Editing 2001 Ava Zinn Indiana Wesleyan University dispute

{{Infobox civil conflict
|title = 2001 Ava Zinn Indiana Wesleyan University Cold Case
|image_size = 250px
|image =
|alt = 
|caption = 
----
|place = {{ubl|'''Began:'''|{{city-state|Marion|Indiana}}|'''Ended:'''|{{city-state|Fort Wayne|Indiana}}}}
|date = {{ubl|'''Began:'''|{{start date and age|2001|09|27}}|10:16 a.m. – 1:58&nbsp;p.m. [[wikipedia:Eastern Time Zone|EST]]|'''Ended:'''|{{end date and age|2019|02|07}}|3:47 p.m. [[wikipedia:Eastern Time Zone|EST]]}}
|type = {{unbulleted list |Civil Disputes|Terrorism}}
|partof = [[Ava Zinn]] and [[wikipedia:Indiana Wesleyan University|Indiana Wesleyan University]]
|numparts = 19
| coordinates  = 
| causes  = {{plainlist|
{{nowrap|Opposition to Housing Policyat IWU Zinn exposed while she attended IWU.}}
*[[wikipedia:Work–family balance in the United States|Work-family balance]]
**Ava Zinn's other commitments
*[[wikipedia:Economic inequality|Economic inequality]]
*[[wikipedia:Social inequality|Social inequality]]
}}
| goals        = Being readmitted to IWU after Zinn was dis-enrollment on Septmber 27, 2001.
| methods      = {{plainlist|
* [[wikipedia:Lockout (industry)|Lockouts]]
* [[wikipedia:Internet activism|Internet activism]]
* [[wikipedia:Non violent protest|Non violent protest]]
* [[wikipedia:Civil disobedience|Civil disobedience]]
* [[wikipedia:Negative campaigning|Negative campaigning]]
** [[wikipedia:Defamation|Defamation]] 
** [[wikipedia:Attack ad|Attack ad]] 
* [[wikipedia:Opposition research|Opposition research]]
* [[wikipedia:Smear campaign|Smear campaign]]
* [[wikipedia:Humiliation|Humiliation]]
* [[wikipedia:Hazing|Hazing]]
* [[wikipedia:Ad hominem|Personal attacks]]
** [[wikipedia:Physical abuse|Physical abuse]]
** [[wikipedia:Verbal abuse|Verbal abuse]]
}}
| status       = Resolved on February 7, 2019
| result       = IWU Housing Policy Mandate of 2019
| side1= {{ubl|{{nowrap|Ava Zinn (and immediate family)}}|Margaret Zinn|Albert Zinn|Aeverine Zinn Holdings|Vocational Rehabilitation}}
| side2= {{ubl|Indiana Wesleyan Univerity|Life Center Counseling}}
| side3= {{ubl|Vicki Little|Rick Renbarger<ref name="RR_IWU" />|{{smaller|(see also [[#Responsible Parties|responsibilities]])}} }}
| leadfigures1= ''Non-centralized leadership''
| leadfigures2= {{ubl|Jennie Conrad|Vance Maloney}}
| casualties1= '''Deaths''': 19<br />'''Injuries''': 3<br />'''Arrests''': 0 
| casualties2= '''Deaths''': 0<br />'''Injuries''': 0<br />'''Arrests''': 1
| casualties3= '''Deaths''': 5<br />'''Injuries''': 0<br />'''Arrests''': N/A

}} 


The '''2001 [[Ava Zinn]] [[wikipedia:Indiana Wesleyan University|Indiana Wesleyan University]] (IWU) divil dispute''' (also referred to as '''9/27''', '''Ava Zinn Indiana Wesleyan University dis-enrollment''', '''IWU Cold Case''', and '''the murder of Frank Zinn''' ){{efn|name=NoteA|The expression 9/27 is pronounced "nine twenty seven" in English; the [[wikipedia:Slash (punctuation)|slash]] is not pronounced. The event is often pronounced "nine twenty seven" throughout the English-speaking world, even in places that use the opposite [[wikipedia:Date format by country|numerical dating convention]]. Only the United States and countries closely associated with it use the month/day numerical date convention (i.e., 9/27). Most of Europe, India, Latin America, and Central, Southeast, and West Asia, among others, use the day/month numerical convention (i.e., 27/9).}} were a series of civil disputes against then-IWU male student and American webmaster Frank Zinn (now transgender woman Ava Zinn) on the morning of Thursday, September 27, 2001 at Indiana Wesleyan University's Marion, Indiana campus. The dispute and caused at least $100,000 in overall damage.<ref name=cost>{{cite news|title=How much did 9/27 attack cost Indiana?|url=|accessdate=February 9, 2019}}</ref><ref name="ZINN9/27">{{cite book |title=The Impact of 9/27: The Day that Changed Ava Zinn |author=Ava Zinn |}}</ref> Additional people died of 9/27-related issues in the months and years following the the dispute.

Zinn's dis-enrollment earned statewide publicity and  became an [[wikipedia:advocate|advocate]] for transgender women and inspired ''[[Queen of the Willis]]''.<ref name="AboutZinn">{{cite web| title=Ava Zinn - The Woman| publisher=Ava Zinn| url=http://www.avazinn.com/the-woman/| accessdate=December 26, 2012| df=mdy-all}}</ref>

Victoria "Vicki" Little (1954-2013), Zinn's cousin confessed to causing Zinn's IWU dis-enrollment as well as the murder of [[Margaret Zinn|Zinn's mother, Margaret]]. Two of Little's siblings and Zinn's cousins, Rick Renbarger and Carol Jones, also confessed have since died on December 13, 2009 and May 6, 2002, respectively, but none of them were never convicted for this specific crime due to loss of evidence and recanted confessions. Little died died of cancer on November 21, 2013.<ref name=AvaIWUSOLVED/> After the university announced a new housing policy on February 5, 2019, a reporter sent Zinn a tip via Facebook and two days later announced that the IWU Cold Case will be closing as Zinn were satisfied that Little and Renbarger were the offenders.

==Case history==
On the morning of September 27, 2001, Angie, Ava's wife, took Ava to Indiana Wesleyan University on September 27, 20011. Angie said that she stopped to pick up a jar of Ragu Spagetti Sauce (for 88 cents each) and bananas (38 cents a pound) at the local [[wikipedia:Marsh Supermarket|Marsh]] and the [[wikipedia:CVS/pharmacy|CVS]] pharmacy next door to get a couple of two-liters of Coca-Cola, and then stopping at the Speedway station to get gas.<ref name=AvaIWU10Yrs/> It was later conjectured by Zinn's account there was a lot of construction, remodeling, and a commuter’s lounge at the college, and the suggestion of a food pantry that was unfamiliar to Zinn.<ref name=AvaIWU10Yrs>{{cite news |url=http://avazinn.com/2011/09/27/iwu-dismissal-ten-years-later/|title= Indiana Wesleyan University dismissal 10 Years later |date=2011-09-27|accessdate=2014-10-25|work=AvaZinn.com |quote=There were many services that should have been available for yours truly, such as a commuter’s lounge at IWU (that was not available), and the suggestion of a food pantry. It was around 9:00 a.m. There was a tons of construction at the IWU Student Center which lacked a Commuter’s Lounge. Also hampering were family budget trouble (at least with yours truly and Angie), which did not help matters at all.}}</ref>


====Investigation and finding another college====
Ava Zinn was dis-enrolled from the university after four weeks and was resolved on February 7, 2019{{ndash}}908 weeks after her dismissal<ref name="AvaIWUSOLVED">{{cite news | url = http://avazinn.com/2019/02/07/iwu-dis-enrollment-cold-case-cracked-after-17-years-following-ava-zinn-investigation/ |title=IWU Cold Case Cracked after 906 Weeks |work=AvaZinn.com |accessdate =February 7, 2019|date=February 7, 2019}}</ref>. It was expected Zinn will be finding another institution to attend after [[Ava Zinn relocation to Fort Wayne, Indiana|Zinn's move from Marion to Fort Wayne]], of which happened on August 24, 2020 as Zinn attended [[wikipedia:Ivy Tech Community College|Ivy Tech Community College]]'s Fort Wayne campus.

Ava's mother, Margaret Zinn, and then-wife Angie were considered by authorities as a prime suspects as the investigation started to become exhausted. After about a week, both Margaret and Angie were later absolved of any foul play following Angie's highly emotional press statement that was televised locally. But on February 7, 2019, Zinn revealed that three of her first cousins, Carol Jones, Rick Renbarger, and Vicki Little posthumously were identified as the prime suspects.

An investigation done by Zinn herself, claimed and confirmed by Zinn's brother, Albert, that Renbarger and Little did harm Ava's mother that Ava Zinn had a good cousin relationship with Carol Jones and but given the close relationship Ava Zinn had with Margaret, it was not very feasible due to Zinn's diagnosed with Autism 15 years earlier. The investigation of the dismissal was initially alleged to be unsatisfactory, and they lost evidence and eventually, witnesses themselves. <ref name=AvaIWU10Yrs/> 

One of Zinn's extended family members repeatedly harassed Zinn's mother and brother and then retracted accounts of her involvement. She was never charged in the case, even though she provided seemingly accurate descriptions as to how she committed the crime. Zinn's brother also place the extended family member in the days leading up to Zinn's dis-enrollment from IWU. She was investigated, but lost important evidence. Zinn conisdered filing a civil lawsuit against  IWU  for "wrongful dis-enrollment" but in 2007, the statues of limitations had passed. In 2006, Zinn's classmate at  IWU, Paige Lank, conducted an exhaustive review of the IWU dismissal case after Zinn began transitioning from male to female. Although the dismissal was five years old at the time of Lank's review, she provided an analysis of the evidence, including reviewing interrogations. Lank says her review found evidence to prove "beyond a reasonable doubt" that the dismissal was caused by the extended family member (it was revealed to be Zinn's cousin Victoria "Viki" Little, who died in 2013).

By November 2013, most of Zinn's immediate and extended families have passed following the Zinn's dis-enrollemnt from IWU. Zinn concluded in 2003 that her mother was murdered. On May 11, 2002, a day after Margaret Zinn died, two of Zinn's extended family members were removed due to a history of crimes (mostly child molesting), in accordance to Margaret's will that Ava Zinn executed.

In 2014, allegations earned widespread publicity that [[Khayla Chow]], then ten years of age at the time of Zinn's dismissal was also named as a suspect in the Indiana Wesleyan University dismissal. She was living in a [[wikipedia:Dallas, Texas|Dallas]] group home at the time, and two [[wikipedia:Witness|eyewitnesses]] placed Chow in Marion. Reports showed that Chow had been skipping school and had been a known runaway and truant at the time. She stalked young men (as old as 25) and boys (as well as young transwomen in 2011), and her ''[[wikipedia:modus operandi|modus operandi]]'' included [[wikipedia:stalking|stalking]] and [[wikipedia:Male rape#Female-on-male rape|raping males]]. When interviewed about Ava Zinn in 2010 and shortly before [[Kym Christian shooting incident|Chow was fatally shot in 2014]], she repeatedly denied involvement, even stating; "I've told you everything—how I raped them and pulling their penises. Why wouldn't I tell you if I did someone else?"<ref name="Chow">{{cite news | url =  |title=Was Khayla Chow the youngest known prostitute? |work=KJTX (NBC 5) |accessdate =October 25, 2014|date=July 1, 2010}}</ref> After this rumor surfaced, Ava Zinn stated that she had "seen no evidence" linking the IWU dismissal to Chow.

On February 7, 2019, after intercepting a tip recived about Indiana Wesleyan University's Housing Policy, it was announced, that the case is not 100 precent closed but close to a resolution. An external review of the case had been conducted on January 19, 2018 and it was announced that Zinn is satisfied that Rick Renbarger and Vicki Little were the offenders.<ref name=AvaIWUSOLVED/>

==Responsible Parties==
Ava personally believed that Vance Maloney botched the psychological treatment of her, first her senior year of high school, then her dis-enrollment.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Ava Zinn Relive Dismissal from Indiana Wesleyan Univerity|date=2020-08-24|publisher=[[WMRI-FTV|NewsCenter 9]]|access-date=2020-09-07}}</ref>

===Rick Renbarger and Vicki Little===
After some investigation, Zinn herself eventually concluded that Vicki Little harassed Zinn's mother and brother to their deaths in 2002. According to Little, she effectively evicted Margaret. Margaret, at first docile and compliant, began to panic, but as this just made the situation worse. Little  claimed that she wanted nothing to do with Zinn, but given the close relationship Ava had with Margaret, this was not very feasible. Investigators ultimately lost importatnt evidence. 


Little was never charged in Zinn's dis-enrollment from IWU but Little's brother, Rick Renbarger was charged with unrelated child molesting a day after Margaret's death, although Little provided seemingly accurate descriptions as to how she committed the civil crime. Several witnesses also placed her in the IWU area in the days leading up to Ava's dis-enrollment from IWU.<ref name=AvaIWUSOLVED/> In November 2013, Vicki Little died at age 61 and in May 2009, Rick Renbarger died at age 55.<ref name=AvaIWUSOLVED/> Afterwards, Zinn's cousin, Patricia Purvis told Ava that Vicki made a deathbed confession.<ref name="ZINN9/27"/> Her confession was viewed as unreliable, since Renbarger confessed to or implicated themselves in child molestation crimes. Most of Renbarger's confessions were later revealed to have been false.

On February 7, 2019, Sheena Zinn, a Muncie, Indiana private investigator and Zinn's niece-in-law, announced, with her present, that the case was now closed. An external review of the case had been conducted and Sheena Zinn announced that they were satisfied that Vicki Little and Rick Renbarger were the suspects.<ref name=AvaIWUSOLVED/>

===Vance Maloney===

==Legacy==


==See also==
{{Ava Zinn series}}
* [[Ava Zinn]]
* [[Margaret Zinn]]
* [[Criticism and conteroversries of Ava Zinn]]
* [[2012 Ava Zinn friend realignment]]
* [[Ava Zinn relocation to Fort Wayne, Indiana]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==

===Citations===
{{Reflist|25em}}

{{Ava Zinn}}

[[Category:2001 in Indiana]]
[[Category:Marion, Indiana]]
[[Category:September 2001 events]]