Do you know who murdered Jill Cull? On a cold winter day, the community of Westerville, Ohio, was faced with a tragedy that has remained a painful mystery for decades. On January 4, 1975, the body of 20-year-old Jill Ellen Cull, a White female, was discovered in a creek in a rural area near 5500 Central College Road. An autopsy would later determine that she had been shot multiple times. Her death was immediately classified as a homicide, launching an investigation that has continued for more than half a century.
Jill was remembered as an exceptionally bright, brave, and independent young woman with a deep curiosity about the world. Born in Boston, Massachusetts, on November 26, 1954, she grew up in Peninsula, Ohio, within the scenic Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Her father, George Cull, was a marketing professional and a respected member of the Woodridge School Board. Jill was one of six children and graduated from Woodridge High School in 1972.
After graduation, she embraced her adventurous spirit, traveling to live with friends and family in Boston, Florida, and even London, England. She was known for her willingness to work hard at various jobs to support her travels as she explored the world and figured out her next steps in life.
In 1974, Jill moved to the vibrant university city of Columbus, Ohio, where she rented an apartment with a roommate and worked at a local restaurant. Her life, full of promise and exploration, took a dark turn in the autumn of that year. According to reports, Jill was the victim of a violent assault on the Ohio State University campus on October 19, 1974. She reported the crime to the police, and an arrest was made. However, just as the legal process was beginning, Jill’s life was cut short.
She was last seen on the afternoon of November 6, 1974, leaving her job. She had reportedly confided in a friend that a man had been stalking her, causing her great alarm. After that day, she vanished. Her absence became a critical issue when she was unable to appear for a preliminary hearing in the assault case on December 3, 1974. Without their key witness, prosecutors were forced to dismiss the charges against her alleged attacker. It is now believed that by the time of the court date, Jill had already been murdered.
The investigation into Jill’s homicide was launched by the Franklin County Sheriff's Office. Detectives were faced with a challenging case from the start. Jill’s body was found unclothed in the water, a tactic that may have been deliberately used to destroy evidence. Investigators could not determine if she had been killed at the creek or if her body had been transported there from another location. Despite their efforts, no suspects were publicly identified, and no arrests have ever been made in connection with her murder.
For decades, Jill Cull’s case has remained open, a cold case file filled with lingering questions. Her family has waited nearly fifty years for answers and for justice to be served. The case is now listed on the Ohio Attorney General's Unsolved Homicides database, a public effort to generate new leads for long-unsolved crimes. The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation hopes that by keeping Jill's story in the public eye, someone with crucial information may finally come forward. No detail is too small to help investigators bring closure to her loved ones. Anyone with information regarding the disappearance and murder of Jill Cull is encouraged to contact the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office or the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation. 
