Kurt Eugene Sova

Status:

Open

Jurisdiction:

Newburgh Heights Police Department (OH)

Death Location:

Newburgh Heights, Ohio

Summary:

On October 28, 1981, 17-year-old Kurt Sova was found dead in a ravine five days after he went missing after going to a house party. The coroner determined his death was "instantaneous physiological death," and concluded that he was dead for only 24-36 hours – not the full five days he had been missing. Due to a lack of evidence, Kurt's case has never been listed as a homicide. There was no evidence of physical trauma and so Kurt's death is being investigated as a suspicious death.

Vital Statistics

Circumstances of Death:

On the night of Friday October 23, 1981, 17-year-old Kurt Sova attended a party at a residence on Harvard Avenue in Newburgh Heights and during the course of the evening he disappeared. Kurt skipped school on Friday, October 23. Later that night, he went to a party with a friend in Newburgh Heights. According to police, the 17-year-old drank grain alcohol throughout the night. Kurt attended a party with his friend Sam. According to Sam, Kurt drank too much and started to feel sick, so they went outside. Kurt had forgotten his jacket, so Sam went back inside to retrieve it for him. However, when he returned—no more than three minutes later, he said—Kurt was gone. His body was found five days later in a ravine just 500 feet from where he was last seen at the party. On October 28, 1981, three young boys in Newburgh Heights, Ohio, made a frightening discovery in a ravine: a dead body. Other than some scratches and bruises, the body showed no obvious sign of injury. They found Kurt's left shoe wedged in some nearby rocks.

Additional Details:

When Kurt's mother Dorothy contacted Debbie Sams, whom she had been told hosted the Halloween party, Debbie responded that she had not seen Kurt and had not thrown a Halloween party that night. When confronted with the delivery man's claims, Debbie Sams admitted that she had hosted the party and that Kurt was in attendance and had been drinking Everclear, which was out of character for Kurt. There were no signs of foul play; Sova was located in an area that was searched extensively prior to being discovered, concluding that his body was placed there post-mortem. His blood alcohol content was just .11 percent - enough to cause intoxication but not enough to kill a generally healthy teenage boy. For years, Kurt's family feared that the Newburgh Heights police were bungling the investigation. Their suspicions seemed to be confirmed when, over the course of several years, several officers were arrested on charges ranging from falsifying credentials to drug trafficking. Lt. Carras, who headed the investigation, was later discovered to be a drug addict who allegedly assaulted handcuffed prisoners. In 1991, he was convicted of attacking the prisoners and given a sentence of six to fifteen years. This case drew a lot of attention and was later featured on the television show Unsolved Mysteries on November 23, 1988. The Newburgh Heights Police Department announced that it is partnering with Crime Stoppers of Cuyahoga County and Tiffin University to investigate a cold case from 1981. On October 23, 1981 17-year-old Kurt Sova attended a party at a residence on Harvard Avenue in Newburgh Heights and during the course of the evening he disappeared. His parents later reported him missing to police and a search of the surrounding area was conducted. Police re-opened their investigation into his death five years ago. Kurt's case is not closed, but police said it's "dormant."

Case Last Updated:

Sep 30, 2026