The question as to who murdered mother, sister, daughter and friend Heather Bogle is something that is still nagging the Sandusky, Ohio community.
“Who killed her? Why? How has justice not been served yet? We just don’t know,” Jennifer Bogle, Heather’s sister, told Dateline. “We aren’t going to give up. We want answers.”
Heather, 28 at the time, was last seen clocking out of her job at Whirlpool in the early hours of April 9, 2015. She worked the night shift so she could be home during the day to care for her young daughter, McKenzie. When Heather failed to pick McKenzie up from school that afternoon, her mother repeatedly tried to contact her. With no reply, the police were called.
“We instantly knew something was wrong when she didn’t pick up McKenzie,” remembers sister Jennifer. “Her life was her daughter. And for her to not show up, was not her.”
The following morning, authorities made the grisly discovery of Heather’s body in the trunk of her car, parked at the Somerton Apartments in nearby Clyde. An autopsy would later show she had been badly beaten and shot twice in the back.
The case was originally handled by the Sandusky County Sheriff’s Office, with Detective Sean O’Connell leading the investigation. In the following months, three people were named persons of interest, then later suspects, in Heather’s murder. None has been charged in relation to the case.
In June of this year, Detective O’Connell was placed on leave, due to allegations of workplace misconduct. It’s unclear if the allegations are related to Heather’s case or something else.
Even before O’Connell was placed on leave, Sandusky County Sheriff’s officials decided to reach out for assistance in the case. On June 13, a letter was sent to the Ohio Attorney General’s Office requesting assistance in Heather’s case.
Dan Tierney, spokesperson for the office, told Dateline that after reviewing the case and speaking with officials in the sheriff’s office, the Attorney General’s Office officially took over the investigation at the end of June.
When asked if the people originally named as suspects in the case by Detective O’Connell remained suspects, Tierney said the office would not be commenting. “This is the type of case where you don’t want certain aspects of the investigation known,” Tierney told Dateline. “We want to be sure the people behind Heather’s murder don’t know things that would help them avoid prosecution.”
Heather’s family and friends push forward.
Since the one year anniversary of Heather’s murder passed in April, many have turned to social media to voice their frustrations regarding the handling of the case. The Facebook group ‘Justice for Heather Bogle’ continues to grow. Posts include the latest updates in Heather’s case, messages of support for the family and an ever-present reminder of the woman who was lost.
Heather’s daughter McKenzie, who now lives with family members, was just five years old when her mother was murdered. She’s since turned six, the first of many birthdays she’ll have to celebrate without her mother.
“She knows her mommy is an angel,” Heather’s sister Jennifer told Dateline. “It’s heartbreaking Heather doesn’t get to see her grow up and experience things. There aren’t words to say how sad that is.”
If you have any information regarding Heather’s case, please contact the Ohio Attorney General’s Office at 1 (855) 224-6446.