Cold case: Man arrested in 1991 death of his wife

6/1/2007

Mary Jane Zich

A Fulton County man was arrested today in the 1991 murder of his wife, whose body was found in the trunk of her car nearly two weeks after she vanished.

Thomas Zich, 60, of 1900 U.S. 20, was indicted by a Lucas County grand jury today on one count of murder in the strangulation death of his 27-year-old wife, Mary Jane.

He was arrested a short time later at his home, said Toledo police Detective Bart Beavers, a member of the cold case squad. Mr. Zich is expected to be booked into the county jail on the charge.

Mr. Zich reported the Genoa woman missing Dec. 7, 1991, to the Ottawa County sheriff s department.

Acting on a tip, Toledo police located her 1985 Mercury Marquis in the 400 block of Greenwood Avenue Dec. 18, 1991. They forced open the trunk and found her body.

Investigators contacted her family in 2005, and since then reviewed the case and re-interviewed witnesses, including Mr. Zich.

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