Re: 3/28/01 - NH REgister: Police, Jovin family are desperate to find murderer
Police, Jovin family are desperate to find murderer
William Kaempffer, Register Staff March 28, 2001
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Ellen Jovin and her husband, Brandt Johnson, at Tuesday press conference. Mara Lavitt/Register
NEW HAVEN — After more than two years of uncertainty, the sister of slain Yale senior Suzanne Jovin acknowledged Tuesday she doubts police will ever arrest the killer."I certainly have hope of it," said Ellen Jovin at a press conference Tuesday with police and prosecutors. But when pressed about whether she expected an arrest, she hesitated. "I don’t know... It’s hard. It’s been a long time."
It’s been 28 months since the unusually warm December night when passers-by found Jovin, 21, near a sidewalk in the city’s affluent East Rock neighborhood. She had been stabbed at least 17 times.
On Tuesday, authorities held a press conference to announce an increase in the reward for information to $150,000 and a new tip line. Yale added $100,000 to the $50,000 offered by the state.
For the first time, officials publicly revealed that a van was spotted near the crime scene the night of the killing.
New Haven State’s Attorney Michael Dearington said witnesses reported seeing a tan or brown van near the intersection where Suzanne Jovin was found. Police never found the driver, who they feel may have information on the crime.
"It is believed that there are individuals who have unreported information who may assist in this investigation," Dearington said.
Police Chief Melvin H. Wearing said detectives continue to investigate, following up leads, knocking on doors and keeping track of people connected to the case.
But he conceded they had uncovered nothing that would bring an arrest.
"Nothing that we can hang our hat on," he said.
Ellen Jovin pleaded for help, describing the heavy toll the murder has taken on her family.
"I want to emphasize how important it is to us that we find the person who did this to my sister.
The tragedy of her death is compounded by not having a resolution. That someone could kill her with impunity makes each day that much harder."
Jovin was attacked at about 9:45 p.m. at the intersection of East Rock and Edgehill roads.
Police believe that Jovin got a ride to the spot from someone she knew. Witnesses saw her downtown at 9:25 p.m. and police doubt she could have walked nearly two miles in 20 minutes.
Witnesses told police that they saw the van stopped in the roadway immediately adjacent to where Jovin was discovered.
Wearing said the occupants are potential witnesses, not suspects.
Authorities have named only one suspect in the case, James R. Van de Velde, a former Yale lecturer and Jovin’s thesis adviser.
Wearing Tuesday said Van de Velde, 41, remains one of "several" suspects. He would not name the others.
"There were facts and circumstances in this investigation that led the detectives to focus on Mr. Van de Velde and we just haven’t been able to eliminate him from the process," the chief said.
Van de Velde has consistently denied any involvement and has never been charged. Yale canceled his classes and did not renew his contract after the school year ended.
Van de Velde, a former political science lecturer, has denounced police, maintaining detectives botched the case from the beginning.
"It’s a welcome development — one that’s long overdue," said Van de Velde’s attorney David Grudberg, commenting on the increased reward. "It’s unfortunate that the police didn’t use this opportunity to say what should be obvious to everybody — that Jim Van De Velde should never have been implicated in this case," said Grudberg.
Van de Velde now lives in Virginia.
Police have been frustrated by a lack of physical evidence. A new batch of detectives are working on the case. One of the original lead detectives retired and the other died. The head of detectives at the time and his second-in-command also retired.
Register reporter Walter Kita contributed to this report.
©New Haven Register 2001
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Reader Opinions
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Name: wayne dobbs
I do not believe the person responsible for for this terrible crime knew miss Jovin.it seems as though she was in a hurry to reach the area where she was attacked.i think it was a stranger,probably a man,with other things on his mind,i don't think signs of sexual assault were present,because she never allowed it to get that far.miss jovin may have put up enough of a fight, to the point of frustration and anger,and finally an uncontrollable rage.
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