Kimya Rolison, a 25-year-old African American woman, was murdered on December 22, 2006, in Cincinnati, Ohio. Her remains were recovered burned, a grim pattern later linked to the serial killer who killed her. Anthony Kirkland was later identified as the perpetrator and was convicted in connection with Rolison’s death.

Kirkland’s crimes spanned 2006 to 2009 and included four female victims: two adult women and two teenage girls. Three of the victims were strangled before their bodies were set on fire. Kirkland had a prior manslaughter conviction and had been released on parole before this killing spree. He pleaded guilty to the murders of Kimya Rolison and Mary Jo Newton and received a combined sentence of 70 years to life for those crimes; for the aggravated murders of teenagers Casonya Crawford and Esme Kenney he was sentenced to death after later proceedings.

Rolison’s family opposed the death penalty and sought life sentences instead. The case drew attention to failures in the parole system that allowed Kirkland to reoffend. If anyone knew Kimya, her whereabouts around December 2006, or has information relevant to her killing, please come forward.