Christie Mullins’ murder in 1975 was one of the most terrible murders committed in Clintonville, Ohio. The 14-year-old girl was bludgeoned to death in front of a retail mall near her house. Despite the fact that the individual was first arrested and convicted of the crime, he was subsequently freed due to developmental issues. The case went unsolved for almost 40 years until family members of the genuine murderer, Henry Newell Jr., came forward and informed the police of his crime. However, Newell had died by then, and the victim’s family had lost their last opportunity at justice. Henry, who was originally a vital eyewitness to the crime, supposedly confessed to his family.
It took much too long for anyone to come forward and speak about Christie Mullins’ murder, but horrible details only just revealed after the investigation was concluded. ID’s Dead Days of Summer will return the tale in its next episode, which will air on Thursday, September 8, 2022, at 9 p.m. ET.
This article explains critical aspects of the murder case that you should be aware of before the episode airs.
Three gruesome facts concerning Christie Mullins’ 1975 murder case
1) Christie Mullins’ family has reservations about Henry Newell Jr.
When Henry Newell Jr. reported the incident to police, he claimed to have seen the supposed killer hit Christie Mullins with the fatal blow before departing the scene. Newell led the cops to Jack Carmen, a guy with developmental disabilities. Carmen was found not guilty of all counts in 1977.
Christie’s family had long suspected Henry Newell Jr. of the murder, and he was finally recognized as the culprit in 2014, one year after his death and almost four decades after Christie’s murder. Family members of the suspected killer came forward, alleging that Newell had informed them of his involvement in the 1975 crime.
One of Mullins’ sisters, Melanie Miller, stated:
“We knew it was Henry Newell all along. We won’t be consumed by it, but we’d want to know why he was never prosecuted.”
Miller continued:
“We were just like any other family. You know, five kids growing up, and this did not happen in your community. We were simply a typical family that was caught off guard.”
2) Henry Newell Jr.’s niece has admitted to her uncle’s misdeeds.
Pam Brown, Henry Newell Jr.’s niece, came out after his death from lung cancer in 2013, admitting to his crimes. She informed officials that Henry had confessed to her about killing Christie, who was 14 at the time. Brown was just sixteen years old at the time. According to Brown, Newell described the heinous details of the event that happened on August 23, 1975. Newell claimed to be a neighbor of Mullins, who was seated on a guard rail behind the Graceland Shopping Center. They exchanged a few words before approaching a forested area behind the mall. Mullins, according to Newell, refused his move, and things escalated.
Brown went on to describe the specifics, saying,
“He claimed to have tied her up at that moment. He said she wouldn’t stop screaming, so he grabbed a two-by-four and began beating her in the head.”
She continued,
“He got my Aunt Pam and my dad, who was sleeping with my mom at the time, and asked them to come down with him and tell them they discovered the corpse while hiking.”
Pam Brown stated that everyone in the family was aware of the murder but chose to keep quiet for fear of their safety. Brown is sorry for her extended silence. She went on to say,
“I just want the Mullins family to know that I kept it a secret for many years and that I really regret it. More than anything, I want them to find closure.
3) Authorities re-examined Christie Mullins’ case for a year before reaching a decision.
Following a year-long investigation into Christie Mullins’ death, authorities concluded during a solemn news conference that only Henry Newell Jr. could be held responsible. Mullins’ relatives and friends were in attendance. According to Sgt. Eric Pilya of the murder cold-case squad, police had enough evidence to charge Newell, but it was no longer relevant since cancer had already taken his life in 2013.
40 yrs after her murder, Columbus Police about to close the Christie Mullins case @ColumbusPolice @nbc4i #Closure pic.twitter.com/o3iAJMpbgO
— Reneé LaSalle (@ReneeLaSalle) November 6, 2015
