Murder of Mandy Stavik

 

The murder of Mandy Stavik was a high-profile case that occurred in the small community of Acme, Washington, in 1989. Mandy Stavik, an 18-year-old college student, disappeared while jogging near her home and her body was discovered three days later in the Nooksack River. The case went unsolved for nearly three decades until modern DNA technology led to the arrest and conviction of Timothy Bass in 2019.

Background

Amanda Teresa “Mandy” Stavik (born April 16, 1971) grew up in Acme, Washington, a rural town in Whatcom County. She was well-liked and known for her athletic ability. In 1989, Stavik graduated from Mount Baker High School, where she participated in basketball, track, and cheerleading. At the time of her murder, she was attending Central Washington University and had returned home for the Thanksgiving holiday.

Disappearance and murder

On November 24, 1989, the day after Thanksgiving, Stavik went for a jog with the family’s German Shepherd along Strand Road. When the dog returned home alone, her family immediately became concerned, and a search for Stavik was launched.

Three days later, on November 27, Stavik's body was found in the Nooksack River about three miles from her home. Her death was ruled a homicide. An autopsy revealed that she had been sexually assaulted and drowned. Despite extensive efforts by law enforcement, the case remained unsolved, with few leads and no suspects.

Investigation and breakthrough

For nearly three decades, Mandy Stavik's murder remained a cold case. Investigators collected DNA evidence from the scene, but the technology at the time was not advanced enough to lead to a suspect. However, in the late 2000s and early 2010s, advancements in DNA analysis revived the investigation.

In 2013, investigators narrowed their focus on Timothy Bass, who lived near Stavik’s home at the time of her disappearance. Bass had not been a suspect during the initial investigation, but he became a person of interest when police began using familial DNA techniques to trace the unknown DNA sample collected from the crime scene.

Police covertly obtained Bass's DNA from a discarded soda can and plastic cup collected by a coworker after three months of surveillance. The DNA matched the sample found on Stavik’s body, leading to Bass's arrest in December 2017.

Trial and conviction

Timothy Bass was charged with Mandy Stavik's murder in 2017. During Bass's trial in 2019, the prosecution presented DNA evidence linking Bass to the crime. Bass, who was married with children at the time of his arrest, maintained his innocence and claimed he and Stavik had consensual sex. However, no evidence supported his claims, and his defense was unable to explain why he had never come forward about the alleged relationship before his arrest.

On May 24, 2019, Bass was found guilty of first-degree murder and was sentenced to 27 years in prison.