The Mix-Up Time

           OnSaturday,October22,1977,UniversityPoliceChiefJohnKlebergplacedtheareaofOhioStateUniversity’smedicalschoolunderheavypolicesecurity.Armedofficerspatrolledthecampusincruisersandonroot,andarmedobserverswatchedfromrooftops.Womenwerewarnednottowalkalone,andtobecautiousofmenwhenenteringtheircars.

           Forthesecondtimeineightdays,ayoungwomanhadbeenkidnappedfromthecampus,atgunpoint,betweensevenandeightoclockinthemorning.Thefirstwasatwenty-five-year-oldoptometrystudent,thesecondatwenty-four-year-oldnurse.Eachhadbeendrivenintothecountryside,raped,madetocashchecksandthenrobbed.

           Thenewspaperspublishedpolicephotographiccomposites,andthepublicrespondedwithhundredsofphonecalls,namesanddescriptions—allworthless.Therewerenosignificantleadsandnosuspects.Tensionintheuniversitycommunitymounted.PressureonChiefKleberggrewmoreintenseasstudentorganizationsandcommunitygroupsdemandedthecaptureofthemanOhionewspapersandTVbroadcastershadbeguntorefertoas"theCampusRapist."

           KlebergputEliotBoxerbaum,theyounginvestigationssupervisor,inchargeofthemanhunt.Aself-styledliberal,BoxerbaumhadbecomeinvolvedinpoliceworkwhileattendingOSUfollowingthestudentdisturbancesthatclosedthecampusdownin1970.Afterhisgraduationthatyear,hewasofferedajobintheuniversitypolicedepartmentifhewouldcuthislonghairandshaveoffhismustache.