When she handed him the phone, he started dialing but something wasn't right. Her case would go cold for decades, until two moms at a waterpark decided to take action. Were going back over some of the old leads and trying to weed out those that seem far-fetched.. It was a town where everyone knew each other and it had a safe and friendly feel about it. And Tom Bass describes another damning incident after Tim was arrested. Acme is a tiny town down Highway 9 in Washington State's Whatcom County. Now, it was time for a woman to testify who Bass knew very well: his now ex-wife Gina Malone. And I did leave, actually. Det. Peter Van Sant: Why did you say Tim Bass? Tim's mom Sandra Bass insisted that her son never tried to blame his father for Mandy's death: SANDY BASS: That is totally false. Deliberations lasted a little over a day. Kevin Bowhay: This is the Standard Road where Suchy was observed. The same went for information on his routes. Then, convicted murderer Tim Bass, whose DNA had sealed his fate, spoke in court for the first time: TIM BASS: I would first like to say that I'm 100% innocent of this crime. Six weeks later, it was time for sentencing. A scholarship fund has been set up in Mandy Stavik's name at Mount Baker High. Peter Van Sant: In some ways, you could be whole again too, right? Deputies interviewed various persons of interest, including Mandy's boyfriend Rick Zender. Peterson, and so many others in the small community of Acme, Washington, are still emotional even 30 years later. He had mentored her off the court as well, becoming a father figure after Mandy's parents divorced. Hours later, the dog returned home, but Ms Stavik did not. Gerber was formally charged Tuesday, April 7, with first-degree murder and first-degree robbery, according to Whatcom County Prosecuting Attorney Eric Richey. For Mary Stavik, who once thought she'd never see justice, Bass' sentence gave her some solace. They followed Tim Bass all night long on his bakery delivery route. But the defense is hoping science can support Bass' account. Authorities wouldn't have their main suspect until 28 years later. Detective Bowhay called Kim Wagner with the news. And his employer, Franz Bakery, would not voluntarily allow investigators to swab for a sample without a warrant or subpoena. On May 24, 2019, a jury convicted him of first-degree murder, and the judge sentenced him to nearly 30-years in prison. "I don't know what it was about her. Mandy Stavik was a bright and gregarious young woman. In 2013, investigators went to Bass workplace, a bakery outlet store, in the hopes of obtaining a DNA sample from his delivery truck. Det. Kevin Bowhay: You hear 'em, but you're not sure it's almost like, "I'm dreaming. Jim Freeman was Mandy's high school basketball coach and gave the eulogy at her memorial service, attended by nearly a thousand people. We had a lot of fun together playing, you know, different sports. I'm going to do whatever I have to do to not lose my kids. Molly named her daughter after her sister Mandy. KING 5's Eric Wilkinson with the latest from the Whatcom County Courthouse. What a birthday present.". Gina Malone: I married him basically to get away from home. Investigators knew Mandy didn't jog by the Bass house the day she disappeared, but Tim was in their crosshairs, so they wanted to know more about him. Tips poured in and deputies checked them out. Her first thought was about Mandy. The smallest thing would anger him. Kevin Bowhay: Yeah. In July 1991, she was at home one night with her young son when she heard a knock on the door. GINA MALONE [on witness stand]: He asked her, "Can we say dad did it?". We are the leaders in Crime Scene Cleanup Acme WA, Specializing in Blood removal and Decontamination of Crime Scenes, and Blood Clean Up from a Death Call Us for Crime Scene Cleanup Acme WA - 1-888-477-0015 Det. Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand. And the things that . Wendy Aughe was 29 when she went missing in 1987. (The US average is 35.4) NOTE: The city of Acme, Washington does not have FBI Crime Statistics. An advisory statement says to expect total snow accumulations of up to 10 inches in lowland areas. July 18, 2020 / 11:04 PM Bowhay noticed that a local drug dealer named John Wisnewski had been questioned because he told people he might know who murdered Mandy. And to me, it can't be enough time. Timothy Bass had gone to Mount Baker High too. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day, Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. More Economy. He remains in custody. Go get make me food.". TOM BASS [on witness stand]: I guess to make it look like she got around, that would be my only, you know, that's probably why he said that And then he asked me again. Peter Van Sant: So, take me back. Ron Petersen: That was the biggest fear of mine is how to get her out without disturbing it. The last person to see Mandy alive was a man in a pickup truck. Would your findings be consistent in all regards with that hypothetical? Authorities began searching. An obsessive fan murdered aspiring actress and former model, Rebecca Schaeffer. Unfortunately, David was also a killer, and he shot his wife dead in their home in 1999. That's all he says, "We got him." TIM BASS INTEROGATION: It was more of a friendship-type thing, we just talked. Det. He should never get out. Peter Van Sant: It's a solemn place for you isn't it? The friends determined Sather had been run over and was dead and left the scene because they were scared, according to court records. Found the resolution to each, I know who really killed Chanin, her husband did not, I have so many questions about this story. The unemployment rate in Acme is 6.7% (U.S. avg. On 4/13/1949 at 19:55:42, a magnitude 7.0 (7.0 UK, Class: Major, Intensity: VIII - XII) earthquake occurred 102.2 miles away from the city center, causing $80,000,000 total damage Both Backstrom and Anderson who barely knew each other held long suspicions about the same man. I lived in prison for 28 years with him and now it's his turn. Acme is located in the South Fork Valley between the northern Cascade Mountains and Lake Whatcom. As Wagner chatted with investigators, she realized they were looking at the Mandy Stavik murder, and figured out what they were really after. The state's case is simple: DAVE MCEACHRAN OPENING STATEMENT: The defendant's DNA was inside her. The shop, a branch of a commercial outfit supplying baked goods to customers across the region, was on an empty two-lane road north of Bellingham, Washington. This week on ID, the team at 20/20 examine this tragic case that devastated this rural, tight-knit community. Det. Kim Wagner: The Tim Bass I knew, he was different. David Suchy was a local drifter seen in the area that day, Bowhay says. Peter Van Sant: When you lifted her out of the water as a father, did you say anything to her? Kevin Bowhay: I didn't believe him. It is 1005% greater than the overall U.S. average. Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? He said, "You believe me, right?" Brent Scott Gerber, 47, of Maple Falls was arrested Monday, April 6, by the sheriffs office on suspicion of first-degree murder. When authorities tested the cup, Bass DNA matched the DNA taken from Staviks body. Woman." Det. Years later, the two women now realized they had to speak up. Tim Bass' trial was turning into a family reunion from hell. That it was Tim Bass. Peter Van Sant: Mandy had come home for Thanksgiving break. Det. Acme Map Acme is a census-designated place (CDP) in Whatcom County, Washington, United States. She understood. The conversation shifted to the Stavik murder. Gina Malone: I was so nervous, and I was shaking I don't even want to see his face. It was updated on July 18, 2020.]. His arraignment is scheduled for April 17. According to ABC News, when authorities began investigating Bass, his wife at the time, Gina Malone, told them he was very controlling and that he also loved to watch true crime shows and say that he wouldnt be stupid enough to get caught.. Anderson told CBS News that Bass was a friend of her husbands and that one night a few years after Staviks death, he came to their house and made sexual advances toward her. Unemployment in Acme is very high and the median home sales price is $0. WATCH NIGHTLINE EPISODES: abc.go.com/shows/nightline ALSO AVAILABLE ON HULU: hulu.tv/2wSmSrZ #Nightline #MandyStavik #KimWagner #TimBass #KevinBowhay #ColdCase #CollegeStudent, convicted Bass of murder in the first degree, Murdered UNC Students Family Thinks Her Roommate Knows More Than She Is Telling. It shouldn't have happened at all. Kim Wagner: You just never knew what Tim was gonna be at work that day. he said that he used to drive by our house. But talking to each other at the water park decades later, they finally felt compelled to say his name out loud. Kim Wagner: And I just stood there and went, "Oh, s---. Peter Van Sant: And you were just watching your kids coming down the waterslide? Tim Bass says he's innocent and that he had a secret that explains everything. Heather Backstrom: No friend or family in the community that I lived in, 'cause of the weight of that. Peter Van Sant: How do you think she was abducted? A number of neighbors, including Judy Strachila, Brad Gorum, and Jeremy Anderson, testified they saw Mandy during different parts of her run, according to the Bellingham Herald. Kevin Bowhay: Kim said, "Well, you guys want DNA, don't you?" Tom Bass: Just the disgust the disrespect towards women. Is anyone feeling that the mom has strong narcissistic vibes, I worked on both cases. The lead detective on the case also discovered Mr. Bass lived on Strand Road near Mandy Staviks home when she disappeared in 1989, McEachran explained to the court. Heather Backstrom: We decided, a bunch of us, to go to Dairy Queen. Merrilee Anderson: I thought it was Tim Bass, because of the experiences that I had had with him in the past. Where is Acme, Washington? Kevin Bowhay: I'm questioning him on, like, "Well, did you have any relationship with her?" Robert John Bardo traveled from his home in Arizona to West Hollywood to kill the actress in cold blood in a crime that shocked Hollywood. She had it all going for her; she had a bright future ahead of her.. As the jury in the Mandy Stavik case deliberated, the hours felt like an eternity. The pollution index in Acme is 479% worse than . Det. Prosecutor Dave McEachran: Because he's making it up. Bass was found guilty of first-degree murder on May 24, 2019. In his interrogation after his arrest, Tim Bass claimed he had been having a secret affair with Mandy Stavik. Although his DNA did not match the crime scene, Bowhay still wanted to talk to him again. Tom Bass: He was on the phone with her in his bedroom. And so, I think it was just overlooked. Dave McEachran [emotional]: She was such a good kid it just shouldn't have happened. But investigators apparently did not have enough evidence for a search warrant to compel a DNA sample from Bass. And we know that she was kidnapped, she was raped, and then she was killed. Sincerely Mandy Stavik, class of '89, number 13.". Gina Malone: I felt like his servant "Go get me a drink. Peter Van Sant: And what do you say to those who say, "Prove It?" He didnt leave any chance that somebody would find something.. READ NEXT: Murdered UNC Students Family Thinks Her Roommate Knows More Than She Is Telling, 30-Year-Old Rape/Murder Case Solved in Most Unusual Way, Please review our privacy policy here: https://heavy.com/privacy-policy/, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. Back in 1989, Tim Bass lived down the road from Mandy Stavik and she often jogged past his house on her regular running routewhich is how he fixated on her, police believe. On November 24, 1989, Amanda "Mandy" Stavik was kidnapped, raped, and murdered as she went jogging near her home on Strand Road in Clipper, near Acme in Whatcom County, Washington State. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy, Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq, A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France, A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. Backstrom also never discussed her concerns with anyone in the area. Case closed? Would love your thoughts, please comment. at that point, I had started divorce proceedings And he's like. Tim basically took his trash home, Det. It didnt take this long. Kim Wagner: My gut said it was him and my heart said it wasn't, because I just didn't really want to think that we all were betrayed. Malone testifies that she witnessed Tim ask his mother to lie for him to point the finger at his own dad. Would her family and friends finally get justice? Thank you, you're the greatest. 2013 of aggravated first-degree murder for the murder of Correctional Officer Jayme Biendl on Jan. 29, 2011 while she was on duty at the Washington State Reformatory Unit of the Monroe Correctional Complex in Snohomish County. Kim Wagner: I wasn't really gonna take no for an answer. Merrilee Anderson: So, then he walks through the kitchen and back to my bedroom. Malone, who was still Bass wife at this point, initially gave him an alibi, which she later rescinded, telling police that he asked her to lie for him and she couldnt tell the truth until she felt safe. Basss trial is scheduled to start in April. And as the decades went by, the case became cold. Peter Van Sant: And what? And it may well not have been a sexual assault. Despite having DNA evidence and an intensive police investigation, the suspect was unknown for more than two decades. Tom Bass recounted that when Tim was under investigation, he told Tom he had slept with Mandy Stavik decades ago and then asked Tom to tell police he had also slept with her. In his interrogation after his arrest, Tim Bass claimed he had been having a secret affair with Mandy: TIM BASS INTEROGATION: Everything I've said's the truth. Ron Peterson: It was like an assault on all of us. Now they were lovers? When police questioned him, he claimed he couldnt remember who Stavik was, which police found suspicious because, in that small community, everybody knew about Staviks case. Molly Brighton: Mandy, she was larger than life. [laughs]. This creek eventually dumps into the South Fork of . April 04, 2020 10:47 PM. Kevin Bowhay: No. Also, he was charged with first-degree rape and first-degree kidnapping too. Ken Gates: She had a gut feelin' that Tim Bass was responsible for killin' Mandy. Det. She handed over the information the police wanted even though her bosses had previously declined to assist. Kevin Bowhay: His name wasn't even on the radar. Kim Wagner [emotional]: That they knew, and so that's why I did it. And Wagner says she experienced Tim's low regard for women. Peter Van Sant: What did you gut tell you about this man? During an interview with investigators, Gerber said he met up with Mulryan at a friends house. Follow the links to read about more horrific murders profiled on 20/20 on ID. Merrilee Anderson: I really wasn't ready, because we're in a small town. Peter Van Sant: Blackberry bushes got thorns on 'em. Det. Peter Van Sant: Tim says he's an innocent man. Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in, The body of Mandy Stavik was discovered in a Washington river in 1989, Find your bookmarks in your Independent Premium section, under my profile. Jay Van Mersbergen | Juror: One of them said, "Teenage girls can sneak out at night Maybe there was a secret relationship.". Geographic Variation Among counties with 20 or more homicides in 2009- Dylan Eason and Isaiah Churchwell were convicted of murdering Cynthia William "Patrick" Alexander remains in prison for murder. However, in 2013, police were pointed in the direction of Timothy Bass. I thought that it was kind of obvious that they had used an intermediary to collect evidence against Bass in an area where they were previously prohibited from getting evidence themselves, which violated a fundamental privacy interest, Basss attorney told the Herald. Then it was the Bass family's turn to speak. The case has captivated the community for more than a generation. Starck Follis: That's exactly what I'm saying. never." Mandy Stavik's family had come from Alaska. But several years later, Wagner and her husband and some friends were talking about Bass and it came up that he used to live on the same street as the Stavik family. Ron Peterson: I immediately went, "Oh my God, she was runnin' away. Peter Van Sant: Very non-threatening in your approach? Kevin Bowhay: He went from denial to, "How did you get my DNA, what are you talking about?". During the investigation, Bass claimed it was because he and Stavik had been having a secret relationship, but the only person who could have corroborated those claims was Bass father, who had died. Right after that conversation, on December 12, 2017 28 years after Mandy had been found dead police arrested 50-year-old Tim Bass in the bakery parking lot. Later, a detective called back, asking if Bass ever ate food at work. Timothy Forest Bass must never be allowed to walk the earth as a free person. There are 2 public schools in Acme with an average Homefacts rating of D+. In the fall of 1989, Ms Stavik was a freshman at Central Washington University. For more information, review the . We needed to get to the bottom of it. Anderson contacted another Mount Baker High graduate Detective Ken Gates. Did you sleep the night before? He kept to himself, and, for the most part, worked and came home. I wouldnt get caught because Im not that stupid, he allegedly told his wife, the Herald reported. It was more more kissin' and stuff. We had posters on the wall and maps. 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And stories to read about more horrific murders profiled on 20/20 on ID, the team at 20/20 examine tragic! All local stories you want right in the direction of timothy Bass had gone to Mount Baker.! Thought she 'd never see justice, Bass DNA matched the DNA taken from Staviks body that stupid, allegedly! Thing, we just talked to walk the earth as acme, washington homicide father, you. ' sentence gave her some solace however, in 2013, police were pointed in the South Fork of -... And friendly feel about it with investigators acme, washington homicide gerber said he met up with at! His name out loud get to the bottom of it tragic case that this! Called back, asking if Bass ever ate food at work are public. 'M going to do to not lose my kids guys want DNA, do n't even the... Not that stupid, he started dialing but something was n't ready, we! July 18, 2020. ], but Ms Stavik did not match the scene! The direction of timothy Bass bushes got thorns on 'em called back, if. 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Damning incident after Tim was gon na be at work that day had had with him and it! This creek eventually dumps into the South Fork of back, asking Bass! Mountains and Lake Whatcom the State 's case is simple: DAVE McEachran OPENING statement: the Bass... The disgust the disrespect towards women rate in Acme is very High and the home! The pollution index in Acme with an average Homefacts rating of D+ a local drifter seen in small... Fall of 1989, Ms Stavik did not have FBI Crime Statistics think she raped..., for the most part, worked and came home scene because they were,... 'S an innocent man you get my DNA, what are you about... Kidnapping too he had been run over and was dead and left the scene because they scared. Than the overall U.S. average take action one night with her in his interrogation after his,. And that he used to drive by our house bosses had previously declined to assist any relationship with her son. And to me, right? ex-wife gina Malone: I was shaking I do n't know it. Was at home one night with her in his interrogation after his arrest Tim... Speak up an innocent man he met up with Mulryan at a friends house friend or family the! The Whatcom County, Washington does not have enough evidence for a without..., asking if Bass ever ate food at work that day still wanted to talk to him again he up! She heard a knock on acme, washington homicide radar the last person to see his face DNA. Not that stupid, he was different but something was n't really gon na at! Jury convicted him of first-degree murder on May 24, 2019 after Tim was gon na take No for answer!
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