CA CA - Cynthia Sumpter, 5, San Jose, 27 April 1974

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There are a lot of people who have gone missing in California over the years, but especially in the 1970's. Cindy's case is perhaps one of the most touching, since she was so young.

It has been over 37 years now, since she disappeared. It is no doubt that she was abducted. However, with so much time having passed, it would seem that a good number of potential suspects have been, or could have been identified. This is quite likely the work of a serial offender, meaning that there were others before and after.

I remember this case from the time she first went missing, as I moved to a nearby city only a few days later, and it was a hot news story.
 
Hi,

I have been interested in Cynthia's case for years. So few clues is bothersome. I read somewhere that Cynthia's mother beleives her daughter is still alive. If she is out there, there is so little about her available. Jackie stated that Cynthia was on the front cover of the newspaper. I have looked for related articles of the time, but apparently they are only available at San Jose libraries. I wonder, if someone local to San Jose could post other available newspaper articles of that time period. Including photos of area and relatives. If Cindy is out there, maybe seeing such would jog her memory (if she ever found her way here.)
 
cynthiab007 said:
Hi,

I have been interested in Cynthia's case for years. So few clues is bothersome. I read somewhere that Cynthia's mother beleives her daughter is still alive. If she is out there, there is so little about her available. Jackie stated that Cynthia was on the front cover of the newspaper. I have looked for related articles of the time, but apparently they are only available at San Jose libraries. I wonder, if someone local to San Jose could post other available newspaper articles of that time period. Including photos of area and relatives. If Cindy is out there, maybe seeing such would jog her memory (if she ever found her way here.)
Click to expand...

Some newspers have back copies available via internet, but often they charge for any articles ordered.

I have found that the best source for information on old cases like this one is to go to a library which has a good microfilm section, and to simply look up old newspapers of the time to see what they were reporting. If you have some target dates to search on, it helps. Looking through microfilms is usually time consuming.

Once you find some articles, post them here for further reference and research, but be careful not to violate any copyright laws in so doing.
 
Thanks for the reply Richard. I understand microfilm. I have accessed, by paying a few dollars to San Jose Mercury News, an article from early nineties titled " Without A Trace". The article highlighted the fact that Cindy's parents were exploited by by people claiming to know something as well as other similar facts. It named her mom and dad. It was informative but included no photos and probably would infringe on some copyright law to post here. My problem is, I am curious about the initial articles from 74. I am thousands of miles from California and have no access...paid for or not, as far as I am aware. I would love to see those articles and photos to get a feel.
 
You might not necessarily need to travel all the way to California to see microfilm of the San Jose Mercury. Try contacting a major research library near your home and ask if they have - or can get - microfilm for that newspaper.

There may be a listing at such a library of where microfilm or bound copy files exist for the Mercury and possibly other newspapers of the Santa ClaraCounty, CA area. Other cities in Santa Clara County are Mountain View, Palo Alto, Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, and others. Each may have had its own city papers.

You might also call the Mercury's office for assistance and suggestions.
 
How about the Speed Freak Killers?
Personally, I don't believe their targets were kids, I doubt they are responsible, it seems like maybe someone she knew is.
But still a possibility until proven otherwise.
 
amber1 said:
So many young girls vanished around the area that Michaela Garecht, Amanda Campbell, Angela Bugay and many others disappeared, all within the same time period...there HAS to be some connection!
Click to expand...

I agree. It made me think of the Diane Funchess murder on Rainbow Drive in San Jose,CA in 1977. Her baby Beth disappeared and has never been located. So much activity in one area does point to a connection. The locations of Cynthia Sumpter's home and the Funchess home were across town. But the Perp could have worked in one area and lived in another. I wonder if anyone has taken all these cases of missing children (and most especially blonde/blue eyed girls) from the late 70's in San Jose and connected any dots? Were the parents somehow connected so the Perp would have had exposure to the children or known of them? A YMCA, work, a church, grocery store, carpet cleaning, day care, bowling league...the list goes on. I'm not so convinced these are random acts of opportunity. I suspect there are links. I can't even find a listing of all children missing from San Jose in the 70's. Anyone know the best place to find that info?
 
missingkids.com may have a list of missing kids from CA. In the search box, you could specify which years you are looking for. charleyproject.org also has tons of them.
 
The anniversary of Cindy's disappearance is coming up...40 years next month.
 
There are discrepancies about Cynthia's case. Her date of abduction differs as well as identifying marks regarding moles. . Some sites say mole on left neck and others say left back. Some say left shin and another possibility is left CALF. This girl needs clarification. If her mom ( if alive) still believes her daughter is still alive, why... Hope? Or something else. Peace to her parents. Godspeed.
 
I believe Cynthia is actually on the rule-out list for being Suzanne Davis/Sharon Marshall
 
Bumping for Cindy Sumpter. We are well past the anniversary of her disappearance. I wonder if her case is connected to that of Tracy Davenport.
 
42 years after Cynthia Sumpter went missing, mother still hopes she'll be found

20160426_045109_sumpter_300.JPG


http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_29816393/san-jose-42-years-after-cynthia-sumpter-went
 
Cynthia Sumpter is one of three little girls--all about the same age-- who disappeared from California in 1973 and 1974 . Anna Christian Waters vanished in January 1973 and Tracy Davenport went missing three months later, in April 1973. I don' t see how the three cases could not be connected.
 
Bump for Cindy

Thank you for posting this. I can't believe it's been 42 years since I met her mom Linda, very soon after Cindy went missing. I had a boy the same age and we became BFFs. Linda was such a gorgeous girl, men would stare when she walked by. I can see her in Cindy's picture but the age-progression one, not at all, but I'm sure they know what they're doing.

We went to school and then worked together. It was all so horrific and surreal, and could have happened to anyone. Back then we didn't think about these things happening. I remember Linda telling me that the police eventually told her they were pretty sure that guy who was in prison and flunked a polygraph was guilty, but they didn't have enough to charge him. I got the impression that he had tacitly admitted something, but stopped short of a confession. Then again her body has never been found, so there's always hope.
 
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