Springfield Ohio: Strange, Odd, and Unusual Crimes

By Beth Donahue

Welcome to Springfield, Ohio-a city that, on the surface, mirrors countless other Midwestern towns with its quiet streets and unassuming storefronts. But peel back that veneer of normalcy, and you'll find a history rich with crimes so bizarre they defy belief. This book unearths the strange, odd, and unusual criminal cases that have unfolded in the shadows of this quintessential American city. From calculated acts of ideological violence to intricate plots of deception that seem ripped from a Hollywood script, these stories reveal a hidden side of Springfield, proving that darkness can lurk in the most unexpected places.

Within these pages, you will discover the chilling story of Andrew Mickel, a Springfield high school graduate and Army veteran who assassinated a police officer in Red Bluff, California, leaving a "Don't Tread on Us" flag by the body. He then confessed in an online manifesto, explaining he had formed a corporation named "Proud and Insolent Youth Incorporated" to protest police-state tactics and corporate irresponsibility. You will also delve into the twisted case of Kyle Martin, a Springfield man who helped his cousin, a former Yale graduate student, kidnap a look-alike stranger. They planned to murder the woman and burn her body so his cousin could fake her own death and evade a federal prison sentence for drug trafficking. And on a lighter, yet equally strange note, you'll read about the national stir caused by Barbara Schantz Buffington, a Springfield police officer who was suspended after posing nude for Playboy magazine. This scandal even inspired a TV movie.

These cases are just a glimpse into the peculiar criminal landscape of Springfield, Ohio. SPRINGFIELD, OHIO: Strange, Odd, and Unusual Crimes moves beyond the headlines to explore the motives, methods, and madness behind the city's most unforgettable transgressions. Each chapter offers a deep dive into tales of murder, deception, and shocking behavior that have left their mark on the community. If you are fascinated by the complexities of the criminal mind and the strange stories that hide in plain sight, this book is your definitive guide to the city's most bewildering history. Prepare to question everything you thought you knew about this ordinary Ohio town.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0FTX6QKVM
• ISBN13: 9798268408195
• Release Date: October 2025
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 96 Pages
• Weight: 0.27 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.2" x 5.5" x 8.5"