What happened to Kurt Sova?

We're excited to announce that in partnership with Newburgh Heights, Ohio police department, CrowdSolve 2020participants will investigate the mysterious death of 17-year-old Kurt Sova. In the next few weeks we will bring you interviews with Newburgh Heights PD Chief John Majoy, Kurt's brother Kevin Sova, and the expert investigators joining us at CrowdSolvein Chicago February 21-23.

KURT SOVA CASE OVERVIEW

Kurt Sova lived with his parents in Newburgh Heights, Ohio just outside of Cleveland. Kurt was the youngest of four and by all accounts a well-behaved and responsible high school student. On Friday, October 23, 1981, Kurt met up with a friend to attend a Halloween party nearby. He never returned home.

On Saturday morning, Kurt’s mother Dorothy called his friends while his father Ken searched the neighborhood. Turning up empty, his parents called police to report him missing on Sunday morning. Dorothy contacted Debbie Sams, whom she had been told hosted the Halloween party Kurt attended on Friday night. However, Debbie responded that she had not seen Kurt and had not thrown a Halloween party that night. However, a pizza delivery man claimed that he had made a delivery to the party at the time in question. When confronted with the delivery man’s claims, Debbie Sams admitted that she had hosted the party and that Kurt was in attendance and had been drinking Everclear, which was out of character for Kurt.

Kurt’s friend claimed to have taken him outside for some fresh air and ducked back inside to grab Kurt’s jacket. When he returned, Kurt had vanished. Debbie’s inconsistent accounts caused Kurt’s parents to suspect foul play.

Three days after he was reported missing, three boys discovered Kurt’s body in a ravine on Harvard Street 500 yards from the duplex where the party was held. Police found no evidence of assault except a few minor scrapes and bruises. He was barefoot; his left shoe was found nearby but his right shoe was never located.

The cause of Kurt’s death has never been determined. Officials eventually ruled out foul play, concluding that his death was accidental or due to natural causes. Kurt’s family does not accept this conclusion. While the coroner placed time of death at 24-36 hours, Kurt had been missing for five days. Furthermore, Ken reported that he had searched the ravine on Monday and Kurt’s body was not present at that time.

Kurt's parents and two brothers are now deceased, survived only by his brother Kevin. In November of 2019, Newburgh Heights Police Department announced they were partnering with Tiffin University to take another look into Kurt's case.