THROUGH CHRIST HAS FORGIVEN ME.

Ken_Hamrick@hotmail.com

Wow - it's always amazing when a family member comes to this board. Welcome, and sorry for your loss. Is the Sherriff still the same one that was there in '92?

Wow - it's always amazing when a family member comes to this board. Welcome, and sorry for your loss. Is the Sherriff still the same one that was there in '92?Thanks. No, the Sheriff in '92 quickly lost the next election.

Thanks. No, the Sheriff in '92 quickly lost the next election.

Then why not try to re-open it again with maybe a Sherirff that isn't crooked?

Then why not try to re-open it again with maybe a Sherirff that isn't crooked?I am content to leave it where it is. God knows, and all things will be revealed on that day when God will judge the deeds of men.

As for the rest of my family, I think they have come to accept the futility of further effort. A book might be possible, but the window of opportunity for any further investigation has closed. It's just too old at this point--too many people have died off... memories fade... documents get distroyed or disappear.

Did the gang just "spring up" in the town like the UM segment suggests? When did the gang activity begin to subside? Is there still remnants of a gang there today?

The UM video said that his "service revolver and nightstick were missing". If this were true, then how could it have been ruled an accident? Can anyone familiar with this case elaborate on this point?

Did the gang activity lessen over the following decade?

Saw this one again recently, and am curious about the murder scenario. There is no dispute that he crashed his vehicle in pursuit of a suspicious car. I find it odd that the people he was pursuing, if they were indeed members of this gang, would actually go back to the spot where he crashed instead of simply driving away. They would want to get out of the area ASAP. Not go back and beat him to death, and then rearrange his body back into the car. What would've happened if another officer showed up? I'm slightly leaning towards tragic accident on this one.

Saw this one again recently, and am curious about the murder scenario. There is no dispute that he crashed his vehicle in pursuit of a suspicious car. I find it odd that the people he was pursuing, if they were indeed members of this gang, would actually go back to the spot where he crashed instead of simply driving away. They would want to get out of the area ASAP. Not go back and beat him to death, and then rearrange his body back into the car. What would've happened if another officer showed up? I'm slightly leaning towards tragic accident on this one.

For me, running him off the road or getting him to crash his car doesn't mesh with the violent threats he received. These people that did it simply didn't care and were not deterred in my opinion - that's how they were able to control the village with impunity (as one person in the segment inferred).

I think back in the day the sheriff's office could've been a bit overstretched, I think the gang probably knew it and they set him up just as the anonymous woman that was interviewed said.

The disappearance of his gun/nightstick is the clincher for me though. Unless some passerby randomly happened upon the scene and snagged em (very remote in my opinion), how could they have disappeared from his person/his car?

Brought this case up recently to my in-laws in Conneaut, on the other side of Ashtabula County, and I couldn't believe they remembered it. They were 20 and 17 at the time, but still, this must be something that's stuck with a lot of the old-timers in the area for 47 years now.
I agree this one never gets solved, unfortunately.

https://www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov/Files/Law-Enforcement/Investigator/Cold-Case/Homicides/Hamrick

The Ohio Attorney General has this write up on the Hamrick case:

On the evening of March 10, 1970, Chief Hamrick became involved in a pursuit of unknown individuals. The pursuit ended on Callender Road in the Village of Rock Creek when Chief Hamrick slid off of the icy dirt road and struck a tree, causing moderate damage to his vehicle. The events that unfolded immediately following the accident are unknown at this time. At some point, Chief Hamrick exited his patrol vehicle and was beaten severely on the side of his head with a tire iron. Somehow his unconscious body was placed across the seat of his marked police vehicle. He was not discovered for hours and was transported to the Cleveland Clinic where he died 10 days later, never regaining consciousness. The suspects are unknown at this time.

So this is unequivocal in the fact that he was murdered. But the big question is if Hamrick was in pursuit of a vehicle, how are the suspects "unknown", if Hamrick called the plates in to dispatch? They found the car the next day at a service station and one of the workers was a member of the Rock Creek gang. They have suspects. I don't know why more isn't being done to solve this case.

So did the gang continue to terrorize the town after Hamrick's death or what? Or did it eventually taper off?

I always figured it almost had to taper off sooner or later, because people can only be bullied for so long if law enforcement ignores it before they finally snap. Puts me in mind of the Kenneth McElroy case in Skidmore Missouri. He had bullied and terrorized that town for years and they finally lynched him. Of course he was only one man and Rock Creek Gang had multiple members so it would have been harder to fight back.

But as they got older, I would imagine they almost had to settle down at some point or people would have finally snapped and started lynching them, and they were under suspicion anyway. I hope they did put the lid on it some, if so it would mean Chief Hamrick's death wasn't in vain.

Either way, some of them are getting ready to meet their maker I would imagine and I wager it won't be pleasant. Still a shame they got away with it this long though.

So did the gang continue to terrorize the town after Hamrick's death or what? Or did it eventually taper off?

Fairly certain that it tapered off. One of the former town police officer's said in the segment that he believes the people responsible were still in the town, and that he thought maybe even some of the people he considered friends at the time knew who the killers were.

Fairly certain that it tapered off. One of the former town police officer's said in the segment that he believes the people responsible were still in the town, and that he thought maybe even some of the people he considered friends at the time knew who the killers were.

Yeah that line struck me as strange. If he had a pretty good idea it was members of the RCG who did this, why would he think it was somebody he called friend? Unless they pretended like they had repented and settled down later and he became friends with some of the gang later.

It would make sense that being under suspicion or murder they might be compelled to settle down a bit, after all you can only push people so far. You might get away with one murder but it would be hard to keep doing that forever. And if they were bragging about it afterwards that wouldn't be much of a sign of remorse or repentance.

Definitely a lot of unanswered questions on this case. But I would imagine as some of these guys got older and matured they probably decided they needed to put a lid on it. Wouldn't be surprised if there are deathbed confessions in coming years. That may be a possible way this gets solved.

Yeah that line struck me as strange. If he had a pretty good idea it was members of the RCG who did this, why would he think it was somebody he called friend? Unless they pretended like they had repented and settled down later and he became friends with some of the gang later.

I took that line to mean that there were people who knew who did it, but were not responsible for the murder themselves. I'm baffled as to why the guy who worked at the service station was never followed up on.

I took that line to mean that there were people who knew who did it, but were not responsible for the murder themselves. I'm baffled as to why the guy who worked at the service station was never followed up on.

Somebody earlier in the posts said that one of the people involved was the son of the local sheriff which, if true, explains why nothing was pursued.

Somebody earlier in the posts said that one of the people involved was the son of the local sheriff which, if true, explains why nothing was pursued.

You'd have to think if the son of the local sheriff was a member of this infamous gang that had been terrorizing the town for multiple years and driving away police officers left and right, that is not something that could easily be kept secret. This would have been a horrible look and a well publicized problem for the sheriff long before Chief Hamrick even entered the picture.

I think we're missing some information here.

https://www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov/Files/Law-Enforcement/Investigator/Cold-Case/Homicides/Hamrick

The Ohio Attorney General has this write up on the Hamrick case:



So this is unequivocal in the fact that he was murdered. But the big question is if Hamrick was in pursuit of a vehicle, how are the suspects "unknown", if Hamrick called the plates in to dispatch? They found the car the next day at a service station and one of the workers was a member of the Rock Creek gang. They have suspects. I don't know why more isn't being done to solve this case.

If this is true then it is pure insanity that nothing was done about this mans murder. I don't care how long after the fact it was or who all had died. Chief Hamrick and his family deserve justice. I am very curious to know how they ascertained that it was a tire iron he was beaten with?

This was a very interesting segment.

For starters, this was very clearly a homicide. The evidence is pretty conclusive.
While I think it is possible that he turned off the lights and ignition while in that state (due to forced habit, you do it thousands of times, and its surprising what you do after a wreck for no apparent reason) the rest of the evidence is damming.

1. He had received numerous death threats leading up to the incident
2. His service weapons were missing from the scene of the accident, which is a very clear indication of foul play.
3. People later came forward with statements about overhearing the gang brag about the incident.
4. A woman's car sustains inexplicable damage and contamination while supposedly being worked on at a garage conveniently employing one of the known gang members.

It is obvious that this was a case of foul play.

As to why it was ruled an accident and not followed up on, its pretty obvious that the sheriff and police department were corrupted with and/or in fear of the gang. Apparently there were rumours to the effect of corruption, no surprises there, and the facts appear to support such a case.

1. The town of Rock Creek had formed its own police department. A town of 731 people in rural Ohio does not form a police department for fun, its expensive and unnecessary in most cases. That points to the Sheriff being unwilling/unable to control the local gang.
2. The Sheriff dispatch waits a full hour after radio contact is last had to start any kind of search.
3. The Sheriff takes another four hours to find him (which is probabally far longer than it should have taken).
4. The obvious homicide is ruled an accident.
5. The Ohio AG lists the case as "unsolved homicide" in contradiction to local authorities.

Not surprising that this case is unsolved. Hard to say if any efforts were made to solve it, though its possible the state did some investigation that they did not want to discuss (which would lead to the designation by the AG as homicide).

Unfortunately the citizens of Rock Creek formed a police department, but it seems a vigilance committee would have been a better choice.