Heather Teague was a 23-year-old woman from Spotsville, Kentucky. She enjoyed spending time out by the water by herself. On August 26, 1995, she went sunbathing at Newburgh Beach on the Ohio River in Henderson County, Kentucky.
Abd*uction
While Heather was relaxing on the beach, she was being watched unbeknownst to her. A man on the other side of the Ohio River happened to be viewing her through a telescope. While he likely thought he was getting an eyeful of a beautiful woman on the beach, he was about to witness an event far more unexpected.
At approximately 12:45 p.m., the witness observed a Caucasian man come up behind Heather on the beach and grab her by the hair. The man then dragged Heather into the woods by gunpoint. The witness couldn’t believe his eyes and immediately called the police.
The Investigation
When the police arrived on the scene that afternoon, they searched the area. They found part of Heather’s swimsuit, as well as other undisclosed evidence they felt may be valuable in her case. However, none of it lead to her whereabouts.
When the witness who viewed Heather’s ki*dnapping was interviewed, he was able to give a good description of her ab*ductor. The onlooker noticed the ab*ductor was six feet tall and weighed about 220 pounds. He had brown hair and a brown beard but may have been wearing a wig. The ki*dnapper was wearing a pair of jeans without a shirt and a mosquito net over his face. The witness also noticed a red and white Ford Bronco was parked beside Heather’s car by the beach.
Suspects
During a routine traffic stop, the police pulled over Marvin Kay “Marty” Dill, a resident of Henderson County, Kentucky. The police noticed Marty’s Ford Bronco looked similar to the one reported being on the beach the same day Heather was abd*ucted. Marty also resembled the composite sketch the witness helped the police to create.
The police were intrigued enough to search Marty’s Bronco. Inside it, they found a hair sample similar to Heather’s hair. The police also found two knives, two guns, rubber gloves, rope, and duct tape. The police also discovered blood on the inside of the Bronco’s tailgate.
In addition to what was found in Marty’s vehicle, the police started to receive tips from the community connecting Marty to Heather. At the end of August 1995, investigators went to Marty’s home to question him. As soon as Marty realized the police were on his property, he asked his wife to leave their home. Once he was alone, Marty shot himself to de*ath before the police could enter the house.
Given Marty’s behavior and the evidence found in his vehicle, prosecutors collected additional evidence against him and brought it in front of a grand jury. The grand jury called in Marty’s wife as a witness, but they didn’t get far. She invoked her Fifth Amendment right and refused to answer any questions regarding Marty’s connection to Heather.
Despite the police believing Marty had something to do with Heather’s disappearance, they also had another suspect in mind. They looked at Christopher “Chris” Below from Henderson, Kentucky. Chris had confessed to the shooting de*ath of a woman named Kathern Fetzer. He pleaded guilty to attempted involuntary manslaughter and was given a prison sentence of 11 to 18 years. Kathern’s body was never found.
Chris was also the suspect in the disappearance of at least three other women, and the police felt Heather could be another one of his victims. The police believed Chris attacked women who looked like Kathern and Heather fit the same description.
Chris had also been known to be in Henderson County on the day Heather disappeared. Oddly enough, Chris chose to flee Kentucky on the same day Marty took his own life. The police were ultimately able to link Chris, Marty, and Heather together through mutual acquaintances.
While the witness who had initially observed Heather’s kid*napping through the telescope had identified Marty as her ab*ductor, the police believe there is circumstantial evidence to link Chris to the crime as well. Investigators believe Marty and Chris may have been in on it together. They think Marty may have been the one to grab Heather while Chris was the getaway driver. However, there hasn’t been enough conclusive evidence to charge Chris in Heather’s disappearance.
Remains Found?
In 2021, a woman looking for arrowheads along the Ohio River in Henderson County came across a skull and bones. The police investigated and had a reasonable belief the remains may have belonged to Heather. However, after checking her dental records, it was determined the remains did not belong to her.
While the bones did not belong to the victim, as the police had been expecting it still left investigators with an unidentified victim on their hands. The bones were sent to a forensic lab in nearby Tennessee to help further the identification process.
Heather’s Family
Heather’s mom, Sarah, and the rest of her family have never given up looking for her. They want answers, and they have come up with various ideas to get those answers.
Heather’s family has hired their own private investigators, gone on national talk shows, and have even consulted a psychic. In 2017, the family requested a new evidence hearing so the evidence in Heather’s case could be reviewed. It would also allow the family to review the evidence for themselves.
Present Day
Heather’s case remains unsolved, but the police believe she has likely been murdered. If you have any information on Heather Teague’s case, please don’t hesitate to contact the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office at (270) 826- 2713.
