CASSOPOLIS — The Cass County Sheriff’s Office, in conjunction with the Elkhart County Prosecutor’s Office, Elkhart City Police Department and Indiana State Police, have agreed to look into the unsolved homicide of Ada Haradine.

 

 Haradine lived on Crabtree Lane of East Lake Estates in Elkhart. She disappeared from her home on May 8, 1985. She was reported missing by her family that day and after an investigation by Elkhart police, they were unable to locate her. Her remains were found three years later on May 12, 1988, just north of Union in Cass County — less than 20 miles from her home.

 

     Ada was last seen working around the yard shortly after 3 p.m.  Another witness thought he saw her talking to a man near the house, but when her son got off the school bus around 3:20 p.m., he was unable to locate his mother.  Ada usually met her son as he got off the bus but was not there on that day. 

 

There were no signs of forced entry or of a struggle within the home. 

 

Numerous leads were followed-up on over the following years but there were no answers to her whereabouts until a couple of young mushroom hunters found her remains just off Birch Road north of US-12.  Ada was identified by a wedding ring found with her remains and also by dental records. A forensic pathologist determined she died from a massive skull fracture caused by a blow to the head.

 

     Mr. Haradine, Ada’s husband, was a successful businessman in the Elkhart area and was eliminated as a suspect during the investigation. He was part owner of Carlton Manufacturing, a furniture company with ties to the RV industry. 

 

Mr. Haradine passed away in 1993 from a brain aneurysm. 

 

     Ada Haradine had attended a church service at St. Thomas on the morning of her disappearance and had also attended a luncheon at the Elkhart YMCA around noon that day.

 

     Investigators have resubmitted evidence seized over the years to the Michigan State Police Crime Laboratory for a more up-to-date examination.  Investigators are asking anyone with information concerning the death of Ada Haradine to contact Crime Stoppers at (574) 288-STOP or 1-800-342-Stop. Other points of contact will be Det. Kristen Daly of the Cass County Sheriff’s Office at (269) 445-1244 or Investigator Dave Gizzi at the Elkhart County Prosecutor’s Office at (574) 296-1897.