Where is Elias Acevedo today?

In January 1995, Christina Adkins disappeared without a trace. Her boyfriend alerted the Cleveland, Ohio, police, but with no leads, the case was closed. For many years, the boyfriend was the prime suspect, but without solid evidence or Christina’s remains, the investigation stalled. Almost 18 years later, the police received a new lead that gave new hope. Investigation Discovery’s “How (Not) to Get Rid of a Body” episode, titled “A Neighborhood of Monsters,” examines the evidence that ultimately pointed police in the right direction and helped them solve the decades-old murder.

Christina Adkins was five months pregnant when she went missing

Christina Lynn “Christy” Adkins was born on May 16, 1976 and spent her childhood and early years in Cleveland, Ohio. Many described her as an angel who had a kind word for everyone and stood out everywhere she went. At Lincoln West High School, she was popular and known for being a hard-working student. In her late teens, Christina fell in love with a man named Jose Rivera and began dating him. When the couple found out they were expecting a baby in late 1994, they were thrilled. To prepare for this new chapter, Christina moved in with Jose in a house near her family.

On the night of January 9, 1995, Christina, who was five months pregnant, was visiting a friend who lived nearby. She was excited about becoming a mother and talked about it during her visit. She left the friend’s house between 12:00 a.m. and 12:30 a.m. but never returned home. On the morning of January 12, her boyfriend Jose Rivera became worried and contacted her family before reporting her missing to the police.

Since there was no sign of her and all her belongings were left behind, everyone feared that there was a crime. The family finally got answers nearly 18 years later when human remains were discovered on October 10, 2013 at the bottom of a sewage hole near I-90 and I-76 south of Cleveland, Ohio. The remains were identified as Christina’s, but due to the advanced state of decomposition, the cause of death could not be determined.

The police suspected that Christina’s boyfriend was her murderer

When Jose Rivera reported Christina Adkins missing, he aroused great suspicion. Those close to Christina mentioned that Jose often took control. Even the friend who had visited Christina that evening added to the concerns. The friend mentioned that Christina wanted to stay longer but was worried that Jose would get angry, so she left quickly. The friend also noted that she saw Christina talking to someone in a car outside the house, but she did not see whether Christina got into the car or not. Police canvassed the neighborhood looking for anyone who might have seen the 18-year-old that night, but struggled to find any concrete leads.

At that point, police spoke with a man named Elias Rivera, who told them that he saw Christina wandering the streets crying but didn’t know where she was going or what had happened to her. Since there was no further solid evidence and Christina’s remains had still not been found, the case was closed. Even Jose, her boyfriend, had to be cleared of any involvement in her disappearance as there was no evidence linking him to the crime. The big break in the case came on May 6, 2013, when police rescued three women – Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight – from a home in Cleveland, Ohio. This house was very close to where Christina disappeared almost two decades earlier.

The rescue of three kidnapping victims led police to Christina’s killer

All three women were held captive by Ariel Castro for many years after being kidnapped in the early 2000s. Police initially suspected that Ariel may have been involved in the 1995 disappearance of Christina Adkins, and later resurfaced to commit additional crimes. However, Ariel strongly denied any involvement in Christina’s case. As the investigation continued, police decided to re-interview the neighbors in the hope of a breakthrough. This time they learned of a man named Elias Acevedo who lived in the area and reportedly abused his family, including his wife and children, for years.

In July 2013, Elias’ wife agreed to speak to police and revealed that her husband had come home from a bar around 5 a.m. on the night of January 10, 1995. She mentioned that she was afraid he would attack her like he often did, but instead he went straight to the bathroom and then fell asleep. Because the date coincided with Christina’s disappearance, she suspected Elias may have been involved. Police also realized that the “Elias Rivera” they had spoken to in 1995 was actually the same man and that he had intentionally given them a false name at the time.

At the time, Elias was incarcerated in a federal prison for an unrelated crime when police brought him in for questioning. He denied any involvement in the disappearance and agreed to a polygraph examination. When the officers pressured him about some inconsistencies in his story, he finally confessed. Elias claimed he came upon Christina and attacked her on the night of January 10, 1995, insisting it was an accident and not intentional. He also agreed to show authorities the place where he had hidden her remains.

Elias Acevedo is serving a life sentence today

In December 2013, Elias Acevedo entered into a settlement for the murder of Christina Adkins, the sexual assault of his sister-in-law, his three daughters and the murder of two others in 1993. He pleaded guilty to an incredible 297 counts, including aggravated murder, rape and kidnapping. In exchange for his plea, charges related to six other victims were not pursued. Acevedo received two consecutive sentences of 20 years to life in prison, plus an additional 405 years for rape and other charges. The judge made it clear that he would never be granted parole. Acevedo, now 60, is serving his sentence at the Toledo Correctional Facility, where he will remain for the rest of his life.

Read more: Nicholas Stein murder: Where are Carl Spencer and Bryan Gentry now?