5 chilling details about Dezi Hughes' kidnapping

Dezi Hughes and Kathlynn Shephard were two young teenage girls who were abducted while coming back from their school on May 20, 2013. The events that happened after this incident deeply terrified not just the city of Dayton, but the entire state of Iowa.

Dezi Huges was the only one who could survive, and manage to run away from the kidnapper, but she couldn't save her best friend. Dezi, in an interview with KCCI news, confessed that the incident still keeps her awake at night.

Season 1 episode 2 of HBO Max's documentary series, Taken Together: Who Killed Lyric and Elizabeth? documents this gruesome incident of the abduction of two young girls by the registered criminal Michael Klunder. The synopsis of the episode on Rotten Tomatoes reads:

"Another shocking double abduction, not far from the location of the Evansdale, Iowa case, sparks fear in the community and puts Michael Klunder, a local, under the spotlight. Dayton abduction survivor Dezi Hughes gives an exclusive interview."

5 details about Dezi Hughes' abduction that are spine-chilling

1) Dezi Hughes and Kathlynn Shepard were abducted while coming back from school

Dezi and Kathlynn were abducted while returning home from bus stop (Image via Pexels/Suzy Hazelwood)

It was a normal Monday, back in May 2013, when 12-year-old Dezi and 15-year-old Kathlynn had just finished school. The school bus had dropped them a few blocks away, and they were walking back to their homes. On the way, they noticed that a red pickup truck was following them from behind.

The driver eventually stopped the vehicle and asked the young girls if they could mow his lawn in exchange for some money.

The girls were a bit hesitant in the beginning, but then mutually agreed a bit later. Since their homes were within reach, they first wanted to get their parents' permission. The driver insisted that he would drive them on the way to their homes.

The man introduced himself as Michael, and soon when they entered the car, he started driving in the opposite direction.

2) The kidnapper took them to an isolated farming facility

Michael took the girls to a hog farm (Image via Pexels/cottonbro studio)

While Michael started to drive in another direction, the girls pleaded that they must ask for their parent's permission first. He told them that they could use his phone to make the call, once they reached his home.

But the car kept on going and soon it reached a very isolated place. It looked like a Hog farm, that had a big lawn and a shed.

Michael showed the girls where the lawnmowers were kept, and right when they moved back, he was pointing a gun at both of them. As revealed by Dezi Hughes, soon he zipped both of their hands and made them lay with their faces on the ground. The man said that we would let them go if they listened to whatever he told them to do.

3) Dezi Hughes ran away to get help while Kathlynn screamed in pain

Dezi Hughes made her escape while Michael was involved (Image via Pexels/TheOther Kev)

As per Dezi Hughes, in the beginning, she thought they would be set free if they obeyed his orders. But Michael's emotions soon turned from silence to rage, and he took out his pocket knife. He grabbed Kathlynn by the arm and took her dragging her up from the ground.

Dezi soon started to hear Kathlynn's painful screams, and while he was distracted she unfolded her arms and grabbed the tranquilizer gun. She immediately started running as fast as she could, going as far away as she could.

Soon she found a farm nearby. She was very terrified to enter inside, thinking if the members turned out to be related to Michael. But the owner was kind enough to let her call her parents and the police. By the time they reached the scene, Michael had already run away taking Kathlynn.

4) Michael killed Kathlynn and then killed himself

Michael killed Kathlynn and then himself (Image via Pexels/kat wilcox)

It was around eight in the night when the police managed to trace Michael in one of his relatives' farms. From the outside, the police saw his red pickup truck, completely splattered in blood. When they entered inside, they found Michael had killed himself.

Dezi Hughes was admitted to the hospital for the massive trauma she had faced, and was finally reunited with her family. But Kathlynn was still missing, and it was only after three weeks, that they received the dreadful news.

It was on June 7, 2013, the body of Kathlynn Shepard was on the outskirts of Des Moines River, which is near Ogden. The autopsy reports said that the 15-year girl was slit in the throat and stabbed 27 times.

But she died of severe brain injury when a blunt object was bashed on her head.

5) Michael Klunder was already a registered s*x offender

Miichael Klunder had served time in prison (Image via Pexels/RDNE Stock project)

As per police investigation, it was found that Michael was already an ex-convict who was on bail. He had served almost 20 years in prison for abduction and sexual assault. He was known to kidnap them with his truck and take them to the secluded farmhouse, where he was a worker.

The murder of Kathlynn has left an unfillable void in the Sherpard family, with her parents and three siblings Jessica, Brady, and Mikayla trying to cope with the loss.

Dezi Hughes is now a 23-year-old girl, who still lives every day regretting that she could have saved Kathlynn's life. She still doesn't want the world to call her a hero, because she made her escape, when could have helped Kathlynn.

The dreadful incident that happened 11 years ago, still haunts her, and Dezi tries to recover from it every day, carrying the memories of her best friend.

HBO Max's Taken Together: Who Killed Lyric and Elizabeth? premiered on Thursday, August 8, 2024, and is available for streaming on HBO Max.

Edited by Prem Deshpande