A Murderer Among Us: The Lynn Hanna Story
What started out as a normal September day in East Liverpool, Ohio in 1988 turned into several weeks of horror for area residents as body parts began to surface in the Ohio river. People began to fear for their safety, and with good reason, as for the next 7 years, the killer lived among them walking free.
It all started in July 1984 when John and Lynn Hanna were granted a divorce. As part of the settlement, Lynn received the house that the couple shared on Stagecoach Road. Around that same time, Lynn began dating a man named Gordon Reynolds. Shortly after the divorce, John fell behind on his mortgage payments and the bank was threatening to foreclose on the property. Reynolds and Lynn came up with a plan to burn the house down and collect the insurance money and informed Lynn's children. Reynolds told the children to take whatever they wanted out of the house. Reynolds and Lynn removed all of the good furniture from inside the house and replaced it with old furniture.
On September 20th 1985 the Stagecoach Road residence went up in flames, destroying everything inside. Fire inspector's suspected arson but there was not enough evidence so charges were not pursued.
On June 30th 1986, Lynn received a settlement from the insurance company for $25,000. That same day, Reynolds deposited $12,000 into his bank account. He then went and purchased a wedding ring at a local jewelry store. The next day, Lynn brought the ring back to the same store to have it sized for her finger.
However 7 months later in January 1987, Reynolds would instead marry another woman named Kimberly. Reynolds continued to have a relationship with both women. Kimberly reportedly became upset that Reynolds was still seeing Lynn and in January 1988, she filed for divorce. Reynolds and Lynn continued to see each other but trouble began to arise between the couple in August 1988.
A witness claimed that Reynolds and Lynn were seen arguing in a doorway. The witness claimed that Reynolds kicked Lynn to the ground and then began choking her.
On September 3rd, Reynolds met up with Jack Morrell at a local restaurant. While there, Reynolds slipped Morrell a note that said if anyone asked, Reynolds was with him from 8-10pm that night.
The next day Lynn's daughter Melissa repeatedly tried to call her mother but got no answer. She contacted Reynolds who told her that Lynn took everything and left him.
That same day Gordon's daughter in law claimed that she was called to the home of Reynolds ex wife. When she arrived she was told that Lynn's belongings were in Reynolds van and that she could take whatever she wanted. She took 2 necklaces.
On September 6th 1988, Melissa called police to file a missing persons report on her mother. 3 days later, on September 9th Reynolds had Lynn's property on State Route 170 and a manufactured home transferred into his name using paperwork that Lynn signed on August 25th.
In the early hours of September 10th, a Hancock County Sheriff pulled Reynolds over on State Route 2 in Chester, WV just south of the Newell Bridge. The deputy observed that Reynolds was intoxicated and acting nervously but an emergency call came over the radio, so Reynolds was let go. A few hours later the area became gripped with fear as a body part was found floating in the Ohio River south of the Newell Bridge inside a green plastic bag. For the next 2 weeks other body parts began to surface, 7 in all. The body parts were all sent to pathologists in West Virginia. One deputy who found an arm noticed that one of the fingers had a indentation that indicated a ring was recently removed from the body. Police realized that the body parts matched the physical description of Lynn Hanna and went to East Liverpool City Hospital to get her medical records. After comparing X-Rays and a known surgical scar that Lynn had, it was determined that it was indeed the body of Lynn Hanna. Evidence was found that she suffered a gunshot wound to the chest but the bullet, her lung and her head were never recovered.
Police went to Reynolds residence to question him. When they arrived they noticed that the back of his van was scrubbed clean and smelled like bleach, while the front of his van was a mess. No evidence was found in the van and no arrest was made.
In December 29th 1988, Reynolds went back to the jewelry store to return the ring he previously purchased.
Due to a lack of evidence the case remained in limbo until February 18th 1994, when an inmate at the Columbiana County Jail contacted the Columbiana County Sheriff's department with the break that police were looking for. The inmate was Gordon Springer, son of Gordon Reynolds, who was incarcerated on a drug charge. Springer told police that his father admitted to him that he murdered Lynn Hanna because she was going to tell police about the arson they had committed. Springer turned over items to police that belonged to Lynn, including the 2 necklaces. He agreed to tape conversations with his father. Several months later police were contacted by a friend of Reynolds who claimed that Reynolds also admitted to him that he killed Lynn to cover up the arson. He also agreed to wear a wire, but couldn't get any evidence.
On September 29th 1994, Gordon Reynolds was indicted by the grand jury on charges of aggravated murder by prior calculation and design and a firearms specifications charge. During the trial, Reynolds son testified that his father told him that he first broke Lynn's neck but when he found that she still had a pulse the next day, he shot her. Several people testified that there was a horrible odor in Reynolds van after Lynn's disappearance.
On March 27th 1995, a jury found Gordon Reynolds guilty in the murder of Lynn Hanna. The next month, Reynolds was sentenced to death. Several appeals were filed on his behalf claiming that Reynolds did not receive a fair trial and that the death penalty violated his constitutional rights, but they were thrown out. In January 2002, Reynolds finally persuaded the court to grant him a new trial based on allegations that the judge who oversaw the original trial, engaged in misconduct by influencing key witnesses in the case.
Reynolds would never get another chance.
On February 4 2002, Reynolds was found dead inside of his jail cell. The cause of death was listed as a heart attack.
(Sources:
Ohio Supreme Court
The Bryan Times)
It all started in July 1984 when John and Lynn Hanna were granted a divorce. As part of the settlement, Lynn received the house that the couple shared on Stagecoach Road. Around that same time, Lynn began dating a man named Gordon Reynolds. Shortly after the divorce, John fell behind on his mortgage payments and the bank was threatening to foreclose on the property. Reynolds and Lynn came up with a plan to burn the house down and collect the insurance money and informed Lynn's children. Reynolds told the children to take whatever they wanted out of the house. Reynolds and Lynn removed all of the good furniture from inside the house and replaced it with old furniture.
On September 20th 1985 the Stagecoach Road residence went up in flames, destroying everything inside. Fire inspector's suspected arson but there was not enough evidence so charges were not pursued.
On June 30th 1986, Lynn received a settlement from the insurance company for $25,000. That same day, Reynolds deposited $12,000 into his bank account. He then went and purchased a wedding ring at a local jewelry store. The next day, Lynn brought the ring back to the same store to have it sized for her finger.
However 7 months later in January 1987, Reynolds would instead marry another woman named Kimberly. Reynolds continued to have a relationship with both women. Kimberly reportedly became upset that Reynolds was still seeing Lynn and in January 1988, she filed for divorce. Reynolds and Lynn continued to see each other but trouble began to arise between the couple in August 1988.
A witness claimed that Reynolds and Lynn were seen arguing in a doorway. The witness claimed that Reynolds kicked Lynn to the ground and then began choking her.
On September 3rd, Reynolds met up with Jack Morrell at a local restaurant. While there, Reynolds slipped Morrell a note that said if anyone asked, Reynolds was with him from 8-10pm that night.
The next day Lynn's daughter Melissa repeatedly tried to call her mother but got no answer. She contacted Reynolds who told her that Lynn took everything and left him.
That same day Gordon's daughter in law claimed that she was called to the home of Reynolds ex wife. When she arrived she was told that Lynn's belongings were in Reynolds van and that she could take whatever she wanted. She took 2 necklaces.
On September 6th 1988, Melissa called police to file a missing persons report on her mother. 3 days later, on September 9th Reynolds had Lynn's property on State Route 170 and a manufactured home transferred into his name using paperwork that Lynn signed on August 25th.
In the early hours of September 10th, a Hancock County Sheriff pulled Reynolds over on State Route 2 in Chester, WV just south of the Newell Bridge. The deputy observed that Reynolds was intoxicated and acting nervously but an emergency call came over the radio, so Reynolds was let go. A few hours later the area became gripped with fear as a body part was found floating in the Ohio River south of the Newell Bridge inside a green plastic bag. For the next 2 weeks other body parts began to surface, 7 in all. The body parts were all sent to pathologists in West Virginia. One deputy who found an arm noticed that one of the fingers had a indentation that indicated a ring was recently removed from the body. Police realized that the body parts matched the physical description of Lynn Hanna and went to East Liverpool City Hospital to get her medical records. After comparing X-Rays and a known surgical scar that Lynn had, it was determined that it was indeed the body of Lynn Hanna. Evidence was found that she suffered a gunshot wound to the chest but the bullet, her lung and her head were never recovered.
Police went to Reynolds residence to question him. When they arrived they noticed that the back of his van was scrubbed clean and smelled like bleach, while the front of his van was a mess. No evidence was found in the van and no arrest was made.
In December 29th 1988, Reynolds went back to the jewelry store to return the ring he previously purchased.
Due to a lack of evidence the case remained in limbo until February 18th 1994, when an inmate at the Columbiana County Jail contacted the Columbiana County Sheriff's department with the break that police were looking for. The inmate was Gordon Springer, son of Gordon Reynolds, who was incarcerated on a drug charge. Springer told police that his father admitted to him that he murdered Lynn Hanna because she was going to tell police about the arson they had committed. Springer turned over items to police that belonged to Lynn, including the 2 necklaces. He agreed to tape conversations with his father. Several months later police were contacted by a friend of Reynolds who claimed that Reynolds also admitted to him that he killed Lynn to cover up the arson. He also agreed to wear a wire, but couldn't get any evidence.
On September 29th 1994, Gordon Reynolds was indicted by the grand jury on charges of aggravated murder by prior calculation and design and a firearms specifications charge. During the trial, Reynolds son testified that his father told him that he first broke Lynn's neck but when he found that she still had a pulse the next day, he shot her. Several people testified that there was a horrible odor in Reynolds van after Lynn's disappearance.
On March 27th 1995, a jury found Gordon Reynolds guilty in the murder of Lynn Hanna. The next month, Reynolds was sentenced to death. Several appeals were filed on his behalf claiming that Reynolds did not receive a fair trial and that the death penalty violated his constitutional rights, but they were thrown out. In January 2002, Reynolds finally persuaded the court to grant him a new trial based on allegations that the judge who oversaw the original trial, engaged in misconduct by influencing key witnesses in the case.
Reynolds would never get another chance.
On February 4 2002, Reynolds was found dead inside of his jail cell. The cause of death was listed as a heart attack.
(Sources:
Ohio Supreme Court
The Bryan Times)
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