Point Defiance Park has an area of 700 acres that overlook Puget Sound and the famous Tacoma Narrows Bridge. Welch was visiting Puget Park with her two younger sisters on March 26, 1986, when she left them at around 10 a.m. to pick up lunch, according to police files. He was wearing a white baseball cap, white T-shirt, black pants and black shoes. FontSize: '', The man tried to climb a cliff to get away but likely fell to his death. Fine here, Jenny, seventh grade,'" said Hatch, reading the message Jenny wrote to Stephanie on the back of Jennys seventh-grade school photo.Classmate James Peterson relives the last time he saw her.I distinctively remember Jennifer riding up and asking if we wanted to go riding with her and, being teenage boys, we all kind of ignored her, then we never saw her again, said Peterson.It was August 4, 1986.We went out every day scouring the vacant lots trying to find her, said Peterson.The pain is so raw for Stephanie that she wont come to Point Defiance Park where Jennys body was found.We were robbed of our innocence. Parking:There are three designated parking stalls on site. It belonged to Robert Washburn, the man who had called investigators with that tip in Michellas case months before Jennifers murder. The Challenge "There are more things in heav'n and earth, Horatio, Than are dreamt of in your philosophy."Hamlet. Her body. She had been sexually assaulted and strangled to death. Based at Fort Nisqually, the PSAC raised cattle, sheep, and horses along with crops such as wheat, barley, oats, and peas across the 160,000 acres claimed by the company. vioptional1: '', She was training for a YMCA bicycle tour in the San Juan Islands. Point Defiance Park is one of the largest urban parks in America, with a world-class zoo, beaches, trails, and gardens. w=o?i.parent:i, Posted originally on the Archive of Our Own at /works/38514553. Then, just five months later, 13-year-old Jennifer Bastian disappeared during a bike ride through Point Defiance Park. Open hour before sunrise She never returned. The details of her death were very similar to that of 12-year-old Michella Welch, who had been murdered while riding her bike at another park four months before, and for a while the two girls were suspected to have been killed by the same man. The outdoor path is 60 wide and is a combination of concrete landings and compact gravel. Getting there. Given that the Fort Nisqually Living History Museum complex is a historically authentic replication, some buildings only have outside viewing opportunities. She was so supportive and so positive and just volunteered for anything she could do to help us make our jobs easier.. He lived in the 4600 block of Huson Street, less than two miles from Puget Park, in 1986, the year Welch was killed. }, Learn More Park Maps Download a park map and start exploring! var sc_invisible=1; She sent both samples off for testing, but was shocked when the lab report showed the two samples didnt match, revealing the two girls had been killed by two different murderers. Listen in while Emily and Alisha discuss the magical world of DNA today and how it helped solve these crimes and unleash a massive twist in the cold case that rocked this small city. Gary Hartmans DNA was collected June 5 when a detective followed him to a restaurant where he was lunching with a co-worker. Um caso . 11:25 p.m. Welchs body is found in the gulch near a makeshift fire pit. The trio arrived at the picturesque park tucked into the trees only to realize that they had forgotten their picnic lunch back at home. 2.Sezon 8.Blm. Be aware that this area is part of a tsunami hazard zone. The community was left shell-shocked and children were no longer able to carelessly roam through the once-safe neighborhoods. A purported 'friend' of a prison guard identified as a potential suspect in a missing person probe claimed he was the victim of a "witch-hunt" and suggested that his ex-wife come under similar media scrutiny. ChannelID: '59c4d02d28a06117d405b228', var sc_project=8656821; Find out about memberships at Metro Parks Tacoma and start taking advantage of the benefits! In May, the DNA results came back, linking him to Bastians death, according to charging papers. The police, Jennifers family, trained dogs, and volunteers were all invested in searching for Jennifer Bastian through the Point Defiance Park to garner clues. Robert Dwane Washburn, 61, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder for Jennifer Bastian's death in 1986 in Tacoma. Wade had grown up in the area and had been just 11 years old herself when both girls were killed. Welch was murdered in Puget Park on March 26. Fort Nisqually Members receive free admission Become a member. Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium 3:10 p.m. Police begin searching the park for the missing girl. At the time of the murder, he lived two miles from Point Defiance Park and a few blocks from the Bastian home. Real Names: Jennifer Marie Bastian The museum gives residents and visitors a chance to experience what life was like on Puget Sound in 1855. This case first aired on the December 6, 1989 episode, which focused on Fisher. Jennifers photos were printed out in black and white and stuck to the storefront windows. The killing sent a chill through the quiet Tacoma community. In June 2018, DNA testing identified Michella's killer as Gary Hartman; he was arrested and later convicted of her murder. I have my fairytale, I think, and Ill just live with it, Pattie told Morrison of what she believed happened the day Jennifer was killed. Poll How safe do you feel in this area? This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Assistance:Most information, exhibit signage, viewing stations and customer materials are within the 15-48 reach range and 32-60 visibility height. When Ramsdell called to tell Welchs mother about the arrest, she was ecstatic and said it sent chills down her spine, said Reopelle, the cold-case detective. 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The spectral figure is rumored to be the spirit of a girl who was murdered off the road in the 1980s and ever since this road has been seriously spooking people. Many young professionals and retirees live in Point Defiance Park and residents tend to lean conservative. I knew exactly who it was, but I could just not believe it, she said. After more than three decades of working the cold case, police in May called on a genetic genealogist to help. Mt. The trail offers a See more on AllTrails Website: http://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/washington/point-defiance-park-outer-loop Address: Tacoma, Washington "https://secure." Closed November 23rd. Suspects: Witnesses told police they had seen a man between the ages of twenty-five and thirty following Jenny while she rode her bike along Five Mile Drive. Molina Healthcare supports Metro Parks Tacoma senior programs. A genealogist used a DNA sample from the crime scene to build a family tree using public websites, then ran it through a public database and received a significant match that led to an arrest, police said. The man who killed Michella Welch in a Tacoma park in 1986 likely will spend the rest of his life in prison. Friend remembers slain Jenny Bastian, killed 30 years ago. TACOMA, Wash. A man accused of killing a 13-year-old Tacoma girl in Point Defiance Park more than three decades ago has been sentenced to 26 1/2 years in prison after pleading guilty. Point Defiance Park 5400 North Pearl Street, Tacoma, WA 98407 0.5 miles from Point Defiance Park 5 Mile Drive & Trails #2 of 65 things to do in Tacoma 250 reviews 5400 N Pearl St, Tacoma, WA 98407-3224 1 miles from Point Defiance Park Escape Hour Point Ruston #1 of 34 Fun & Games in Tacoma 58 reviews 5020 Main St Suite P, Tacoma, WA 98407-3148 New computer-generated sketches of a possible suspect. For more on this episode and others like it, watch "Dateline: Secrets Uncovered," airing Wednesdays at 8/7c on Oxygenor stream episodes here. For more than 30 years, no one was arrested. TACOMA, Wash. - A 42-year-old man was killed after trying to escape the tide coming in at Point Defiance Park on Sunday . Open Wednesday to Sunday 11 am to 4 pm, Closed Michella had vanished from Puget Park in Tacoma in March 1986, four months before Jenny. Learn more about Fort Improvement Projects, January 1 April 30th When expanded it provides a list of search options that will switch the search inputs to match the current selection. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! My working theory at the time was this guy has got to be somebody whose been convicted of a sex crime or another murder and somehow hes slipped through the cracks, she said. He also told police that he had noticed a foul smell in Point Defiance Park near where Jennifers body was eventually found. 2 p.m. Welchs sisters find her bike and the lunches, then call their regular baby-sitter. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. Investigators followed one of the men a nurse at a psychiatric facility and were able to get his DNA from a napkin he used at a restaurant. After working a 48-hour shift at the hospital, the nurse anesthetist told her mother around 4 p.m. that she was going out for a jog. Thinking back on the fire started to put some things into perspective for me. Welch was killed March 26, 1986, after taking her sisters to Puget Park to play. The Point Defiance Park Rose Garden is the centerpiece of one of the great urban parks in our country. Hows it going? Tacoma Police spokeswoman Lorretta Cool told Newsweek that prosecutors planned to arraign Hartman on Monday. She carries with her memories of Jenny in her arms.She wrote on the back, Hi ya! He was arrested at home in Illinois. The goateed face of "the Old Man" was on banners and posters as the Fifth Republic of Charles de Gaulle was shivered and shaken, and as worse dictators in Spain, Portugal, and Greece were assailed. Point Defiance Park hours Show Notes Was her death related to the murder if Michella Welch, which took place months prior? All Rights Reserved. Jennifers not dead, Pattie recalled. She went home hours later to make sandwiches. A male DNA profile was discovered; surprisingly, it did not match the DNA from Michella's case. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Once a military reservation, Point Defiance Park was handed over to the city of Tacoma in 1905 by President Theodore . He fled on foot. Point Defiance Park hours Open hour before sunrise Close hour after sunset. When Welch's sisters returned to the park around 1 p.m., they found her bike and their lunch, but they did not find her, KOMO reported. Her body was found in a wooded area off Five Mile Drive weeks later. He also said he was in the park after Jenny disappeared, and noticed a "foul smell" off Five Mile Drive, where her body was later found. "); Investigators initially. })(document,window). vioptional3: '', Some sense of feeling like Jennys finally got some justice, said Hatch.Jennys sister posted on Facebook a thank you message to everyone who still remembers her sister.The suspect in this case has not yet been charged, so Q13 News is not releasing his name. o=i.frameElement && config.DivID && !v.getElementById(config.DivID) && i.parent.document.getElementById(config.DivID), Exceptions may apply, see themunicipal codefor details. Seattle Times staff. When they returned, they found Michellas bike but no sign of their sister. Discover the many attractions found here. Wade sent the samples off in batches, but the work took time. We just hit it off, Wade said. In particular, the ever-popular Five Mile Drive in the park is rumored to be a very haunted road. The murder of a revenue official was a grave crime, and Mayhew was determined to bring the Bhuttos to heel, accusing them of having carried out thirteen murders without ever being caught, writing: 'the legendary Doda Khan Bhutto and the family one and all have for years been notorious for their influence for Evil'.40 But he directed most of . The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". I was in one of the police cars and they told me that theyd found her body and you know when you say found a body, its not a person. Leonard paid a visit to Bastians mom, Pattie Bastian, but while Pattie thought it was a considerate gesture, she was adamant that her daughter had not met the same grim fate. DivID: '', Jennifers body was found on August 28, 1986, in a wooded area hidden in the underbrush with her bicycle nearby. A police officer at the time reflected on the potential for another violent crime to occur in a Tacoma park, saying if another should occur, it would be a very sad day. Her bike was found not far away carefully concealed with branches and leaves. Welcome to Point Defiance Park This 760-acre gem is an urban oasis within the city of Tacoma. On May 10, 2018, sixty-year-old Robert Dwane Washburn was arrested and charged with first-degree murder in Jenny's case. Welch was found in Tacoma's Puget Park in March 1986, Bastian five months later in PointDefiance Park. Officials still searching for missing girl, Young girls' murders hint at serial killer, 10 years later, girls' murders still baffling, Anniversaries of a girl's slaying go by -- the grief ages more slowly, Tacoma girls murdered in 1986 killed by different people, police say, Tacoma police release composite images of suspects in 1986 slayings, Suspect arrested in 1986 death of Tacoma girl, police say, Suspected killer of Tacoma girl who disappeared in 1986 has been arrested, Man charged in Jennifer Bastian's death voluntarily gave police his DNA, Suspect in Tacoma cold case called investigators in 1986 with tip on unrelated murder, Robert Washburn charged with murder in 1986 death of Tacoma's Jennifer Bastian, Update in Bastian case: Tacoma police press conference, Man gets 27 years for cold case murder of Tacoma girl Jennifer Bastian, Man sentenced for killing Jennifer Bastian in Tacoma in 1986, Michella Welch and Jenni Bastian killings: Tacoma detectives never gave up cold case. Ferry, line 118 bus 1h 53m. DNA profiles from both killers were run through a national database of felons but did not match with the 11million or so profiles in the database. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! About two weeks after her last sighting, Jennifer Bastians body was discovered on August 28, 1986. A handful of witnesses had spotted Jennifer Bastian around the 5-mile drive of Point Defiance Park in the evening at about 6 p.m. They put my ex-husband up there [on TV,] and I just about died, she said. I was absolutely dumbfounded, Pattie said. According to Ausserer, the estimated probability of selecting an unrelated person at random from the U.S. with a matching DNA profile is 1 in 57 trillion. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Friends and family members stopped park visitors, asking everyone if they had seen anything that could help detectives find Bastian. Crime News is your destination for true crime stories from around the world, breaking crime news, and information about Oxygen's original true crime shows and documentaries. Staff is available to provide assistance with out-of-reach items in the Museum Store. On Tuesday, the crime lab alerted police that Gary Hartmans DNA on the napkin matched the DNA found on Welchs body. Police began their search for the 12-year-old girl at 3:10 p.m. Police found Welch later that day. All I know is that was my ex-husband, all right? Actually, with the prevailing easterlies, other than the people immediately around it, it's more likely to murder Idaho. And are there still spirits haunting the park even today? Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. He was always gentle.. The decline of the fur trade meant that Fort Nisquallys focus shifted to commercial agricultural enterprises with the establishment of the Puget Sound Agricultural Company (PSAC) in 1839. config = { Michella offered to ride back home to get the meal, leaving Angela and Nicole behind. TACOMA, Wash. -- People in Tacoma who knew Jennifer Bastian say the news of an arrest in her 30-year-old cold-case murder is like opening up a fresh wound.She was sexually assaulted and killed at Tacomas Point Defiance Park in 1986.