Murder of Mandy Stavik

Murder of Mandy Stavik

Location	Acme, Washington, United States
Type	Child murder
Motive	Sexual
Deaths	1 (Mandy Stavik)
Arrests	Timothy Bass
Verdict	Guilty
Convictions	Timothy Bass: First-degree murder, kidnappingand aggravated sexual assault Manslaughter
Sentence	Timothy Bass: 27 years in prison

The murder of Mandy Stavik was a high-profile case which occurred in the small community of Acme, Washington, in 1989. Mandy Stavik, an 18-year-old college student, disappeared while jogging near her home, and her body was discovered three days later in the Nooksack River. The case went unsolved for nearly three decades until modern DNA technology led to the arrest and conviction of Timothy Bass in 2019.

Background

Mandy Stavik was (born on October 16, 1971), and grew up in Acme, Washington, a rural town in Whatcom County. She was well-liked and known for her athletic ability. A Mount Baker High School senior Mandy was a popular student who participated in basketball and track and was also a cheerleader and graduated from Mount Baker High School in 1989. At the time of her murder, she was attending Central Washington University and had returned home for the Thanksgiving holiday in 1989.

Disappearance and Murder

On November 24, 1989, the day after Thanksgiving, Mandy went for a jog with the family’s German Shepherd along Strand Road, a familiar route in her quiet neighborhood. When the dog returned home alone, her family immediately became concerned, and a search for Mandy was launched.

Three days later, on November 27, Mandy's body was found in the Nooksack River about three miles from her home. Her death was ruled a homicide. An autopsy revealed that she had been sexually assaulted and drowned. Despite extensive efforts by law enforcement, the case remained unsolved, 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, a former neighbor of the Stavik family who lived near Mandy’s home at the time of her disappearance. Bass had never 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 a DNA sample from Bass by collecting a soda can he had discarded. The DNA matched the sample found on Mandy’s body, leading to his arrest in December 2017.

Trial and Conviction

Timothy Bass was charged with Mandy Stavik's murder in 2017. During his 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 that he and Mandy 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. He was sentenced to 27 years in prison, marking the end of a case that had haunted the community for 30 years.

Aftermath

The conviction of Timothy Bass brought closure to Mandy Stavik’s family and the Acme community, who had long been haunted by her unsolved murder. The case is notable for being one of the many cold cases solved through advances in DNA technology. It also highlights the growing importance of familial DNA and other forensic tools in bringing long-unsolved cases to justice.