A man who has been on the run in connection with the abduction of a 7-year-old girl from Kentucky has now been charged with her murder, according to officials. This tragic event occurred 30 years ago.
Morgan Jade Violi was abducted on July 24, 1996, while playing outside her Bowling Green apartment. Her case remained unsolved for three decades until advancements in forensic technology linked Robert Scott Froberg to her murder.
Kyle G. Bumgarner, the U.S. attorney for Kentucky’s Western District, announced the indictment during a news conference on Friday. He noted that Froberg was already imprisoned in Alabama when he was charged with kidnapping and manslaughter.
“Morgan’s kidnapping and murder profoundly impacted her family,” Bumgarner said, emphasizing the enduring pain of her loved ones.
Reflecting on the past, he shared, “I recall the fear in our community when she went missing. I was concerned about my own kids riding their bikes or playing in the driveway.” Indeed, the fear resonated widely during that time.
Witnesses reported seeing a man in his twenties driving a burgundy van when Violi was taken. This van was subsequently discovered abandoned at a truck stop in Tennessee, having been stolen shortly before the incident.
Bumgarner highlighted that forensic evidence collected from the van years ago was crucial in connecting Violi’s case to Froberg. He mentioned that fibers found in her hair were tested by the FBI and matched Froberg’s profile, though he remained unidentified for many years.
Thanks to recent forensic advancements, the FBI retested the hair this year, resulting in a DNA match with Froberg. Interestingly, he had escaped from an Alabama prison in April 1996 and had been spotted in a Pennsylvania tree house shortly after the abduction.
A child who encountered him in that tree house informed his parents, leading to Froberg’s arrest. Remarkably, he would then escape from another prison shortly before his van was stolen in Ohio, not far from his parents’ home.
When confronted with the evidence while in prison in Alabama, Froberg confessed to stealing the van and abducting Violi. According to Bumgarner, he stated, “Morgan fought and screamed—she was truly a warrior.” However, he tragically admitted to covering her mouth, ultimately leading to her death.
Froberg’s arrest came a month after Violi’s murder, and he has been incarcerated ever since. Bumgarner indicated that if convicted, Froberg could face a life sentence or possibly the death penalty.
People in the community had expressed concerns that Violi’s killer could be living among them, raising fears for their own children. “They’ve waited far too long for answers,” Bumgarner noted, while expressing hope that the news would offer some closure to Violi’s family.
“It’s been a long wait for answers,” he said regarding the patience of her parents and sisters, that their hearts might find a semblance of peace now.
He urged the community to continue supporting Morgan’s family with love and prayers.
