Twenty-two-year-old Sierah Joughin went missing on July 19, 2016 while riding her bike in rural Fulton County, Ohio, just outside of Toledo. Despite hours of searching by police and volunteers, they were unable to find Joughin until the next day, when they found her body covered with corn stalks in an adjacent field. Police still have not found the person responsible for killing her. In this article, we’ll examine what happened to Sierah Joughin, who may be involved and what investigators are doing to solve this case.
Who is Sierah Joughin
Sierah Joughin was a 20-year old Ohio student who disappeared on July 19, 2016. She had been riding her bike around the country as part of her summer break when she went missing. Her body was found in an area south of Findlay, Ohio three days later. Police are still investigating what happened to her and have not yet found any suspects or leads in this case.
Where did she go missing
On the evening of July 19th, 2016, 20-year-old college student Sierah Joughin went for a bike ride on her family’s property near Toledo, Ohio. During her ride she made a call to her boyfriend and told him that she would be home soon. When she didn’t return after an hour or so, he became worried and called police. Police were able to use the phone records from that evening to narrow down their search area, and they found her body on August 26th.
How long was she missing
Sierah Joughin, a 20-year-old Ohio State student, was riding her bike on the afternoon of July 19th when she was abducted and killed by James Worley. He offered her money for help with his flat tire and then proceeded to abduct her. Her body was discovered in an agricultural area near where he worked for about an hour before abducting her.
Worley is being charged with abduction as well as aggravated murder, kidnapping, sexual battery and gross abuse of a corpse. After this incident, all universities were told to warn students about abductions like this one. Even though the universities gave warnings and it seemed like everyone knew what had happened to Sierah Joughin, not enough precautions were taken.
The only warning sign at each university’s campus is a yellow police line that has do not cross written in black paint on it. On top of that, every professor mentions the incident at least once in their lectures without fail.
Who found her body?
On July 20th, 2016, a bike rider was riding along the Metamora-Emerson Road in Fulton County and found the body of a young woman. The bike rider called 911 and the police arrived on scene. After examining the body, it was determined that this victim had been murdered by strangulation or suffocation.
The victim was identified as 20-year-old Sierah Joughin. She had last been seen at 5:00pm that day while biking on her way home from work in Batavia Ohio. She never showed up for dinner with her family which caused her mother concern enough to go looking for her daughter while she was still out with friends in search of some clue as to what happened.
When she couldn’t find her daughter anywhere, she filed a missing person report with law enforcement officials and even posted pictures of her daughter on Facebook hoping someone would see them and let them know where she might be.
She received word from law enforcement that their detectives were questioning people who lived nearby who said they saw someone matching Sierah’s description getting into an SUV but no one got the license plate number or any other identifying features about the car.
Funeral Plans
Before she was abducted and murdered, Sierah Joughin had plans for the future. In her obituary, she requested that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to a cancer research center in her memory. Instead of wearing black and speaking about how sad we are that she is gone, let’s remember her life. She wanted us all to keep living our lives.
Let’s honor that request by remembering what fun times we had with her and share them with each other during this difficult time. Share stories of when you saw her at work or out running errands, or where you were when you found out she had been killed. I have so many memories of my friend that I want to share with others who loved her too.
The more I read about Sierah Joughin, the more impressed I am by her tenacity and energy. Read below what one person posted on Facebook: I’m just floored by the amount of energy she put into everything. It’s not just a statement– it’s true!
Sierah loved hiking and spending time outdoors. Last summer, my family vacationed near Yellowstone National Park where we hiked to Hidden Lake– one of her favorite places as well as mine.
Could this happen again?
The abduction and murder of 20-year-old Ohio State University sophomore, Sierah Joughin, has left the entire Columbus community shaken. Ms. Joughin was abducted while cycling on a rural road near her home in rural Ohio and her body was later found in an abandoned orchard near where she was taken.
1) When possible, ride with a buddy so you’re never alone
2) Make sure your bike is in good working order before you head out for a ride – including making sure there’s enough air in the tires
3) Ride with your cell phone (or call someone when you arrive at your destination), just in case an emergency should arise
4) Wear brightly colored clothing; try to avoid dark colors because they can make you more difficult to see
5) Bring along a light in addition to reflective gear that may help make cyclists more visible
Tips for all cyclists on how to avoid becoming a victim
1. When you’re on a bike, it’s important to stay alert and aware of your surroundings. If you notice something out of the ordinary, get off your bike and walk away.
2. Always lock up your bike – even if it’s just for a few minutes – and never leave your bicycle in an open area where people can see what you’re doing
3. Avoid riding at night; wear bright clothing; and make sure that someone knows where you are going
4. Choose routes that are well lit with plenty of people around
5. Make sure not to talk on the phone while biking
6. Keep a safe distance from cars, buses, trucks, etc., this will help drivers see you more easily
7. Carry pepper spray or other self defense tool
