Murder of Mandy Stavik

 

Amanda Teresa "Mandy" (née Stavik; born April 16, 1971 – disappeared November 24, 1989) was an American college student who went missing a day after Thanksgiving, while jogging near her home in Acme, Washington, with her German Shepherd, Kyra. Her body was discovered three days later in the Nooksack River. The case remained unsolved for nearly 30 years until advancements in DNA technology led to an arrest and subsequent conviction.

In December 2017, Timothy Bass was arrested in Whatcom County, Washington, in connection with Stavik’s murder. Law enforcement obtained his DNA from a discarded soda can and plastic cup collected by a coworker following months of surveillance.

The case has received national media attention, including coverage by Inside Edition. On May 24, 2019, Bass was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to 27 years in prison.

Background

Mandy Stavik (born April 16, 1971) was raised in Acme, Washington, a rural community in Whatcom County. She was recognized for her athletic abilities and was actively involved in sports. In 1989, she graduated from Mount Baker High School, where she participated in basketball, track, and cheerleading. At the time of her disappearance, she was a student at Central Washington University and had returned home for the Thanksgiving holiday.

Disappearance and murder

On November 24, 1989, 18-year-old Amanda Teresa "Mandy" Stavik went missing while jogging near her home in Acme, Washington. She was accompanied by her German Shepherd, Kyra, which later returned home alone. Following her disappearance, her family and local authorities organized a search effort in the surrounding area. The incident garnered significant attention within the community, where violent crimes were uncommon.

Three days later, on November 27, 1989, Stavik’s body was found in the Nooksack River about three miles from her home. Authorities determined that she had drowned and been sexually assaulted. Her death was ruled a homicide. At the time, forensic technology was not advanced enough to identify a suspect. Despite extensive efforts by law enforcement, the case remained unsolved for nearly 30 years, 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.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Mandy_Stavik