the Circleville letters

[Blackout]

does anybody know any information on this story besides the stuff that was on the UM segment? any updates etc?

this segment was always interesting to watch

[Kane]

Originally Posted by Blackout805

does anybody know any information on this story besides the stuff that was on the UM segment? any updates etc?

I have been searching the internet to see if I could find any sites related to the case, but (so far) to no avail. For now, the best hope might be to contact the Circleville, OH police department.

[Raitch]

What are the Circleville letters? I live in Lancaster, OH, which is very close to Circleville.

[BuffaloBill]

this has to be one of the all time unsolved mysteries hose jobs. the guy who was sent to prison for 10 years was clearly framed.....and those jurors who sent this poor man to prison should have their IQ's checked. clearly from the segment the sister in law set this guy up for his b/l/L murder, not only that but the sheriff/chief of police -what ever you want to call it for that town--admitted having an affair the murdered mans wife shortly after his death. amazingly no one ever did dna evidence on figure prints on those letters. clearly it is a cover up. i wouldn't be surprised if the woman set up her husband's death. i have a feeling the letter writer is someone among that corrupt circleville police force.

[Kane]

Originally Posted by Raitch

What are the Circleville letters? I live in Lancaster, OH, which is very close to Circleville.

To give you a concise answer, it was a series of anonymous letters that went around Circleville, often consisting of a defamatory and/or threatening nature. In 1983, a man named Paul Freshour was accused of being the author of the Circleville letters, and was unjustly convicted of attempted murder in the case. He was paroled in 1994 after serving nearly 11 years in jail.

In 1977, his brother-in-law died in what looked like a car accident. Although the circumstances were suspicious, it was never officially ruled a murder, and no indictments were ever made in that case.

[unsolvedfan4life]

As I recall they got a letter sent to Unsolved Mysteries Studios. Robert Stack read it before the segment. I remember one part said "you el sickos will pay" or something to that nature. It was funny to hear Robert Stack read that part. How I miss his personality on the show. He had some funny things to read sometimes, but I digress. RIP Bob.

God Bless

[Opal]

Oooh, this is a creepy segment to watch! Anyone else remember the boobytrap on the side of the road?

I can't believe that psycho sent a letter to the UM studios! Eeeekkk!

[Maryva]

If this message board can accept attachments, I will send a news article on the "Cirlceville Letters."

[MetalHybrid]

Originally Posted by Opal

Oooh, this is a creepy segment to watch! Anyone else remember the boobytrap on the side of the road?

I can't believe that psycho sent a letter to the UM studios! Eeeekkk!

Of course. Who could forget it? An insulting remark written on a piece of cardboard and placed on a post along a bus driver's route so that she'd see it as she drove by. Behind the sign hidden by surrounding foliage was a shoe box with a pistol inside that was pointing at the road and was intended to go off when she ripped the sign away from the box. Fortunately she approached from the side and saw the hidden box, thus grabbing it and the sign and ripping them off together. She opened the top of the box and then realized the intention was a booby trap.

[rykey]

Originally Posted by unsolvedfan4life

As I recall they got a letter sent to Unsolved Mysteries Studios. Robert Stack read it before the segment. I remember one part said "you el sickos will pay" or something to that nature. It was funny to hear Robert Stack read that part. How I miss his personality on the show. He had some funny things to read sometimes, but I digress. RIP Bob.

God Bless

ha, i always got a kick out of stack's delivery too. it was really funny hearing him say stuff he normally wouldn't.
and if i had a nickel for every time he said, "...or were they the victims of foul play?" LOL

[baloony]

That vehicle accident was no accident. Of that I am convinced.

[scc1222]

Originally Posted by baloony

That vehicle accident was no accident. Of that I am convinced.

I agree,and I got the impression Paul knows it,that's why he wanted it investigated.
I don't have time to go into it right now,but...from all the reading I've done on this one,I've come to the conclusion that: Paul is completely innocent,and was set up by Mary and his ex-wife.yes,they were in on it together,imo.and mary is likely responsible for Ron's so-called 'accident'.it was a set-up from the get-go to rid of him,starting with the phone call to get him out of the house.JMO.

[baloony]

This case was not handled well from the get go. I know it was the late 1970's, but surely there was some sort of video surveillance available back then that they could have tried. If nothing else, they could have set traps. Something to lure the person or persons responsible in.

[scc1222]

Originally Posted by baloony

This case was not handled well from the get go. I know it was the late 1970's, but surely there was some sort of video surveillance available back then that they could have tried. If nothing else, they could have set traps. Something to lure the person or persons responsible in.

poor police work,for sure.and going after the wrong ppl,like having Paul copy the letters.police are allowed to lie,so I think they must have told him a whopper to get him to comply.it was a set-up.(I still wouldn't have done that without a lawyer though.I'm sure he regrets it..it might have saved him all that time in prison).
but then when you consider the sheriff was involved,it makes more sense that ron's death was never properly investigated,and paul was set up.recall the note sent to UM,just days bf the broadcast...'don't hurt the sheriff' (can't recall his name at the moment).could have been the sheriff himself,or maybe mary or paul's ex were afraid the whole house of cards would tumble, and the sheriff would talk, if info was revealed and the sheriff was cornered.seems the sender didn't know what all UM knew about the case,and wanted to cover their tracks by making threats ahead of time.guess that's all they felt they could do.JMO.