OR OR - Rita Jolly, 17, West Linn, 29 June 1973

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Bumping this case. Bundy never confessed this murder and many more. What I read in another post in soem newspaper article is that detective did not ask him about the Oregon cases.
Here is the updated Charley Project link: http://charleyproject.org/case/rita-lorraine-jolly
On the DoeNetwork site says. "Five possible suspects have been identified in the case, including the late serial killer Ted Bundy." Who are the other four?
I wonder if any of the Jane Doe´s in some of the databases that are online can be Rita. I read on these thread about a couple.


 
Some agencies stare that bundy confessed to killing two people( he didn’t specify gender) in Oregon in the early seventies but stated he killed them at some point in 1972 to 1973. I am positive he is referring to Rita jolly and Vicki hollar.
 
Rita's brother has recently said that he thinks it as someone Rita knew and that Rita was likely not taken far.

This area of town and the street she was last seen on, has numerous steep ravens and wooded areas. The area is also winding and in my opinion, would be confusing to navigate your way back to the freeway unless you were familiar with the area. (People still get lost trying to find their way out of my neighborhood if they don't live here and don't use navigation).

I live one street over from where Rita Jolly lived, I am unsure of which house was her house, as I wasn't alive at the time. Most of the houses that are on that street now, were not built in 1973. The area had many fields and still has many ravens.

The street she was last seen on is very close too, although at that time it had more houses on that street than Horton did.

Just wanted to add how difficult I think our town is to navigate for someone who is not familiar with it. This area is filled with many steep hills and wooded areas. The town has 3 exits onto 1-205 and one of those exits it very close to the I-5 interchange.
This town is unique, in that it goes for neighborhoods to rural farmland in a few minutes time. Within just a few minutes of Rita's home is tons of land that is protected from urban growth and still remains undeveloped. There is also the Willamette River on one side of town and the Tualatin River on the other side of town.

Also, from my experience, no one in Rita's hometown of West Linn thinks it was Ted Bundy.

I hope this is helpful - I thought a locals experience of the area would be insightful. We really want answers for the Jolly family.
 
BlueRoseBlackLodge said:
Rita's brother has recently said that he thinks it as someone Rita knew and that Rita was likely not taken far.

This area of town and the street she was last seen on, has numerous steep ravens and wooded areas. The area is also winding and in my opinion, would be confusing to navigate your way back to the freeway unless you were familiar with the area. (People still get lost trying to find their way out of my neighborhood if they don't live here and don't use navigation).

I live one street over from where Rita Jolly lived, I am unsure of which house was her house, as I wasn't alive at the time. Most of the houses that are on that street now, were not built in 1973. The area had many fields and still has many ravens.

The street she was last seen on is very close too, although at that time it had more houses on that street than Horton did.

Just wanted to add how difficult I think our town is to navigate for someone who is not familiar with it. This area is filled with many steep hills and wooded areas. The town has 3 exits onto 1-205 and one of those exits it very close to the I-5 interchange.
This town is unique, in that it goes for neighborhoods to rural farmland in a few minutes time. Within just a few minutes of Rita's home is tons of land that is protected from urban growth and still remains undeveloped. There is also the Willamette River on one side of town and the Tualatin River on the other side of town.

Also, from my experience, no one in Rita's hometown of West Linn thinks it was Ted Bundy.

I hope this is helpful - I thought a locals experience of the area would be insightful. We really want answers for the Jolly family.
Click to expand...

Welcome BlueRoseBlackLodge! Thanks for that helpful local information. Just curious, if local residents don't think Ted Bundy was her killer, who do they suspect? It appears there were quite a few disappearances of young women in the area back then. Do they believe they're all related?

21 Dec 1973, 6 - Greater Oregon at Newspapers.com
 
Betty P said:
Welcome BlueRoseBlackLodge! Thanks for that helpful local information. Just curious, if local residents don't think Ted Bundy was her killer, who do they suspect? It appears there were quite a few disappearances of young women in the area back then. Do they believe they're all related?

21 Dec 1973, 6 - Greater Oregon at Newspapers.com
Click to expand...


Hi-

Thank you for the welcome!

I have not heard of a suspect being mentioned. But I will ask around in town. I stumbled back onto this case because I’m researching another girl who was murdered from West Linn in 1980.

There is no mention of the that girl, Kimberly Ann Pratt- which I find puzzling as it terrified the community too.

We had always heard that Dwaine Lee Little (rapist murderer and suspected serial killer) had killed her- but he was not charged.
He didn’t live in West Linn but was familiar with the area. The only way he could have been involved with Rita, is if it was during his work release from prison. Which would have been unlikely? But who knows.
Here’s my timeline on him; OR - Missing/Murdered along the I-5 Corridor

I cannot find achieves for newspaper articles. I only found 1 yearbook photo and 1 death Entry;
Kimberly Ann Pratt
3/14-1965- 12/15/80
80-19888 death certificate Clackamas County

More on DLL from Ann Rules book; But I Trusted You and Other True Cases(Page 32) eBook online Read
 
I’m not sure it’s needed, wanted or helpful. But I’m happy to take photos of our area and the two streets and ravines surrounding the 2 streets related to Rita’s disappearance.
 
Thank you all for keeping Rita's case alive over these many years. I am her older sister; I turned 21 just days before she disappeared. We shared a bedroom until we were teenagers. She was a quiet, pensive young person who loved animals. She was an artist and a wonderful writer. She went to the local community college for her senior year of high school, and graduated with her class at West Linn High School in early June, 1973. I offer this information to add some humanity to her memory.

As to Ted Bundy, as I recall, my mother told me that the local detectives managed to get a direct question about Rita through to him before his execution, and his reply was, "No. No more in Oregon."

After her disappearance, our family and other friends, as well as many locals, searched many of the area's woods, though certainly we did not search them all. The gruesomeness of our search hit home with me when we found a dead dog someone had dumped in the woods.

I find myself hopeful that we may someday have some resolution to her disappearance with the advent of DNA: there are so many unidentified bodies. I was just reading about the DNA Doe Project, DNA Doe Project. Perhaps this is her: The Doe Network: 865UFOR, where DNA is listed as "Not available". I've uploaded my DNA to GEDmatch, and have opted in to have it available. I will submit the above Jane Doe case to them.

A possibly related case is the murder of Susan Ann Wickersham, who disappeared on July 11, 1973, from Bend, OR (150 miles away from Rita's home in West Linn), less than 2 weeks after the disappearance of my sister. Her body was found in January, 1976, 5 miles south of Bend. Cold Cases

I believe the comment from BlueRoseBlackLodge paraphrasing one of my brothers is from this FB page James Cole We've all speculated over the years, of course, and there were rumors too. She struggled with the angst that affects so many young people, and it's possible she initially ran away. But her social security number has never had any activity, as far as I know.

If I can help in any way, perhaps by answering any questions, please let me know. We all remain hopeful that we may have an answer to what happened to her someday.
 
Rita Lorraine Jolly
  • jolly_rita.jpg
  • jolly_rita2.jpg
Rita, circa 1973

  • Missing Since 06/29/1973
  • Missing From West Linn, Oregon
  • Classification Endangered Missing
  • Sex Female
  • Race White
  • Date of Birth 12/06/1955 (63)
  • Age 17 years old
  • Height and Weight 5'6, 130 pounds
  • Clothing/Jewelry Description A brown Pendleton shirt, blue jeans or army fatigue pants, and low-cut blue sneakers with buckskin heels.
  • Distinguishing Characteristics Caucasian female. Light brown hair, hazel eyes. Rita previously fractured her lower left leg and the injury didn't heal properly. As a result, she walks with an uneven gait.
Details of Disappearance
Rita left her residence on Horton Road in West Linn, Oregon at 7:15 p.m. on June 29, 1973 to go for a walk. She never returned. She was last seen between 8:30 and 9:00 p.m. that day, walking uphill on Sunset Avenue. Rita has never been heard from again.

Rita may have been a victim of the serial killer Theodore Robert "Ted" Bundy. He was executed in Florida in 1989. He is a suspect in scores of murders, mainly from the Pacific Northwest, though he was convicted only of killing three females in Florida. He confessed to many deaths prior to his execution.

Bundy may be responsible for the disappearances of Nancy Baird, Ann Marie Burr, Lynette Culver, Julie Cunningham, Susan Curtis, Georgeann Hawkins, Vicki Hollar, Donna Manson, Denise Oliverson, Nancy Wilcox, and many other girls and young women.

The women continue to be listed as missing persons. Their remains have never been recovered.

It is worth noting that Bundy did not confess to Rita's murder before his death, but he is considered a suspect in many deaths and disappearances he did not claim responsibility for.

Rita's disappearance remains unsolved, as her body was not found and Bundy was never charged or confessed to her murder. Foul play is suspected in her case. She was a junior at West Linn High School in 1973.

LINKS:

charleyproject.org/case/rita-lorraine-jolly

The Doe Network: Case File 2503DFOR
 
Dear Jill-
I am so sorry I missed your reply to this thread- I am so glad to here your story.
I cannot imagine the pain that you have experienced. My mother went to high school a few years ahead of Rita and she talked about her disappearance frequently when we were growing up.
I hope that it is ok that I have been asking more questions Around town about Rita and that timeframe. I’ve also had my mother reach out to other high school students.

I’m sure what I have learned, wouldn’t be news to the family- but I am happy to share it privately with you.

I do have a few basic questions, if you are open to answering them. If not, I understand completely. I will message you.

thank you

Jill Elaine said:
Thank you all for keeping Rita's case alive over these many years. I am her older sister; I turned 21 just days before she disappeared. We shared a bedroom until we were teenagers. She was a quiet, pensive young person who loved animals. She was an artist and a wonderful writer. She went to the local community college for her senior year of high school, and graduated with her class at West Linn High School in early June, 1973. I offer this information to add some humanity to her memory.

As to Ted Bundy, as I recall, my mother told me that the local detectives managed to get a direct question about Rita through to him before his execution, and his reply was, "No. No more in Oregon."

After her disappearance, our family and other friends, as well as many locals, searched many of the area's woods, though certainly we did not search them all. The gruesomeness of our search hit home with me when we found a dead dog someone had dumped in the woods.

I find myself hopeful that we may someday have some resolution to her disappearance with the advent of DNA: there are so many unidentified bodies. I was just reading about the DNA Doe Project, DNA Doe Project. Perhaps this is her: The Doe Network: 865UFOR, where DNA is listed as "Not available". I've uploaded my DNA to GEDmatch, and have opted in to have it available. I will submit the above Jane Doe case to them.

A possibly related case is the murder of Susan Ann Wickersham, who disappeared on July 11, 1973, from Bend, OR (150 miles away from Rita's home in West Linn), less than 2 weeks after the disappearance of my sister. Her body was found in January, 1976, 5 miles south of Bend. Cold Cases

I believe the comment from BlueRoseBlackLodge paraphrasing one of my brothers is from this FB page James Cole We've all speculated over the years, of course, and there were rumors too. She struggled with the angst that affects so many young people, and it's possible she initially ran away. But her social security number has never had any activity, as far as I know.

If I can help in any way, perhaps by answering any questions, please let me know. We all remain hopeful that we may have an answer to what happened to her someday.
Click to expand...
 
  • jolly_rita.jpg
Rita Lorraine Jolly
Missing since June 29, 1973 from West Linn, Clackamas County, Oregon
Classification: Endangered Missing

Vital Statistics
    • Date Of Birth: December 6, 1955
    • Age at Time of Disappearance: 17 years old
    • Height and Weight at Time of Disappearance: 5'5 to 5'6'; 130 lbs.
    • Distinguishing Characteristics: White female. Long, light-brown hair. Hazel eyes. She walks with an uneven stride due to an improperly knitted fracture of her lower left leg.
    • Clothing: She was last seen wearing a brown Pendleton shirt, army fatigue pants or blue jeans and blue, low-cut blue tennis shoes with buckskin heels.
    • Dentals: Available
    • DNA: In CODIS
Circumstances of Disappearance

On June 29, 1973 at about 19:15, Rita Jolly left her residence to take a walk.

Rita Jolly was last seen in the West Linn area at about 20:30 to 21.00, possibly in the Robinwood area and/or on Sunset Avenue.

Rita Jolly has not been seen or heard of since. Foul play is suspected.

Five possible suspects have been identified in the case, including the late serial killer Ted Bundy.

She was a junior at West Linn High School at the time.

Investigators

If you have any information concerning this case, please contact:

Clackamas County Sheriff's Office
Detective Eric Lee
503-785-5140

Agency Case Number: 73-9833

Source Information:
Clackamas County Sheriff's Office
NamUs MP #7780
The Doe Network: Case File 2503DFOR
 
I was looking on the Missing & Unidentified Wiki and I noticed Jill, Rita's sister, added this photo of her aged 10-11. It's in color, showing her hair, skin and eyes (as-well as her front teeth) I don't believe this has been posted. Rita was a cute kid.

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