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Canfield police seek new leads in rape case
By Elise Franco
CANFIELD
City police are increasing the reward money in a 10-year-old rape case with the hope that someone will come forward with new information.
Canfield Detective Brian McGivern said Wednesday that the department increased the reward from $10,000 to $25,000 in the November 2000 case in which a then-30-year-old Poland woman was attacked and beaten.
The crime occurred as she walked in to work in the early morning in the parking lot of Schroedel, Scullin & Bestic Inc., an accounting firm on North Broad Street. She was then dragged to a nearby wooded area and raped.
McGivern said police have been actively working the case since it happened and have interviewed more than 100 persons of interest but still have no suspects.
“This is a case we take very seriously,” he said. “We think the increased reward will get someone’s attention. If someone has information on this crime, they’re not ever going to forget it because of its magnitude.”
McGivern said the reward increase was approved at the November city council meeting.
The money will be awarded to anyone who provides Canfield police with information to assist in the arrest and conviction of the offender, McGivern said.
During the attack, the victim was beaten with a special edition Mahoning Valley Scrappers baseball bat. The detective said only about 1,000 of that particular bat was made that year.
McGivern said the statute of limitations on a rape is 20 years, and the department will continue to investigate the case until it’s solved.
“It’s considered a cold case because it hasn’t been solved, but it’s not sitting untouched on the shelf,” he said. “We have seven three-ring binders’ worth of work on this case.”
McGivern said anyone with information should call Canfield police at 330- 533-4903.
“This has been a No. 1 priority for 10 years, and it will continue to be until it’s solved,” he said.