True Crime with Kimbyr - Part 2: College Freshman Murdered On Short Walk To Dorm Party

Episode Date: October 3, 2025

In part two of True Crime with Kimbyr, we continue the haunting story of Stephanie Hummer, the Ohio State freshman whose life was cut short in 1994. As investigators uncover chilling details, shocking revelations point toward a suspect with a disturbing past. But how did the investigation unfold—and why did some believe justice was delayed? Through Stephanie’s story, we explore the failures, breakthroughs, and lasting impact of her case on campus safety. Join True Crime with Kimbyr as we search for truth, accountability, and the justice Stephanie deserved. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

He changed his college major to law, and he would become a state prosecutor one day. Spoiler alert. He reached that goal and he was inspired by Stephanie and every victim just like her. But that was later. Now, just three days after her murder, city officials announced their plans to improve safety near the Ohio State campus. It seems a little too late, right? But in response to this tragedy, 57 University Police Officers expanded their patrols to cover that off-campus air. that off-campus area where Stephanie was murdered.

Something like this that happens on a campus like this can make students not want to be there, which isn't good for the city. They'll lose funding for certain things and it's not good for the school. If things like this keep happening and students are terrified, they're not going to want to come back. They didn't want to walk alone anymore, and there was a group on campus that would actually walk students around from their cars to different places in the area, and they said that the calls for their services skyrocketed. No one.

wanted to be alone. Many of these people were interviewed, and there was a pre-med student, She was only 19 at the time. She said that it could have happened to any of them. And a graduate student came forward, and she admitted, even being 25 years old, she wasn't taking chances, but she says she had. She's like, we've all taken chances, and it makes you think, I'll live a couple blocks away from where she disappeared, and I thought this was a safe area. Now, granted, it was the first University of Ohio State. students murder in the last two decades. But that didn't ease their fears, and it's still happening.

We saw it with the Idaho University murder case, and I just did a Patreon-only episode about Logan Federico from North Carolina, who was visiting her friends at the University of South Carolina and was murdered when an intruder came into her off-campus apartment. Now, the chief of police did make an announcement about the fact that just because the campus may feel like an island, those boundaries don't stop criminal activity. It's part of the city. The school is in downtown.

They can't stop people from spending time in the same neighborhoods that students do, going to the same bars, possibly targeting and praying on students. And when the statistics came out that year, that area had one murder, seven rapes, 82 robberies, 24 batteries, and 239 burglaries and 486 incidents of petty theft.

Those numbers were up from the year before. But that's not uncommon for a downtown area in a city. However, it felt even worse knowing that there was a killer still out there. Two Ohio businessmen decided to offer a $5,000 reward through crime stoppers for any information that will lead to an arrest. And finally in April, a month after Stepney's murder, a lead came in. It was in connection to a man named Michael Barnhart, who had been arrested for the attempted abduction of another Ohio State student. The parallels were too close to ignore. They thought this is it. But when his DNA was tested against

the sample from Stephanie's body, there wasn't a match. Then a tip came in about a man named Anton Corian. A friend, let's call him John, claimed that Anton had come to hang out at his place in the days following the tragic event and confessed to being on the campus the night had happened. Now that wasn't that odd, but it was what he said next. He asked John if he could keep a secret, that he had something really big to confess to him. John said, yes, not knowing the gravity what Anton was about to share. Anton then confessed to taking and killing Stephanie Hummer,

describing details that were so unnerving that John finally called police. Detectives had John arrange a recorded phone call. And on tape, Anton could be heard admitting to the murder. But not only that, he actually described something that was so distinctive that Detective Barr thought only the killer would know that. Anton mentioned seeing the lights from the big news antenna, the only landmark that I told you could be seen in that specific area. So they had to bring Anton in for questioning.

But that is when he changed his story altogether. Now he was maintaining that he had nothing to do with the murder whatsoever. That he had just been to that field before and he was joking with his friend John about confessing. How is that funny? I don't know. But luckily for him, the DNA cleared him completely. But this was just another crushing disappointment. And around the same time, the FBI joined the investigation,

leading to a flood of new tips coming in. Multiple witnesses reported seeing a white van near the area where Stephanie was last seen. Some said they saw it cruising around the campus late at night. But the trouble was nobody had a license plate number, and a white van wasn't exactly a unique description in the mid-90s. Still, it kept the case alive in investigators' minds, especially when they learned about a man named Rodney

Hastings who had a disturbing history. Rodney had been convicted of abductions in the past, and then he was a release from prison in 1983 and had been out in the community ever since. Now, the detectives found this information really intriguing because it aligned with the MO they were seeking. And as the detectives were examining his records, they found something that added up to them. His DNA was not in their database. So that would make sense that he might be be Stephanie's killer. Because remember, the DNA they found in her body was also not in a database. Plus, the investigation led them to uncover a significant connection between Rodney and the crime scene. It turned out that he was employed by a transportation company situated in close proximity

to where Stephanie's body was discovered. And the transportation company had a fleet of white vans. Of course, this detail stood out to them, since we know people reported a white van. being in the area. Detectives really felt like they were on to something, so they decided to question one of Rodney's co-workers to gather more information about his activities. The coworker revealed something very disturbing. He stated that Rodney used to brag to him about this really sick game, game, he called it a game that he played with college women on campus. He would use a company vehicle, white van, and he would approach women on the campus pretending to be an undercover police officer. And Rodney would use this bruise to touch these unsuspecting women inappropriately. That is

disgusting. So the detectives took the initiative to now interview Rodney's ex-girlfriend. And she made it clear she wanted nothing to do with him. She wasn't involved with him anymore, but she had been. And when they were involved, she was living right near Stephanie's apartment while she's dating Rodney. So now this is another potential connection. Could he have seen Stephanie? The ex-girlfriend also disclosed that Rodney did not handle their breakup very well. He was showing signs of emotional instability. Detectives had enough to obtain a search warrant for Rodney's work van, and inside they discover several incriminating items,

including police-style handcuffs, a flashlight, and a stolen handgun. Now, in order to further strengthen their case, crime scene investigators carefully swab the relevant items for DNA evidence. Meanwhile, Rodney is brought in for an information interview and there they collected evidence that was promptly sent to the crime lab. But it wasn't looking good for Rodney, that's for sure. But during the interview, Rodney exercised his right to remain silent and he refused to take a polygraph test. However, he was legally required to give that DNA sample, which he did.

And I know you aren't going to like what I'm about to say. But yet again, the DNA test crushed their hopes because Rodney wasn't the guy. His DNA was not a match, and no evidence tied him to Stephanie at all. And if you're thinking the same thing I am, we are on the same page. I just kept thinking, what if, and just hear me out, what if she had consensual relations with someone else that night before she had been taken and killed? It's a possibility. But there was still a fact that she was found with just her brawl around her neck.

So investigators still thought the two had to happen back to back and be connected, the force act and the killing, thinking if she had merely been taken, why would she be unclothed? And if she had merely been taken and ran, why would the perpetrator have killed her for that? So it had to be related to what happened to her. So the DNA would be connected to the killer in their minds. So they just kept going. And several weeks went by with no new developments in this case. And despite the lack of progress, Stephanie's family refused to give up hope.

and they decided to take matters into their own hands. They reached out to the media. They appealed to anyone who might have information to please come forward. They were begging any students, any guys, because what if it was the case that the DNA that was found in her body was some student out there and they could at least clear their name

or at least have the investigators stop running around in circles. If it wasn't the DNA connected to the killer, then they could look elsewhere for other clues. Stephanie's dad, in particular, believed that someone out there, there, had at least heard or seen something significant. He was convinced that there were people who knew something, but were just too afraid to speak up. He was determined to find answers, though.

And the family urged the public to share any tips or any leads they might have, but there was nothing. Months passed, and then finally, another lead emerged. It was in the winter of 1995, and this connection was a man named Charles Rathburn. He had been arrested for the murder of a California, model named Linda Sobeck. He had lived near where Stephanie's body had been found, and he once attended Ohio State University himself. Charles had actually led the police to Linda's body, but at the time he told them that he accidentally ran her over and then buried her because he was in a panic. However, during Linda's autopsy, the medical examiner determined that she had been

subjected to force intercourse before her death, and of course, that's the same thing that happened to Stephanie, and the proximity was enough to merit a closer look, that there might be a connection between Charles and Stephanie Hummer. But again, his DNA ruled him out too. And one by one, every promising lead collapsed. And Stephanie's family had to endure all these developments in agony every time. The film would ring, a new suspect, and then there was just lost hope. There were only dropped back into the reality that her killer was still out there. Now, over the years, yes, years. Detectives even had to waste time chasing a bunch of fabricated confessions.

I don't know why this happens. But these inmates at Pickaway Detention Center, which was only about 15 miles away from where Stephanie was murdered, these inmates would come forward. They each thought that they could make the claim of killing her, and they would be able to turn it into a book deal or a big movie deal. I don't know how to be able to turn it into a book deal. I don't know how people can be so heartless,

but we are talking about criminals who are in prison for the rest of their lives. They don't have much to lose, so they will risk it all. But each one was exposed as a lie, as if her poor family hadn't suffered enough, right? And by the mid-2000s, the case was ice cold. The DNA from Stephanie's body was the only solid clue that they had.

But still, even after all that time, it didn't match anyone in CODIS. And back then, DNA was only collected from violent offenders. If the killer had never been caught for another major crime, his profile would never surface. It just made me imagine how careful that man would have to be. It also made me think this was a possibility that maybe it was an accident,

meaning from the beginning when I said maybe it started out consensual, and then it took a turn when things got too far, and that the guy maybe just snapped and ran after her a first, that she was going to accuse him of something that she was forced into, and it would ruin his college career or just his career in general. I'm just thinking about all possibilities here.

So, if that were the case, maybe this man would never go on to commit any more crimes, but Stephanie's parents never stopped pushing to find out. Her mother organized self-defense classes, too. She recognized the importance of empowering individuals to learn skills and knowledge to be able to protect themselves. So she sought to impact this community

positively. And then Stephanie's middle school created an award in her honor, and her younger brother, Jeff, went into criminal justice. He was determined to help families just like his, but the years kept passing without justice. And one aspect that made the situation even more difficult for Stephanie's family was witnessing the milestones and the joys that her friends were experiencing, seeing them marry and start families. That was a constant reminder of the life that Stephanie was tragically denied. And that must have been so hard for them. Stephanie would never have the opportunity

to experience these meaningful life events. And then in 2005, everything changed. Not because of a new witness or a confession, but because of a change in the law. Now, the law required DNA collection from all convicted felons, not just the violent ones. If someone committed a felony,

they had to have their DNA on record. And the idea was simple. Sometimes dangerous people get caught for smaller crimes. And those smaller crimes can still link them to unsolved violent cases. This was a game changer. On January 17th of 2006, the phone rang at the police department in Columbus, Ohio. Now, Detective Barr had already retired, so the new homicide detective in charge, Russell Redman, answered that call.

There had been a codis match to Stephanie's case. Now, Redmond immediately called Detective Barr to let him know all of the details since that was his case that he worked on for so many years. Detective Barr even kept a picture of Stephanie in his wallet all of those years.

Detective Barr was like, excuse me, what are you sure, Stephanie Hummer in 1994, a co-ed? Are you 100% sure? It's that case. And Redmond was like, yes, as far as I can tell, there's been a match. So Barr tells him to call the lab and tell them, run it again. It was that unbelievable. And after so many false leads, I understand the skepticism.

It was definitely a match, though, to a local man named Jonathan Gravely. And when Detective Barr was given that name, he said it meant absolutely nothing to him. No John or Jonathan Gravely had ever been on the radar. He was a perfect stranger to him. But was he a stranger to Stephanie? Who was this guy? Did he kill Stephanie? Or was he someone in a relationship with her at the time?

They had a lot of questions, and soon it would all come together. It turned out that he had been there, right there, the whole time. He was born and raised right near Ohio State University, only 12 minutes away in a townhouse at 32 Limwood Avenue. Jonathan attended the nearby Wetstone High School and was even a well-known and well-liked track star and football player. He was very popular. He still held the record in the 100 and the 200-meter dashes. Jonathan would have only been 24 years old back when Stephanie was killed.

And back then, he was already married and a father of two young children. Now, his life had changed since then, but for the best. He had gotten divorced and then remarried and had two more children. and a high-paying job at a local manufacturing company. Jonathan did not have a violent criminal record either. However, he did have 17 prior arrests. They were mostly related to drugs, alcohol use, and driving violations. It wasn't until 2006 that the 35-year-old had to submit a DNA sample.

Why? He did not want to pay child support. He missed a child support payment, It was a nonviolent felony, but a felony nonetheless. And with the new law in place, his DNA was not only obtained by his probation officer, he had no choice, but he had also be put in CODIS or go to jail. It was immediately put into that system. And after only five weeks, it was ultimately matched to the DNA found on and inside Stephanie's body back in 1994. Detective Barr did not want to prematurely alert Stephanie's parents

though, not yet. He wanted to question Jonathan. So on January 18th of 2006, Detective Redmond and Detective Barr went to Jonathan's workplace. He was brought back to the police station for an interview. And this man knew why he was picked up from the beginning. He had to have known. He was visibly shaking. He was nervous. And Detective Redmond described him as being sweaty. He was fidgeting. His hands were, I mean, he couldn't keep them still. He didn't know what to do with them. And the whites of his eyes were red. with popped out veins. But he had an explanation. He told them why his DNA, his bodily fluid, was at the scene of a murder. He said, I know Stephanie. I knew Stephanie. We met at a bar that night.

We started talking. We got along really well, and we decided to take our conversation elsewhere. We got into my car, we drove out to a more private location where we had consensual relations together, according to him. That's why his DNA was left behind.

No, no, no, no. He had nothing to do with the murder he said, not at all. But then the detectives were like, so who do you think did? Because the detectives knew that Stephanie was never at a bar. She wasn't 21. She didn't go to a bar that night at all. That was a lie.

And because of how well they knew Stephanie at this point, I mean, they had studied this case for years, over a decade. They knew she would not have gotten into a car with a stranger to hook up. with them in the middle of the night, not on any night, but particularly not that night, when her friends were in town, and she was going to a party with boys she knew from high school. Would she hook up with Thomas Pomeroy? Sure, someone she knew, but a random older dude at a bar? No. So they began pressing Jonathan about those facts that he said happened, and that's when

his story started to evolve. Now we told detectives, well, things were okay first, but But then she got crazy. Jonathan said that she all of a sudden told him that she was going to tell his wife that he cheated on her. And Jonathan didn't want that. He couldn't have that happen. And that's when he said they started arguing. One thing led to another, and he said he hit her to shut her up. He said he didn't mean to. It's just a reaction that happened in the moment. And he said then everything went black.

Total blackout. No memory of anything that came next. Well, detectives call bullshit. They have a different theory. They believe that that night, while Stephanie was innocently walking to Thomas's frat house apartment, only blocks away from dropping her friends off at Evans Scholar House, that she was going down Pearl Alley right in the back of all those bars and restaurants in that area, and that Jonathan Gravely spotted her, a young, beautiful woman, all alone at night. The detectives believed that Jonathan's selfishly.

had plummeted since the days when he was popular in high school. That was when he peaked. And now he was unable to land the same kind of gorgeous females that were vying for his attention back then. Instead, he was going to make sure he took what he wanted. And that night, they think he wanted Stephanie. He was much bigger and much stronger than she was. He was over six feet tall and 220 pounds.

They believe he probably stopped his white van, maybe to even ask Stephanie for directions or flirt with her, they of course couldn't be sure. But what they think he did was he made his move and hit her over the head and dragged her into his vehicle, drove away from campus onto that road near that isolated field known for illicit activities. They believe he had relations with her while she was unconscious. And when she came to, which I mentioned earlier, that in that moment she fought back. And ultimately, she got away.

But Jonathan caught up to her. And at that point, he beat her over the head until she was no longer alive. What he admitted to was enough to arrest him. Plus, of course, the DNA matched. He was charged with Stephanie's murder. Now it was time to tell Stephanie's parents, Dan and Sue, the heartbreaking news. Now this was a relief. Now they could put a face to her killer. Her mother said, I can finally be angry at someone.

and they made it clear they had no room to forgive Jonathan gravely. But nothing was going to bring Stephanie back, and they had so many questions. They wondered what she would look like, what she would be doing in life, whether she would have a family of her own. This man had the opportunity to have four children of his own, something that Stephanie never got the chance to do. Sue Hummer said, quote, It's not really over as far as I'm concerned.

I still don't have a daughter. People always use the word closure. Forget that. Our daughter died. And all the things that should have happened to her, all the things that could have happened to her, and all the good things that could have been, never will be. And so there is no closure on that.

My husband says maybe the word we should seek is justice instead. But I'm not sure there is any justice. You know, this guy has been out walking around enjoying himself, apparently having a number of children, and apparently he just plays it cool. for the last 12 years. We were just living with the idea that we were never going to know the answer. You cannot live with the thought that you were going to get the answer tomorrow. You cannot live like that. There wasn't much hope. It all came down to the DNA. It would have to be,

and that was the luck of the draw itself. It had to be the DNA that was going to solve this case because there was nothing else." I couldn't help but feel really sad because it's true. What happened to her was terrible, and what could have happened for her never did. And her parents had to live through going to Stephanie's 10-year high school reunion without her there, joining all of her many friends. And it was nice to see them, but it was so sad. They said they had a hard time, seeing her classmates getting married and wondering what their family would have looked like if Stephanie were alive.

That's hard. It's very hard. And at that point, Jonathan Gray, was being held on an exceptionally high bail amount. It was $1 billion billion with AB. The judge explained the fact that he was able to allude law enforcement for 12 years, he felt like this bond was appropriate. This man wasn't going anywhere.

But his public defender was already saying that he was going to get that pseudo confession thrown out immediately, saying Jonathan never waived his rights prior to talking to detectives. Even Jonathan's new fiancee, He had gotten divorced again after the other two kids. And now he had a new fiance, 35-year-old Shea Fontes. He lived with her for four years before his arrest. And she said that prosecutors have it all wrong.

She said, Jonathan never admitted to killing Stephanie. He only hooked up with her. That's all. No, I've said this in other cases, but I'm like, wow. He must be one of the most unlucky people on the planet if on that exact night, the exact girl that ends up dead, happen to have random relations with him, but he doesn't kill her. His DNA is in her body on her body, and somehow she's picked up by another random killer, and that killer kills her in chance of dead.

His fiance might buy that story because she only knows the person he is 12 or 13 years later, but she wasn't even with him at the time of the crime. I'm sure she believes that he's desirable, right? Because she's with him, but no one's buying this story that Stephanie was with him that night. His fiance was even asked, OK, well, if this murder was such a known case in your area, and y'all have lived right here all this time, why didn't Jonathan come forward and at least give the police information

that he was with Stephanie that night? You would think with such a massive case in the headlines back then, he would at least offer that information so that he could be cleared of suspicion. You don't hide if you're innocent. And her response was that she doesn't know why he didn't come forward, but he's a good person. And anyone that knows Jonathan Gravely knows he's never raised his voice at her or anyone that he's not that type of person. His fiance went on to say that she felt so bad for Stephanie's family and said, I know it looks bad because of his DNA.

She went on to tell the media that she's confident this is one of those cases that everything's going to turn around and she knows it looked horrible right now because he had relations with her. But she made it clear. It doesn't mean he's guilty of killing her. She even talked about how she lived with Jonathan and her four daughters, and they've been living together for last four years as girlfriend and boyfriend, and he recently proposed and how much she loved him. She said that everyone is hurt by this and how she understands Stephanie's family's point, but that it broke her heart to sit in that courtroom and hear them said Jonathan's bond at $1 billion.

She said, OJ Simpson didn't even have a bond that high. And I'm like, ooh, that is not the best person to compare him to, but okay. and then she ended by saying, I know Jonathan. No, I didn't know him 12 years ago. My visit with him at Franklin County Jail last night, though, and after hearing everything on the news about how he's so-called confessed, I know he didn't confess. And I have to say, my heart actually does go out to wives,

fiancee, is a partner, girlfriend, family of someone close to a person being accused of such a heinous crime. Because they're never going to be able to see that person the same way their victim does or their victim's family. sees them. Mothers are still going to love their children, even when they do commit a crime like this. So my heart goes out to them because I cannot even fathom the horror I would feel if someone that I loved committed a crime like this and I was with them for years, even if you were with them for one year, you're committed, you love them. And to realize they actually might be a violent criminal

must be terrifying. You might even think like, how could I be so naive? But it just didn't track in this case, I know all of that is very hard and heartbreaking, but it doesn't change the facts of Stephanie's case. And the fact is that he admitted to arguing with Stephanie alone, and that he was the last person to see her that anyone knew of, and his DNA was found in her body, partially nude laying in a field. They got into some kind of altercation, and then he just blacks out. Well, that to police was a confession. Jonathan decided to waive his right to a preliminary hearing, so instead, the state had to assemble a grand jury and get an indictment which they ended up getting,

and at that point, he was facing the death penalty. Jonathan also got a new defense attorney, Andrew Haney, and he entered a plea of not guilty on Jonathan's behalf. In September of 2007 at his pretrial hearing, there was an announcement. Jonathan gravely wanted to change his plea to guilty, probably because his new attorney was like, there's no way you're going to get away with this one.

A jury is surely going to convict you. And without saying much, so not giving any details just like in Brian Koberger's case and discussing Stefan Stearns, Jonathan merely accepted responsibility after all these years. However, unlike Brian, at the very least, Jonathan gravely made a statement.

He apologized to Stephanie's family. But when Sue and Dan got out of that courtroom and they faced the media, they told them there is no sincerity in that man whatsoever. And they hoped he got the maximum penalty, which was looking like life in prison. Apparently, the prosecutors dropped the force intercourse charge in exchange for this plea.

And now with the sentencing hearing, Stephanie's parents pleaded with the judge, talking about how difficult it was to having to go on without their daughter. And in the end, he was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison. It turned out he was up for parole in 2020, just a couple years ago, and that stirred up a whirlwind of emotions. Stephanie Hummer's loved ones were angry.

Her mom had sadly already died in October of 2015 after a long battle with ovarian cancer. But Stephanie's father took to the media expressing his anger that Jonathan had the audacity to ask to be led out of prison after only serving 17 years of his 25 to life sentence. He and other friends of Stephanie's, including her childhood friend that turned into a prosecutor, Scott O'Reilly, and Randy Miller, made public statements. Randy said this in response.

He should never be out in my term. I mean, 13 years, he basically lived a normal life. And it's all true. All of those years, he got to live a normal life. And Dan said this. They were here at. Society doesn't need people that have committed people that have committed such a crime to be out in the public world again.

Luckily, Jonathan is still behind bars, and his parole was denied. In the years since her murder, the Stephanie Hummer Memorial Park was created as a tribute to honor her memory. It was a place where children could play, and loved ones could go to remember her. And there's one thing that I wanted to leave you with,

and I think it's really special because it's Stephanie's own words. I remember back when I told you that she left, her high school and everyone was sad that she was going away and she wrote a poem for the incoming students and all the students that she was leaving behind. Well now it has an even more eerie meaning to it because the poem was entitled when I'm gone. It is now inscribed on her gravestone and I'm going to read it to you. It says quote, when I am gone, I hope to leave a grin for every child. When I'm gone, I hope to leave a grin for every child. When I'm gone, I hope to

leave some laughter for each that smiled. When I'm gone, I wish to know the world's a better place. When I am gone, I wish to know that someone will remember my face. When I am gone, I want to say, God bless us one and all. When I am gone, I want to say good luck, too great and small. When I am gone, I hope to leave some wonderful memories. When I'm gone, I hope to leave a seed to plant a tree When I am gone, I desire that my tree will grow up big and strong. When I am gone, I desire that my tree will shade children all day long. When I am gone, my tree will provide a branch for every swing. When I am gone, my tree will provide a place for a bell to ring.

When I am gone and my tree is old, I wish it to hold hearts of desire. And when I'm gone and my tree is old, I wish it to warm families by its fire. When I am gone, I'll watch my tree from the heavens above. When I am gone, I'll watch my tree bring generations of love." End quote. I couldn't believe those words. They are now so much more heartbreaking. And that park has trees to fulfill her final desires,

for those to gather beneath its branches, create memories of their own, and remember her. And I hope you remember her. And I thank you so much for being here for Stephanie's story. I will see you in my next video. Bye.