5 chilling details about Hannah Hill's disappearance

On May 19, 1999, 18-year-old Hannah Hill from Akron, Ohio, disappeared mysteriously, plunging a peaceful suburban existence into a nightmare investigation. A new high school graduate, Hill was scheduled to start working as a secretary the next day.

On the fateful day in May, after having dinner at home, where she lived with her parents, she spent some time on the phone with her friend, preparing for a night of staying in. But at about 10:30 p.m., she suddenly said she was leaving, seeming distressed, and went off in her Geo Prizm without informing anyone where she was going.

When Hill failed to show up the following day, her family called up their local police in Akron, and they treated the matter as a potential runaway case. A week later, her body was found in the trunk of her abandoned vehicle, with evidence that she had been beaten, strangled, and r*ped, as per WKYC News.

The case was newsworthy as it indicated evidence against a known associate, Denny Ross, and raised concerns about police response. Following a lengthy litigation, Ross was convicted in 2012. The Dateline season 2 episode 12 titled The Night Hannah Hill Disappeared re-aired recently on Oxygen.

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Five facts regarding Hannah Hill's case

1) Hannah Hill unexpectedly left her home late at night

Hannah Hill went missing on May 19, 1999 (Image via Unsplash)

Hannah Hill lived with her parents in Akron, Ohio. On the evening of May 19, 1999, after a typical dinner, she had prepared to stay in for the rest of the night, as she told a friend. However, as per Victims of the State, at 10:30 p.m., she reportedly told her mother she was going out, leaving in a hurry and acting distraught. She got in her Geo Prizm and left without mentioning where she was headed or when she might be back.

Her family became concerned when she failed to return or check in the following day. They reported her missing on May 20, but officers did not add the report to the system immediately, assuming that she had voluntarily left, as per News 5 Cleveland. As a result, no instant search was initiated. Hill's car was later found abandoned on May 22 in a residential area, but was only ticketed for parking and not linked to her case until later.

As per the Akron Beacon Journal, Hill had left to visit Denny Ross in his Springfield Township apartment.

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2) Hill's body was found in the trunk of her car

After one week, Hannah Hill's body was found in her car trunk (Image via Unsplash)

A week after Hannah Hill went missing, police revisited her abandoned Geo Prizm following media coverage and tips. The car had been parked in Akron's Ellet neighborhood since May 22, but was overlooked initially. When officers opened the trunk, they discovered Hill's body. She was naked from the waist down and positioned in a manner that suggested she was r*ped, as per WKYC News.

Hill's cause of death was determined to be asphyxia from manual neck compression by the medical examiner, according to Dateline. There were signs of recent s*xual activity, including sp*rm, although the sample had degraded too much to be useful. This discovery shifted the case from a disappearance to a homicide investigation.

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3) Several items incriminating Denny Ross was found in his apartment

Hannah Hill's belongings were found in Ross's apartment (Image via Unsplash)

Investigators linked Denny Ross, an acquaintance of Hill's, out on probation for cocaine trafficking, to her phone records. Ross admitted that on May 19, Hill came to his apartment after leaving her parents' home, as per the Akron Beacon Journal. They reportedly shared a kiss before she left after midnight.

When police arrived with a search warrant for Ross' home, they found Hill's pants, underwear, socks, shoes, and purse in a garbage bag concealed outside a window during a search of his home, according to Cleveland.com.

Forensic tests found Ross's DNA in several spots, including on Hill's body and her belongings that were found outside Ross' apartment, as per WKYC News. There were also several blood splatters found in the apartment. Police believed this evidence showed a struggle, and the items suggested an attempt to conceal involvement in Hill's death on Ross' part.

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4) Reports of past abusive behavior by Ross were made

Denny Ross had a history of abusing his partners (Image via Unsplash)

Hill's boyfriend, Brad O'Born, became an early suspect in the case due to witnesses describing their relationship as troubled. Reports included arguments, jealousy, and physical incidents where O'Born was verbally and physically rough with Hannah Hill. When questioned, he had scratches, which he said were from work. He passed a polygraph test and was not charged, as no evidence tied him to the scene, as per court records.

Separately, Denny Ross had a history noted in testimonies from ex-girlfriends. One described him choking her during intimacy, causing bruises, and making threats. Another recalled him talking about choking for s*xual satisfaction, as per News 5 Cleveland. These accounts pointed to patterns of violence toward women. Ross was also linked to other cases, including a later rape conviction while on bail.

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5) The path to Denny Ross' conviction in relation to Hannah Hill was a long one

Ross was convicted of Hill's murder (Image via Unsplash)

Denny Ross was indicted in 1999 on charges including aggravated murder, rape, and kidnapping. His first trial in 2000 ended in a mistrial due to juror misconduct after acquittals on some counts, as per WKYC News. Appeals over double jeopardy lasted over a decade, with courts ruling that a retrial was allowed on certain charges.

The second trial in 2012 presented stronger DNA evidence and testimonies. After days of deliberation, the jury convicted Ross of murder, felonious assault, tampering with evidence, and abuse of a corpse, as per WKYC News. He received 19 years to life, added to a 25-year sentence for another rape conviction from 2004.

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Watch Dateline episode The Night Hannah Hill Disappeared on Oxygen.