Decades later, charges filed in Michaela Garecht case bring relief to Hayward

HAYWARD, Calif. (KGO) -- News of David Misch's charges in connection with Michaela Garecht's 1988 kidnapping is spreading through Hayward and reviving memories from that time.

"Even after decades it felt like a relief," said Simone Chavoor.

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Chavoor was five-years-old when Garecht went missing. Now she works here at ABC7 with the 7 On Your Side team.

"I remember being scared and I remember the fear rippling through all the kids in my school, especially the girls," said Chavoor.

Her parents recall not allowing her to play outside alone.

"Everybody was walking their kids to school and picking them up and we didn't leave them outside at all," said Elizabeth Chavoor.

They were relieved for some closure 32 years later.

VIDEO: Reaction pours in after charges filed in Michaela Garecht case

After news broke of two murder charges against David Misch, we spoke with Midsi Sanchez who was kidnapped in Vallejo as a child, and Marc Klaas, whose daughter Polly was kidnapped in Petaluma.

Misch is already in Santa Rita Jail serving a prior murder conviction and is awaiting trial for a double murder committed in Fremont in 1986 of friends Jennifer Duey and Michelle Xavier.

Now, other law enforcement agencies including Dublin Police Services, are revisiting their kidnapping cold cases.

Ilene Misheloff was last seen walking home from school in Dublin on Jan. 30, 1989.

"Definitely piqued our interest and sparked us to look into this individual to see if there's any links to our case as well," said Nate Schmidt, Captain with Dublin Police Services.

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Misheloff's father says he hasn't considered the possibility Misch could be responsible for his daughter's disappearance.

"Most of the times it's just not the same person," said Mike Misheloff.

Every year, the family walks Ilene's path home from school in her honor. But this past April, Misheloff's wife passed away.

"I'm thinking, 'no that I just can't do it this year.' It's very difficult and without my wife I don't know how I can do it," said Misheloff.

Dublin Police are holding out hope for the Misheloff family that Ilene will still come home.

If that's not the case, they want to provide answers and closure, just as Hayward PD did for Garecht's family.