Michaela Joy Garecht, born on January 24, 1979, was just nine years old when she was abducted in broad daylight on November 19, 1988, in Hayward, California. The abduction occurred at the corner of Mission Boulevard and Lafayette Avenue.
Immediately after her disappearance, sketches of Garecht's abductor were circulated along with missing person flyers throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. Despite extensive search efforts, she remained missing. The case garnered national attention, including coverage on the documentary series Unsolved Mysteries.
Interest in Garecht's case was revived in 2009 following the release of Jaycee Dugard, who had been held captive for nearly two decades by Phillip and Nancy Garrido after being kidnapped in Meyers, California. Phillip Garrido was interviewed regarding Garecht's abduction. Additionally, in 2012, Wesley Shermantine, one of the convicted Speed Freak Killers, disclosed to law enforcement that the original sketches of Garecht's abductor bore a striking resemblance to his accomplice, Loren Herzog, who had committed suicide while on parole in January 2012. However, DNA profiling conducted in late 2012 on bone fragments found in one of the killers' disposal sites ruled out any connection to Garecht.
After thirty-two years, on December 21, 2020, David Emery Misch was charged with the abduction and murder of Michaela Joy Garecht.
Abduction Incident:
On the morning of Saturday, November 19, 1988, at around 10:15 a.m., Michaela Joy Garecht was abducted along with her friend, Katrina Rodriguez. The two girls had left home at 10:00 a.m. to ride their scooters to the nearby Rainbow Market to buy snacks and sodas.
After leaving their scooters by the front door of the store, the girls went inside. Upon exiting the store, they began walking home but realized they had forgotten their scooters. They turned back and found one scooter missing. As Garecht went to retrieve the scooter, which was placed near a parked car in the market's parking lot, an unidentified white male emerged from the car, grabbed her around the waist, and forcibly placed her into his vehicle as she screamed.
Rodriguez, the only witness to the abduction, recalled the horrifying scene: "I looked up when I heard a scream, and I saw a man putting her into his car. She was still screaming. I just stood and watched, frozen in shock." Rodriguez quickly ran back into the store to seek help, while the abductor drove away with Garecht.
Meanwhile, Rodriguez alerted a female clerk inside the store, who immediately called the police to report the kidnapping.
At the time of her abduction, Garecht was wearing a t-shirt with the word "Metro" on the front, rolled-up denim jeans, black Mary Jane shoes, and pearl-colored feather-shaped earrings.
Witness Description:
The female store clerk who phoned the police described the man who allegedly abducted Michaela Joy Garecht as "hippy-like" in appearance in the 9-1-1 transcript. However, it was later revealed that the clerk had provided an incorrect description and had mistaken him for someone else she had seen in the parking lot. She described a man in his thirties with a mustache, driving a burgundy-colored car, which was a false description that was mistakenly distributed in the media for nearly two days following the abduction. Journalist Dennis Oliver criticized the Hayward Police Department for allowing the dissemination of false suspect descriptions, stating that the crucial first 24 to 48 hours after the abduction were mishandled.
Rodriguez, the sole witness to the abduction, described Garecht's captor as a white male in his twenties with severe acne or pockmarks on his face. He had shoulder-length dirty blonde hair, was around 6 feet tall, and had a slender build. The witness described his eyes as fox-like and blue, and he was wearing a white T-shirt.
According to Rodriguez, the abductor drove a large, older model American-made sedan, possibly a four-door vehicle that was cream or tannish gold in color. The car may have had cement splatters on the sides and lights set into the rear bumper. The front bumper was damaged, suggesting it had been in an accident. The vehicle was last seen speeding south on Mission Boulevard toward Union City, California, with Garecht inside.
Initial Search Efforts:
Garecht's kidnapping sparked an extensive police investigation by the Hayward Police Department, receiving 5,000 tips in the first year alone. Search efforts included helicopter and airplane searches of hillsides, parks, and unpopulated areas in southern Alameda County. Forensic inspection of Garecht's scooter yielded fingerprints from an unknown source, believed to be those of her abductor.
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Joe Montana made a public plea for Garecht's safe return on November 30. Thousands of tips were received within the first month, but as of late December 1988, law enforcement had not made significant progress in the case. A reward fund of over $70,000 was posted for information leading to Garecht's whereabouts. Her photo was featured on milk cartons and billboards nationally, and thousands of missing person fliers were distributed.
In December 1992, a false lead emerged when a prison inmate claimed to have buried Garecht's body in San Francisco. However, after further investigation, the claim was found to be false. Police followed up on more than 15,000 leads by 1994, and the investigation continues at the Hayward Police Station, with Inspector Robert Lampkin stating they will go anywhere to try to bring Michaela home.
Later Developments and Suspects:
Tim Bindner: Law enforcement considered Tim Bindner a suspect in the disappearances of Michaela Joy Garecht, Amber Swartz, Ilene Misheloff, and Amanda Campbell. Bindner inserted himself into the search for Amber Swartz, leading to suspicions about his involvement in multiple cases. However, Bindner has denied any involvement in these disappearances.
Phillip Garrido: Following Jaycee Lee Dugard's reappearance in 2009, police investigated Phillip Garrido, hoping to find a link to Garecht's abduction. Garrido lived within an hour's drive from Hayward and had been released from prison shortly before Garecht's abduction. Despite similarities in the abductions of Dugard and Garecht, no evidence linking Garrido to Garecht's case was found.
Loren Herzog: Wesley Shermantine, one of the Speed Freak Killers, suggested a resemblance between Loren Herzog and the composite sketch of Garecht's abductor. Shermantine and Herzog were suspected of multiple murders in Northern California. Excavations in 2012 uncovered bone fragments, but DNA analysis ruled out Garecht as a match, identifying the remains as those of Kimberly Billy.
David Misch: On December 21, 2020, David Misch was arrested for the kidnapping and murder of Michaela Joy Garecht. Misch was linked to the crimes through fingerprints found on Garecht's scooter at the abduction site. He is currently serving a prison sentence for the 1989 murder of Margaret Ball and has been charged with the 1986 murders of Michelle Xavier and Jennifer Duey.
Cultural Impact:
Michaela Joy Garecht's abduction was a highly publicized missing-child case that garnered national media attention. It was the first missing-child case to be featured on America's Most Wanted in 1988 and was revisited on the show in 2009. The case also received coverage on other television programs, including Unsolved Mysteries, which aired a segment in January 1989. In 1999, Katrina Rodriguez, Garecht's friend who witnessed the abduction, appeared on the Maury show.
In 2009, Garecht's case was profiled on Dateline NBC and Larry King Live, and it has attracted attention from international media outlets as well.
Every year, the anniversary of Garecht's kidnapping is commemorated at the location where it occurred. Ribbons, both new and old, are tied to a tree near where the abductor's car was parked. Sharon, Garecht's mother, maintains a blog dedicated to her daughter. In May 2019, the Federal Bureau of Investigation offered a $10,000 reward for information related to Garecht's disappearance.
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