“Gone Before the Storm”: 20/20 Reports on Anthony Harris & Devan Duniver Case August 23 2024

On August 23, 2024, ABC’s “20/20” will air a compelling episode that revisits the case of Anthony Harris, a 12-year-old boy who in 1998 was coerced into confessing to the murder of his 5-year-old neighbor, Devan Duniver, in New Philadelphia, Ohio. The case remains one of the most controversial in American legal history, largely due to the psychological manipulation used by law enforcement to extract a confession from a child. This episode, hosted by John Quiñones, delves into the details of the case, shedding light on the events leading to Harris’s wrongful conviction and the subsequent overturning of his sentence.

The Disappearance of Devan Duniver

On June 27, 1998, five-year-old Devan Duniver disappeared from her neighborhood in New Philadelphia, Ohio. Her mother, Lori Duniver, alerted local residents, including Anthony Harris, and offered a small reward for anyone who could help find her daughter. Despite an extensive search that day, Devan’s body was not discovered until the following afternoon. She was found in a wooded area near her home, having suffered multiple stab wounds to the neck. The small Ohio town was shaken by the brutality of the crime, and pressure mounted on local law enforcement to find the perpetrator quickly.

The Coerced Confession

Two weeks after Devan’s body was found, Anthony Harris was brought in for questioning by Thomas Vaughn, the police chief of nearby Millersburg. Despite being only 12 years old, Harris was subjected to a high-pressure interrogation without the presence of legal counsel. His mother was allowed to watch the interrogation through a two-way mirror but could not hear the conversation. Under relentless pressure and with promises of being able to go home if he confessed, Harris eventually admitted to the crime, despite his repeated denials at the start of the questioning. This confession became the central piece of evidence against him, leading to his conviction in 1999 by Juvenile and Probate Court Judge Linda Kate, who sentenced Harris to serve time until he turned 21.

The Overturning of the Conviction

The conviction of Anthony Harris was met with widespread criticism, particularly regarding the methods used by the police to obtain his confession. In June 2000, the Ohio Fifth District Court of Appeals overturned the conviction, ruling that the confession had been coerced and that Harris’s Fifth Amendment rights had been violated. The court highlighted the numerous inaccuracies in Harris’s confession and pointed out that the few accurate details had been fed to him by the interrogating officer. Harris was released the day after the ruling, but the damage to his life and reputation had already been done.

The Aftermath and Unresolved Questions

In the years following his release, Anthony Harris and his legal team pursued a civil lawsuit against the cities of New Philadelphia and Millersburg, alleging that the police had failed to follow critical leads and had suppressed evidence that could have exonerated Harris earlier. The lawsuit uncovered potential suspects, including Devan’s mother’s boyfriend and her estranged father, both of whom had histories of violence and contentious relationships with Devan’s mother. Additionally, two trained search dogs had independently traced Devan’s scent to a house near her home, where a recently released child molester lived, but this lead was never pursued.

The lawsuit was eventually settled for $1.5 million in 2005, with an additional $2.2 million settlement from Tuscarawas County in 2008. Despite these legal victories, the identity of Devan Duniver’s killer remains unknown, and the case is officially unsolved. The “20/20” episode aims to reignite interest in the case by presenting new interviews with key figures, including Harris, his legal team, and witnesses who participated in the original search for Devan. The episode also reveals recent developments, such as the district attorney’s renewed request for further investigation, prompted by the revelations uncovered during the “20/20” interviews.

Revisiting the Impact on Anthony Harris

More than two decades after his release, Anthony Harris continues to be haunted by the events that unfolded in 1998. His wrongful conviction not only robbed him of his childhood but also left deep psychological scars. Despite the passage of time, Harris remains determined to clear his name completely and to see justice served for Devan Duniver. The “20/20” episode will feature a poignant interview with Harris, where he reflects on the impact of the case on his life and his ongoing quest for closure. The episode serves as a powerful reminder of the flaws in the justice system and the importance of safeguarding the rights of the vulnerable, particularly children, in legal proceedings.

As the “20/20” episode airs, the haunting case of Anthony Harris stands as a testament to the devastating consequences of rushed and coercive police work. It also underscores the ongoing need for vigilance in the pursuit of true justice, especially in cases involving minors. The episode not only revisits the past but also calls attention to the unresolved questions that continue to linger, urging viewers to reflect on the importance of due process and the protection of the innocent.