"Tell Us the Truth": Family of Missing Michaela Begs East Bay Serial Killer to Confess

Desperate Plea for Answers in Decades-Old Cold Case

The heartbroken family of Michaela Garecht, abducted in 1988 at just nine years old, has issued an emotional plea to the convicted East Bay serial killer—demanding he reveal what happened to their little girl before it’s too late.

The Unsolved Mystery That Haunts a Community

Michaela vanished from a Hayward convenience store parking lot after a man grabbed her and sped off on a stolen bike. Despite nationwide searches and relentless efforts by investigators, her case remained unsolved—until new DNA evidence linked her disappearance to a notorious predator already serving life sentences for other child abductions.

• 1989: First known attack by the East Bay serial killer
• 1998: Killer arrested for multiple kidnappings
• 2023: DNA ties him to Michaela’s case

Why Now? A Window Closing Fast

With the killer now in his 70s and reportedly in declining health, Michaela’s mother Sharon Murch made a tearful public appeal: "You took her from us. At least give us the truth so we can lay her to rest." Criminologists suggest deathbed confessions aren’t uncommon, but time is running out.

The Psychological Warfare of Waiting

Forensic psychologists explain how serial killers often withhold information as a final form of control. "These monsters enjoy knowing they still hold power over victims’ families," says Dr. Elena Torres of UC Berkeley. "Breaking that silence requires careful negotiation."

1. Investigators have offered conditional immunity for details
2. Religious leaders attempted mediated discussions
3. Families of other potential victims wait anxiously

What Do You Think?

• Should serial killers be offered plea deals for victim location information?
• Is life in prison punishment enough, or should these criminals face execution?
• Would you want closure if it meant forgiving the unforgivable?
• Are we focusing too much on old cases when new disappearances need attention?