Innocence Lost - The Awful Murder of Devan Duniver

On a warm summer day, a five-year-old Devan Duniver tried to find someone to play with. Her mom was inside preparing for dinner and she thought Devan was playing with her older brother. Time had gotten away from her when she noticed Devan wasn't around. She began to search for Devan by going next door to see if she had made her way inside with another small child she often had played with. Unlike many young children, Devan was not afraid to talk to anyone, especially if they were willing to play with her. Had Devan just wandered off and waited for her mother to find her or did someone take Devan? Minutes turned to hours. The hours began to go by so quickly. Word had spread of the missing child and the community came out to help look for her. The search carried over into the next day when the horrific discovery of her body occurred in a small patch of tall grass and weeds not far from her home. The beautiful little girl had been stabbed many times. The devastation was unbearable for the family and the community as a search for a child murderer had begun. The fear spread across the town. Parents wouldn't let their children out of their sight for weeks. Eventually, the police arrest a young boy and he is convicted of the murder of Devan, but it was later determined he was not the person who would do something this heinous. In the flash of an eye, innocence was lost for both Devan and the young man accused of her murder. To this day her case has gone cold and the monster who took her life is still out there somewhere.
Police Contact Info:
Tuscarawas County Sheriff's Office
2295 Reiser Ave SE New Philadelphia OH 44663 Office: 330-339-2000
Cold Case MHS: Contact [e-mail]/mhscoldcase
We also can be reached through Facebook, X, and InstagramLink to