Timeline: Wilbur Wade Atcherley’s Life and Criminal History

Timeline: Wilbur Wade Atcherley’s Life and Criminal History

Convicted Murderer: Wilbur Wade Atcherley

DOB: Based on his listed ages in newspaper reports, he appears to be born sometime between July 19, 1959, and May 24, 1960.

I came across the life and times of Wilbur Wade Atcherley while researching the case of missing person Sylvia Ann Lee. Atcherley admitted to abducting her and murdering her in 1995. With other abductions in his criminal history, I decided that I would track his whereabouts to have a look at missing people in the areas that he lived. This page will be a work in progress.

Disclaimer: efforts will be made to ensure that I am not dealing with two or more individuals with the same name but it can be hard to authenticate that for certain.

Potential Addresses: Ancestry Research

Someone's historical addresses can show up on Ancestry. Honestly, when I look at addresses for someone, it's difficult to know exactly why an address shows up associated with someone's name. Are the addresses generated by bills, mail, employment, or other records?

Whatever the case, I decided to list all the addresses that were associated with Atcherley at Ancestry except for one from 2008. He was incarcerated at that time. He was frequently called a "Morgan Hill man" in newspaper media, adding credibility to that address. But all the addresses below are just food for thought.

Address	City	State	Postal Code	Years
2712 Plummer Ave	San Jose	CA	95125	1988-2008
1505 Placer Ave	Modesto	CA	95358-5937	1992-2008
2327 Chester Ln	Bakersfield	CA	93304-1987	1993
3106 Capewood Ln	San Jose	CA	95132-1210	1993
360 N 5th St	San Jose	CA	95112-5258	1996
16935 Del Monte Ave Apt 174 Incarcerated in 1999.	Morgan Hill	CA	95037	1999-2005

Ancestry Addresses.

• January 18, 1961: Same-name match in Ancestry. Possibly born in Rockfish, Cumberland, North Carolina, to Samuel L. Atcherley Jr. (unconfirmed; public records list this date and father, but others suggest January or September 1960). But my calculated birthdate range for Atcherley does not include this date, so it might be a different person by the same name (July 19, 1959, and May 24, 1960).

Possibly not the same Wilbur Wade Atcherley.

• June 28th, 1978 at 10:20pm: Allegedly robbed someone on North Spring Street, Susanville, California. Arrested just after midnight (so early June 29th, 1978) outside the city limits. He had a vehicle and was called transient. He was also called 18 years old in a June 30th, 1978 publication (Lassen Advocate). That would create a birthdate range of July 1st, 1959 to June 30th, 1960.

• July 7th, 1978 at 9AM: Was scheduled for court alongside David Michael Blake in Susanville, California, which is inland and close to Nevada (scheduled only, date may have changed)
• BIG GAP
• January 7, 1981: May have married in San Diego, CA .
• BIG GAP: I think he was probably in San Diego during this time.
• January 15th, 1984: He is likely in the San Diego, California area.

Chula Vista Star News. January 15th, 1984.

• August 17th/18th, 1984: Is described as having a San Diego apartment. Alleged to have beaten and raped an 18-year old there.
• August 20th, 1984: Arrested in the San Diego area.
• August 26th, 1984: San Diego area, attempted or did kidnap a woman and her daughter; name is listed as Wilbur "Lance" Atcherley but Lance is in quotes for an unclear reason.

Chula Vista Star-News. August 30th, 1984.

• Early September 1984: Appears in court in the San Diego area on sex charges. Nickname "Lance" associated with him. Numerous crimes are alleged against him at this point, including kidnapping a male, a woman and her daughter, and a former girlfriend.

September 9th, 1984. Chula-Vista Star News.

• BIG GAP: Possibly in prison during this time from charges stemming from the 1984 actions.
• October 31, 1995 (Tuesday): Visits Campbell Police Department to register as a sex offender (CBS San Francisco). Later that day, abducts, sexually assaults, and murders 17-year-old Sylvia Ann Lee in New Almaden, dumping her body in a creek, possibly Alamitos Creek. Called a new resident of Campbell, in the San Jose area, as of this date.
• May 23rd, 1999: Arrested in Phoenix, Arizona area. Called 39 years old in May 24th, 1999 edition of the San Francisco Chronicle. That would make his birthdate range May 25th, 1959 to May 24th, 1960. Also associated with the Gilroy area at this time.

• July 16th, 1999: Returned to Santa Clara County but in custody. I don't think he is out of custody again after this point. Described as 39 years old in July 18th, 1999 edition of the San Francisco Chronicle.
• October 31, 2000 (Tuesday): From prison, contacts authorities on the fifth anniversary of Sylvia Lee’s disappearance; confesses to her murder, providing details only the killer would know.
• 2000: Convicted of possessing a weapon in prison; additional 25 years added to sentence (total now 61 years to life).
• 2008: Possibly resided in Evans, Colorado (4321 Wapiti Way, 80620), based on public records (unconfirmed; conflicts with incarceration).
• 2011: Pleads guilty to Sylvia Lee’s murder; sentenced to additional 15 years to life (total: 76 years to life). Leads police to disposal site in Alamitos Creek, New Almaden, but no remains found (Patch.com).
• 2025 (Ongoing): Incarcerated at Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility, San Diego, CA (CDCR #P97813) (InmateAid).

Sources: CBS San Francisco, Patch.com, InmateAid, and public records from Ancestry.com.
For case details, visit NamUs #MP4574.

Almedia Carolyn Melcher - Missing from Louisville Since 1964

Paraphrased details from government source**: Almedia Carolyn Melcher disappeared in late 1963/early 1964 shortly after beginning to reconcile with her oldest daughter. A.C. Melcher's last known contact was a call to tell her daughter she was engaged. No one has heard from Almedia since. There was a rumor that she took off with a truck driver.

Missing Person: Almedia Carolyn Melcher

Last-contact date: January 1st, 1964 (this may be a placeholder date, meaning the exact date of disappearance is not known but NamUs needed to enter some data in the empty field)
The area where the MP was last seen: Louisville, Kentucky
Link to government source: NamUs MP#87281

VITAL DETAILS

Ethnicity: Caucasian
Sex: Female
Age at time of disappearance: 43 years old
Birthdate: Almedia Carolyn Melcher was born between January 2nd, 1920, and January 1st, 1921 based on her reported age at the last date of reported contact. However, I wondered if she might have been born in 1922.
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Unknown
Scar: Unknown
Height/weight: 5-foot-8 and 125-130 pounds
BMI*: Almedia Carolyn Melcher was in the normal range for BMI.
Tattoos: Almedia Carolyn Melcher did not have any tattoos associated with her profiles.

Almedia Carolyn Melcher was last heard from in late 1963 or early 1964 when she was exactly or close to 43 years of age. This individual has now been missing for about 57 years as of the original publication date of this blog post.

This wasn't a missing person's case where it was easy to find information. I did not find any news reports of her disappearance. Furthermore, it does not seem as though she disappeared under circumstances that were inherently suspicious.

What I did find was a profile at Ancestry for an individual named Almedia Carolyn Flood. I wondered if this was the missing person's maiden name. However, I could not authenticate AC Flood and NamUs MP#87281 as being the same person.

But there were reasons to believe that they were the same person. Flood had a Louisville address associated with her profile as of 1956. NamUs MP#87281 went missing from Lousiville in later years.

Furthermore, it is stated in Flood's ancestry profile that Vernon Melcher, her husband, died in 1976.  If Flood is NamUs#87281 then the divorce (see the newspaper clipping below) might have been in absentia. The marriage between Almedia Carolyn Flood and Vernon Melcher would have created a name change that matches our missing person, Almedia Carolyn Melcher, if normal conventions were followed. 

Additionally, the individual in the Ancestry profile's pictures resembles the missing person but this is a matter of opinion. Furthermore, Almedia Carolyn Flood had the following information entered for date of death: 

"Death

??? • ????"

An unknown date of death is what you would expect for a missing person. I do think that the Ancestry profile for Almedia Carolyn Flood was for the same person as NamUs #87281 but I am still seeking to authenticate this. I reached out to the person in charge of the Ancestry profile on that matter.

NamUs #MP87281 24 Jan 1969, Fri The Courier-Journal (Louisville, Kentucky) Newspapers.com

Yet, the NamUs description, in some ways, is not really consistent with the two profiles being of the same person. There's some marriage-date mismatching information and the year of birth would be off by one year. Perhaps, if I get an affirmative answer more work could be done on this matter.

Author: S.K. Lambert (Blogger Hobbyist and Freelance Writer)

All articles are subject to editing after the original posting.

S.K. Lambert (Blogger Hobbyist and Freelance Writer) is not a Private Investigator, however, he is currently studying to be one as of April 2021.

If you like this blog, then you can join the affiliated Facebook group: MPC Facebook Group

Website hashtag: #MPCSL

*For BMI values, I use the UPPER or HIGHER ranges that are given for height and weight.
**Might not be the exact meaning that NamUs or Canada's Missing conveys. I improve upon their descriptions with my research.
Disclaimer: Whenever possible, government sources are preferred for getting the details of a missing persons case. However, any source that the article writer deems reputable may be used.

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Celeste Hensley Greub -- Missing Since 1976 From Wyoming

Details from NamUs**: 

"Celeste went missing in the year 1976. She went hiking in the Big Horns with a group of people. She elected to take a break near the trailhead and when the group came back, she was gone."

Missing Person: Celeste Hensley Greub

Last-contact date: August 10th, 1976 before 5pm

22 Aug 1976, Sun Casper Star-Tribune (Casper, Wyoming) Newspapers.com

The area where the MP was last seen: Kaycee, Wyoming in the Cloud Peak Primitive Area of the Big Horn Mountains

Link to government source: NamUs MP 

VITAL DETAILS

Ethnicity: Caucasian
Sex: Female
Age at time of disappearance: 20 years old
Birthdate: December 3rd, 1955 (I think)
Hair: Not known
Eyes: Not known
Scar: No scars known
Height/weight: 5'2" and weighs 115-120 pounds
Tattoos: Celeste Hensley did not have any tattoos associated with her profiles.

Case Form C:

(1) Missing Person Went Hiking With a Group

(2) Missing Person Separated From Group

The NamUs profile, at the time of writing, was not complete for Celeste Hensley. It was missing the date of the disappearance and her body dimensions. For the record, the missing person was 5'2" and 115 to 120 pounds and I think she went missing on August 10th, 1976. The earliest journalism I found covering this case was from Tuesday, August 17th, 1976 and it said that she went missing the previous Tuesday.

17 Aug 1976, Tue Casper Star-Tribune (Casper, Wyoming) Newspapers.com

This individual has now been missing for about 45 years as of the original publication date of this blog post. If you are researching this individual's background, then she was described as being "of Casper" in many news articles so focus on Casper, Wyoming. On Ancestry, I think she is Wyma Celeste Hensley born on December 3rd, 1955 in Montana.

What stands out with this case, at least at first glance, is that she was having marital problems at the time of her disappearance. However, I had trouble picturing her husband disappearing her given the remote location that she went missing in.

She was a part of a trio of female backpackers: two went to climb a peak while Celeste elected to rest. When the two peak-climbers returned to collect Celeste, they found that she was gone. I don't think the husband could go into the backcountry and lay in wait for her because it seemed that her decision to separate from the group was a random thing at a hard-to-predict location. There was an insinuation in some media coverage that she might have wanted to disappear because she was described as "distraught."

One interesting point that I read in the journalism was that the search area was very challenging. One searcher said there were canyons or drop-offs near where she went missing that you could drop cars into.

19 Aug 1976, Thu Casper Star-Tribune (Casper, Wyoming) Newspapers.com

This case had some similarities to another case I did research on in the past. Despite occurring 42 years earlier, the case of Olga Mauer has a lot in common with the case of Celeste Hensley Greub. Both Mauer and Hensley-Greub disappeared under similar circumstances.

• Reportedly, both women were in the backcountry and voluntarily separated from their companion(s)
• When the companion(s) returned, they found the woman was not where they expected her
• Enormous searches were conducted
• Neither Mauer nor Greub has been heard from or seen since
• Coincidentally, both of the disappearances were in the state of Wyoming

My opinion on both cases is the same. Mauer and Grueb probably each got bored of waiting and decided to try and venture back alone. Some kind of mishap happened during this time. The route into the backcountry doesn't look the same when it's played in reverse so getting lost in the forest is a possibility. Additionally, there are wild animals out there. As always, suicide and abduction can't be discounted.

When it comes to finding Greub, it should be noted that a huge search effort was funded by the family. However, there were areas that were not deemed searchable. Jane Does found in the Big Horn Mountains near Buffalo, Wyoming might be Greub but all Websleuths have to compare with at this point is a height of 5'2". 

Please, take a moment to share this blog post on social media using hashtags relevant to the missing person's area. Also, please include the website hashtag #MPCSL.

Author: Shane Lambert

All articles are subject to editing after the original posting.

Shane Lambert is not a Private Investigator, however, he is currently studying to be one as of March 2021.

If you like this blog, then you can join the affiliated Facebook group: MPC Facebook Group

Website hashtag: #MPCSL

*For BMI values, I use the UPPER or HIGHER ranges that are given for height and weight.
**Text might be paraphrased. If taken verbatim, then grammar or spelling errors are not necessarily corrected from original sources.
Disclaimer: Whenever possible, government sources are preferred for getting the details of a missing persons case. However, any source that the article writer deems reputable may be used.

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Mattie Lou Zabel -- Missing From Cedar Falls, Iowa Since 1978

Details from NamUs**: 

"Mattie worked as a teacher's aide at River Hills School in Cedar Falls, Iowa. She was reported missing to the Cedar Falls Police Department on March 21, 1978. She left a frozen chicken thawing in the kitchen sink for dinner. No clothing was taken and she would not have had the assets to walk away. The day after she went missing, one of her sons found her car at Black Hawk Park in Cedar Falls. The vehicle was found locked with Zabel’s purse inside. An extensive search by Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Deputies, search dogs, divers and a National Guard helicopter turned up no trace of Mattie."

 
Popular Tag: "Car Found Person Missing" is a popular tag for this site. It describes a missing person who either owned or was using a vehicle at the time of his/her disappearance. The vehicle is found but the person is not. Click the hashtag at the bottom of this blog post to see just how many times this pattern is present in missing person cases.

 

Missing Person: Mattie Lou Zabel

Alias: Her maiden name might have been Garner.
Last-contact date: March 21st, 1978 at about 130pm
The area where the MP was last seen: Black Hawk Park in Cedar Falls, Iowa
Link to government source: NamUs MP 

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VITAL DETAILS

Ethnicity: White/Caucasian
Sex: Female
Age at time of disappearance: 45 years old
Birthdate: March 7th, 1933
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Brown
Scar: None listed
Height/weight: 5'2" and 118 pounds
BMI*: Mattie Lou Zabel was in the normal range for BMI.
Tattoos: Mattie Lou Zabel did not have any tattoos associated with her profiles. If you know that the missing person did have tattoos, then please post a remark at the end of this blog post on the matter.

Mattie Lou Zabel, a missing person, was last heard from on March 21st, 1978 when she was 45 years old. This individual has now been missing for about 43 years as of the original publication date of this blog post. 

I did find that this person had some information available at Ancestry. Her information there takes for granted that she died at about the time of her disappearance.

One detail that I think is missing from a lot of the online profiles for this individual is that she was seen at the park where her car was found. The way the NamUs description reads, we're to believe that the frozen chicken thawing in the sink (it was on the counter according to the husband) was the last evidence that was seen of her. However, the park staff saw her at the park. Furthermore, footprints that were presumed to be of the missing woman were found near the river.

Thu, Mar 23, 1978 – 3 · The Courier (Waterloo, Iowa) · Newspapers.com

What would have been interesting in this case if they found footprints leading away from the river or a second set of footprints near hers. But in early journalism after the disappearance, there was no indication of foul play. 

The river around where the footprints were found was searched many times by divers. About four months after she disappeared, someone spotted a body in the same river downstream in a town called Gilbertville. The sheriff of Cedar Falls wondered if it was that of the missing woman. The person who saw this body claimed that it had long hair and a green shirt. I did not find any follow-up journalism on this lead until 1992 when there was a suggestion that it was someone else. It seems that a description of what the missing person was wearing as per the park staff would have helped.

Wed, Jun 7, 1978 – 5 · The Courier (Waterloo, Iowa) · Newspapers.com

In addition to the NamUs description at the start, according to her case summary at Iowa Cold Cases all of the following are true:

• she had a husband and three children
• "Police hypothesized that Zabel either fell into the swift and swollen Cedar River while taking a walk or committed suicide"
• This missing person was known to struggle with depression but was thought to be improving
• Her credit cards were not used in the years after her disappearance and she was declared dead in absentia seven years later

If these kinds of mysteries intrigue you, then you can find more like them at Websleuths.com.

Author: Shane Lambert, (Freelance Writer)

All articles are subject to editing after the original posting.

Shane Lambert, (Freelance Writer) is not a Private Investigator, however, he is currently studying to be one as of March 2021.

If you like this blog, then you can join the affiliated Facebook group: MPC Facebook Group

Website hashtag: #MPCSL

*For BMI values, I use the UPPER or HIGHER ranges that are given for height and weight.
**Text might be paraphrased. If taken verbatim, then grammar or spelling errors are not necessarily corrected from original sources.
Disclaimer: Whenever possible, government sources are preferred for getting the details of a missing person's case. However, any source that the article writer deems reputable may be used.

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Alisa Francine Watson -- Missing Since 1972 from Tacoma, Washington

Details from NamUs**: 

Alisa had left the family home and may have been living at an apartment in Seattle area. No contact with family since 1972.

Missing Person: Alisa Francine Watson (may go by Lisa)
Last-contact date: 1972
The area where the MP was last seen: Tacoma, Washington
Link to government source: NamUs MP

---

VITAL DETAILS

Ethnicity: Black
Sex: Female
Age at time of disappearance: 14 years old
Birthdate: Alisa Francine Watson was born around 1958.
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Brown
Scar: No scars known
Height/weight: 5'2" and 115 pounds
BMI*: Alisa Francine Watson was in the normal range for BMI.
No photo found: If a photo can't be found, rely on BMI, height, weight, ethnicity, and other physical features to describe or picture the person.
Tattoos: Alisa Francine Watson had no tattoos associated with her profile. If you know that the missing person did have tattoos, please post a remark at the end of this blog post. Tattoos are important for identifying someone because Jane Does (unidentified dead people) often have tattoos mentioned in their profiles. I can be a basis for comparing DNA between a missing person and an unidentified person.

By: Shane Lambert
Original time of writing: March 19th, 2021

Alisa Francine Watson has not been seen since 1972 when she was 14 years old. NamUs notes a missing date of January 1st for that year, however, often this specific date is used to refer to any time of the year that it is conjoined with. That means she might have disappeared at any time in 1972. This individual has now been missing for about 52-53 years as of February 2025.

We, people who work on missing person cases, have no photo to work with on this case. This is an individual who doesn't have one attached to any profile. When a missing person doesn't have a photo, researchers can try to find a photo at Ancestry.com or at Newspapers.com. However, if the missing person was someone that you knew and you have a photo of her, then please reply to this post.

What stands out in this case is the youth of the individual. How did she have her own apartment in Seattle? Or was she residing with someone there?

If she is a runaway, then what were her means to transport herself? Washington in the 1970s was a hub for hitchhiker disappearances, although few details are known online about this case. In fact, this is a case that is in dire need of someone contributing more information than what's available online. I was not able to find this person in Ancestry or Newspapers.com.

Author: Shane Lambert

All articles are subject to editing after the original posting.

Shane Lambert is not a Private Investigator, however, he is currently studying to be one as of March 2021.

Website hashtag: #MPCSL

*For BMI values, I use the UPPER or HIGHER ranges that are given for height and weight.
**Text might be paraphrased. If taken verbatim, then grammar or spelling errors are not necessarily corrected from original sources.
Disclaimer: To determine whether a person is missing or not, this site relies heavily on government sources. If you are described as missing when you are not, I recommend simply having your missing person report updated or removed. When that happens, updates at this site can follow.

Renisia Elaine Johnson -- Missing Since February 1989 (ATTEMPT TO MATCH)

Details from NamUs**: 

The missing person left her residence on 02-24-1989 and never returned.

Missing Person: Renisia Elaine Johnson
Last-contact date: February 24th, 1989
The area where the MP was last seen: Tampa, Florida
Link to government source: NamUs #MP78570

VITAL DETAILS

Ethnicity: Black
Sex: Female
Age at time of disappearance: 20 years old

• This person was born between February 25th, 1968, and February 24th, 1969. The range is calculated using the missing person's age on the date of her disappearance.

Hair: Black
Eyes: Brown
Scar: None listed at NamUs
Height/weight: 5-foot-5 and 120 pounds
BMI*: Renisia Elaine Johnson was in the normal range for BMI.

• Please, Google-search BMI if you aren't familiar with the phrase. I think it's an important tool to be aware of when working on missing person cases.

No photo...yet: If a photo can't be found, rely on BMI, height, weight, ethnicity, and other physical features to describe or picture the person.

Renisia Elaine Johnson, a missing person, was last heard from on February 24th, 1989 when she was 20 years old. This individual has now been missing for 32 years as of the original publication date of this blog post.

When a missing person doesn't have a photo, researchers can try to find one at Ancestry.com or at Newspapers.com. However, in the case of the latter, I was not able to find a missing person report for this individual. Nor did I find any mention of her name in news media.

As of the time of publication, this individual was a non-person by my research methods. What I mean by that, is that I wasn't able to find the exact name at the newspapers.com archive, in Google searches, or at Ancestry. In fact, when I only searched for the first name of "Renisia" in the entire country of the United States, only 40 hits came up, none of which matched the missing person.

I am thinking that the best way to find this person is to cross-reference her clothing in Jane Doe databases. Renisia Elaine Johnson may have had the following articles when she disappeared: a black and white jacket, acid wash jeans, and a pair of black suede boots.

A Websleuth that took an interest in the case (username: victoriarobinson642) found a Jane Doe that might be interesting as a comparison to the missing person. Case File 978UFGA at DoeNetwork describes a Jane Doe that was would found in Atlanta, Georgia in September 1989. The Jane Doe matched the missing person in these ways:

1. Both were black.
2. Both were females.
3. The Jane Doe was thought to have died in the months leading up to September 1989. Renisia went missing in February and could have died in the months leading up to September 1989.
4. Renisia was thought to be 5'5" and the Jane Doe was thought to be 5'4". While not an exact match, in these situations involving estimates, a one-inch discrepancy doesn't discount the match.

A couple counterpoints could be mentioned:

1. The Jane Doe was found in Atlanta while Renisia was last seen in Tampa. Those are both in the southeastern parts of the USA, but there is a difference of 460 miles between the two cities.
2. The clothing doesn't totally match. Renisia was thought to have acid-wash jeans and the Jane Doe was described as having "stonewashed jeans." However, those styles do look similar in some ways. Both were described as having black footwear but Renisia's was long-suede boots and the Jane Doe's was "black, high top athletic shoes."

Please share this article to social media using hashtags that are related to where the missing person went missing from, which is Tampa, Florida. Also, please share targeting Atlanta, in this case.

Author: Shane Lambert (UncoolNegated on Websleuths)

All articles are subject to editing after the original posting.

Shane Lambert (UncoolNegated on Websleuths) is not a Private Investigator, however, he is currently studying to be one as of March 2021.

Website hashtag: #MPCSL

*For BMI values, I use the UPPER or HIGHER ranges that are given for height and weight.
**Text might be paraphrased. If taken verbatim, then grammar or spelling errors are not necessarily corrected from original sources.
Disclaimer: Whenever possible, government sources are preferred for getting the details of a missing person's case. However, any source that the article writer deems reputable may be used.

Patricia Crandall -- Missing in California Since 1949

Details from NamUs**: 

Patricia was last seen in Shasta County, California on March 13th 1949. She has not been seen since.

Missing Person: Patricia Crandall

Last-contact date: March 13th, 1949
The area where the MP was last seen: Redding, California
Link to government source: NamUs #MP51926

VITAL DETAILS

Ethnicity: White/Caucasian
Sex: Female
Age at time of disappearance: 19 years old
Birthdate: between March 14th, 1929 and March 13th, 1930

• The range is calculated using the missing person's age on the date of her disappearance.

Hair: Brown
Eyes: Brown
Height/weight: 5-foot-3 and 112 pounds
BMI*: Patricia Crandall was in the normal range for BMI.

• Please, Google-search BMI if you aren't familiar with the phrase. I think it's an important tool to be aware of when working on missing person cases.

Tattoos: Patricia Crandall did not have any tattoos associated with her profiles. If you know this to be a mistake, then please contact this site.

Patricia Crandall, a missing person, was last heard from on March 13th, 1949 when she was 19 years old. This individual has now been missing for 72 years as of the original publication date of this blog post.

I decided to look at this case because of one tiny detail in the profile. It says that she was last seen with a suitcase. Without any other details, that could mean that she was planning on going traveling or maybe she went missing voluntarily. In the absence of anything clandestine in her profile, I thought there was a chance that his individual's name might show up in the documentary records that are now searchable online with deep web memberships.

That said, it was hard to find her among all the all Patricia Crandalls in American history. However, I think this missing person might have had the middle initial "L." The county our missing person went missing from was Shasta County and she was likely born in either 1929 or 1930. I found a "Patricia L. Crandall" who was 10 at the time of the 1940 census who lived in Shasta County so some things seemed to match up.

There is a good discussion on this missing person on Websleuths. It could be that the missing person was this individual on Ancestry who married into the name Patricia Louise Von Ahn. If so, the missing person died in a car accident in 1962. However, there are some confusing matters with the yearbooks associated with the Ancestry profile that need to be looked at.

Mon, Feb 19, 1962 – Page 8 · Statesman Journal (Salem, Oregon) · Newspapers.com

Please share this article to social media using hashtags that are related to where the missing person went missing from, which is Redding, California.

Author: Shane Lambert (UncoolNegated on Websleuths)

All articles are subject to editing after the original posting.

Shane Lambert (UncoolNegated on Websleuths) is not a Private Investigator, however, he is currently studying to be one as of March 2021.

Website hashtag: #MPCSL

*For BMI values, I use the UPPER or HIGHER ranges that are given for height and weight.
**Text might be paraphrased. If taken verbatim, then grammar or spelling errors are not necessarily corrected from original sources.
Disclaimer: Whenever possible, government sources are preferred for getting the details of a missing person's case. However, any source that the article writer deems reputable may be used.

Robert (Bob) Bode -- Missing in Arizona Since March 2000

Details from NamUs**: 

Robert "Bob" Bode was last seen on March 3, 2000 leaving his daughter's house in Tucson, AZ saying he was going to visit his parents in Clarkdale, AZ but he never arrived.

Missing Person: Robert M. Bode
May use the following alias: Bob
Last-contact date: March 3rd, 2000 (considered his date of death in his Ancestry profile)
The area where the MP was last seen: Tucson, Arizona

Link to government source: NamUs #MP77536
Missing person's profile on Ancestry: Robert M Bode

VITAL DETAILS

Ethnicity: White or Caucasian
Sex: Male
Age at time of disappearance: 51 years old
Birthdate: August 1st, 1948
Hair: Gray or Partially Gray
Eyes: Brown, wears glasses
Scar: Small scar on the middle of his forehead
Height/weight: 5-foot-9 and 175 to 180 pounds
BMI*: The missing person was slightly overweight by BMI at the time of the last contact.

• BMI is body mass index. It relates to an individual's height and weight. I include it believing it can help picture a missing person or describe one.

Robert M. Bode, a missing person, was last heard from on March 3rd, 2000 when he was 51 years old. From my research, this is considered his date of death. I didn't find a legal notice pertaining to him being declared dead in absentia, however, his Ancestry profile, which would likely have been made by family members, considers him deceased as of the date of his disappearance. He has now been missing for 21 years as of the original publication date of this blog post.

What stands out with this case, is that he is missing with his vehicle. That was a 1995 Ford F250.

When Robert Bode went missing he was driving from Tucson to Clarkdale. That's a 220-mile drive according to Google Maps. The most efficient route as recommended by Google would be through Phoenix, however, it's not clear that Robert made it this far. Nor can the route he would have taken be ascertained.

That Robert and his vehicle both went missing while on a road trip suggests that he may have run off of the road. Many missing people have disappeared with their vehicles while traveling, either to be found roadside or even submerged in a roadside body of water. However, Arizona highways don't really have a lot of these kinds of hiding spots. That is what makes this case puzzling.

The routes he could have taken are likely to have dangerous points, however, the vegetation in Arizona is not lush in the desert. If you run off of the highway it's not very likely that you would be missing for 20 years. In fact, it's not likely that you would be missing after the next motorist passed by. That's not like the Rockies to the north where vehicles going off the highway can be hidden by deep water or vegetation. Arizona is pretty bare and this truly is a strange case precisely because the vehicle hasn't been found.

My thoughts would be that something happened in Phoenix or maybe something happened when he stopped for gas. It would interesting if someone that knew Robert indicated if he ever picked up hitchhikers. Furthermore, the route he commonly took to Clarkdale would be interesting to know.

Robert's vehicle had a license plate of  #5AA711. It had a deep dent in the passenger side door near the hinges. Also, the right rear bumper was loose and hanging.

I did not find any newspaper articles on this matter nor news articles on the Internet. I reached out to the person who posted his Ancestry profile in hopes of getting more details about this case.

The following characteristics of his might help identify him if he is among the John Does:

1. The middle on his right hand is split in the middle.
2. His right upper front tooth had a cap.

Please share this article to social media using hashtags that are related to where the missing person went missing from, which is Tucson, Arizona. Also, it would make sense to share with hashtags that target his destination, which was Clarkdale, Arizona. Lastly, Phoenix is a place to target with hashtags as well.

Author: Shane Lambert, (Freelance Writer)

All articles are subject to editing after the original posting.

Shane Lambert, (Freelance Writer) is not a Private Investigator, however, he is currently studying to be one as of February/March 2021.

Website hashtag: #MPCSL

*For BMI values, I use the UPPER or HIGHER ranges that are given for height and weight.
**Text might be paraphrased. If taken verbatim, then grammar or spelling errors are not necessarily corrected from original sources.
Disclaimer: Whenever possible, government sources are preferred for getting the details of a missing person's case. However, any source that the article writer deems reputable may be used.

David Bruce Rea -- Missing From Michigan Since 1985

Details from NamUs**: 

walked away from Leelanau County residence in December of 1985. Has not been seen since.

 

Missing Person: David Bruce Rea
May use the following alias: Bruce
Last-contact date: December 2nd, 1985
The area where the MP was last seen: Lake Leelanau, Michigan

Link to government source: NamUs #MP11037

VITAL DETAILS

Ethnicity: White or Caucasian
Sex: Male
Age at time of disappearance: 26 years old
Birthdate: between December 3rd, 1958 and December 2nd, 1959

• I'm not sure of the exact birthdate for David Bruce Rea but it can be calculated using his age at the time of the disappearance.

Hair: Brown
Eyes: Brown; wears glasses due to nearsightedness
Scar: None known
Height/weight: 5-foot-9 to 5-foot-10 140 to 150 pounds
BMI*: David Bruce Rea was in the normal range for BMI.

• Please, Google-search BMI if you aren't familiar with the phrase. I think it's an important tool to be aware of when working on missing person cases.

David Bruce Rea was last heard from on December 2nd, 1985, when he was 26 years of age. He has now been missing for 36 years as of the original publication date of this blog post.

I think this individual went mainly by his middle name. I think I found him in a high school yearbook (maybe in Leland High School, 1975 Yearbook) and he was listed as Bruce Rea as opposed to David Rea. The birth year matched and Bruce is listed as an alias, so I assumed that they were one and the same. 

However, this promises to be a difficult case when cross-referencing against John Does for a potential match because the missing person doesn't have any kind of distinctive characteristics listed in his profile. A John doe in the area of where David was last seen that's found and associated with a pair of glasses might help. One might assume that the glasses in the picture are the ones or the style that he normally used.

Other articles of clothing that might be associated with a matching John Doe are a green nylon jacket, corduroy jeans, a green-colored backpack, and/or leather boots. You can, in fact, plug these terms into NamUs searches for John Does. When you do that you will want to cross-reference any matches to other details of this case.

There are numerous lakes in the area where Bruce Rea went missing. Of course, there is Lake Leelanau but there is also Lake Michigan and Lake Huron. But overall, I think this is a case where a DNA match will need to be made. Websleuths or amateur investigators looking at this case should simply be looking to expand on the missing person's details and the circumstances surrounding his disappearance. I did not find any newspaper articles nor Internet sources except ones that rehashed what was printed at NamUs. A family member or friend that knew Bruce Rea at about the time of his disappearance would be handy. On that note, his high school yearbook might be of assistance.

Tags that I've associated with this blog post are below. It's interesting to see what can connect unrelated cases. Click one of the tags to go to an article that is related to this one in some way, shape, or form.

Author: Shane Lambert (Vancouver, Canada)

All articles are subject to editing after the original posting.

Shane Lambert (Vancouver, Canada) is not a Private Investigator, however, he is currently studying to be one as of February/March 2021.

Website hashtag: #MPCSL

*For BMI values, I use the UPPER or HIGHER ranges that are given for height and weight.
**Text might be paraphrased. If taken verbatim, then grammar or spelling errors are not necessarily corrected from original sources.
Disclaimer: Whenever possible, government sources are preferred for getting the details of a missing person's case. However, any source that the article writer deems reputable may be used.

Terri Ann Blue -- Missing From Fayetteville, North Carolina?

Alleged Missing Person: Terri Ann Blue
Alias: Terry
Last-contact date: June 27th, 2007; also states June 27th, 2008
The area where the MP was last seen: Fayetteville, North Carolina, near the intersection of Murchison and Preston (source: CharleyProject).

Link to government source: NamUs #MP7999

VITAL DETAILS

Below is a table summarizing Terri Ann Blue's characteristics as per the latest NamUs data (accessed April 08, 2025):

Characteristic	Detail
Ethnicity	White / Caucasian
Sex	Female
Age at Disappearance	47 years old
Current Age	64 years old
Birthdate	June 1960
Height	5'5" (65 inches)
Weight	155 lbs
Hair Color	Brown (brown/red per NamUs)
Eye Color	Blue
Scars	None known
BMI	Overweight at the time of disappearance

Terri Ann Blue, an alleged missing person, was last heard from on June 27th, 2007, when she was 47 years old. As of April 08, 2025, she has allegedly been missing for nearly 18 years. Her current age, if alive, would be 64 years old.

What stood out with this case was that, at the time of the original publication, it was the oldest case in NamUs regarding update-sorting for females, last updated on January 11th, 2011. There are older cases outright, but the lack of updates suggested it was very cold.

As of my latest check in 2025, the NamUs profile has been refreshed with more details, though the circumstances remain sparse. It simply states that she was "last seen June 27, 2008" (note: this conflicts with the 2007 date elsewhere, likely a typo on NamUs).

The updated NamUs profile now confirms her height as 5'5" (65 inches), weight as 155 lbs, and includes brown/red hair and blue eyes, but still lacks details on clothing, accessories, or distinctive features beyond that.

I previously found this person documented in Ancestry under her maiden name, Terri Ann Dubose. Ancestry listed addresses after her disappearance date, which I submitted to NamUs years ago. It’s still unclear what triggers an address update on Ancestry, so this could mean anything—or nothing. No confirmation has emerged from those leads as of 2025.

If someone that knew her personally can contact the site, indicating that she is still missing, that would be appreciated. You can post comments after the article for follow-up.

I still don’t recommend spending a lot of time working on this case. It remains strange—no Facebook groups, no news links, and minimal attention on NamUs beyond the basics. The conflicting last-seen dates (2007 vs. 2008) add to the confusion, but I’m sticking with June 27th, 2007, based on CharleyProject and earlier data.

If you want to read a related article at this site, then please click the hashtag below that interests you.

Author: Shane Lambert

All articles are subject to editing after the original posting.

Shane Lambert is not a Private Investigator, however, he is currently studying to be one as of February 2021.

Updated: April 08, 2025

Website hashtag: #MPCSL

*For BMI values, I use the UPPER or HIGHER ranges that are given for height and weight.

**Text might be paraphrased. If taken verbatim, then grammar or spelling errors are not necessarily corrected from original sources.

Disclaimer: Whenever possible, government sources are preferred for getting the details of a missing person. However, any source that the article writer deems reputable may be used. Writer assumes no responsibility when government sources are wrong.

Sieu Vei Trang -- Missing from Seattle Since 1982

Details from NamUs**: "Sieu was last seen on April 3, 1982."

Missing Person: Sieu Vei Trang
Last-contact date: April 3rd, 1982
The area where the MP was last seen: Seattle, Washington

Link to government source: NamUs #MP7149 
We have no photo: This is an individual who doesn't have a photo attached to her profile.

• When there is no photo, you can try to find one at Ancestry.com or at Newspapers.com; try to find one that's as close to the missing person's date of disappearance as possible.

Ethnicity: Asian
Sex: Female
Age at time of disappearance: 13

Birthdate: May 22nd, 1968
Hair details: Black
Eye details: Brown
Scars: None known
Height/weight: 4-foot-9 and 95 pounds
BMI*: Sieu Vei Trang was in the normal range for BMI.

This is one of those cases where you can't quite figure out why there is not more information on the case. This is a teenaged girl that went missing in 1982. Usually, with a young missing person, there is at least a photo to go on. However, in this case, no one seems to have been able to find one. 

This missing person is in the database for the Washington Association of Sheriffs & Police Chiefs. However, there is not much information on her profile at the time of writing.

Sieu Vei Trang was primarily associated with the area around Seattle, Washington. I looked in the Ancestry database to try and find details of her life that might be relevant to her missing person's status, however, I was not able to find any.

One thing to note with this case is that the individual went missing during puberty. This might be important if she is ever compared to a Jane Doe. Teeth can change rapidly during puberty. Dental records of people in puberty can require greater scrutiny because if the dental records aren't from a time that was close to when the person disappeared, a lot may have changed.

This individual has been missing for almost 40 years at the time of writing. Many of their characteristics could have changed over time. Even if the Sieu is found as a Jane Doe, the Jane Doe's hair color might not be reported as the same as when this individual went missing.

What stands out in this case, is the height. This person was just 4'9" and that will differentiate her from a lot of Jane Does that get found.

Lastly, at the time of her disappearance, Gary Ridgway, a serial killer in America's Pacific Northwest, was active. This is a point that has been by a Websleuth under username Kjowl16. You can follow the Websleuths forum at this link: Sieu's Forum at Websleuths.

Thank you for reading. If have any information about this case, consider contacting the authorities. In conclusion, I think the matter at hand is to find someone who cared about her and ask that person some questions about the case.

Author: Shane Lambert (Facebook profile)

Facebook Group: Missing Person Commentary

Twitter: @UncoolNegated (Twitter)

Pinterest: Missing Person Board
Original Time of Writing: February 21st, 2021

All articles are subject to editing after the original posting.

I am not a Private Investigator, however, I am currently studying to be one as of February 2021.

Website hashtag: #MPCSL

*For BMI values, I use the UPPER or HIGHER ranges.

**Grammar or spelling errors are not necessarily corrected from original sources.

Margaret Peters -- Missing Since March 1962 From Seattle, Washington

Missing Person: Margaret Peters
Last-contact date: March 1st, 1962
The area where the MP was last seen: Seattle, Washington

Link to government source: NamUs #MP25713

Ethnicity: White

Sex: Female

Age at time of disappearance: 40 years old

Birthdate: between March 2nd, 1921 to March 1st, 1922
Hair details: Brown
Eye details: Brown
Scars: None known
Height/weight: 5-foot-4 to 5-foot-5 and 110 pounds
BMI*: In this case, the missing person was underweight by BMI at the time of the disappearance.

*For BMI values, I use the UPPER or HIGHER ranges. BMI is body mass index. It relates to an individual's height and weight. Even with photographs, getting an idea of what a person's body might have looked like might help with a missing person's case.

Details from NamUs**: Last seen by her daughter in the spring or summer of 1962. May have gone to Nevada where she lived from 1958-1961.
**Grammar or spelling errors are not corrected from original sources.

Margaret Peters has not been seen since March 1st, 1962 when she was 40. At about that time, she was known to have been from the Seattle, Washington area.

What stands out, in this case, is the NamUs description. It injects some hope into the case that the missing person might have been alive after her last-seen date. Websleuths or amateur investigators can look for a record of this person in Nevada after her disappearance. If you know this individual's middle initial or middle name, then it would be useful information.

I found someone named Margaret Peters who was born on January 28th, 1922 that had an association with a residence in Nevada. The birthdate is in the range of the MP, however, I was not able to authenticate the profiles as being of the same person. This person died in March 1996.

Thank you for reading. If have any information about this case, consider contacting the authorities.

Marion Alice Morton -- Missing Since 1937

Missing Person: Marion Alice Morton
Last-contact date: December 30th, 1937

Birth year: either 1884 or 1883
Disappeared from: Georgetown, Delaware

The logo for Missing Persons Commentary.

Link to Government Source: NamUs #MP5405

Ethnicity: White
Sex: Female
Age at time of disappearance: 53
Hair: Unknown
Eye Color: Unknown
Height/weight at the time of disappearance: 5'0" to 5'6" and 100 to 140 pounds
Details as per NamUs: "Marian Morton was seen and known to be alive by granddaughter on a winter evening in either 1938, 1939 or 1940 at 114 W Market St Georgetown, Delaware."

Maron Alice Morton does not have a profile photo available at NamUs. Those that are working on this case, could direct themselves to looking for one to include with her missing persons profile. Typically, Ancestry Yearbooks are a great place to look. However, in this case the individual went missing when she was 53 years old. Newspapers.com and other sources at Ancestry might serve the researcher better.

This individual would be deceased at the time of writing. If you are working on this case, then be aware that it will be exceedingly difficult with little hope of making any contribution to justice.

There were a couple of same-named individuals that appeared at Ancestry that were both born in 1883. However, I could not authenticate either as being the missing person.

Author: Shane Lambert (Facebook profile)

Facebook Group: Missing Person Commentary

Twitter: @UncoolNegated (Twitter)

Pinterest: Missing Person Board
Original Time of Writing: 

All articles are subject to editing after the original posting.

I am not a Private Investigator, however, I am currently studying to be one as of February 2021.

Website hashtag: #MPCSL

Angel Rene Sexton -- Missing From Logan, Ohio Since February 2011

Missing person: Angel Rene Sexton

Aliases: Angela Rena, Angel Renee, Angel Hedrick
Last-contact date: February 2nd, 2011 (was a Wednesday)
Disappeared from: Logan, Ohio

Link to Government Source: #MP11816

Other Source: Charley Project

Ethnicity/Race: White
Sex: Female
Age at time of disappearance: 37 years old

Birthdate: September 1973
Hair: Brown
Eye color: Brown
Height and weight at the time of disappearance: 4'10" to 5'1" and about 118 pounds
Tattoos: One of her arms has an unknown tattoo

According to the Charley Project: Sexton was last seen in Logan, Ohio, on February 2, 2011. She left her four-year-old daughter with a babysitter and has never been heard from again. Sexton may be in Columbus, Ohio. Few details are available in her case.

Author: Shane Lambert (link opens to my Facebook profile)
Twitter: @UncoolNegated (link to Twitter)
Original Time of Writing: January 29th, 2021
All articles are subject to editing after the original posting.

March 25th, 2025 Update

I took a second look at this case about four years after originally posting the content below. The information at the Charley Project and NamUs remains unadjusted. Furthermore, there still isn't a missing person news article about her anywhere that I could find. What's below, is what was written on January 29th, 2021. I did make some edits as some links have died.

Original Time of Writing Content Below: Minor Edits

This was a difficult case to find information on. It seems that the sources on Angel Rene Sexton are all rewrites of the same information.

Furthermore, this missing person had many aliases. That can make it harder to research when it comes to keyword searching. You have to mix-and-match first names, middle names, and last names in the databases and then search engines to find information -- each step of the way, combing through countless people with similar names.

However, I was able to find her birth date, which is above. I have her exact birth date in my case notes.

One question I had was the exact location of her tattoo and what it depicted. It could help in this case as it can help in any missing person case.

For names associated with Angel Rene Sexton, her parents were Gary Dewain Sexton and Audrey Irene Sexton. There are also online comments regarding Angel as follows (link doesn't show anything in March 2025 but the comments below were once there):

"sammy gatenburg: I miss her she was my cousin.

12 22, 2014 | 15:54

Gina rarick: I miss her too she was my best friend before she moved back to Ohio"

The 'names' above might be usernames. I think these are people who might be willing to help iron out the details of this case if they know any, but I had trouble finding them in the time that I had allotted to look at this case. Another question regarding Angel would be why she was thought to be in the Columbus area.

The Facebook page for her missing person case was available online but has since been removed or limited.

Furthermore, I found her address to be on Linton Road in Logan, Ohio at the time of her disappearance. I think she was living in the Logan Village Apartments.

Address matches using search engines need to be taken with a grain of salt. I don't think websites really can report on where someone lived, but they may get information from documents instead. Documents can be true or false. But I noted one different last name staying at the same address as Sexton, an address that matched right to the apartment number for what would be an overlapping time frame.

Similar Case

When I highlight similar cases, it is not to say that the cases are related in an investigative way. However, history repeats itself because and I think similar cases provide food for thought.

What does it mean when a mother leaves a child at a babysitter and then disappears? Does it mean she disappeared voluntarily, or was she disappeared by someone?

Between the two, I would lean a little to the former. I think a mother who disappears after taking her child to the babysitter will often be someone who is finding life a little heavy at the moment, wishes for something different, but wants to make sure her child is in safe hands while she sorts matters out. From this perspective, getting a babysitter might be a step in a plan to disappear voluntarily.

What does it mean when that person still isn't accounted for ten years later? That's a different question.

Lorraine Judith Chance is a missing person from many decades ago who disappeared after leaving her child at a babysitter's. Readers can read about her case details here: Lorraine Judith Chance.