The Death of Police Chief Robert Hamrick

[2009Challenger]

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.

[Ken Hamrick]

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

[everybodylovesrs]

Originally Posted by Ken Hamrick

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?

[Ken Hamrick]

Originally Posted by everybodylovesrs

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.

[everybodylovesrs]

Originally Posted by Ken Hamrick

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?

[Ken Hamrick]

Originally Posted by everybodylovesrs

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.

[killgas20]

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?

[rockcreekohio]

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?

[Arnold_OldSchool]

Did the gang activity lessen over the following decade?

[TheCars1986]

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.

[Huskerz85]

Originally Posted by TheCars1986

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?

[schmave]

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.

[TheCars1986]

https://www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov/...icides/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.

[XCalibur]

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.

[TheCars1986]

Originally Posted by XCalibur

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.