Norma Jolene Madera - Missing Since 1991

Missing Person's Name: Norma Jolene Madera

Last contact: July 1st, 1991

Age when disappeared: 27

Sex: Female

Height in inches: 64 (which is 5'4")

Weight in pounds (lbs): 110

Ethnicity: Native American. She was/is a member of the confederated tribes of the Colville Reservation.

Hair color: Brown

Eye Color: Not given, presumed to be brown due to Native American ancestry. Looks brown in the photo.

Scar or distinctive characteristic: None known

Details from government source: Norma was last seen at the Greyhound Bus Station in Yakima, Washington where she planned to travel to Seattle and then south on Pacific Hwy South to Tacoma. Norma never arrived at her destination. It was not confirmed whether or not she ever made it on the bus in Yakima. 

Link to government source: https://www.namus.gov/MissingPersons/Case#/124251?nav

Commentary and Research

By: Shane Lambert
Original time of writing: July 15th, 2024

Norma Jolene Madera was last seen on July 1st, 1991. There were not a lot of details on this missing person in the newspaper articles or online. However, there was a chat forum started on her at Websleuths that may develop over time. There is a 33-year gap between her last-seen date and the upload date at NamUs.

Her name was not found in the newspaper database that I use, at least not for any news related to her disappearance. I think she appears in some obituaries for other people (ie. "survived by") years after her disappearance. 

Also, she appears to have an entry at Ancestry with a birthdate of March 12th, 1964. Her parents at that source are listed as David A. Madera and Linda Marie Madera. Norma was born in Great Falls, Montana.

Those working on this case should think about what it means to be last seen at a Greyhound Station.

On a related matter, being last seen at a bus station is not that uncommon for missing people. Mekayla Bali was last seen at a bus station in Yorkton, Saskatchewan. Vickie Annette Smock was last seen at a Greyhound Station.

Furthermore, there are 59 hits for the search "Greyhound" with NamUs in the circumstances surrounding the disappearances listed there. That doesn't mean that they all disappeared from a bus station but quite of few of them were last seen at such a place. If you click the tag "bus station series" in the margin, then several links at this site will appear.

In my opinion, bus stations invoke dodgy and unsafe premises in typically sketchy parts of town. They are often in areas where some questionable characters are loitering. Also, that she was not confirmed to get on a bus does invoke the possibility of ridesharing or hitchhiking. Some people look for passengers at bus stations.

Shannon Darnell Harris -- Missing in Louisiana Since 1998

Paraphrased details from government source**: He was last seen on his way to the Greyhound station in Houma. Shannon had indicated that he was traveling to Dallas, however, he has not contacted friends or family.

Missing Person: Shannon Darnell Harris
Last-contact date: Some sources say October 1998, NamUs says November 3rd, 1998
The area where the MP was last seen: Houma, Louisiana
Link to government source: NamUs MP#674

VITAL DETAILS

Ethnicity: Black
Sex: Male
Age at time of disappearance: 30 years old
Birthdate: October 10th, 1998 (CharleyProject)
Hair: Black
Eyes: Brown
Scar: None known
Height/weight: 5-foot-10 and 216 pounds
BMI*: This individual was obese by BMI standards at the time of his disappearance.
Tattoos: This missing person might be identifiable through his tattoos. Please note that he had the following: 'B on right chest', 'Dean on left chest', 'SCDRHP on left upper back.'

Shannon Darnell Harris, a missing person, was last heard from in the fall of 1998 when he was 30 years old. This individual has now been missing for about 23 years as of the original publication date of this blog post.

There is news with this case from 2020. Reportedly, the police had a lead that year that they investigated. Those thinking of working on this case should check for updates. It wasn't clear to me whether this person was still missing or not.

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 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.

['missing and murdered', 'Missing and murdered indigenous women', 'Shane Lambert Forsa', 'Shane Lambert Facebook', 'Missing person Facebook Group', "Canada's Missing", 'CharleyProject.org Shannon Darnell Harris', 'DoeNetwork Shannon Darnell Harris', 'Shannon Darnell Harris missing person', 'what happened to Shannon Darnell Harris', 'missing Houma person', 'missing Louisiana person', 'missing Houma man', 'missing Louisiana man', 'missing Houma men', 'missing Louisiana men', 'missing man Houma', 'missing man Louisiana', 'missing from Houma', 'missing from Louisiana', 'Houma missing persons', 'Louisiana missing persons', 'Shannon Darnell Harris missing from Louisiana', 'disappearance of Shannon Darnell Harris', 'foul play', 'missing since', 'has not been seen', 'whereabouts of', 'missing person', 'missing persons database', 'theories', 'what happened to Shannon Darnell Harris']

Rita Mae Hughes -- Missing From Houston Since December 1986

Paraphrased details from government source**: Hughes was last seen at the Trailways Bus Station in Houston, Texas on December 8th, 1986 (some sources say December 6th of that year). Her husband dropped her off at the depot and she had plans to take a bus to see relatives in Louisiana. Her husband indicated that she was irrational, crying, and confused when he last saw her. She never arrived in Louisiana and has never been seen or heard from again. Her mother reported her as a missing person on December 19th, 1986. Rita Hughes has not attempted to contact any family members since her disappearance. Her last known address was in Magnolia, Texas. Foul play is suspected.

Missing Person: Rita Mae Hughes
Last-contact date: December 8th, 1986 (some sources say December 6th, 1986)
The area where the MP was last seen: Houston, Texas
Link to government source: NamUs #MP8548 
Maiden name: Midkiff, according to CharleyProject

VITAL DETAILS

Ethnicity: White or Caucasian
Sex: Female
Age at time of disappearance: 29 years old
Birthdate: November 3rd, 1957
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Green
Scar: None known
Height/weight: 5-foot-5 to 5-foot-7 and 115 to 125 pounds
BMI*: Rita Mae Hughes was in the normal range for BMI.
Tattoos: Rita Mae Hughes did not have any tattoos associated with her profiles.

Rita Mae Hughes was last heard from on December 8th, 1986 when she was 29 years of age. This individual has now been missing for about 35 years as of the original publication date of this blog post.

When people are missing for several years as this person has been, some of their distinctive characteristics may no longer be relevant as identifiers. This is because many distinctive characteristics such as scars, birthmarks, or tattoos may be lost as identifiers through putrefaction if the person has died.

I was not able to find much journalistic coverage of this disappearance. However, Rita Hughes is in Ancestry. I think this is a record of her divorce, which appears to have been done in absentia about 9 years after she disappeared. I have her address in my notes so you can contact me if you are working on this case and feel like that would help.

For some further online reading, I recommend this blog post which claims to be from a family member: Rita Mae Midkiff-Hughes. The post stated that Rita's son last saw her in the passenger seat of a vehicle that his stepdad was driving. I've presumed that's the trip to the bus station but don't that.

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, (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 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.

['missing and murdered', 'Missing and murdered indigenous women', 'Shane Lambert Forsa', 'Shane Lambert Facebook', 'Missing person Facebook Group', "Canada's Missing", 'CharleyProject.org Rita Mae Hughes', 'DoeNetwork Rita Mae Hughes', 'Rita Mae Hughes missing person', 'what happened to Rita Mae Hughes', 'missing Houston person', 'missing Texas person', 'missing Houston woman', 'missing Texas woman', 'missing Houston women', 'missing Texas women', 'missing woman Houston', 'missing woman Texas', 'missing from Houston', 'missing from Texas', 'Houston missing persons', 'Texas missing persons', 'Rita Mae Hughes missing from Texas', 'disappearance of Rita Mae Hughes', 'foul play', 'missing since', 'has not been seen', 'whereabouts of', 'missing person', 'missing persons database', 'theories', 'what happened to Rita Mae Hughes']

Mary Frances Gregory -- Missing Since 1978, Possibly in British Columbia in mid-90s

Paraphrased details from government source**: Mary Frances Gregory left her home in Parry Sound, Ontario on February 15th, 1978. She wanted to vacation in California but she failed to arrive at her destination in Palo Alto, California. She has not contacted any family members or friends since. Ms. Gregory is believed to have departed Canada by motor vehicle with a male acquaintance who states that he let her off at a bus station in Las Vegas, Nevada some ten days after leaving Canada. The driver claims to have driven to Nevada via the States of New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois, Colorado, Utah, and Arizona.

Missing Person: Mary Frances Gregory

Last-contact date: February 15th, 1978 (Wednesday)
The area where the MP was last seen: Scenario 1: Parry Sound, Ontario on February 15th, 1978; or Scenario 2: the Las Vegas bus station on February 28th, 1978; or Scenario 3: the Lougheed Hotel in Burnaby between 1993 and 1995
Link to government source: Canada's Missing Case reference 2006017399

VITAL DETAILS

Ethnicity: White or Caucasian
Sex: Female
Age at time of disappearance: 19 years old
Birthdate: May 27th, 1958
Hair: Brown, straight, and shoulder lengthed according to Canada's Missing; her missing person page with the state of California's Department of Justice says her hair was blonde; it looks brownish in her picture.
Eyes: Hazel
Scar: None known
Height/weight: 5-foot-3 and 110 pounds
BMI*: Mary Frances Gregory was in the normal range for BMI.
Tattoos: Mary Frances Gregory had no tattoos associated with her profiles.

Distinctive: She had a mark on the right of her abdomen that was nickel-shaped and brown. One source places the mark on the right side of her chest by her rib cage. She had/has a mole on her wrist.

Mary Frances Gregory, a missing person, was last heard from on February 15th, 1978 when she was 19. This individual has now been missing for about 47 years as of early 2025.

This is an interesting case because it involves a border-crossing traveler. Mary Frances Gregory was Canadian and her last-known location is often said to be Parry Sound. However, if the male traveler that she was with is taken as credible, then her last known location would be the Las Vegas bus station. Interestingly, this location is not considered to be her last-seen location according to many of the sources that list missing persons. It suggests that the man she was traveling with was not believed.

The route that the travelers took from Parry Sound to Las Vegas doesn't seem complete: "The driver claims to have driven to Nevada via the States of New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois, Colorado, Utah, and Arizona." These states are not all adjacent so there are some gaps worth exploring. This kind of route between Parry Sound and Las Vegas would suggest that the two travelers were adventurous.

To get from Ontario to Nevada, the following route is possible: Ontario, New York, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Illinois, and then either Iowa/Nebraska or Missouri/Kansas, before getting to Colorado, Utah, Arizona, and Nevada. In short, the states of Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska, Missouri, and Kansas can be looked at for Jane Does that match to Mary Frances Gregory. Additionally, California can be considered as it has been stated that Mary was going to Palo Alto.

If you are looking at a Jane Doe as a potential match to Mary Gregory, then the mark on her right abdomen/chest might be the best identifier. If putrefaction has taken place, then consider her height against the Jane Doe's. Also, the Jane Doe's date of death being close to Mary's date of disappearance would be interesting.

Yet, this is a case where there was a lead in 2004 that suggested Mary was still alive as of the mid-1990s. The Province, a newspaper in Vancouver, ran an article that stated a trucker had conversed with her at a hotel. There are some details in the article below that are not the same as Mary's missing person profile: the article spells her middle name as "Francis" instead of "Frances" and her stated age of 20 at the time of her disappearance is off by a year compared to other sources. However, the picture makes it clear that we're talking about the same missing person case.

28 Oct 2004, Thu The Province (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada) Newspapers.com

The Lougheed Hotel, the hotel that's mentioned in the article above, was located at 4343 Lougheed Highway. This is a highway that runs east/west from metro Vancouver to the town of Hope, north of the Fraser River. Google Maps ground views of the area of the hotel go back to 2007.

I did not find any follow-up articles on this case. Nor did I find any journalism from about the time of her disappearance. Please feel free to comment if you find some good newspaper articles from about the time of her disappearance.

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 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.

['missing and murdered', 'Missing and murdered indigenous women', 'Shane Lambert Forsa', 'Shane Lambert Facebook', 'Missing person Facebook Group', "Canada's Missing", 'CharleyProject.org Mary Frances Gregory', 'DoeNetwork Mary Frances Gregory', 'Mary Frances Gregory missing person', 'what happened to Mary Frances Gregory', 'missing Parry Sound person', 'missing Ontario person', 'missing Parry Sound woman', 'missing Ontario woman', 'missing Parry Sound women', 'missing Ontario women', 'missing woman Parry Sound', 'missing woman Ontario', 'missing from Parry Sound', 'missing from Ontario', 'Parry Sound missing persons', 'Ontario missing persons', 'Mary Frances Gregory missing from Ontario', 'disappearance of Mary Frances Gregory', 'foul play', 'missing since', 'has not been seen', 'whereabouts of', 'missing person', 'missing persons database', 'theories', 'what happened to Mary Frances Gregory']

Vickie Annette Smock - Missing in Utah Since 1986

Paraphrased details from government source**: Vickie was last seen in Salt Lake City, Utah in 1985. Her father, a man named Shonnie Smock, dropped her off at the Greyhound Bus Station. She was with a male companion that has not yet been identified. She planned to go to Wendover, Nevada to work as a cocktail waitress at The Red Garter Hotel & Casino. It's not clear if she boarded the bus. She hasn't been seen since her father dropped her off. Vickie's family states that it is very unusual for her to leave and not be in contact.

Missing Person: Vickie Annette Smock
Could be referred to as: Last names: Robinson, Davis, Mismash, Thrisa
Last-contact date: April 12th, 1985
The area where the MP was last seen: Salt Lake City, Utah
Link to government source: NamUs MP#34617

VITAL DETAILS

Ethnicity: White/Caucasian
Sex: Female
Age at time of disappearance: 25 years old
Birthdate: April 11th or 12th, 1960
Hair: Natural medium brown, dyed blond
Eyes: Hazel
Scar: None
Height/weight: 5-foot-7 to 5-foot-8 and 125 to 145 pounds
BMI*: Vickie Annette Smock was in the normal range for BMI.
Tattoos: Vickie Annette Smock did not have any tattoos associated with her profiles.

Vickie Annette Smock was last heard from on January 1st, 1986 when she was 25 years of age. That date is according to her NamUs profile, however, she may have gone missing in 1985. The news telecast below uses 1985 as the year she went missing and, in the video, you can see a missing person poster at one point that says she went missing in 1985. This individual has now been missing for about 36 years as of the original publication date of this blog post.

I did not find any original news coverage associated with this disappearance using Newspapers.com. However, if you have a membership it may be worth looking at from time to time as they continually add new publications.

There was a news piece published on Youtube by mainstream media in mid-2021 in two parts. I have embedded those below for my readers.

A Facebook group dedicated to finding this missing person had the following description as of time of publication:

"My biological mother disappeared over 30 years ago (1985) from Salt Lake City, Utah. Her name is Vickie Annette Smock (maiden name) her birthday is April 12, 1960. I really don't have much identifying information about her. She was born in California and her father's Name is Shonnie Smock. Her Last known whereabouts were at the greyhound bus station in Salt Lake. She was dropped off by my grandfather with an unknown man. She was supposed to go to Wendover Nevada to work as a cocktail waitress at The Red Guarder and hasn't been seen since. It was very unusual for her to leave and never came back. My sister and I both lived with our fathers at the time of her disappearance. I am not sure if she is dead or alive. I have tried everything that I can think of to try to find her and have had no luck.

Her mother: Arlene Huff

Her Father: Shonnie Smock

Vickie married Rueben Earl Robinson in Nevada Feb. 11/84

She was not married long before she went missing.

She may have used the name Robinson."

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 (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 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.

['missing and murdered', 'Missing and murdered indigenous women', 'Shane Lambert Forsa', 'Shane Lambert Facebook', 'Missing person Facebook Group', "Canada's Missing", 'CharleyProject.org Vickie Annette Smock', 'DoeNetwork Vickie Annette Smock', 'Vickie Annette Smock missing person', 'what happened to Vickie Annette Smock', 'missing Salt Lake City person', 'missing Utah person', 'missing Salt Lake City woman', 'missing Utah woman', 'missing Salt Lake City women', 'missing Utah women', 'missing woman Salt Lake City', 'missing woman Utah', 'missing from Salt Lake City', 'missing from Utah', 'Salt Lake City missing persons', 'Utah missing persons', 'Vickie Annette Smock missing from Utah', 'disappearance of Vickie Annette Smock', 'foul play', 'missing since', 'has not been seen', 'whereabouts of', 'missing person', 'missing persons database', 'theories', 'what happened to Vickie Annette Smock']

Sandra Lee Hopler - Missing from Scranton Since September 1973

Paraphrased details from government source**: Sandra was last seen on September 29th, 1973. She was a student at Keystone Junior College in La Plume, PA, and was last seen at Martz Trailways Bus Station in Scranton, Pennsylvania, or at the pick-up point.

Missing Person: Sandra Lee Hopler
May use the following alias(es): Sandy
Last-contact date: September 29th, 1973 (Saturday)
The area where the MP was last seen: Scranton, Pennsylvania, in the LaPlume area possibly at the Martz Trailway Bus Station or at a pick-up point. Possibly, she would have been near Lackawanna and Jefferson Avenue since that's where Martz Trailways offices were located in 1973 according to the following classified advertisement but the pick-up point could have been somewhere else. The zip code 18440 is given as her place of disappearance, which would be near Lackawanna Trail in La Plume.

23 May 1973, Wed The Times-Tribune (Scranton, Pennsylvania) Newspapers.com

Link to government source: NamUs MP#8897

VITAL DETAILS

Ethnicity: White or Caucasian
Sex: Female
Age at time of disappearance: 18 years old
Birthdate: June 8th, 1955
Hair: Brown or light brown
Eyes: Hazel
Scar: a small scar on one eyebrow
Height/weight: 5-foot-4 and 125 pounds
BMI*: Sandra Lee Hopler was in the normal range for BMI.
Tattoos: Sandra Lee Hopler did not have any tattoos associated with her profiles.

Clothing and accessories: Burgundy blazer, dark blouse, Seiko watch with a gold face, and a tan shoulder purse

Distinctive: A mole on the back of the hand between the thumb and index webbing, a small mole near lip (left side), pierced ears, and she may have glasses, however, these aren't pictured in the two pictures I found of her. 

Family: Lyle Joseph Hopler Jr. (father, d. in 2002), Patricia Lee Snyder (mother, d. in 2017), and she had siblings.

28 Feb 2002, Thu The Courier-News (Bridgewater, New Jersey) Newspapers.com

Sandra Lee Hopler was last heard from on September 29th, 1973 when she was 18 years of age. This individual has now been missing for about 48 years as of the original publication date of this blog post. 

The journalism coverage I found for this missing person case was either modern or written years after her disappearance. She has been mentioned in cold case articles for the region she lived in, however, these articles did little but mention the broadly known details of this case. The oldest article using the databases I searched was from 2010.

I did find a second picture of her using Ancestry. She had a photograph in the 1973 yearbook for James Caldwell High School. Her hair was parted in the middle and she had a wavy characteristic to it that is consistent with the photo of her from her missing person profile. Sometimes the place of hair parting can be discerned from Jane Does so this is one point of comparison if you are looking at descriptions of unidentified remains.

Online sources say that Sandra Hopler was going to New York, that she told her plans to a roommate, and that she was last seen at a bus station or pick-up point for Martz Trailways. The details of this case could be opened up by someone in the family or the roommate (if surviving), people who may know more publishable details, or have some publishable information on the investigation.

I tried to find information on the bus schedule since these are sometimes in newspapers. However, I found only an article from 1962 when the original service between Scranton and New York was announced from Martz Trailways. This article may or may not contain information about where she was dropped off.

25 Jun 1962, Mon The Tribune (Scranton, Pennsylvania) Newspapers.com

One major point with this case is simply if she got on the bus or not. From what I gathered, she was seen waiting for the bus. Sometimes an attractive young woman waiting for a bus attracts the attention of someone offering a rideshare. But if she did get on the bus, then New York becomes the focal point. 

This individual has a landing page in a family tree with Ancestry. There was little information there but it could be updated in the future.

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

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 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: Non-opinionated information at this site generally comes from government sources or police reports. Other sources may be used.

['missing and murdered', 'Missing and murdered indigenous women', 'Shane Lambert Forsa', 'Shane Lambert Facebook', 'Missing person Facebook Group', "Canada's Missing", 'CharleyProject.org Sandra Lee Hopler', 'DoeNetwork Sandra Lee Hopler', 'Sandra Lee Hopler missing person', 'what happened to Sandra Lee Hopler', 'missing Scranton person', 'missing Pennsylvania person', 'missing Scranton woman', 'missing Pennsylvania woman', 'missing Scranton women', 'missing Pennsylvania women', 'missing woman Scranton', 'missing woman Pennsylvania', 'missing from Scranton', 'missing from Pennsylvania', 'Scranton missing persons', 'Pennsylvania missing persons', 'Sandra Lee Hopler missing from Pennsylvania', 'disappearance of Sandra Lee Hopler', 'foul play', 'missing since', 'has not been seen', 'whereabouts of', 'missing person', 'missing persons database', 'theories', 'what happened to Sandra Lee Hopler']

Phyllis Marie Corbin -- Missing Since November 1963

Paraphrased details from government source**: Phyllis was placed at the House of Good Shepherd. This was located at 3800 Gravois Ave., St. Louis, Missouri. While she was there at the beginning of November of 1963, she met another young lady and they ran away together. She was given a ride to the bus station where reportedly they were heading to New Orleans. The home supposedly reported her missing but Phyllis' family hasn't been able to confirm that. It was originally believed the other girl may have returned three weeks later but that too is not proven.

The photo shows the missing person at the age of 14.

Missing Person: Phyllis Marie Corbin
Last-contact date: November 1963
The area where the MP was last seen: St. Louis, Missouri. There was a Greyhound Bus Station at 709 North Broadway in 1963 but perhaps there was more than one.
Link to government source: NamUs MP#50556 

VITAL DETAILS

Ethnicity: Caucasian
Sex: Female
Age at time of disappearance: 16 years old
Birthdate: Phyllis Marie Corbin was born between November 2nd, 1946, and November 1st, 1947 based on her reported age at the last date of reported contact. I found a Phyllis Marie Corbin that was born in Missouri on September 6th, 1947 at Ancestry. 
Hair: Reddish-brown, short and wavy
Eyes: blue
Scar: none reported
Height/weight: 65 to 68 inches and 100 to 155 pounds
BMI*: Phyllis Marie Corbin was in the normal range for BMI if you use the upper values.
Tattoos: Phyllis Marie Corbin did not have any tattoos associated with her profiles.

Phyllis Marie Corbin was last heard from in November of 1963 when she was 16 years of age. This individual has now been missing for about 58 years as of the original publication date of this blog post.

There is little to go on with the case, except for the NamUs description. I did not find any media coverage with this individual. Furthermore, this individual was not in the files of Ancestry very much. However, I think I found her birthdate of September 6th, 1947.  Ancestry updates their files regularly, so one thing you could do is look in that database for this individual and see if she shows up anywhere after his last-seen date of November 1963.

When I looked at Google Maps for the address of the House of Good Shepherd, I thought that the building currently standing might have been the same one in 1963. However, Google Maps only went back to 2007 for the area.

Some research I did on the House of Good Shepherd suggested to me that these were kind-of halfway houses for at-risk youth. It seemed that this was a place that someone would want to "escape" from. The following article pertains to the House of Good Shepherd from 1967. It's clear from the article that this isn't a place that anyone would want to be. It suggests that Phyllis was an at-risk youth in a problematic environment. Perhaps she sought to escape the House of Good Shepherd at all costs.

07 May 1967, Sun St. Louis Post-Dispatch (St. Louis, Missouri) Newspapers.com

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

Author: @UncoolNegated on Twitter

All articles are subject to editing after the original posting.

@UncoolNegated on Twitter 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: Non-opinionated information at this site generally comes from government sources or police reports. Other sources may be used.

['missing and murdered', 'Missing and murdered indigenous women', 'Shane Lambert Forsa', 'Shane Lambert Facebook', 'Missing person Facebook Group', "Canada's Missing", 'CharleyProject.org Phyllis Marie Corbin', 'DoeNetwork Phyllis Marie Corbin', 'Phyllis Marie Corbin missing person', 'what happened to Phyllis Marie Corbin', 'missing St. Louis person', 'missing Missouri person', 'missing St. Louis woman', 'missing Missouri woman', 'missing St. Louis women', 'missing Missouri women', 'missing woman St. Louis', 'missing woman Missouri', 'missing from St. Louis', 'missing from Missouri', 'St. Louis missing persons', 'Missouri missing persons', 'Phyllis Marie Corbin missing from Missouri', 'disappearance of Phyllis Marie Corbin', 'foul play', 'missing since', 'has not been seen', 'whereabouts of', 'missing person', 'missing persons database', 'theories', 'what happened to Phyllis Marie Corbin']

Winifred Corrine Long (NamUs MP#54111) - Missing from California Since 1962

Paraphrased details from government source**: Winifred Long, the mother of two small boys, was last seen on June 10th, 1962, at the Greyhound Bus Station in Marysville, California. She was at the Greyhound Station after an argument with her estranged husband.

Missing Person: Winifred Corrine Long
Last-contact date: June 10th, 1962 (Sunday)
The area where the MP was last seen: Not necessarily the Greyhound Bus Station as NamUs indicates. She was last seen in Marysville, California at the ranch of her estranged husband near Beale Air Force Base
Link to government source: NamUs MP#54111

Family members: Alvin Long (b. in or about 1928; her husband; may go by Alfred L. Long Jr), Raymon Connett (her father), Lorin or Loring (b. about 1961; her son) and Keith (b. about 1959; her son).

VITAL DETAILS

Ethnicity: White/Caucasian
Sex: Female
Age at time of disappearance: 30 years old according to NamUs, 29 years old according to the newspaper journalism at the time of her disappearance
Birthdate: Winifred Corrine Long was born between June 11th, 1931, and June 10th, 1932 based on her reported age at the last date of reported contact.
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Hazel, also called blue/grey
Scar: none known
Height/weight: 68 inches and 140 pounds
BMI*: Winifred Corrine Long was in the normal range for BMI.
Tattoos: Winifred Corrine Long did not have any tattoos associated with her profiles.

Clothing: Capri-styled pants with red, blue, and green checks; she was wearing a white blouse and white shoes

Glasses: Yes, according to pictures I found (see below) but she had resorted to contact lenses.

23 Jun 1962, Sat The Fresno Bee (Fresno, California) Newspapers.com

Winifred Corrine Long has not been seen since June 10th, 1962 when she was 30 years old. This individual has now been missing for about 59 years as of the original publication date of this blog post.

The early journalism on this case stated that her husband, Alvin Long, claimed that he took her to the bus station. He claimed that this happened on Monday, which would have been June 11th (The Fresno Bee/June 23rd, 1962/Page 2-A). Other sources claim the date of the trip to the bus station was Sunday evening. He claimed that the transmission on Winifred's car had broken down. In one news article I read, the husband is described as "estranged." Another source said that Winifred was suing for a divorce (Daily Independent Journal/June 22nd, 1962/Page 4).

13 Nov 1962, Tue Daily Independent Journal (San Rafael, California) Newspapers.com

The ranch that Alvin owned was the target of an intensive search. This was considered to be an area where there were plenty of hiding spots. It was described as 320 acres in size.

02 Jul 1962, Mon Daily Independent Journal (San Rafael, California) Newspapers.com

The husband, in this case, took a lie-detector test. This was reported as inconclusive in the June 27th, 1962 issue of The Press Democrat. He was a double amputee from a grenade blast in the Korean War. Despite this serious injury, he was not an invalid. The sheriff described him as "immensely strong" as he built the acreage "without assistance, despite his handicap" (Oakland Tribune/June 24th, 1962/Page 18).

Winifred, reportedly, was anxious about going to her estranged husband's home. The clerks at the Greyhound Station claimed that they did not sell a ticket on the day in question to Mill Valley, the place where Winifred lived and worked.

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

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.

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: 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.

['missing and murdered', 'Missing and murdered indigenous women', 'Shane Lambert Forsa', 'Shane Lambert Facebook', 'Missing person Facebook Group', "Canada's Missing", 'CharleyProject.org Winifred Corrine Long', 'DoeNetwork Winifred Corrine Long', 'Winifred Corrine Long missing person', 'what happened to Winifred Corrine Long', 'missing Marysville person', 'missing California person', 'missing Marysville woman', 'missing California woman', 'missing Marysville women', 'missing California women', 'missing woman Marysville', 'missing woman California', 'missing from Marysville', 'missing from California', 'Marysville missing persons', 'California missing persons', 'Winifred Corrine Long missing from California', 'disappearance of Winifred Corrine Long', 'foul play', 'missing since', 'has not been seen', 'whereabouts of', 'missing person', 'missing persons database', 'theories', 'what happened to Winifred Corrine Long']

Brian Thomas Vargo -- Missing Since March 9th, 1976

Details from NamUs**: 

"Vargo was a University of Texas at Austin Student. Vargo dropped out of school in March. Vargo traveled to Colorado in his vehicle. His vehicle broke down in Colorado. Vargo traveled to Houston, Texas to pick up the vehicle's title. His mother dropped him off at the bus station in Houston (unknown date). Family was notified he had not returned to his apartment. When family arrived at his apartment in Austin, Texas Vargo's wallet was in the apartment."

Missing Person: Brian Thomas Vargo
Last-contact date: March 9th, 1976
The area where the MP was last seen: Austin, Texas
Link to government source: NamUS #MP77718

VITAL DETAILS

Ethnicity: White/Caucasian
Sex: Male
Age at time of disappearance: 20 years old
Birthdate: between March 10th, 1955 and March 9th, 1956

• I'm not sure of the exact birthdate for Brian Thomas Vargo but a date range can be calculated using his age at the time of the disappearance.

Hair: Brown
Eyes: Hazel
Scar: Above right eye
Height/weight: 6-foot-0 and 150 pounds
BMI*: Brian Thomas Vargo 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: Brian Thomas Vargo did not have any tattoos associated with his profiles. If you know this to be a mistake, then please contact this site.

Brian Thomas Vargo was last heard from on March 9th, 1976, when he was 20 years of age. I read a Facebook post about what constituted his last-known contact and evidently, he withdrew from classes at the University of Texas at Austin on that date. This individual has now been missing for 45 years as of the original publication date of this blog post.

Brian Vargo had a chipped front tooth. That distinctive characteristic is part of his skeletal system and would be a part of any post-mortem remains under most circumstances. I looked for someone with a chipped tooth in the NamUs John Does but did not find anyone that I felt was Brian Vargo.

What you can do to help with this case, is do a similar search. John Does get added to the database all the time. If you are reading this more than three months after publication (March 4th, 2021), then go to NamUs and do a new search for "chipped and tooth" ("and" is a boolean operator with the site) in the unidentified person database. Follow this link and scroll down to Distinctive Physical Features. In order for any John Doe that comes up to possibly be Brian, the body would have to be found after the date Brian was last heard from. 

What stands out with this case, is the wallet. What does it mean for the wallet to be in his apartment but for him not to be?

Individuals that go out into public without their wallets are actually at increased risk of becoming John Does. There have been many individuals that have been hit by cars without their wallets that have died and not been identified or not been identified for decades. Getting hit by a car without your wallet is one mishap that can make you a John Doe. There are many others.

For this case, I read a lengthy post at the Facebook group dedicated to finding this missing person. I gleaned the following details about Brian from that group:

• He drank alcohol
• He used marijuana
• He received a citation for having a small amount of marijuana and it's mentioned that he was on probation at some point
• He seemed to have a "nicotine habit" at one point that he was trying to beat
• In the Fall of 1975, he started to do poorly in school after making the Dean's List at previous times
• He talked about finding himself and clearing his head
• He was evidently having back troubles as he went to a chiropractor on February 27th, 1976

I think the balance of reasonable conjecture would suggest that he was secretly depressed. Things did not seem to be going well for him at all. Additional to the problems above, his car recently broke down as per the NamUs description. None of these problems are all that bad but for someone having a difficult time, they could all be compiling. You have to wonder about the proverbial straw that breaks the camel's back.

As for finding him, I recommend looking for a John Doe with the following:

• A chipped front tooth
• Body found after March 9th, 1976 with no wallet or ID
• A John Doe that is believed to have been dead since March of 1976
• Reasonable proximity to Colorado, Austin, and Houston are all in play

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

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.

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.

Mekayla Bali -- Teenager Missing from Yorkton, Saskatchewan Since 2016

Mekayla Bali Missing Person Case: Overview

Missing person: Mekayla Bali

Last-contact date: April 12th, 2016 (Tuesday) at 1:45pm
Disappeared from: Yorkton, Saskatchewan at the STC Bus Depot

Link to Government Source: Canada's Missing 2016018567

Official Description of Mekayla Bali’s Disappearance

Canada's Missing Description: Mekayla was last seen at the STC Bus Depot in Yorkton at 1:45 p.m. on April 12th, 2016. She went to school in the morning but left shortly after arriving. She went to several businesses in Yorkton throughout the morning, then returned to school around noon. She bought lunch at the restaurant in the bus depot but did not get on a bus that day. Mekayla left the bus depot in the early afternoon and hasn't been seen since.

Physical Description and Clothing Details

Ethnicity/Race: White
Sex: Female
Age at time of disappearance: 16 years old
Hair: Blonde, shoulder lengthed
Eye color: Blue
Height and weight at the time of disappearance: 5'2" and 126 pounds
Clothing: Black/grey leggings, infinity scarf, turquoise blouse, maroon boots, and maroon coat

Timeline of Mekayla Bali’s Last Known Movements

Mekayla Bali was a high school student when she went missing from a small city in Saskatchewan known as Yorkton. This is an individual who had a well-documented timeline on the date of her disappearance. That's partly due to messages she sent before disappearing but it's also due to the surveillance footage that was available at the various venues that she visited the last day that she was seen.

Websleuths or amateur investigators who are thinking of doing some research on this case might benefit from watching the following Youtube video. It contained some useful information and video pertaining to her timeline. If you want to watch her timeline, then go to the 7:05 mark of the video.

Key Observations: Behavior at Tim Horton's

The part of the case that intrigued me the most was her behavior in the Tim Horton's restaurant. At one point, she leaves the restaurant, re-enters, and then exits out the opposite door. To me, this looked like the actions of someone who was having trouble coordinating a pick-up, maybe for a shared ride and possibly with a stranger or someone she knew. The way she exits the Tim Hortons, re-enters, and then chooses the other exit might seem strange but the action is consistent with someone who isn't sure which door her ride is going to pick her up at. Perhaps, she never did actually find that ride.

I wondered if she was using ridesharing apps or shared-ride classifieds like what you find at Kijiji, Craigslist, or on social media. It would be interesting if any ridesharing apps that were operating at the time had a record of drivers who were planning to pass through Yorkton on the day that Mekayla disappeared. Perhaps her driver wasn't reliable and that's what caused her to explore bus travel instead.

Did Mekayla Bali Consider Hitchhiking?

It's also interesting that she went to the bus depot but did not purchase a ticket. This is clearly someone who was dabbling with the idea of intercity travel on the day of her disappearance. That dabbling does invoke one phrase that's common to both intercity transportation and missing people: hitchhiking.

It's not quite fair to say that she was last seen hitchhiking but if the Tim Horton's scene was a failed pick-up location for a shared ride and if she didn't like the prices of the bus tickets then she might have turned to the cheapest form of travel there is: thumbing a ride.

Reliance on hitchhiking is a well-known risk factor when it comes to missing people. This possibility cannot be discounted, especially as she has now been missing for almost nine years as of early 2025. It would be very difficult for someone her age not to register on social media or touch base with someone who could help her for such a lengthy period.

Comparing Mekayla Bali to Beverly Sharpman

Similar Case: Beverly Sharpman

Mekayla Bali's case did remind me of the case of Beverly Sharpman in some ways. Sharpman went missing at the age of 17 in Philadelphia in the late 1940s. She attended high school the day she disappeared before leaving at a train/bus station. There certainly are many differences between the cases but the age, attending high school, and demographics are similar. Similar cases are always good food for thought.

With Sharpman, it's thought that she may have been pregnant and may not have wanted to reveal this to her mother or family. There were also themes of an inappropriate marriage or inappropriate relationship surrounding her case. However, Sharpman was using train services for traveling and she sent a message that hinted at some of her plans. That has created some conjecture that she survived her disappearance event while Bali's case seems a bit more futile in that regard and more mysterious. Nonetheless, I think some of the themes between the two cases could be compared.

Mekayla Bali Case Update: Nine-Year Vigil Sparks Renewed Hope

Mekayla Bali Case Update: Seven-Year Vigil Sparks Renewed Hope

• Vigil Date: Held on April 12, 2023, in Yorkton, SK, marking seven years since Mekayla Bali vanished on April 12, 2016.
• Last Sighting: Mekayla, 16, was last seen at the Yorkton bus depot, 1:00-1:45 p.m., on security footage.
• Family’s View: Paula Bali, her mother, finds the lack of leads “baffling” despite extensive efforts.
• RCMP Action: Released an age-progressed image in 2023 to show Mekayla at 23, seeking new tips.

Source: Regina Leader Post, April 11th, 2023/Larissa Kurz

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