Vickie Lynn Harrell

Vickie Lynn Harrell was from Linton, Indiana. She was 25 years old and lived in Bloomington. Working as a clerk at k-mart in 1972, she was recently divorced. Some reports mentioned that she was a mother, while others leave no mention of her personal life.

Vickie Lynn Harrell was reported missing after not returning home on August 12, 1972. Her roommate reported her missing. It seems as though, in typical seventies fashion, the police immediately wrote the woman off as a run away or that she left on her own accord. From newspaper articles at the time, or really the lack thereof, there was no search for the missing woman. The only one searching was her poor roommate.

The day before what would have been her 26th birthday, Vickie was found by a member of the Owen County Highway Department. Her naked body was discovered at 1:30 on August 14, 1972. Her clothing or any of her belongings were not found with the body. Her car was found at a shopping center.

The body was three miles from Spencer. It was apparent from the area that the body had been dumped in the water filled ditch and that the murder had not been committed in this area. Upon examination of the body, it was determined that she had been raped and strangled. Initials had also been carved into Vickie's torso.

As quickly as Vickie's story became news, it quickly faded from the papers. Owen County had a lot happen that year. The investigation was put on the back burner because the jail caught fire, there was a jail break, and a suicide occurred at the jail. According to the "lead investigator" the Sheriff's department was under staffed.

Yet, three other agencies were also investigating the case and made no progress. Part of this is because Vickie was painted to be an unwed mother who was a known drinker and the public had no sympathy. Out of the four agencies, the Owen County Sheriff's Department, Bloomington Police, Monroe County Sheriff's Office, and the State Police, one of them believed that Vickie's killer was already confined to a mental facility and was untouchable as of 1974.

When Lt. Ralph Shumaker, of the Indiana State Police, took over the case he was working on a theory. The transient theory was a favorite. It was believed that Vickie might have fallen victim to a serial killer. Similar murders allegedly occurred in Pennsylvania and Maryland between 1969-1971, I was unable to find these when going through newspaper archives. The murders had the same method of killing and the victims were all taken from college towns. The bodies all had initials carved into them, but they were different letters.

With so much time gone, it is hard to believe and maintain hope that Vickie's case will ever be solved. In hopes that someone knows somethings and is ready to talk, I ask that anyone with information on Vickie's case to call the Indiana State Police.

_____________Sources_________________
"Columnist Calls for Jury Probe." The Terre Haute Tribune. January 1974.

"Initials Carved in Woman's Body." Journal and Courier. Lafayette, Indiana. August 1972.

"ISP Detective Asks Public to Help Solve Case." Stevens, Howard. The Terre Haute Tribune. October 1972.

"Murder Victim Also Raped." Anderson Herald. Anderson, Indiana. August 1972.

"Nude, Mutilated Body of Missing Woman is Found." The Indianapolis Star. August 1972.

"Slain Woman Formerly Lived Here." Linton Daily Citizen. Linton, Indiana. August 1972.

"Young Clerk's Death Still Haunts Lawmen." The Indianapolis News. September 1973

Melinda Creech

People don't just disappear. They cannot vanish into thin air. How can no one know when someone was last seen? Most missing person cases have at least a solid last sighting, but not this case. In fact, nothing about this case is solid.

The case of Melinda Creech is that of a 13 year old girl being rebellious. She was trying to grow up too fast. On a September night in 1979, Melinda Creech and male teenager were arrested for trying to steal a motorcycle from a local dealership in Anderson, Indiana.

The boy was taken to an all male facility in Fort Wayne, Indiana; meanwhile, Melinda was taken to a facility in Anderson. Melinda was taken to the Blake house, which was a branch of the Bronnenberg House.

The Bronnenberg house was the last orphanage in Madison County. The Bronnenberg home was in operation until the 1980's. It was located on Mounds Road just East of Anderson. The building was torn down and a new facility built. The new facility still stands and I pass it every day on my morning commute.

It turns out, at the time of Melinda Creech was taken to the Blake house, my aunt worked at the Bronnenberg. She was able to confirm that the girls home was indeed located on the campus on Mounds Road in Anderson, Indiana.

The Blake house was an all girls juvenile facility. There are conflicts between sources. Some sources say the arrest and booking was on September 4, while others claim that it was the 5.

An old police report stated that when police returned to Blake House to talk to Melinda Creech about the attempted burglary, they were unable to locate her. So at some point in the two month window of dropping her off at the Blake House and returning to question her, Melinda had vanished.

No records are avaliable from the juvenile home or the Bronnenberg Home after 1959. These records have not been released because it is believed that the records being provided would violate the privacy of individuals named in the documents.

Shirley Creech told her other children that Melinda had run away from the Blake House in September of 1979. Later in the 1990's, Shirley would tell her family that a badly decomposed body found on the East Coast was that of Melinda. Melinda's brothers and sister were leery to believe their mother. No service was ever held for the girl.

Shirley, who suffered from Dementia, passed away in 2003. As her remaining children cleaned out their mother's home. They made a horrifying discovery.

In a box, letters were found. Three letters from 1990 were found. These letters were correspondence from a New Jersey Police Department. The letters informed Shirley that Melinda's dental records did not match those of the badly decomposed body that had been found.

Why would a mother lie to her children about their sister being found dead? Was she trying to end their hurting for their sister? Or was her motivation something more sinister? It would later come out that Shirley had been abusive to all of her children. This would bring back questions about what really happened to Melinda.

Along with the letters about the remains not belonging to Melinda, there were letters regarding Melinda's arrest and soon-to-happen court dates. Letters were found that advised Melinda's mother to get an attorney on her daughter's behalf and that she, Shirley, would be responsible for the cost. Another letter stated that Melinda's court date would be on of the following days in April of 1980: the 2nd, 8th, or 9th.

The court would not have issued a letter about an upcoming court date if they were aware the child had runaway or was missing from their custody without good cause. So did Melinda really disappear from government custody or did something else happen?

Darryl Creech, Melinda's older brother, began searching again for his sister when he found the letters in his mother's home in 2003. He began posting online asking for information. Soon after, he was put in touch with the Doe Network.

Working with the network, he looked through thousands of composite photographs and sculptures, never finding a match for his sister. Her dental records were given to the network and no matches were made. When this was done, a member of the network encouraged the family approach Madison County Police about "re-opening" the case.

A missing persons report was never filed on Melinda. Police had to start from scratch in 2004. With no solid facts, they had very little to go on. The police took the dental records and entered them into their databases. They also took DNA from the family members in hope of finding a match, sadly to no avail.

So, what do police have to go on? They know that two months after police dropped Melinda off at the Blake House she was no longer there. They don't know if Shirley signed over her parental rights so that she would not have to deal with a delinquent daughter or a debt to the state. They know that the boy she was arrested with never saw her again.

Melinda's remaining family has relocated to Oklahoma and no longer comments on the case.

Anyone with information regarding this case is asked to contact the Madison County Police Department at (765)646-4017 or (765) 646-4014.

(Photo on the left is an actual photo of Melinda. The photo on the right is an age progression.)

_____________________Sources________________________________________

"Anderson Missing-Teen Case Reopened After New Discovery-Mother lied about Finding Girl's Body." The Associated Press. The Journal Gazette. September 6, 2004. http://www.doenetwork.org/media/news172.html

"Indiana Missing: Girl Disappeared From Anderson Juvenile Detention Center." Kristine Guerra. January 7, 2014. https://www.indystar.com/story/news/crime/2014/01/07/indiana-missing-girl-disappeared-from-anderson-juvenile-detention-center/4357865/

Interview: November 6, 2017. Former Bronnenberg Employee.

Melinda's Candle. March 2007. Darryl Creech. http://www.oocities.org/mindyscandle/

"Melinda Creech." Whereaboutsstillunknown. https://whereaboutsstillunknown.wordpress.com/2013/03/11/melinda-creech/

Melinda Creech. National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. http://api.missingkids.org/poster/NCMC/1036765/1

Melinda Karen Creech. The Charley Project. http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/c/creech_melinda.html

The Bronnenberg Children's Home. Digital Archive of the Anderson Public Library. https://digital.library.in.gov/Record/ISL_p1819coll7-178

Tracy Sissom

Tracy Sissom, 33 years old, was packing up her apartment to move back into her mother's place on September 20, 2004. She was borrowing her father's 1995 Black Chevy Trailblazer. She was using the vehicle to load up her stuff to move back in with her parents. Her apartment was near 30th and Post Road in Indianapolis. Her mother also lived near or in Indianapolis.

At about 7:30 pm, Tracy called her mother to let her know that she was finishing up and would be heading back. She probably felt melancholy. She was moving because she was now estranged from her husband. Some describe the relationship as toxic, others said that the couple just weren't good for one another. Rumors swirled about whether or not Tracy was recovering from drug addiction.

When Tracy did not show up that evening, her mother began to worry like every mother should. Some sources say that Tracy's parents reported her missing within hours, others say that they reported it the following morning. Regardless, officers commend the parents for making a report to IPD so quickly.

When investigating the disappearance, neighbors claimed that a suspicious vehicle had bee present in the area on the night Tracy had disappeared, according to Police Sergeant Jeff Deckard. The neighbors described a dark SUV, which might be ruled out as being the vehicle that Tracy was using to move.

On October 4, 2004, a Marion County Sheriff Deputy spotted the trailblazer. The vehicle was found on North Oakland Avenue. When asking about the vehicle, police found that the vehicle had been driving erratically until it turned on to North Oakland Avenue. Once the vehicle was parked a witness claimed that a man and a woman fled from the vehicle on foot and did not return to it. 

When the vehicle was examined, police found a partial box of ammunition in the vehicle. They were unable to pull any finger prints or DNA from the vehicle according to some reports. This raises the question as to whether or not the vehicle had been wiped clean.

On the evening of October 7, 2004, a man was driving in a rural area of Brown County near Gnaw Bone when he hit a deer. He had a report made and was stuck dealing with the aftermath and damage to his vehicle. It was too dark to locate missing pieces of debris, so the driver decided to return the following morning. 

October 8, 2004 changed the driver's life forever. While looking along the edge of the road for pieces of his vehicle, made a gruesome discovery in the wooded area. He found a body wrapped in a blanket.

Police released information about the body hoping to identify it. The body was in a state of decomposition when it was found, which made identification more difficult. The remains were so decomposed that they could not tell gender. In order to help with identification, officer released a statement saying the remains had a tattoo of a chain on the ankle and a flower on the back of the leg.

The remains were not confirmed to belong to Tracy Sissom until December 17 of 2004. The Indiana University School of Forensic Science did the analysis that confirmed the identity via dental records. The cause of death has never been released, but officers have confirmed the death to be a homicide. At the time of her death, there were no drugs present in her system, which could put drug rumors to rest.

Tracy was laid to rest in January of 2005.

As the investigation was underway, detectives were unable to link Tracy to Brown County. None of her family or friends lived there. Detectives stated that they followed numerous leads, but they have led no where.

In 2006, the family offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to an arrest in the murder of their loved one. Tracy's children continue to grow up without a mother and that is heartbreaking. 

Anyone with information on this case is asked to contact the Indiana State Police.

(812) 332-4411

______________Author's Note_______________

Thank you guys for all the feedback! If you have a case that you would like to cover, feel free to put it in the comments or reach out via email at StudyofIndianaColdCases@gmail.com

_________________Sources________________________

"Cold Case Expert Knows Persistence Can Pay Off." The Indianapolis Star. September 20, 2006. https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/126801462/

"Decomposing Body Found Along Brown County Road." The Times of North West Indiana. October 10, 2004. http://www.nwitimes.com/news/state-and-regional/decomposing-body-found-along-brown-county-road/article_52e041a4-e059-5095-be94-b68eead2fa79.html

"Family Offers $10K Reward in Woman's 2004 Death." RTV 6. September 16, 2006. http://www.theindychannel.com/news/family-offers-10k-reward-in-woman-s-2004-death

"Family of Slain Woman Offers Reward To Find Killer." Jon Murray. The Indianapolis Star. September 20, 2006. https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/126801351/

"Sissom Investigation Continues." The Republic. May 4, 2005. https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/149160080/

Maps Produced via Google Maps.

A Sickening Suspect

A girl, 18, made some mistakes. She got wrapped up in the wrong crowd. Court documents in a former boyfriend's case implicated her in a robbery. Later, she was charged and convicted in a case related to car theft.

In order to turn her life around, she would have to make some big changes. Amanda Vanscyoc was this girl. She signed up to be a narcotics informant for the police. She got a job at Schnuck's, according to her stepfather. Her mother said that she was really trying.

On November 9, 2001, Amanda's mother, Linda Warner, said that she was leaving for work and decided to make sure that Amanda was up and moving. That day Amanda was expected to appear for her second interview at the local Walmart. This is the last time that Amanda was seen alive. 

A few hours after Linda had left for work, she decided to call home to make sure that Amanda had left for her interview. There was no answer, so she assumed her daughter had made the interview. This unanswered phone call raises some questions, which I will address later.

That evening, Amanda never came home. Linda Warner confessed her fears to her husband, John Warner, who was Amanda's stepfather. They decided to not report her disappearance to police because her not returning home would be a violation of her probation.

On November 13, 2001, earlier in the day police were called to an area located near the Ohio River. The area was known for drug activity. The officers that arrived completed their activities in the area and nothing looked suspicious. The location in question is located somewhere in the highlighted area. 

Later that same day, police receive a phone call of a body found by deer hunters in the same area. Officers returned to the location and the body of a Caucasian female was found covered with a rug. The body was confirmed to be that of Amanda Lee Vanscyoc. She was nude. Her clothing and her purse would later be found at home, where she lived with her mother and stepfather. The area in which her body was found would later be called "the rat's nest" due to Amanda's status as an informant.

Investigation revealed at the body had been moved to the location where it had been found and that she had been dead for at least three days before she was found.

Upon examination, investigators found DNA on her remains. The DNA was semen, which would later be confirmed to be that of John Warner, Amanda's stepfather. In order for the DNA to be found in the way that it had been meant that it had come into contact with Amanda's body shortly before her death and had not been wiped off.

Amanda's stepfather initially denied having any knowledge of how the DNA ended up on Amanda's remains. His wife, Amanda's own mother, continued to stand by him. Later, he admitted to having a sexual relationship with the stepdaughter.

When asked about it, Linda Warner said "I have no question that that is a possibility, but why does that make him a killer?" This is odd to me considering that both of Amanda's parents claim that they were told by police that the stepfather failed a polygraph that was taken in regards to Amanda's murder. Linda Warner's support of her husband under such circumstances seems questionable to me.

Brad Vanscyoc, Amanda's father, believes that the stepfather was guilty of the murder. He and Linda Warner fight like cats and dogs about the murder of their daughter and death threats have been made multiple times during these arguments.

While investigating, police quickly began to look at the stepfather as a suspect. H e would later die in a car accident, but the mother would take his side over and over again. On the day of the murder, he allegedly had been home all day with no witnesses. If he had been home, why hadn't he answered the phone when Linda Warner had called after being at work for a few hours?

Investigators don't believe that Amanda's status as an informant had anything to do with her death for two reasons. Firstly, she openly told people she was an informant and as a result nobody would talk to her. Secondly, Amanda never gave the police any information. She really didn't have any information that anyone else didn't already have.

In 2002, Warrick County Sheriff Bruce Hargrave requested the federal satellite footage of the region from November 9, 2001. He was hoping that the imagery would be able to see whether or not the suspect's vehicle had left his home on the day in question. The home in question is approximately 75 miles from a military base, so it is more likely that something might have been caught. A satellite expert said that it was far fetched. Hargrave said that he didn't believe he would actually get the images that he requested, but he didn't want to leave any possibility unchecked.

No new information has been made available in this case. Anyone with any information that can account for the days between Amanda's remains being found and her disappearance, is asked to use the following information to contact police.

Indiana State Police
District Investigative Commander
19411 Highway 41 North
Evansville, IN 47725
1-812-867-2079 or 1-800-852-3970

________________________Source_______________________

"Murdered Teen had Agreed to Work as a Police Informant." Associated Press. November 16, 2001. https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/148659887/

"The Future of Satellites and Forensics." Amanda Onion. ABC News. February 26, 2002. http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/story?id=98076&page=1

"Unsolved Murder: Amanda Vanscyoc." 14 News WFIE. http://www.14news.com/story/8256644/unsolved-murder-amanda-vanscyoc

"Warrick Officials Say Slain Teen Had Signed On as a Drug Informant." Evansville Courier. November 16, 2001. http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v01/n1923/a07.html?7861

"5 Evansville Area Cold Cases You Could Help to Solve." Ryan O'Bryan. 106.1 KISS FM. 2017. http://1061evansville.com/5-evansville-area-cold-cases-you-could-help-solve/

Maps created using Google Maps.

Johanna Weaver

Being a single mom is hard, even harder when you are stuck in a cycle of generational poverty and nothing is looking up. Many people stuck in the cycle turn to drugs for a pick-me-up when they face endless days with no hope in sight of things getting better. They say dying young is the fastest way to become a saint, which is true unless you're lower middle class or poverty level. 

This is the story of Johanna Weaver. Johanna was a single mom who fell into drugs like a lot of 20 somethings do when they are looking for an escape. She might have made poor decisions, but she always tried to shield her children from her troubled life. 

Johanna's mother would take the kids on weekends when Johanna would drop them off before she would engage in unsavory activities. Johanna was addicted to cocaine, which was quickly growing in usage in Indiana in 1995. The young mother would spend her weekends chasing highs and hanging out with less than decent people, so she would always leave the kids with her mother so that they were not exposed. 

Johnnie Huddleston, Johanna's mother, tried multiple times to put her daughter in rehab. Sadly, since these programs were not court ordered Johanna was allowed to leave at any time. Many times Johanna would start a program, but then leave before finishing. Her mother was left with no choice, but to watch her daughter continue to make poor decisions and try to protect her grandchildren from them. 

When Sunday night rolled around, Johanna would sober up and pickup her two small children. During the week she was a typical single mom, hustling to provide for her children. She was a semi-functioning addict who used prostitution to pay for her addiction according to many accounts. 

In June of 1995, a Sunday night rolled around and Johanna did not return to her mother's home to retrieve her children as she normally did. That was when her mother began to suspect that something was terribly wrong. Her mother managed to find help to watch the children while she went to work the next morning. 

Johnnie Huddleston, Johanna's mother, over the next week would receive a series of voicemails from her daughter that made her fear for the young mother's life. Nothing was explicitly said in the messages, but Johnnie said she could just tell from the tone. When she contacted the police over her daughter's absence, she was told that the voicemails constituted contact. Johanna could not be reported missing at that time. 

After all these years, Johnnie can't remember the exact day on which the voicemails stopped and the phone companies didn't keep those records for very long at the time. When they stopped Johnnie began to fear for the worst. 

On July 13, 1995 a mowing crew found the body of a thin, black woman under branches and debris in the median of the I-65 and I-70 slit in Indianapolis. The body had been burned and was unidentifiable.

After a week, on July 21, 1995, the body from the median was finally identified as Johanna Weaver. The picture above indicates where the body was found. 

In 2007, twelve years after Johanna's murder, a detective from the Indiana State Police was assigned to the cold case. Sergeant Jeff Coffey was the officer that took over the case. He was able to narrow down the timeline of Weaver's disappearance. He discovered that the last time Johanna was seen alive was on July 8 in 1995. Her "friends" had seen her with a man that they didn't know. This sighting occurred near 17th and Park Street.

(The highlighted box is the area in which Johanna was last seen. The highlighted road is an area in which she worked as a prostitute and where she obtained drugs.)

Sergeant still had a period of four days where he was unable to account for her. He tried reaching out to her "friends," but many have remained tight-lipped. This has proved problematic since DNA was recovered from the body that is believed to belong to Johanna's murderer.

Anyone who saw Weaver in those for days has been asked repeatedly to contact police. Call the Indiana State Police at (317) 899-8577 or 1-(800) 582-8440 if you have any information regarding the murder or disappearance of Johanna Weaver. 

_____________________Sources___________________________

"Indiana Unsolved: Four Days a Mystery in Death of Troubled Mom Johanna Weaver." Diana Penner. Indy Star. January 17, 2014.  http://www.indystar.com/story/news/crime/2014/01/17/indiana-unsolved-four-days-a-mystery-in-death-of-troubled-mom-johanna-weaver/4582213/

"Indy Unsolved: Mother's Body Found Burnt Beneath 1-70 Overpass in 1996." Russ McQuad. Fox 59. October 24, 2016. http://fox59.com/2016/10/24/indy-unsolved-mothers-body-found-burnt-beneath-i-70-overpass-in-1996/

Maps via google maps.

IPS Cold Case Database.

Jane Doe 1982

On December 26, 1982, deer hunters in Wayne County were hiking through the woods. It was 32 degrees, perfect weather for deer hunting. While moving through the woods, they made a gruesome discovery. They had stumbled upon skeletal remains, which they immediately reported to authorities. An exact location where the body was found is unknown. The body was found approximately two miles north of I-70 and fifteen miles west of the Ohio/Indiana border. One source stated the body was found near Jacksonburg Road which runs through the highlighted area on the map provided above. 

Upon Further examination it was determined that the body was female. She was between the ages of 18 to 22. She was Caucasian and approximately five feet tall and five inches tall approximately.  Due to the state of decomposition of the body at the time it was discovered, it is believed that she had been dead for 12 to 18 months before discovery.

Officers were unable to identify her. She is still a Jane Doe. What officers do know is that she isn't any of the following women: Cynthia Anderson who disappeared in 1961, Denise Beaudin in 1958, Susan Capple in 1962, or Judy Martins in 1955. These women were ruled out by DNA testing and dental records. Her dental records indicate that she has a crown on the upper left molar and that the upper incisor protrudes 10 millimeters.

Due to the state in which Jane Doe was found, police were unable to take fingerprints or estimate her weight. Foul play is suspected.

Why do we call unidentified individuals Jane Doe, what is the origin? John Doe first showed up in English Common law. This would pop in cases of ejection, what we call eviction today. In order to evict a squatter from your land, another tenant who planned to occupy the land in question had to bring the suit against the squatter. So, landlords would come up with false tenants, they often named them John Doe or Richard Roe. There is no way to know where exactly they pulled the name from. It is thought that the name came from a common species of deer.

The Jane Doe found on December 26, was found with clothing and some belongings. There was a dark blue insulated jacket, a long sleeved shirt size 12, grey maternity pants size 8, wooden clog type shoes also size 8, and gold ring with an oval opal stone and two small diamonds on her right hand. For me, the maternity pants raise an important question, was Jane Doe expecting at the time of her murder? Was she killed because of her pregnancy?

Another interesting note is that the ring had an opal stone. Opal is the birthstone for the month of October. The ring still being on the remains upon discovery indicates that the murderer was not motivated by robbery.

The bust that appears at the beginning of this chapter is reconstruction of what Jane Doe might have looked like at the time of her disappearance. Police hoped that by creating this reconstruction, it would led to identifying Jane Doe.

Anyone with any information that could led to the identification of Jane Doe of 1982 is asked to call the Indiana State Police.

Indiana State Police
District Investigative Commander
9022 South SR 67
Pendleton, IN 46064
1-765-778-2121 or 1-800-527-4752

________________________SOURCES_______________________________

Indiana State Police Website. Jane Doe 1982. Case Number 41-1029.

Missing Persons Forum. http://www.crimewatchers.net/forum/index.php?threads/wayne-county-jane-doe-1982-wf-18-22-found-in-remote-woods-26-december-1982.6560/

Private Missing Person Database. Case File 491UFIN. http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/491ufin.html

Weather History for Indiana on December 26, 1982. https://www.wunderground.com/history/airport/KIND/1982/12/26/DailyHistory.html?req_city=&req_state=&req_statename=&reqdb.zip=&reqdb.magic=&reqdb.wmo=&MR=1

"Why Are Unidentified People Called John or Jane Doe?". Matt Soniak. Mental Floss. February 15, 2012. http://mentalfloss.com/article/29996/why-are-unidentified-people-called-john-or-jane-doe

Friend or Foe? Lauren Spierer

When choosing which college to attend, young adults have so many options. For some, they simply want out of their hometowns. Others want to go to the best schools for their majors. Or if they are like me, they want to go the school that will give them the biggest break on tuition.

Lauren Spierer was a beautiful, vivacious 20 year old who was a sophomore at Indiana University in 2011. I have no idea what made her choose Indiana University when she was an upstate New York native. Lauren was studying textile merchandising, a degree she was hoping to to use in the fast paced world of fashion. Jesse Wolff, Lauren's high school sweet-heart, was also attending I.U. Bloomington.  

As a resident of Indiana, I am very familiar with Indiana University in Bloomington. A big school with big pride. The school was founded in 1820 according to an article published by U.S. News and World Report. Due to the size of the school, it is no surprise that Bloomington is known as a party town.

At 4 foot 11 inches, Lauren was a slender coed and attractive with bright blue eyes and blonde hair. Lauren's parents were proud of her decision to continue her education and supported her in her move to Bloomington. Rob and Charlene have stated in numerous interviews that when they dropped their daughter off on freshman move in day that it seemed like exactly what college should be.

They had no idea that just a year later, their lives would forever change. On June 3, 2011, Lauren Spierer disappeared and has not been seen or heard from since.

THE NIGHT OF LAUREN'S DISAPPEARANCE

(A still taken from footage of the night Lauren Spierer's disappearance. Pictured Lauren Spierer.)

Lauren left her apartment at the Smallwood Apartment building at about 12:30 am. On the evening in question, she was wearing a white blouse and black leggings. She met up with friends to "pregame" before hitting a local bar. Lauren was caught on surveillance cameras leaving her apartment with her friend David Rohn.

After leaving her apartment Lauren and David met up with friends at Jay Rosenbaum's townhouse. Jay lived at the 5 North Townhomes not far from Lauren's apartment. At Jay's, Lauren met up with Corey Rossman and Mike Beth. Mike and Corey were room mates and lived only a couple doors down from Jay.

From my research, I understand that this is the first time Lauren has met Corey and Mike. In a relatively short amount of time, Lauren becomes comfortable with Corey. She and Corey leave Jay Rosenbaum's apartment at 1:30 am in order to walk to Kilroy's sports bar.

Kilroy's is now called Kilroy's Recess. The bar is the only 18 and over night club in Bloomington. The bar is only allowed to serve alcohol to patrons 21 and over. It is important to note that Lauren was only 20 at the time of her disappearance. It was likely that she had a fake I.D. and that the bar got sloppier with checking I.D.s with the later it was.

Corey and Lauren stayed at Kilroy's for approximately 45 minutes after arriving at 1:46 am. Just long enough for Lauren to take off her shoes and lose her phone. Upon leaving the bar, Corey and Lauren walk back to her apartment at Smallwood.

They enter the apartment building at 2:30 and exit the building at 2:42 am. During their time in the building, an altercation is caught on security footage on the fifth floor. The same floor that Lauren lived on. The footage shows Corey and Zach Oaks getting into a dispute. Zach ends up punching Corey. Corey later states that this punch causes him to be unable to remember anything from that night after being at Kilroy's sports bar.

Zach claims that altercation occurred when he voiced his concern over the way Corey was treating Lauren. It is important to note that Zach is one of Jesse Wolff's, Lauren's boyfriend, friends. Jesse did not go out with Lauren that night because he stayed home to watch game two of the NBA play offs.

For some reason, unknown to us Corey and Lauren decide to go back to his place instead of staying at her apartment. Between 2:48 and 2:51am security cameras catch footage of Corey and Lauren walking down an alley to his place. During this walk, it is said that Lauren fell multiple times and eventually Corey picked her up in a fireman's carry.

Upon arriving at his townhouse that he shared with Mike Beth, Corey puked while trying to go up the stairs to his room. According to Beth, Lauren was conscious, but visibly intoxicated. He put Corey to bed and returned to Lauren.

Deciding that he didn't know Lauren well enough to continue to babysit her when she wanted to leave, Mike Beth decided to take her back to Jay Rosenbaum's townhouse since Jay was their mutual friend and had known Lauren from high school.

At 4:30 Jay Rosenbaum states that he watched Lauren walk down the block still barefoot without her phone, her keys, or her I.D.. This was the last time she was ever seen.

(On the map provided above, the Blue Dot is 5 North Townhomes. The red dot is Smallwood Plaza. The purple dot is Kilroy's. The green dot is where Lauren was last seen.) 

THE INVESTIGATION

 Lauren was reported missing upon her boyfriend realizing that her phone had been left at the bar on June 3, 2011. On June 4, Lauren's parents Rob and Charlene arrive in Bloomington in hopes of finding Lauren.

Lauren had a heart condition called long QT Syndrome, without medication it could be fatal. So during the first days of the search for Lauren, her parents were desperate to find her so that she would have her medication that had been left at her apartment.

In the week immediately following Spierer's disappearance rewards are offered for her return. Jim Irsay, the owner of the colts, offered $10,000 for her safe return. Her parent's put up a reward of $100,000 for information leading to the return of their daughter. Since the beginning of the investigation, Bloomington Police have received over 3,500 tips regarding Lauren's disappearance. 

Soon after Lauren's disappearance, all of the men that had close interactions with Lauren obtained attorneys. Lauren's boyfriend, Jesse Wolff, helped search for Lauren for two days, then obtained legal counsel. It is important to keep in mind that getting an attorney is not supposed to be seen as a sign of guilt in the United State's justice system.

Many individuals that were with Lauren the night of her disappearance were uncooperative with the Bloomington Police. None of the men have submitted to polygraph tests by the department and refuse to give statements. All statements have been given via attorneys.

As the investigation into Lauren's disappearance went deeper. Police and Lauren's parents learned about her wild side. When searching Lauren's apartment police found cocaine. Lauren had also been picked up on a public intoxication charge in the past. During this time, Jesse Wolff's mother also claimed that Lauren had been thrown out of summer camp for drug possession. I was unable to find any proof of this allegation.

Bloomington have only released one other clip from the security camera footage from the night Lauren disappeared. Police released this photo of a truck that was seen driving around the block where Lauren was last seen by security cameras. This truck produced numerous leads, but was later written off by police. The owner of the truck came forward and was able to sufficiently explain why he was in the area. 

FORMAL STATEMENTS FROM PERSONS OF INTEREST

Jay Rosenbaum is the self proclaimed last person to see Lauren Spierer. His defense attorney is James Voyles. He has taken a privately administered polygraph that he passed, which has been provided to the Bloomington Police Department. He refuses to speak directly to Lauren's Parents.

Jesse Wolff, Lauren's long term boyfriend, is also considered a person of interest. I was unable to locate an official statement from him. His parents have given numerous statements. They claim that their son has completed a polygraph, but would not comply with Bloomington Police to take one. 

They claim that Bloomington department was not competent. His parents claim that Lauren's parents continue to spread lies about their son and the only reason she is dead is her own drug abuse.

Corey Rossman, the man that Lauren spent the most time with that evening, obtained an attorney shortly after her disappearance. The attorney, Carl Salzmann, issued a statement saying that Corey had no memory of the evening after leaving Kilroy's. In an interview two years after Lauren's disappearance, he claimed that Lauren's parents were harassing him and the other victims of the evening. He claims that he and Lauren's other friends were victims due to the trial in the media that they have faced. He states that he has cooperated to his best ability.

Mike Beth has only been discussed minimally in news following the immediate time surrounding Lauren's disappearance. He obtained an lawyer shortly after the search began.

THEORIES

Over the years many theories have come up and many have been written off.

One popular theory is that Lauren overdosed. Many witnesses have stated that Lauren had been doing illegal drugs that night. Pairing this with her heart condition it would be easy for her to have overdosed. An inmate gave a tip that his cell mate had gone to school with the men who were the last to see Lauren. The tipster claimed that they got scared when she overdosed and decided to dump her body in the Ohio River.

Another theory is that Lauren had been purchasing her illegal drugs from a motorcycle one percent gang called the Sons of Silence. It was believed that she could have been killed for a debt that she owed. I find this theory to be unlikely.

The random abduction theory is not seen as likely, but is still probable. Hannah Wilson's, a girl around Lauren's age who was found dead around the same time as Lauren's disappearance, mother believes there is a possibility that her daughter's killer, Daniel Messel, could be responsible for Lauren's disappearance. This theory has been largely written off due to the critical errors that were made by Daniel Messel in Hannah's murder.

LIFE WITHOUT LAUREN

In 2013, Rob and Charlene Spierer filed a lawsuit against the three men who were the last to see Lauren alive. Their attorney for the case stated that they didn't want to file the case, but were nearing a litigation deadline. The claim was that the men in question were aware that Lauren was intoxicated to a point in which she was unable to care for herself and they didn't practice due diligence in making sure she returned home. The case was moved to federal court since the defendants no longer resided in Indiana. Later, the case was thrown out by the judge.

Her parents don't believe that Lauren was the victim of a random abduction. Instead, they feel as if the last people who saw Lauren are refusing to give the police critical information that would lead to knowing what really happened to Lauren.

The same year that Rob and Charlene filed their lawsuit was the year that Lauren would have graduated from I.U.. Her parents did not attend commencement. Lauren was not left out of the ceremony. During speeches, speakers tried to renew the search for Lauren by reminding those in attendance of the search.

Rob and Charlene no longer believe that Lauren is alive. They have come to terms with the fact that they are searching for remains. Their only hope is that they will be able to give her a proper burial.

Every year on the anniversary of her disappearance Lauren's story gets another push in national news. It has been almost six and a half years since Lauren's disappearance.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Bloomington Police Department:

o 812-339-4477

__________________________Sources______________________________

Articles:

"Friend: Missing Indiana Student's Parents Harassing Him." Shawn Cohen. USA Today. May 23, 2013. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/05/23/missing-indiana-student-parents-harassment/2356267/

"Kilroy's Social Media Post Draws Ire." WFBH. http://wfhb.org/news/kilroys-social-media-posts-draw-ire/

"Last Person to Admit Having Seen Lauren Lauren Spierer Passed Polygraph, Attorney Says." Fox News. June 28, 2011. http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/06/28/last-person-to-admit-having-seen-lauren-spierer-passed-polygraph-test-attorney.html

"Lauren Spierer's Parents Sue 3 Men Who Were Last to See Missing 20-Year-Old." The Associated Press. June 28, 2013. http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/lauren-spierer-parents-sue-3-men-missing-20-year-old-article-1.1384992

"Lauren Spierer: Timeline of her Last Known Hours." Staff Reports. Indy Star. January 29, 2016. http://www.indystar.com/story/news/2016/01/29/lauren-spierer-timeline/79520224/

"Missing Student's Beau's Parents Fume at Cops, Media." Shawn Cohen. USA Today. June 2, 2013. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/06/02/missing-student-boyfriend-family-fume/2382909/

"Mothers of Hannah Wilson, Lauren Spierer Believe Convicted Killer Could Be Tied to More Cases." Downing, Kendall. Fox 59 News. October 28, 2016. http://fox59.com/2016/10/28/mothers-of-hannah-wilson-lauren-spierer-believe-convicted-killer-could-be-tied-to-more-cases/

"Parents Share What Life Without Lauren Spierer Is Like in National Magazine." Fox 59 News. January 10, 2013. http://fox59.com/2013/01/10/parents-share-what-life-without-lauren-spierer-is-like-in-national-magazine/

"Six Years Later: Family of Missing I.U. Student Lauren Spierer Still Searching for Answers." Cox, Katie. RTV 6 ABC. June 2, 2017. http://www.theindychannel.com/news/local-news/six-years-later-family-of-missing-iu-student-lauren-spierer-still-searching-for-answers

"Timeline: The Search for Lauren Spierer." The Indy Star. January 29, 2016. http://www.indystar.com/story/news/crime/2016/01/29/timeline-search-lauren-spierer/79524004/

"5 Years After She Vanished, New Hope in Lauren Spierer Case." Epstein, Brian. Ross, Brian. ABC News. June 24, 2016. abcnews.go.com/US/lauren-spierer-case-years-vanished-hope/story?id=40084230

"6 Years After Lauren Spierer's Disappearance, Family and Bloomington Residents Still Seek Justice." Bondus, Brian. Fox 59 News. June 4, 2017. http://fox59.com/2017/06/03/six-years-after-lauren-spierers-disappearance-family-and-bloomington-residents-still-seek-justice/

Podcasts: 

True Crime Garage. Lauren Spierer Part 1 and 2. truecrimegarage.podbean.com/mobile/e/lauren-spierer-part-1-91/

Tiegrabber. Looking for Lauren: The Haunting Disappearance of College Student Lauren Spierer. tiegrabber.com/index.php/2016/07/04/looking-for-lauren-the-haunting-disappearance-of-college-student-lauren-spierer/

Thinking Sideways Podcast. The Disappearance of Lauren Spierer. thinkingsidewayspodcast.com/the-disappearance-of-lauren-spierer/

Websites:

Family run website: findlauren.com

Shades of Yellow

William Montgomery was a 53 year old father of two, husband, and son. The blue collar taxi driver, providing for his family was from Louisville. Sadly, he was murdered on July 7, 1989. His body was found along the side of a rural road in Southern Indiana. He had been shot. Officers have never commented on the number of gunshot wounds the victim received. 

The taxi belonging to Mr. Montgomery was located abandoned about a mile away from the crime scene a day after his body had been found. Near U.S. 150 along McCracken Road, the taxi belonging to the victim was found. McCracken Road is highlighted on the map below. 

Prior to the discovery of his body, Mr. Montgomery had been working. His last call was to pick up a passenger from a bar in Louisville. The bar was located a Brook street and Burnnett avenue. He never arrived to pick up his fair. Instead, he was last seen in Southern Indiana with two males believed to be between the ages of 18 and 25. U.S. 150 runs through Louisville right to the area in which the taxi and the body were found. Police were notified that a black and gray primered 1980's Monte Carlo had been stolen near where the victim had been found. Officers believed that the car was probably related to the murder in some way. 

The black Monte Carlo was later recovered at the Youngstown shopping center. The shopping center was located in Jeffersonville, Indiana. Items that were found in the Monte Carlo and the taxi were sent out for DNA testing in 2009.Crime Stoppers of Kentucky offered a reward in 2009 of $1,000 for anyone who gave information that led to the arrest and conviction of anyone tied to Mr. Montgomery's murder.

Anyone with information related to this case is urged to contact the Indiana State Police.

Indiana State Police
District Investigative Commander
8014 Highway 311
Sellersburg, IN 47172
1-812-246-5424 or 1-800-872-6743

----------------------Sources--------------------------------------------------------------

"IPS feels close to solving 1989 murder." News and Tribune. Stephanie Mojica. February 9, 2009. http://www.newsandtribune.com/news/local_news/isp-feels-close-to-solving-murder/article_0a18d7f5-6c02-5c98-a152-4a208a9ec52a.html

"William Montgomery." Indiana State Police. 2017. http://www.in.gov/isp/2608.htm

Google maps has produced all maps used in this series of write ups. 

Anyone case request should be sent to StudyofIndianaColdCases@gmail.com

Eighteen and Gone

As a senior in high school, you have your entire adult life to look forward to. Throw in being beautiful and a talented athlete, then you have a recipe for success by many people's standards. Denise Pflum was 18, athletic and a senior at Connersville High School in Indiana.

Like most high school kids, it was not unusual for her to attend a party. The night prior to her disappearance, Denise had attended a party. When she got up the morning of March 28, 1986, she realized that she had misplaced her purse. She believed that she had left the purse at the house where the party had occurred the night before.

Denise got dressed that morning. She wore a medium red Montley Crue t-shirt. Her pants were size 11 stripped blue jeans, which she paired with white shoes. Instead of glasses, she wore contacts. She also wore her class ring, which was gold with a red stone in the setting.

Denise's family home was located in Everton. Before she left the house that morning, Denise told her parents that she would be going to get her purse from the house the party had been at. This was the last confirmed sighting of Denise.

The next time Denise's car was seen was by a farmer in Glenwood. He saw the car, but did not immediately report it because he thought the vehicle belonged to mushroom hunters. When the vehicle, a cream-colored, 2 door 1981 Buick Regal was still there parked near the edge of the road, the farmer contacted authorities. 

When the vehicle was processed, officers found no evidence of foul play. The car was locked and there was no sign of Denise. An air and K-9 ground search revealed no trace of her either. The vehicle was registered to her parents.

A girl came forward shortly after Denise's disappearance and stated that she had seen her in the Fashion Bug Store at the Connersville Plaza. Denise's mother believes that this witness was mistaken because the description of the clothing that was given did not match what Denise had put on that morning.

DNA and dental records have been submitted to numerous databases. DNA came from a baby tooth that Denise's mother had held on to. The DNA was not submitted until 2007, but upon the submission it produced no leads.

Numerous theorizes are circulating around the internet. Anything from alien abduction to falling victim to a traveling serial killer. Police refuse to release any information including suspects, details on evidence, or leads that are being followed. The case is considered to be very active.

Tips should be called in to the Indiana State Police Detective Scott Jarvis at (765)778-2121.

_______________________Sources___________________________________________________

http://www.indystar.com/story/news/crime/2014/03/01/indiana-missing-rumors-abound-but-no-leads-in-connersville-teens-disappearance/5831791/

http://www.rushvillerepublican.com/news/local_news/years-later-pflum-case-still-unsolved/article_d625c060-fa5a-57df-8d27-4814441f5ad9.html

https://www.findthemissing.org/en/cases/10555

http://www.newsexaminer.com/news/local/decades-old-disappearance-back-in-public-eye/article_1c6f822e-0c4c-5278-9be5-a5ad7120829a.html

www.charleyproject.org/cases/p/pflum_denise.html

Murder in the Cemetery

Author's Note: This case will be short, which happens to break my heart. I struggled to find information on this case anywhere online. There was speculation on forums, but that will not be included as it seems inappropriate.

Wilma Cheek was a Sunday school teacher, a mother to three children, and a wife. Those that went to church with her still pour out their grief on forums and social media. She was humble and caring. 

On October 30, 1995, Wilma was last seen by her family at her home in Williamsburg. The next time 

 Wilma was seen, she was slumped over the steering wheel of her 1989 gray Pontiac. Her car was found at the back of the William Grove Cemetery near Fountain City, Indiana. Fountain city is on the southwest edge of Wayne County. 

A caretaker of the cemetery had noticed the car and upon further inspection found Wilma unresponsive. Police were called to the scene at 12:30 pm. The cemetery is not far from Wilma's home, approximately 8 minutes. This is not going off the exact location of the home, but merely the town of Williamsburg and the cemetery.

 

An autopsy revealed at Wilma had been shot inside her vehicle. Her time of death was between 10:30 and 11:15 in the morning. Officers also revealed that an undisclosed amount of money was missing from the vehicle. The money has never been located. 

Anyone with any information is asked to call the Indiana State Police at765-778-212. Tips can be made and kept anonymous. Tips can be emailed to coldcases41 (at) is.in.gov

When working on this piece, I ran across numerous forums filled with people claiming to be relatives. These forums are full of speculations that have no proof in the police backed information. They speculate from fraud to drug use.

------------------------Sources--------------------------------------------------

Case Overview. Indiana State Police. http://www.in.gov/isp/2923.htm

"State Police Seek Help in 20-year Old Murder Case." Fox 59. Jim Scott. October 25, 2015. http://fox59.com/2015/10/25/state-police-seek-help-in-20-year-old-cold-case-murder/

"Who Killed Wilma Cheek?" WBIW 1340 AM. October 26, 2015. http://www.wbiw.com/state/archive/2015/10/who-killed-wilma-cheek.php

The Dunes State Park Three

This is a missing persons case.

Ann Miller: 21 years old, owner of a 1955 Buick.

Patricia Blough: 19 years old

Renee Bruhl: 19 years old, married.

The three women, Renee Bruhl, Patricia (Patty) Blough, and Ann Miller, lived the Chicago area before their disappearance. The women had bonded over their shared love of horses, according to one source. Blough and Miller had met at Tri Color Stables, in Palatine, Illinois,  where their horses were boarded. Both had complained about their "horse people" at the stable in the past. Bruhl was a classmate of Blough's and the girls just fell in together. The friendship blossomed naturally with the girls being so close in age.

Like most women their age, the trio decided to take a mini-trip for some fun in the sun. Their destination was the beach at Indiana Dunes State Park. The Park consist of over 2,000 acres of land that remains primitive. Three miles of beautiful beach lines the south shore of lake Michigan within the park. The beauty has been drawing people in since 1925 when the property became a state park.

On July 2, 1966, the women left for the beach. Blough was picked up from her house by Miller in her 1955 Buick. From there, the women stopped at a local drugstore for sun tan lotion. Once they had purchased the lotion, the women left for the State Park.

It is believed that on this particular day more than 9,000 people dotted the shore line. People came from all over in hopes of soaking up the sun on the holiday weekend. Witnesses at the beach that day confirmed seeing the women on the beach. According to the witnesses, Patty Blough was wearing a yellow bikini with ruffles. Ann Miller was wearing a two piece bathing suit with a red belt. Meanwhile, Renee Bruhl wore a brown swimsuit with green flowers and gold details.

One couple on the beach that day had taken a notice to the girls. This was because the girls placed their belongings close to the couple. At approximately noon that day, the couple watched the girls leave their stuff and wonder into the water. The couple thought that this was odd considering how busy the beach was that day.

Before long, the couple noticed that a boat with a young, tan, dark-haired man approached the girls. He appeared to be in his early twenties. The man helped the girls into the boat that then went out on the lake. While the couple lounged on the beach and enjoyed their day, they waited for the girls to return for their belongings.

As it started getting dark the couple began to worry about the young women's safety. The couple found a park ranger and expressed their concerns and informed him that they didn't just want to leave the belongings on beach to be stolen. The ranger picked up the girls' belongings and packed them away for safe keeping until the girls would return. It didn't seem to be uncommon for people to leave belongings on the beach especially during a holiday party weekend.

The belongings left behind varied between the three women. Renee left her beach towel, shorts, shirt, sun tan lotion, and purse, which contained cigarettes and $55 in checks. She also left a note in her purse that was addressed to her husband claiming that she wanted a divorce because she was upset that he valued time building cars with his buddies over time with her. Her parents later said that the note to Buhl's husband had probably been written in a moment of anger and then left in her purse to be forgotten. Miller left behind denim shorts, a polo shirt, a thermos, shoes, a comb, and a white bathing cap. Finally, Blough left her yellow robe, sunglasses, a transistor radio, a towel, and her wallet containing $5.

Only 18 hours after the women's belongings had been collected by the ranger did the park Superintendent, Bill Svetic, received a call regarding the missing women. Patty Blough's father called because he was very concerned that his daughter hadn't returned as planned. Due to the women's ages, Mr. Svetic wrote  off the father's concern. He said that it was likely the women had probably just found some other young people to party with and would return after a couple days.

The Superintendent checked the belongings that the park ranger had brought in and confirmed that they belonged to the missing women. While this was concerning, it didn't warrant a full blown search in his eyes. An investigation didn't begin immediately.

It is unclear at which point authorities decided to treat this case with importance. Search teams were sent out July 4, 1966. The same day that the first reporter arrived. Scuba teams, people on foot, and people on horses all searched for signs of the girls. The searches looked along the 45 miles of coast with help from the coast guard. Miller's Buick was found in the parking lot. The search was extend on July 5th and more resources were used in hopes of locating the women. No indication of the women's location was ever found.

Eventually, authorities asked the public for any information regarding the women. If an individual was at the park that day, it was requested at they take the time to call in. This led to a man turning over some home video footage that he shot of his kids on the beach. In the background, the women in question were seen boarding the boat that the couple described.

The video showed two boats of suspicious nature that authorities took an interest in. The first was believed to be between 16 and 18 feet long. The second was a cabin cruiser that was 26 to 28 feet long with three men and three women on board. The searched was narrowed to these two vessels that were never located. Wreckage washed up on shore after the women's disappearances, but it didn't match the boats that the authorities were looking for.

Dick Wylie, was a reporter at the time, became an expert on the case. He became close to the Blough family. He made a promise to Patty's father to not let the case go until it was solved. The case has been heavy on his heart since July 4, 1966, which was his first day working it. Wylie has given numerous interviews over the years and at point had written a book about the disappearances in hopes of getting it published. He claims to have exhausted all leads, but one.

One of the first leads that he looked into was that the women were taken into a slave ring or kidnapped. This theory didn't stick over the years only one theory has stuck.

Abortion. That the time, in Indiana and Illinois, abortion was illegal. It is theorized that Miller and Blough might have been pregnant. Both women were believed to have been dating married men at the time of their disappearances. It would've been impossible for the women to carry to term and receive support from the fathers.

It was believed that the women were going to obtain an abortion from some backdoor abortion doctors, Frank and Helen Largo. Many women from Chicago would visit the Largo's house in Gary, Indiana in order to receive illegal abortions.  Wylie theorized that the women had hopped into the boat with the young man, who was probably the nephew of the Largos, to go to a house boat somewhere on the lake to obtain abortions. Theory goes that one of the procedures went wrong and one of the women passed due to complications. The other two women would have to be killed because they were witnesses.

The there is proof that the Largo's nephew was at the park on July 2, 1966, but so were 9,000 other people. Ralph Largo Jr., matches the description of the individual that was driving the boat that the women had left on. The theory seems a little far fetched, but it really is all that the reporter and police have to go on. Some of Miller's other friends claimed that shortly before he disappearance she had talked about entering a home for unwed mothers.

The stable where Blough and Miller boarded their horses is also an area of suspicion. Tri Color Stables had some shady interactions of the years. George the owner and his brother Silas often had explosive arguments. A year prior to the women's disappearance, another woman died at the stable when she went out to move George's car. A car bomb exploded the vehicle. It was believed that it was possible that the women had witnessed something incriminating and had to be done away with.

Silas, the stable owner's brother, once claimed that he had buried three bodies on his old property. A sheriff took the statement at face value. He had planned to search the property, but an accident occurred. The sheriff was killed in a farm equipment accident. Whoever took over the position, dropped the lead.

Hope briefly glimmered in 1975, when three bodies were found in the dunes of the park. The remains were found to be Native American remains. Over the years there have been many claimed sightings of the women, but nothing confirmed or concrete.

Anyone with information regarding this missing persons case is asked to call the Indiana State Police. They can be reached at (219)696-6242.

--------------------Sources--------------------------------------------------

Ann Miller. The Charley Project. Missing Person Profile. http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/m/miller_ann.html

"BRUHL, BLOUGH, MILLER: Dunes Disappearance Remains Unsolved 43 Years Later." Northwest Indiana Times. Susan Erler. http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/bruhl-blough-miller-dunes-disappearance-remains-unsolved-years-later/article_3df371d6-0ba6-5611-bfa6-9af13f00f34c.html

"Cold Case Remains Mystery." Anderson Herald Bulletin. https://newspaperarchive.com/anderson-herald-bulletin-aug-18-2002-p-4/

Patricia Blough. The Charley Project. Missing Person Profile. http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/b/blough_patricia.html

Renee Bruhl. The Charley Project. Missing Person Profile. http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/b/bruhl_renee.html

"Three Young Women Took a Boat Ride on Lake Michigan in 1966 and Were Never Seen Again." The Daily News. David J. Krajicek. December 9, 2012. http://www.nydailynews.com/news/justice-story/3-girls-beach-found-article-1.1216303

Originally published on Wattpad.com