Virginia Lynne Uden went missing with her two sons, last seen on September 12th, 1980. Her case details, according to NamUs, are as follows:
Case Details of Virginia Lynne Uden’s Disappearance
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Age | 32 years old |
| Race/Gender | Caucasian female |
| Height/Weight | 5'6" and 170lbs |
| Hair/Eyes | Brown hair, brown eyes |
| Distinguishing Mark | Birthmark on the left lower eyelid |
| Last Location | Riverton, Wyoming |
| Vehicle Evidence | Vehicle located with blood in the back seat, thought to belong to one of her sons but this may have been presumptuous. |
| Missing With | Richard and Reagan Uden are also missing |
| Possible Destination | May have been traveling to the boy's adoptive father's residence |
The news did cover this disappearance. Her vehicle was a station wagon, and it was found in Shoshone National Forest. As per the article below, foul play is suspected in this case.
Virginia's mother offered a $1000 reward for information. Below is an article about that, while the actual advertisement is further below.
Conviction and Ongoing Questions: Virginia Lynne Uden's Disappearance
There is a conviction in this case. The adoptive father, Gerald Uden, confessed in 2013 to killing them. He was convicted and sentenced to life in prison, where he remains incarcerated at the Wyoming Medium Correctional Institution as of April 2025, at around 83 years old.
He has since at least partly recanted and shifted at least some of the blame to his wife, Alice Uden, who herself was convicted in a separate murder case and died in prison in 2023. This is a case where it’s evident that they were murdered, though questions linger due to Gerald’s shifting story. Their location is still unknown.
While Gerald’s confession provides some answers, the absence of Virginia and her sons’ remains leaves a piece of this tragedy unresolved, though the core truth of their fate feels less mysterious today.
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