ABC 20/20’s Gone Before the Storm: What Happened to Devan Duniver?

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ABC 20/20’s Gone Before the Storm: What Happened to Devan Duniver?

As a gamer who has spent countless hours playing detective games, I can confidently say that the story of Devan Duniver’s murder and the wrongful conviction of Anthony Harris is one that truly shakes my core. The fact that this young boy was coerced into confessing to a crime he didn’t commit, and that the real killer remains at large after all these years, is heart-wrenching.

ABC’s “Gone Before the Storm” tells the story of Devan Duniver’s 1998 murder and the wrongful conviction of Anthony Harris. The next episode will be aired on the network this coming Friday, August 23, 2024, at 9 p.m. ET. Since his exoneration, Harris gives an exclusive interview to 20/20 for the first time. Unfortunately, Duniver’s killer remains at large according to the official synopsis.

5-year-old Devan Duniver vanished from an apartment complex in New Philadelphia, Ohio on June 27, 1998. Devan stepped out of her home for a game outside and failed to come back. Her mom alerted the authorities, leading to a broad search involving local residents. The search ended tragically when Devan’s body was found in the adjacent woods the day after. According to ABC News, she passed away due to multiple neck stab wounds.

In the midst of the investigation into Devan Duniver’s tragic death, detectives zeroed in on my neighbor, a 12-year-old boy named Anthony Harris. Remarkably, they overlooked other promising leads and even strong suspects, instead choosing to manipulate young Anthony into admitting to a crime he didn’t commit. In an interview with ABC 20/20, he shared his harrowing account of how the investigator essentially said to him, “If you confess to this murder, you can go home.”

In 1999, Anthony Harris was found guilty and sentenced. But, following a two-year stay in a juvenile correctional facility, he managed to reverse his verdict through an appeal. Eventually, in June 2000, the appeals court declared his conviction invalid.

Who killed Devan Duniver?

Over the past few decades, investigators have been unable to crack the case surrounding Devan Duniver’s murder. As reported by People Magazine, there were several individuals thought to be involved, yet their initial probe primarily centered around Anthony Harris, who was 12 at the time. Authorities claimed that Harris provided conflicting accounts about his location when Devan vanished on June 27, 1998. Tragically, her body was discovered in the woods just a day later.

Following the unearthing of Devan Duniver’s remains, authorities summoned Anthony Harris to the police station. At the station, Millersburg’s police chief, Thomas Vaughn, questioned and forced Harris into admitting to the murder. Later on, Harris disclosed that the constant questioning from Vaughn about his involvement in Devan’s death eventually led him to confess.

In response to a threatening interrogation, Anthony Harris shared with ABC 20/20 that the officer had essentially said, “If you admit to this murder, you can go home.” Feeling frightened, he wanted to leave the situation, so he confessed to the crime of Devan Duniver’s murder, a deed he did not carry out, and was subsequently charged.

In 1999, at the age of 13, Anthony Harris faced a trial in a juvenile court. Judge Linda Kate presided and declared him guilty. Subsequently, Judge Kate sentenced him to serve time in a juvenile detention facility until he turned 21. However, by the following year, Harris managed to overturn his conviction through an appeal. The Ohio 5th District Court of Appeals reversed the decision in June 2000, stating that the investigator had pressured him into admitting guilt for a murder he did not commit.

Further legal actions suggested that detectives neglected to explore other possible leads in the case of Devan Duniver’s murder. According to these accusations, potential suspects encompassed Devan’s mother, Lori Duniver, who was rumored to have contemplated a murder-suicide with her children. The father of Devan, a five-year-old victim, was also among the suspects due to allegations of conflict with the mother. Notably, he had a history of domestic violence in the past.

Among the possible suspects was Lori Duniver’s boyfriend, who was accused of kidnapping Devan at least once. Additionally, it was said that the victim’s brother had a history of violence, including an incident where he allegedly harmed a cat by stabbing it. One particularly damning piece of evidence was when search dogs guided authorities to the residence of a recently freed convicted child molester.

Back in 2005, a special investigator named Richard Dobbins took on my murder case. However, after two long years of digging deep, he determined that the available evidence wasn’t substantial enough for a trial. Fast forward to 2022, Ryan Styer, the district attorney of Tuscarawas County, Ohio, reopened the case. Upon examining Dobbins’ findings, Styer shared with 20/20 that they spent considerable time interviewing witnesses and individuals of interest related to my case. Regrettably, even after this thorough review, there still seems to be a lack of solid evidence to bring anyone to court for what happened to me.

As a dedicated fan, I’m thrilled to share that Anthony Harris recently sat down for his first interview post-exoneration with ABC 20/20 in their “Gone Before the Storm” segment. In his own words, he hasn’t abandoned hope in finding Devan Duniver’s killer. He expresses a firm belief, saying, “We will unravel this mystery and bring her some form of closure.”

The episode will re-air on the network this Friday, August 23, 2024.

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2024-08-23 15:41