Resident urges update on 1963 Ruth Guthrie cold case at Tallmadge City Council meeting

Paul Anderson, a longtime Tallmadge resident, used the council’s public-comment period on June 11 to press city officials for information about the 1963 abduction and murder of Ruth Guthrie.

Anderson said he saw Guthrie the day she disappeared after the Tallmadge Fair and that, despite a reported reopening of the case and a named suspect several years ago, he has “still ain't heard nothing about Ruth Guthrie.” He told council he places flowers on her grave and wants an update on investigative activity.

An official at the meeting said the city’s detective unit has handled cold-case work and that they would follow up with the police department to determine the current status of Guthrie’s investigation. The official offered Anderson a business card and asked him to call so staff could report back.

The comment came during the council’s community input segment, and no formal action or motion was taken. Councilors did not provide additional details about the investigation at the meeting. The official said a previous detective had confirmed the case was reopened and that a suspect had been developed but that details could not be discussed publicly at that time.

Next steps: the official who spoke said they would check with the police department and follow up with Anderson; no timeline for that follow-up was provided at the meeting.