The Indiana Dunes State Park Mystery July 1966: Three missing women
Renee Bruhl
Missing since July 2, 1966 from Indiana Dunes State Park, Indiana
Classification: Endangered Missing Vital Statistics
Date Of Birth: 1947
Age at Time of Disappearance: 19 years old
Height and Weight at Time of Disappearance: 5'9"
Distinguishing Characteristics: Brown hair; hazel eyes. Bruhl's maiden name is "Slunecko."
Clothing: Bathing suit
The Doe Network: Case File 384DFIN
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Ann Miller
Missing since July 2, 1966 from Indiana Dunes State Park, Indiana.
Classification: Endangered Missing Vital Statistics
Date Of Birth: 1945
Age at Time of Disappearance: 21 years old
Height and Weight: 5'2"
Distinguishing Characteristics: White female. Brown hair; blue eyes.
Clothing: A two-piece blue bathing suit with a red belt.
The Doe Network: Case File 656DFIN
--------------------------------------------
Patricia Blough
Missing since July 2, 1966 from Indiana Dunes State Park, Indiana
Classification: Endangered Missing Vital Statistics
Date Of Birth: 1947
Age at Time of Disappearance: 19 years old
Height and Weight: 5'4"; 115 lbs.
Distinguishing Characteristics: White female. Brown hair; brown eyes.
Clothing: Bathingsuit
AKA: Patty
The Doe Network: Case File 662DFIN
------------------------------------
Circumstances of Disappearance
Renee Bruhl, Patricia Blough, and Ann Miller, disappeared from the Indiana Dunes State Park in Indiana on July 2, 1966.
The women arrived at the Indiana Dunes State Park at approximately 10:00 AM. Miller parked in the park's lot and the women hiked to a spot approximately 100 yards from the Lake Michigan shoreline. A couple reported seeing the women leave their belongings on the beach at approximately 12:00 PM and enter the lake together. The witnesses saw them speaking to an unidentified man operating a 14 - 16 foot-long white boat with a blue interior and and outboard motor sometime afterwards. The couple reported their observations to a park ranger around dusk when they noticed that the women's belongings were still sitting unclaimed on the beach. The witnesses stated that the women went aboard the boat and headed west with the driver.
The park rangers soon learned that missing persons' reports had been filed for Blough, Miller and Bruhl over the weekend in Illinois by their families. The rangers began investigating the park and located Miller's Buick in the parking lot. Her car keys had been located with her belongings and some items of the women's clothing and other personal effects were still inside the vehicle.
The park rangers contacted other law enforcement agencies, including the United States Coast Guard. A search for the missing women was initiated on July 5, three days after the women disappeared. Additional witnesses came forward with conflicting stories regarding the women's last known movements, but authorities believe that the first witnesses' reports stating that the women were seen boarding a boat were the most reliable.
More witnesses began substantiating the initial reports that the women entered a white boat operated by an unidentified man. Later accounts described the male as in his early twenties with a tanned complexion and dark, wavy hair. He was wearing a beach jacket at the time. A visitor was filming home movies at the state park on July 2 and offered his reels to investigators. The search was immediately narrowed to two boats once authorities viewed the footage. One was a fiberglass 16 - 18-foot long trimaran runabout with a three-hulled design, which was operated by a man fitting the description of the unidentified driver. Three females matching the missing women were seen aboard the smaller boat in the footage. The second boat identified was a 26 - 28-foot Trojan cabin cruiser with three men aboard along with three women. The cabin cruiser was seen at approximately 3:00 PM, three hours after the women entered the smaller vessel. Investigators believe that the women may have been dropped off on the beach by the driver of the smaller boat while he drove back to retrieve two male friends and the cabin cruiser. Blough, Miller and Bruhl were reportedly seen eating and walking along the sand dunes after this time. They were approached by another unidentified man, who accompanied them on to the cabin cruiser. Witnesses stated that the cabin cruiser was equipped with a radio / telephone antenna, but apparently did not have a name printed on its stern. This final sighting has never been confirmed, but is considered reliable by authorities.
Investigators began researching the women's backgrounds in an attempt to discover if their disappearances were voluntary. Authorities found that there may have been problems in Bruhl's marriage, though her family denied it. All three women were horse enthusiasts, which pointed to a possible connection with criminal activity. Blough and Miller met while boarding their horses at the same Illinois stable. Bruhl was a high school classmate of Blough's, which is how the three women were connected. Miller was employed as a horse exerciser at Oak Brook Polo Club at the time she vanished. She and Blough were associated with men who had criminal backgrounds in the horse market. Blough was reportedly having problems with 'horse syndicate people' in the spring and summer of 1966.
Miller's friends told authorities that she was three months pregnant in July of 1966 and mentioned entering a home for unwed mothers prior to her disappearance. Miller's possible pregnancy has never been confirmed. Blough was a very skilled swimmer who could swim 20 - 30 miles; Miller was thought to possess similar abilities and Bruhl's family stated that she had fair swimming skills. Drowning was considered a possibility in the disappearances, but unlikely. There have been many unconfirmed sightings of the three women throughout the years, but leads never surfaced. The boats they were reportedly seen boarding on July 2, 1966 have never been located, nor have the unidentified men spotted on the vessels been seen again. Debris from an apparent boat wreck were discovered near the Bailly Generating Station Of Northern Indiana Public Service Company on Lake Michigan shortly after the July 2 disappearances. There were no reports of any missing boats the day the women vanished and authorities do not know if the debris is connected to their cases.
Blough, Miller and Bruhl frequently rode horses at Tri Color Stables in Palatine, Illinois in 1966. The stables were owned by George Jayne, a prominent horse dealer. George and his brother, Silas Jayne, were involved in a bitter argument over horse dealing during the mid-1960's. Cheryl Ann Rude, a young woman associated with the horse market, was killed at Tri Color Stables in June 1965 by a car bomb discovered to be intended for George. Investigators have explored the possibility that Blough, Miller and / or Bruhl may have witnessed the bomb being planted one year prior to their disappearances. It has never been proven. George and Silas' phone numbers were discovered in the belongings of one of the missing women in 1966. None of the men have been proven to have been involved with Blough, Miller and Bruhl's disappearances.
Silas Jayne reportedly told a sheriff that he had three bodies buried underneath his residence some time after the women's 1966 disappearances. Law enforcement took the comment seriously and planned to search Silas' property; the sheriff involved was killed in a farming accident before the search took place. As a result, the lead was left cold.
The Indiana Dunes State Park where Blough, Miller and Bruhl were last seen is now called the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore.
If you have any information concerning this case, please contact:
Indiana State Police 219-269-4747
Source Information:
The Indiana Dunes State Park Mystery
links:
http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/384dfin.html
http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/656dfin.html
http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/662dfin.html
Renee Bruhl
Missing since July 2, 1966 from Indiana Dunes State Park, Indiana
Classification: Endangered Missing Vital Statistics
Date Of Birth: 1947
Age at Time of Disappearance: 19 years old
Height and Weight at Time of Disappearance: 5'9"
Distinguishing Characteristics: Brown hair; hazel eyes. Bruhl's maiden name is "Slunecko."
Clothing: Bathing suit
The Doe Network: Case File 384DFIN
---------------------------------------
Ann Miller
Missing since July 2, 1966 from Indiana Dunes State Park, Indiana.
Classification: Endangered Missing Vital Statistics
Date Of Birth: 1945
Age at Time of Disappearance: 21 years old
Height and Weight: 5'2"
Distinguishing Characteristics: White female. Brown hair; blue eyes.
Clothing: A two-piece blue bathing suit with a red belt.
The Doe Network: Case File 656DFIN
--------------------------------------------
Patricia Blough
Missing since July 2, 1966 from Indiana Dunes State Park, Indiana
Classification: Endangered Missing Vital Statistics
Date Of Birth: 1947
Age at Time of Disappearance: 19 years old
Height and Weight: 5'4"; 115 lbs.
Distinguishing Characteristics: White female. Brown hair; brown eyes.
Clothing: Bathingsuit
AKA: Patty
The Doe Network: Case File 662DFIN
------------------------------------
Circumstances of Disappearance
Renee Bruhl, Patricia Blough, and Ann Miller, disappeared from the Indiana Dunes State Park in Indiana on July 2, 1966.
The women arrived at the Indiana Dunes State Park at approximately 10:00 AM. Miller parked in the park's lot and the women hiked to a spot approximately 100 yards from the Lake Michigan shoreline. A couple reported seeing the women leave their belongings on the beach at approximately 12:00 PM and enter the lake together. The witnesses saw them speaking to an unidentified man operating a 14 - 16 foot-long white boat with a blue interior and and outboard motor sometime afterwards. The couple reported their observations to a park ranger around dusk when they noticed that the women's belongings were still sitting unclaimed on the beach. The witnesses stated that the women went aboard the boat and headed west with the driver.
The park rangers soon learned that missing persons' reports had been filed for Blough, Miller and Bruhl over the weekend in Illinois by their families. The rangers began investigating the park and located Miller's Buick in the parking lot. Her car keys had been located with her belongings and some items of the women's clothing and other personal effects were still inside the vehicle.
The park rangers contacted other law enforcement agencies, including the United States Coast Guard. A search for the missing women was initiated on July 5, three days after the women disappeared. Additional witnesses came forward with conflicting stories regarding the women's last known movements, but authorities believe that the first witnesses' reports stating that the women were seen boarding a boat were the most reliable.
More witnesses began substantiating the initial reports that the women entered a white boat operated by an unidentified man. Later accounts described the male as in his early twenties with a tanned complexion and dark, wavy hair. He was wearing a beach jacket at the time. A visitor was filming home movies at the state park on July 2 and offered his reels to investigators. The search was immediately narrowed to two boats once authorities viewed the footage. One was a fiberglass 16 - 18-foot long trimaran runabout with a three-hulled design, which was operated by a man fitting the description of the unidentified driver. Three females matching the missing women were seen aboard the smaller boat in the footage. The second boat identified was a 26 - 28-foot Trojan cabin cruiser with three men aboard along with three women. The cabin cruiser was seen at approximately 3:00 PM, three hours after the women entered the smaller vessel. Investigators believe that the women may have been dropped off on the beach by the driver of the smaller boat while he drove back to retrieve two male friends and the cabin cruiser. Blough, Miller and Bruhl were reportedly seen eating and walking along the sand dunes after this time. They were approached by another unidentified man, who accompanied them on to the cabin cruiser. Witnesses stated that the cabin cruiser was equipped with a radio / telephone antenna, but apparently did not have a name printed on its stern. This final sighting has never been confirmed, but is considered reliable by authorities.
Investigators began researching the women's backgrounds in an attempt to discover if their disappearances were voluntary. Authorities found that there may have been problems in Bruhl's marriage, though her family denied it. All three women were horse enthusiasts, which pointed to a possible connection with criminal activity. Blough and Miller met while boarding their horses at the same Illinois stable. Bruhl was a high school classmate of Blough's, which is how the three women were connected. Miller was employed as a horse exerciser at Oak Brook Polo Club at the time she vanished. She and Blough were associated with men who had criminal backgrounds in the horse market. Blough was reportedly having problems with 'horse syndicate people' in the spring and summer of 1966.
Miller's friends told authorities that she was three months pregnant in July of 1966 and mentioned entering a home for unwed mothers prior to her disappearance. Miller's possible pregnancy has never been confirmed. Blough was a very skilled swimmer who could swim 20 - 30 miles; Miller was thought to possess similar abilities and Bruhl's family stated that she had fair swimming skills. Drowning was considered a possibility in the disappearances, but unlikely. There have been many unconfirmed sightings of the three women throughout the years, but leads never surfaced. The boats they were reportedly seen boarding on July 2, 1966 have never been located, nor have the unidentified men spotted on the vessels been seen again. Debris from an apparent boat wreck were discovered near the Bailly Generating Station Of Northern Indiana Public Service Company on Lake Michigan shortly after the July 2 disappearances. There were no reports of any missing boats the day the women vanished and authorities do not know if the debris is connected to their cases.
Blough, Miller and Bruhl frequently rode horses at Tri Color Stables in Palatine, Illinois in 1966. The stables were owned by George Jayne, a prominent horse dealer. George and his brother, Silas Jayne, were involved in a bitter argument over horse dealing during the mid-1960's. Cheryl Ann Rude, a young woman associated with the horse market, was killed at Tri Color Stables in June 1965 by a car bomb discovered to be intended for George. Investigators have explored the possibility that Blough, Miller and / or Bruhl may have witnessed the bomb being planted one year prior to their disappearances. It has never been proven. George and Silas' phone numbers were discovered in the belongings of one of the missing women in 1966. None of the men have been proven to have been involved with Blough, Miller and Bruhl's disappearances.
Silas Jayne reportedly told a sheriff that he had three bodies buried underneath his residence some time after the women's 1966 disappearances. Law enforcement took the comment seriously and planned to search Silas' property; the sheriff involved was killed in a farming accident before the search took place. As a result, the lead was left cold.
The Indiana Dunes State Park where Blough, Miller and Bruhl were last seen is now called the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore.
If you have any information concerning this case, please contact:
Indiana State Police 219-269-4747
Source Information:
The Indiana Dunes State Park Mystery
links:
http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/384dfin.html
http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/656dfin.html
http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/662dfin.html