In Accused Killer's Barn, a Horrifying Hidden Room

James Worley could have more victims: police
By Arden Dier,  Newser Staff
Posted Jul 29, 2016 12:40 PM CDT
In Accused Killer's Barn, a Horrifying Hidden Room
This undated booking photo shows James Worley.   (Fulton County Sheriff's Department via The Blade via AP)

The man accused of killing a cyclist in Ohio could have more victims, police say, based on a horrifying discovery on his property west of Toledo. In a hidden room in a barn owned by James Worley, secured with a ratchet strap and blocked by hay, officers say they found a bloody, carpet-lined freezer and various restraints, reports the Toledo Blade. There was also blood on the walls, per BuzzFeed. Elsewhere, police say they found "female panties and undergarments … one of which had blood on them," several cameras, jewelry, rope, zip ties, handcuffs, a ski mask, Mace, guns, and ammunition. Worley, 57, is charged with the murder of 20-year-old Sierah Joughin, whose body was found buried in a cornfield about a mile from his property. But an attorney suspects he could also be tied to the killing of 14-year-old Lori Ann Hill, whose body was found in nearby woods in 1985.

After his conviction for the 1990 abduction of a 26-year-old cyclist, Worley allegedly told a therapist that he "learned from each abduction he had done and the next one he was going to bury," a warrant states. "Worley fits the profile of a serial offender and could potentially have additional unknown victims," an officer writes in a search warrant, adding "these types of offenders will often keep trophies." Police say Worley had fresh bruises on his arms and legs and cuts on his cheek and hands when he was first questioned about Joughin's disappearance. He said his motorcycle had broken down near where she went missing—cellphone data reportedly shows he was in the area for two hours—and he'd found a bike that "his fingerprints would likely be on." He also said he'd lost his helmet, sunglasses, and other items, which police say were found next to Joughin's bike. (More Ohio stories.)

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