There was nothing that could prepare Sheila Vaculik for the call.
Sierah Joughin’s loved ones waited together after struggling with days of uncertainty. Then confirmation came, and it felt like a movie scene.
Everyone began to scream and sob. Some threw things in anger.
Howls from the home’s yard sounded like “animals being hurt” and “utter chaos.” Moments later, Ms. Joughin’s mother shared a profound conclusion with those around her.
“I’m at peace. I know where she is,” Mrs. Vaculik said.
A year has passed since the horrific disappearance and death of Ms. Joughin, 20, of Metamora during a July 19, 2016, bike ride in Fulton County.
Volunteers and law enforcement alike conducted massive searches with the same urgent goal.
Three days later, authorities arrested James Worley, 58, of rural Delta. They discovered Ms. Joughin’s body in a shallow grave at a nearby cornfield.
Mrs. Vaculik, 45, said the public concern and compassion that followed was stunning. Supporters wrote emails, cards, and posts to Facebook. They would stop Mrs. Vaculik and offer their story, or provide a book that gave comfort.
VIDEO: Sheila Vaculik discusses her daughter, Sierah Joughin
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It ultimately proved overwhelming. Looking back, she felt grateful for each response, but she found it hard to share true feelings with strangers. Saying nice comments during a time felt so difficult.
Mrs. Vaculik leaned heavily on the support of her family. She recently joined Ms. Joughin’s aunt, Tara Ice, and grandmother, Cathy Shaffer, for an interview about her daughter’s life.
Clad in #JusticeForSierah shirts, they choked up while retelling how remarkable she was.
The University of Toledo student had a warmth and vibrancy that instantly drew others. Ms. Joughin cared deeply for time with her family. Relatives adored her in return, they said.
Ms. Joughin was both fun to be around and serious beyond her years, said Mrs. Ice, 37.
“She had a way of making everybody feel comfortable. Even a person who’s an introvert and shy, she’d bring that person out. You could take her anywhere and know she was going to make a friend,” Mrs. Ice said.
Only two months ago could Mrs. Vaculik read the notes others left at Ms. Joughin’s viewing. Old friends wrote of her kindness, and it was affirming to see what they recognized, she said.
That frantic night
Mrs. Vaculik has revisited over and over the night she reported her daughter missing. An evening call from Ms. Joughin’s boyfriend, who had joined Ms. Joughin on a bike ride, all but confirmed her fears.
“As soon as he calls me, I’m like, I know. I know something’s wrong. Her bedroom light wasn’t on. We check, and her bike’s not in the barn,” Sheila Vaculik said. “Now, it’s just this huge downward spiral.”
Mrs. Vaculik rushed to a nearby carryout to check if anyone saw Ms. Joughin. She next alerted a sheriff’s deputy.
“I was just trying to frantically get through to her that this isn’t just some kid who’s run off for the night. There is something seriously wrong. This is not right,” Mrs. Vaculik said.
Relatives searched the area and posted to Facebook. Calls to Ms. Joughin’s phone were going to voice mail. Mrs. Vaculik worried her daughter may have left the country as a human trafficking victim. Those moments, she said, felt like forever, she said.
Mrs. Vaculik praised law enforcement officers for their ongoing efforts. It was heartbreaking, however, as authorities returned to her family with little information.
“Every time they came, you’re like, ‘Oh, God.’ Please tell us they found her, they found her phone, they have an idea,” she said.
When deputies arrested Worley, it did not feel like welcome news. Instead, it seemed like a step in the wrong direction for hopes her daughter was alive. She later screamed and cried upon learning of Ms. Joughin’s death.
“Honestly, it was something I already knew. I really did,” Mrs. Vaculik said.
Mrs. Vaculik was previously unaware of Worley. They did not imagine the suspect would be someone who lived in the area.
Fight not over
Ms. Joughin’s supporters have stayed busy in the months since — coordinating events, awarding scholarships, and advocating legislation. The outstanding tasks can be daunting, and Mrs. Vaculik will text her sister at her most challenging moments.
“Nothing is complete. Nothing is finished. And it is, it’s frustrating, because I feel like what am I doing, I’m just spinning my wheels,” Mrs. Vaculik said.
She then takes a deep breath, regroups, and remembers this is about something bigger. For example, they are urging passage of a statewide registry for violent offenders.
Mrs. Shaffer, 65, said it would help with justice for Ms. Joughin.
“She would not want this to happen to another person, for one thing. And whatever we can do, I believe she is the driving force behind us to get this law passed,” Mrs. Shaffer said.
Family members believe if the database existed, perhaps deputies would have found Ms. Joughin’s body in one or two days, instead of three, Mrs. Vaculik said.
Worley was convicted in 1990 of abducting another woman after he struck her bicycle with his truck near Whitehouse. She suffered a concussion, but she escaped with a passing motorcyclist.
Memorial ride
Another planned event is the second annual Keeping Our Girls Safe Memorial Ride. Motorcyclists leave at noon Sunday from Toledo Harley-Davidson, 7960 W. Central Ave., to the Fulton County Fairgrounds.
Mrs. Vaculik called it a therapeutic event for Ms. Joughin’s boyfriend. Proceeds too will fund free self-defense courses for area women. They wish to one day implement such classes into the schools as a required course.
All three of Ms. Joughin’s relatives said they want to see the death penalty for Worley if convicted of the capital offense. It’s a matter of justice, they said.
According to court records, investigators found a hidden room inside Worley’s barn on County Road 6. There was blood on the walls and restraints used to hold people against their will, deputies said. Those findings suggest Worley was a repeat offender, Mrs. Vaculik said.
Mrs. Vaculik recalled that the prosecutor asked if she would accept a plea bargain. She said she could not, believing there are other victims and those families would need closure first. If that happened, she said she could accept one.
Worley is scheduled for trial in January. He has pleaded not guilty to a range of charges against Ms. Joughin, including aggravated murder and abduction. Worley’s attorney, Mark Berling, declined to comment Friday.
Contact Ryan Dunn at rdunn@theblade.com, 419-724-6095, or on Twitter @rdunnblade.
First Published July 30, 2017, 4:00 a.m.
