Ohio detective apprehends 'Ladykiller' Shawn Grate through 33-hour interrogation: 'A thirst for murder'

As Kim Mager sat opposite Shawn Grate, she anticipated engaging with yet another sex offender, one of numerous individuals she had worked with throughout her extensive career.

A 30-year veteran of the Ashland City Police Department in Ohio, Mager, had no inkling she was confronting a serial killer during her 33-hour interrogation of him over eight days.

The retired detective stated to Planet Chronicle Digital that when he first began conversing with him, he found his personality to be similar to other sex offenders, whom he had interviewed extensively. As a result, he perceived him as unremarkable and typical in his conversation flow and thought process.

"However, she pointed out that everything changed when he mentioned his desire, his hunger. He said, 'I have a hunger to kill.'"

Lisa Pulitzer and Mager worked together to create "A Hunger to Kill," which recounts the story of Mager's investigation into one of Ohio's most notorious serial killers. The book details how Mager was able to track down and apprehend the killer.

"Mager, who had previously declined speaking out about the case, was approached by a family member of one of the victims. The family member came to Mager in tears, stating that the victim was being portrayed negatively by some podcasts. The family member was upset and pleaded with Mager to do something."

""Mager knew she had to share the right story, emphasizing the importance of letting people know that what the victims experienced could happen to them, including herself," she said."

On September 13, 2016, Mager was in the shower when her phone rang. Her captain was on the line. Emergency dispatchers had received a 911 call from a woman who claimed she had been kidnapped by Grate.

By then, Grate had been tracked down by investigators. He was arrested and charged. Mager rushed to the station to interview the woman.

According to Mager's book, Jane Doe had numerous bruises on her face, arms, and legs. She had fresh scratches and others that had healed. Some of her injuries were bluish-purple, while others were swollen and red. Her neck and upper torso were marked with splashes of maroon, and her eyes were bloodshot with tears staining her face.

"It's difficult for victims to discuss what happened to them, even more so than speaking with a suspect. However, I needed to gather as much information as possible to bring him to justice."

One of the officers assigned to Grate's case was Mager, an experienced specialist in sex offenses.

""We were unfamiliar with him and I didn't recognize his name at all," Mager admitted."

In the interrogation room, the "friendly" demeanor of Grate, a known charmer and drifter, quickly disappeared.

""He appeared muscular and unkempt before you even made eye contact with him," Mager stated."

She said, "As soon as we locked eyes, your gaze immediately fell upon his striking blue eyes."

She sat alone in the interview room with the accused predator, like Clarice Starling from "The Silence of the Lambs."

Mager soon learned there were other victims.

She explained that he is opportunistic, taking advantage of any opportunity that presents itself. When examining the victims, one might notice two who resemble each other, but then there is someone who stands out as completely different.

"She stated, "These women had diverse lifestyles, with one leading a life of faith and having an unwavering belief in God, while another sold her body. Despite their differences, there was no single victim type, as the opportunities presented themselves to them, whether they took advantage of them or created them.""

The police found the remains of Stacey Stanley, 43, and Elizabeth Griffith, 29, in the vacant Ashland home where Grate had been residing. Grate admitted to the killings.

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Oxygen.com reported that Stanley was described as someone who was down on her luck. According to the outlet, Grate made it seem like he was going to help her with a flat tire before he abducted and assaulted her.

It was reported that Griffith was facing difficulties with her mental well-being and had disappeared.

Grate admitted to murdering Candice Cunningham, a woman he dated, and dumping her body in a wooded area 12 miles from Ashland. He also confessed to killing Rebekah Leicy, a woman with drug issues, who went missing in February 2015.

Dana Lowrey, a 23-year-old woman who disappeared in 2005, was Grate's first victim, and her remains were found in 2007, just a mile away from Grate's home. Grate admitted to killing her while she was selling magazines.

In the summer of 2016, Doe met Grate and they would discuss the Bible, go on long walks, and play tennis. The Mansfield News Journal reported that Grate hinted at wanting more than friendship, but Doe turned him down, explaining that she didn't believe in premarital sex due to her beliefs. Grate respected her decision.

It was a lie.

Doe was held captive and sexually assaulted in every way imaginable while she was asleep. She managed to escape and call the police.

Grate told Mager he wanted to know what drove him to kill.

Mager stated that the individual was questioning the reasons behind their actions because they lacked clarity on the causes. As they delved into their past, the individual would present various events from their life but couldn't definitively attribute any of them to the cause. The individual repeatedly inquired, "Why did I do this? What made me do this?"

Mager continued, "He spoke extensively about his relationships with his family, particularly his mother, whom he accused of being promiscuous and abandoning him. He recounted an incident when he was four years old, where he was watching cartoons on the sofa but needed his mother's help to get cereal. He knocked on her bedroom door, but she didn't respond, so he knocked again, but there was still no answer."

"He knew she was in the bedroom with someone, but he wanted cereal, so he began beating on the door. The door opened, revealing a stranger, a man he didn't know. He ran back to his bedroom, but the man followed him and sat down on his bed. The guy asked what was wrong, and he began hitting the guy, attacking him, frustrated by the entire scenario."

Growing up, Grate was close with his father and bonded over baseball. However, an injury to his pitching arm prevented him from continuing to play with his father.

"Mager stated that his relationship with his father, which was once special, had ended. He felt detached from his father after that moment and often spoke about feeling abandoned."

Although Mager acknowledged that Grate appeared remorseful, she is unsure if it was genuine.

Grate's confessions to five murders, kidnappings, and multiple sex assaults across Ohio were extracted by Mager, who was dubbed "The Ladykiller" by the press due to his looks and charm. He is now on death row for the killings of two of the women in Ashland County and is also serving three life sentences.

Mager hopes the victims won’t be forgotten.

Stacey Stanley, Candice Cunningham, Rebekah Leicy, Elizabeth Griffith, and Dana Lowrey were all daughters, mothers, sisters, and friends, she said.

"None of these women deserved what happened to them."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.