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Within a year of the disappearance and murder of 17-year-old Catherine Conley in 1979, Marion was shocked by the disappearance and probable murder of 15-year-old Lori Ann Robinson.
As with the murder of Conley, the late-Dana Slane, who was recently indicted by a Grand Jury in Morrow County for her murder, had a close connection to Lori Ann Robinson.
Lori Ann Robinson was born in Marion to Harry Robinson and Marilyn (Lower) Robinson on the 26th of August 1965.
Lori grew up at her mother’s house at 344 Mary Street, with her seven brothers (Michael Hornesby, Samuel Brown, Patrick Robinson, Paul Robinson, Dani Robinson, John Robinson and David Robinson) and one sister (Billie Brown).
In June of 1980, her mother married Paul W Slane, the father of Dana Slane.
On the 12th of September 1980, Lori received a telephone call while she was attending class at Taft Middle School. Lori told school officials that the caller was her mother, Marilyn, and that she was ordered home to care for her younger brother. She then departed school and was never seen again.
When it was confirmed by authorities the following day that the caller was not in fact her mother, a missing person’s report was filed.
Lori’s naked body was found around 5 pm on Thursday, the 18th of September 1980, along the banks of the Scioto River, just off of Green Camp River Road about a half a mile north of OH-739, by two men who were hunting for frogs.
The body was first identified as Lori’s by dental records. Her mother also identified her by a ring that she was wearing, as well as her shoes and socks, which were the only items of clothing on her body.
The 5’3”, 130-lb body was badly decomposed, but it was clear to investigators that Lori was dead prior to being placed in the river.
According to Dr. Robert T Gray, the Marion County Coroner, there was what appeared to be a knife wound above her right eye, as well as drag marks on her body, which indicated that the body had been moved from another location after death.
Marion County Sheriff Ron Scheiderer stated that, “In our opinion, this can’t be anything other than a homicide.”
The Marion County Sheriff’s Department sent the body to the Franklin County Coroner’s Office, who worked with the Ohio State University to perform an autopsy and chemical analysis to try to determine a cause of death.
While authorities were continuing their investigation, Lori’s body was laid to rest in the Marion Cemetery on the 22nd of September 1980.
It took until the 12th of November 1980 for the results to come back and to be released by officials. The cause of death was listed as an overdose of barbituates and alcohol poisoning.
The circumstances surrounding that determination were highly suspect, as it was unclear whether she took them voluntarily, by force, or deception.
Investigators conducted 75 to 80 interviews, but nothing came of them.
Her death remains a mystery, but with the recent developments in the Catherine Conley cold case, there might be a connection to the alleged murderer in that case and this one—beyond the familial.