A DNA match more than 10 years after the brutal murder of an Ohio State freshman has finally brought her killer to justice.
Jonathan Gravely, 37, pleaded guilty Thursday to aggravated murder and kidnapping in the death of 18-year-old Stephanie Hummer, who was raped and beaten to death in March 1994.
Gravely was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison, but will be eligible for parole in 18 years.
“I don’t think the case ever would have been solved if not for the DNA sample,” said Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O’Brien.
The police had a DNA sample from the crime scene, but were unable to find a match. According to O’Brien, the case broke in 2003 when Gravely was convicted of failure to pay child support, which is a felony.
Under a law passed by the Ohio General Assembly in 2005, all convicted felons must submit DNA samples to the Ohio database. Gravely’s 2005 DNA sample was then matched to the one found at the crime scene, and Gravely later confessed to the crime, O’Brien said.
The murder of the 1993 Finneytown High School graduate shocked the OSU campus, and spurred the university to improve safety on and around campus.
The plea deal in Franklin County Court allowed Gravely to avoid the death penalty. Prosecutors also agreed to drop the rape charge against Gravely.
“It was too late,” said O’Brien of the guilty plea 13 years after the murder, “but I’m happy for the Hummer family that the man plead guilty and apologized … it prevents further damage to the family.”
Both of Hummer’s parents were at the pre-trial hearing.
“Her parents have been devastated for 13 and a half years,” said O’Brien, adding the victim’s father believed the guilty plea was “too little, too late.”
Hummer’s mother clutched a picture of her daughter at the hearing and said, “We will live with it for the rest of our lives,” O’Brien said.
Mark Miller can be reached at [email protected].
