Remembering Roxie Ann Keathley

 

Little Girl Gone

On March 12, 1973, nine-year-old Roxie Ann Keathley returned from school to the apartment complex in which she lived. Timothy Papp, his wife and his child were also residents of the complex. Papp was living alone because his wife and child had left him three days earlier.

To obtain spending money, Roxie would often go from apartment to apartment asking the residents for their pop bottles. About 3:30 p.m. on March 12, 1973, Roxie and her sister, Tammy, saw Papp in the parking lot and asked him if he had any pop bottles. Papp said that he had some, but that Roxie should return later. Instead of returning home to dinner with Tammy, Roxie said she had something else to do. Roxie was last seen alive about 5:00 p.m. on March 12, 1973. A man in a white trench coat was seen talking to Roxie about this time. After searching for Roxie without success during the evening hours of March 12, her mother called the police about 10:00 p.m. and reported Roxie missing. Sheriff’s deputies and volunteer searchers made an extensive search for Roxie, but she could not be found.

A Suspect Admits to Murder

Police learned that On March 1, 1973, a man in a white trench coat was seen talking to Roxie. The man, identified as Timothy Papp, and another man saw Roxie, playing in the apartment parking lot. Papp, who stood 6 foot 4 inches tall and weighed 330 pounds, told the man that he would like to have her [Roxie], who was 4 feet tall and weighed 50 pounds, do a “head job on him.”

Suspicion focused on Papp, and he was interrogated while in police custody on March 13, March 21 and March 23. During the March 23 interview, Papp gave incriminating statements, including information regarding a “missing” blue footlocker that he had owned. A white trench coat was also found in Papp’s apartment, but Papp denied ownership of the coat.

A day later, on March 24, 1973, the unclothed body of a child was discovered about a mile and a half from Roxie’s home.

Police interviewed Papp again on March 26. Papp drew a map showing the location of the missing blue footlocker, which was later discovered. During the interview, Papp broke down and said: “Man, I am sorry, I didn’t mean to hurt the little girl.”

The body of the child was identified as Roxie Ann Keathley. Roxie’s body was located at the base of a large tree and was covered with leaves and debris. A part of the left buttocks about five inches in diameter was the only part of the body exposed. The distance from the footlocker to the body was approximately 1,000 feet. Experts testifying for the state stated that the blood and hair samples found in the trunk matched the blood and hair samples of Roxie.

A Life Sentence And Out For Vengeance

After examining the body of Roxie, the Lorain County Coroner, Dr. William E. Kishman, testified as to the bruises around the head area and to abrasions across part of the neck. He testified that her vagina and rectum were dilated and much larger than one would expect for a nine-year-old. His opinion was that this indicated that Roxie had been sexually assaulted both vaginally and anally prior to her death or while she was in the act of dying. He said her death was caused by strangulation.

Papp was formally charged with murder on March 26, 1973. While in jail awaiting trial, Papp admitted to another inmate that he had intercourse with the child, had strangled her and had then placed her body in a trunk, which he then concealed.

The evidence against Papp was overwhelming and it took the jury only three days to find him guilty as charged. He was sentenced to life in prison for each count. The two life terms were originally ordered to run consecutively (back to back), however an appeals court later ordered them to run concurrently (at the same time).

Although Papp was sentenced to life in prison, his violent ways and desire to kill would bring him back to court again. Between September and November 1978, Papp conspired with another inmate to kill his ex-wife as well as Lorain County Prosecutor Joseph Grunda. Papp’s ex-wife had testified against him at trial. Papp offered the inmate $100,000 to have them both killed. Papp claimed he won the money in a lawsuit. The plot was exposed when the inmate told authorities what Papp asked him to do. The two counts were merged and Papp pled no contest to one count of conspiracy to commit aggravated murder. He was sentenced to an additional four to 25 years in prison. The sentence was to run concurrently to the two life sentences.

In the past 40 years, Papp has filed multiple appeals and lawsuits at the expense of taxpayers. He has never admitted to his horrific crimes. In addition, there is nothing to indicate that Papp has ever taken responsibility for his actions or expressed remorse.