A lot of these cases have an Ohio connection - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Guardian · 05-23-2010, 09:50 PM

I am just curious if anyone else has noticed this trend with UM. I started noticing several years ago that quite a few UM segments have an Ohio connection of some sort. The first time I noticed this I began watching for it and the very next episode had at least some mention of Ohio in every segment. Then the very last segment came on and there was no mention... until... some very fast synthesized music started and a few letters popped up on the screen and Robert Stack's voice informed me of an update. The fugitive in question for that segment was apprehended in... you guessed it: Ohio. From then on I have noticed it is almost impossible to have an enitre UM episode without having some mention of Ohio. Kind of weird. I just thought I would share that and see if anyone else has noticed it.

hostedbyrobertstack · 05-23-2010, 10:49 PM

I am from Ohio, and it must be because it is a horrifically boring state that these fugitives/people feel that they can blend in. On a side note, I have been to the Perman Gilbert site in ohio...but have not yet made it to the Kurt Sova sites (which is one of my favorite cases.)

tiddlywinks950 · 05-24-2010, 02:04 AM

I've noticed that too. Don't think I'm trying to bad mouth Ohio (the places I've been in Ohio are great, and it's just a theory), but maybe the crime is somehow related to poverty? I know Ohio has had some issues with poverty (alot of Unsolved Mysteries cases were also based in the south, where i live, and poverty is an issue in alot of areas). Or maybe Robert Stack had a hand in selecting which cases were selected and he had an Ohio fetish

Guardian · 05-24-2010, 02:13 AM

Yeah, I am not trying to bad mouth Ohio, just making an observation. Never even been there. However, one of my favorite older cases takes place there: The Torso Slayer. That case kind of creeps me out to this day. Sort of a more modern Jack the Ripper almost.

tiddlywinks950 · 05-24-2010, 02:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Guardian

Yeah, I am not trying to bad mouth Ohio, just making an observation. Never even been there. However, one of my favorite older cases takes place there: The Torso Slayer. That case kind of creeps me out to this day. Sort of a more modern Jack the Ripper almost.

wasn't Eliot Ness involved in that one? more evidence to support the Stack theory

XCalibur · 05-24-2010, 10:51 AM

From everything I've read it sounds like the Torso Slayer was probably Frank Sweeney, the guy who sent all those taunting letters to Ness from mental institutions. He was a medic in World War I and certainly knew how to do amputations, he failed a couple of lie detector tests as well. But no one really knows for sure. Even today lie detector tests are unreliable, and there are always sickos that like to pretend to be a murderer as well, like that nut who claimed he killed Jon Benet.

The Torso Slayer was somewhat ahead of his time as far as crime goes. Law enforcement has a better idea of how to track down guys like that now, Ness wasn't used to going after that type of criminal, even so he adjusted pretty well in the end and may have nabbed his guy, just didn't have enough evidence to really publicly bring it out.

Mastermind · 05-24-2010, 11:12 AM

I think there might be a relationship the staff of UM had with the state of Ohio.

Something like one of the staffers knows a newspaper writer in Ohio, or something.

Or one of the staffers lived in Ohio and tends to hear more about Ohio cases.

It may also have something to do with UM's demographic audience.

Perhaps more people watch in that part of the area, and hence tend to call in with case ideas.

MissFit29 · 05-24-2010, 10:05 PM

Tennessee seems to be a hotbed too, as well as Arizona.

I always noticed that stuff because I'm from Wisconsin, and there were like, 4 cases there. Even North Dakota had more. I always wanted UM to find its way into my backyard. How silly of me.

Apostapler · 05-25-2010, 01:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MissFit29

Tennessee seems to be a hotbed too, as well as Arizona.

I always noticed that stuff because I'm from Wisconsin, and there were like, 4 cases there. Even North Dakota had more. I always wanted UM to find its way into my backyard. How silly of me.

No one commits crime in Wisconsin, c'mon.

VikingsGal · 05-25-2010, 08:19 AM

Ohio is a large and populated state, as is Texas and California and New Jersey isn't all that big but very populated. More people = more crime= more UM strories for us!!!

Yes I noticed Tennessee has a lot of stories as well, too.

Quote:

No one commits crime in Wisconsin, c'mon.

Even Minnesota doesn't have a lot......we have the two dogs who left the cabin and one made it home! One was foind by a happy elderly couple and one was (hopefully) found by someone else

Either Minnesota doesn't have much crime or we hide it really well!

Yes I am a Minnesota native.

Corky Kneivel · 05-25-2010, 02:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VikingsGal

Yes I am a Minnesota native.

Got any stories you want to share about the kooky people you knew back in St. Olaf?

Mastermind · 05-25-2010, 03:47 PM

Quote:

No one commits crime in Wisconsin, c'mon

.

I don;t think Milwaukee is exactly crime-free. I';ve heard Milwaukee has had more than it's fair share of gang and drug violence.

tiddlywinks950 · 05-25-2010, 04:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Corky Kneivel

Got any stories you want to share about the kooky people you knew back in St. Olaf?

Hahaha!

MissFit29 · 05-25-2010, 06:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mastermind

.

I don;t think Milwaukee is exactly crime-free. I';ve heard Milwaukee has had more than it's fair share of gang and drug violence.

Milwaukee is not the safest city by any means. It's pretty close to Chicago, and the drugs are in free-flow down there.

I always wanted to take a map and pinpoint the UM segment locations on there....just to see if there was any pattern.

Oldschooler81 · 05-25-2010, 07:04 PM

Heck, that's true! Let's not forget The Wackers.

I think UM getting more coverage in Ohio (which is like the tail end of the Midwest, imo) it could be because cases would get more attention if they happened more in the heartland. Not that horrible murders, kidnappings, and other things don't happen in LA, New York, Chicago or DC too (heck I'm sure it's way more), but it might've just been more notable in a place where you wouldn't initially expect it.

05-23-2010, 09:50 PM	#1
Guardian Member Forum Regular Join Date: May 19, 2010 Location: WA Posts: 522	A lot of these cases have an Ohio connection I am just curious if anyone else has noticed this trend with UM. I started noticing several years ago that quite a few UM segments have an Ohio connection of some sort. The first time I noticed this I began watching for it and the very next episode had at least some mention of Ohio in every segment. Then the very last segment came on and there was no mention... until... some very fast synthesized music started and a few letters popped up on the screen and Robert Stack's voice informed me of an update. The fugitive in question for that segment was apprehended in... you guessed it: Ohio. From then on I have noticed it is almost impossible to have an enitre UM episode without having some mention of Ohio. Kind of weird. I just thought I would share that and see if anyone else has noticed it.
	__________________ For every mystery there is someone, somewhere, who knows what happened. Perhaps... it's you...

05-23-2010, 10:49 PM	#2
hostedbyrobertstack Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Feb 23, 2007 Location: OH Posts: 436	I am from Ohio, and it must be because it is a horrifically boring state that these fugitives/people feel that they can blend in. On a side note, I have been to the Perman Gilbert site in ohio...but have not yet made it to the Kurt Sova sites (which is one of my favorite cases.)

05-24-2010, 02:04 AM	#3
tiddlywinks950 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Feb 15, 2007 Location: nyc Posts: 111	I've noticed that too. Don't think I'm trying to bad mouth Ohio (the places I've been in Ohio are great, and it's just a theory), but maybe the crime is somehow related to poverty? I know Ohio has had some issues with poverty (alot of Unsolved Mysteries cases were also based in the south, where i live, and poverty is an issue in alot of areas). Or maybe Robert Stack had a hand in selecting which cases were selected and he had an Ohio fetish

05-24-2010, 02:13 AM	#4
Guardian Member Forum Regular Join Date: May 19, 2010 Location: WA Posts: 522	Yeah, I am not trying to bad mouth Ohio, just making an observation. Never even been there. However, one of my favorite older cases takes place there: The Torso Slayer. That case kind of creeps me out to this day. Sort of a more modern Jack the Ripper almost.

05-24-2010, 10:51 AM	#6
XCalibur Member Forum Regular Join Date: May 16, 2010 Location: Belfast, Va Posts: 987	From everything I've read it sounds like the Torso Slayer was probably Frank Sweeney, the guy who sent all those taunting letters to Ness from mental institutions. He was a medic in World War I and certainly knew how to do amputations, he failed a couple of lie detector tests as well. But no one really knows for sure. Even today lie detector tests are unreliable, and there are always sickos that like to pretend to be a murderer as well, like that nut who claimed he killed Jon Benet. The Torso Slayer was somewhat ahead of his time as far as crime goes. Law enforcement has a better idea of how to track down guys like that now, Ness wasn't used to going after that type of criminal, even so he adjusted pretty well in the end and may have nabbed his guy, just didn't have enough evidence to really publicly bring it out.

05-24-2010, 11:12 AM	#7
Mastermind Member Senior Member Join Date: Jul 16, 2008 Posts: 1,843	I think there might be a relationship the staff of UM had with the state of Ohio. Something like one of the staffers knows a newspaper writer in Ohio, or something. Or one of the staffers lived in Ohio and tends to hear more about Ohio cases. It may also have something to do with UM's demographic audience. Perhaps more people watch in that part of the area, and hence tend to call in with case ideas.

05-24-2010, 10:05 PM	#8
MissFit29 Member Forum Regular Join Date: Mar 09, 2009 Location: Minnesota Posts: 526	Tennessee seems to be a hotbed too, as well as Arizona. I always noticed that stuff because I'm from Wisconsin, and there were like, 4 cases there. Even North Dakota had more. I always wanted UM to find its way into my backyard. How silly of me.

05-25-2010, 07:04 PM	#15
Oldschooler81 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: May 03, 2009 Location: Northern CA Posts: 457	Heck, that's true! Let's not forget The Wackers. I think UM getting more coverage in Ohio (which is like the tail end of the Midwest, imo) it could be because cases would get more attention if they happened more in the heartland. Not that horrible murders, kidnappings, and other things don't happen in LA, New York, Chicago or DC too (heck I'm sure it's way more), but it might've just been more notable in a place where you wouldn't initially expect it.