EDITOR’S NOTE: This story was updated to include the True Crime Club faculty advisor, Anthony Vander Horst, as well as the correct employment title for Donya Buchanan, a domestic violence victim advocate.

A steady group of students and university community members piled into the third floor of the Student Center to listen to the real-life stories of speakers at the KSU True Crime Conference.   

The event was held by the KSU True Crime Club on April 17, and it was also the organization’s first event since officially forming in the fall. It brought together speakers of different backgrounds in true crime, such as victim services, the FBI, the Secret Service and the military. Students were also given the chance to share personal research on the topic of human trafficking during the event. 

Jillian Findling, the club’s president and a senior criminal justice studies major, said discussions around planning the event began before the club even existed in the spring of 2025, and later picked up steam after the club officially formed. 

“As soon as we got back from winter break we hit the ground running,” she said. “Going into it, it was nerve wracking because I wasn’t sure what the attendance would be like. … But I was actually really proud and happy to see a lot of people with interest in the different speakers.” 

When it came to selecting certain speakers, Findling said the goal was to provide a deep variety and showcase other avenues and career paths into criminal justice. She added that professional connections from faculty, such as criminology and sociology professor Anthony Vander Horst, who also serves as the club’s faculty advisor, played a role. 

“We wanted the exposure of criminal justice [to show that it] doesn’t have to just be a police officer,” Findling said. “There are so many other levels of it.”    

The first speaker was Mary Kate Waggoner, the director of victim services at the Ohio Attorney General’s Office. Her presentation focused on human trafficking, as she discussed different types and instances, dispelled myths and explained how it occurs. 

A big part of her presentation was how human trafficking in film and news media has led to the creation of stereotypes and falsities, and Waggoner said it’s important to disprove these for the respect of victims and for increased general understanding. 

“My goal is to empower you with the actual facts so that you can know what to look for and keep yourself safe and have these conversations,” she said. 

The next speaker was Tom Dover, a retired Secret Service agent who was a part of the Waco, Texas, siege in 1993 when the federal government had a 51-day standoff against the Branch Davidians. His presentation centered around that experience, focusing on the social climate of anti-government rhetoric and acts at the time, background on the Branch Davidians, and the complexity of the siege. 

Dover had a very detailed explanation of Waco from what he experienced, but he wanted to emphasize the importance of perspective, and that his recounting of the siege could very well be different from what actually occurred.

“History is biased,” Dover said. “It’s always incomplete. You never ever get the full story.” 

The third speaker was Todd DeKatch, a retired FBI agent whose presentation focused on particular cases. He first discussed his background in law enforcement and his career journey where he spent time investigating cases that involved gang and drug violence, robberies and kidnappings in the Northeast Ohio area before focusing on more national and international-level work. 

A main theme mentioned throughout DeKatch’s presentation was how stressful and difficult a career in law enforcement can be, especially in regards to hostage negotiating. 

“You have to be mentally tough, physically fit, [work] long hours,” he said. “If you’re looking for a 9-5 job, that’s not what you’re gonna find in law enforcement at all.” 

Following DeKatch’s presentation, criminology students held a policy panel on human trafficking, where they shared key research and insights on the topic. This research included the importance of communication, trafficking and smuggling over the Canadian border, anonymity within online spaces and foster care. 

Following the overview of student-led research, Donya Buchanan, a domestic violence victim advocate, was introduced. Her presentation was centered around domestic violence, focusing on aspects like warning signs, why people stay in abusive relationships, the personal impacts for victims, legal challenges and what people can do to help. 

As part of her presentation, Buchanan listed off some troubling statistics. 

“One in three women will experience domestic violence at some point in their lives; one in four men will,” she said. “Portage County had 652 domestic violence calls [last year].” 

The final speaker was Ben Gessford, a retired FBI agent with a background in the military. He discussed his career journey and sprinkled in some humor and jokes throughout his talk. One thing he focused on was his time in U.S. intelligence and espionage. 

Gessford said he played a role in catching Robert Hanssen, an FBI agent who sold U.S. secrets to the Soviet Union and Russia for over 20 years. 

“I got very good at meeting folks overseas and discussing ways for them to betray their country,” Gessford said. “It’s a very cold-hearted business. My nickname in the FBI was the ‘Angel of Death,’ not because I hurt or killed anyone, but because we got very successful at getting in pieces of information from individuals.” 

Following each speaker’s presentation, they saved time to meet with students individually afterwards to answer questions.  

Reflecting on the True Crime Club and the conference event, Findling said it helps spread awareness on the nature and individual cases of true crime. She said those that research true crime have a greater understanding of its seriousness, especially in regards to topics like human trafficking. 

“It’s such a present issue, and it’s something that makes people uncomfortable,” Findling said. “It’s not ignored, but people avoid looking at it too closely because it’s dark and sad.” 

John Engoglia is managing editor. Contact him at [email protected].