Dory Maust
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NOTE: Dory's husband is NOT related to David Maust as the Associated Press and other sources are claiming. IF there is a
relation it is so distant they don't know about it; that was the original quote.
relation it is so distant they don't know about it; that was the original quote.
Catching a serial killer
BY MARISA KWIATKOWSKI
mkwiatkowski@nwitimes.com
219.662.5333 | Sunday, December 07, 2008
HAMMOND | Former Hammond police Detective Lt. Ron Johnson remains haunted by the three boys he never
brought home alive.
Five years ago Tuesday, authorities unearthed the remains of the three Hammond teens buried in the basement
of an Ash Avenue home.
David Maust, who had rented that home, was arrested, charged and later sentenced to three consecutive life
sentences without parole for murdering James Raganyi, 16, Nicholas James, 19, and Michael Dennis, 13.
"One thing that hit me is I felt like I knew these kids," Johnson said. "No, they can't be dead. They're coming home.
That killed me."
Johnson, who was assigned to the Police Department's juvenile division at the time, wasn't initially given the case.
It first came to him when he fielded a call from the mother of one of the missing boys.
"I could hear the plea in her voice," he said. "She knew her son wasn't a runaway."
A short time after the boys went missing, Johnson's investigation led him to Maust's door.
Maust was friendly and cooperative, Johnson recalls, even letting the police officer into his home to look around.
At the time, it still was being investigated as a missing person's case.
But Johnson said his gut told him something was wrong.
"I was concerned about the smirk on his face," Johnson said of Maust. "It was almost like a smile, a half laugh
when we were talking about a serious thing. It bothered me right off the bar."
Johnson and his wife, Kathi, would park in the alley of Maust's house at night with cups of Dunkin Donuts coffee,
hoping the teens would appear.
The detective continued to bug Maust at work, calling him and making him uncomfortable. He pushed forward long
after other officers told him to let the case go.
Johnson said he began to doubt himself.
"It was very draining," he said. "They kept saying, 'Let it go, let it go.' But down deep you know something is
wrong. You can't let it go."
Months into the investigation, Johnson found out from the owner of Maust's home that Maust had done some
recent cement work in the basement.
Johnson, with the help of fellow Hammond officers Brian Miller and Tom Fielden, drilled a hole in the floor, and
coffin flies flew out, Johnson said.
"There were people standing next to me, but to this day I couldn't tell you who they were," Johnson said. "It's still
hard to talk about."
The bodies of three young men were found buried in that basement, including the two alleged runaway teens. The
third, Nicholas James, never had been reported missing.
Maust pleaded guilty in 2005 to the murders, skirting the death penalty. He committed suicide about a month after
sentencing.
Aside from the Hammond teens, Maust also killed James McClister in 1974 in Germany and Donald Jones, 15, of
Chicago, in 1981.
Since his death, Maust's case still is spawning national attention. A book about him is slated for release in 2009,
and a recent documentary details his case and troubled life.
"He was one of a kind," said Tom Vanes, Maust's defense attorney. "I say that with 30 years in the judicial system
on both sides of the courtroom."
Vanes said his client was "a mass of contradictions."
"There is a stereotypical vision of serial killers -- a person without a shred of conscience," he said. "David had
one. He was capable of horrific violence, obviously, but he was also capable of genuine contrition. He was
genuinely sorry right up until the time he did it again."
Johnson said not a day goes by that Maust doesn't cross his mind.
"If it can happen in a place like Hammond, it can happen anywhere," he said. "One thing that hit me is I felt like I
knew these kids," former Hammond police Detective Lt. Ron Johnson said. "No, they can't be dead. They're
coming home. That killed me."
Copyright © 2009 nwi.com
...
BY MARISA KWIATKOWSKI
mkwiatkowski@nwitimes.com
219.662.5333 | Sunday, December 07, 2008
HAMMOND | Former Hammond police Detective Lt. Ron Johnson remains haunted by the three boys he never
brought home alive.
Five years ago Tuesday, authorities unearthed the remains of the three Hammond teens buried in the basement
of an Ash Avenue home.
David Maust, who had rented that home, was arrested, charged and later sentenced to three consecutive life
sentences without parole for murdering James Raganyi, 16, Nicholas James, 19, and Michael Dennis, 13.
"One thing that hit me is I felt like I knew these kids," Johnson said. "No, they can't be dead. They're coming home.
That killed me."
Johnson, who was assigned to the Police Department's juvenile division at the time, wasn't initially given the case.
It first came to him when he fielded a call from the mother of one of the missing boys.
"I could hear the plea in her voice," he said. "She knew her son wasn't a runaway."
A short time after the boys went missing, Johnson's investigation led him to Maust's door.
Maust was friendly and cooperative, Johnson recalls, even letting the police officer into his home to look around.
At the time, it still was being investigated as a missing person's case.
But Johnson said his gut told him something was wrong.
"I was concerned about the smirk on his face," Johnson said of Maust. "It was almost like a smile, a half laugh
when we were talking about a serious thing. It bothered me right off the bar."
Johnson and his wife, Kathi, would park in the alley of Maust's house at night with cups of Dunkin Donuts coffee,
hoping the teens would appear.
The detective continued to bug Maust at work, calling him and making him uncomfortable. He pushed forward long
after other officers told him to let the case go.
Johnson said he began to doubt himself.
"It was very draining," he said. "They kept saying, 'Let it go, let it go.' But down deep you know something is
wrong. You can't let it go."
Months into the investigation, Johnson found out from the owner of Maust's home that Maust had done some
recent cement work in the basement.
Johnson, with the help of fellow Hammond officers Brian Miller and Tom Fielden, drilled a hole in the floor, and
coffin flies flew out, Johnson said.
"There were people standing next to me, but to this day I couldn't tell you who they were," Johnson said. "It's still
hard to talk about."
The bodies of three young men were found buried in that basement, including the two alleged runaway teens. The
third, Nicholas James, never had been reported missing.
Maust pleaded guilty in 2005 to the murders, skirting the death penalty. He committed suicide about a month after
sentencing.
Aside from the Hammond teens, Maust also killed James McClister in 1974 in Germany and Donald Jones, 15, of
Chicago, in 1981.
Since his death, Maust's case still is spawning national attention. A book about him is slated for release in 2009,
and a recent documentary details his case and troubled life.
"He was one of a kind," said Tom Vanes, Maust's defense attorney. "I say that with 30 years in the judicial system
on both sides of the courtroom."
Vanes said his client was "a mass of contradictions."
"There is a stereotypical vision of serial killers -- a person without a shred of conscience," he said. "David had
one. He was capable of horrific violence, obviously, but he was also capable of genuine contrition. He was
genuinely sorry right up until the time he did it again."
Johnson said not a day goes by that Maust doesn't cross his mind.
"If it can happen in a place like Hammond, it can happen anywhere," he said. "One thing that hit me is I felt like I
knew these kids," former Hammond police Detective Lt. Ron Johnson said. "No, they can't be dead. They're
coming home. That killed me."
Copyright © 2009 nwi.com
...