Possible Connections

[Richard]

Cynthia Gooding (16) and Teresa Alfonso (12) Missing 3 Sept 1974 Marathon, FL

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Cynthia Gooding (16)
Missing since September 3, 1974 from Marathon, Monroe County, Florida.
Classification: Lost, Injured, Missing
NCIC Number: M-061966859
Vital Statistics
Date Of Birth: July 23, 1958
Age at Time of Disappearance: 16 years old
Height and Weight at Time of Disappearance: 5'2; 100 pounds
Distinguishing Characteristics: White female. Brown hair; brown eyes.
Marks, Scars: She has a scar on her left eyebrow.
Nickname: Cindi; Cindy

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Teresa Armanda Alfonso (12)
Missing since September 3, 1974 from Marathon, Monroe County, Florida.
Classification: Endangered Missing

Agency Case Number: M743432
NCMEC #: NCMC801268
NCIC Number: M-729859018

Vital Statistics
Date Of Birth: November 6, 1961
Age at Time of Disappearance: 12 years old
Height and Weight at Time of Disappearance: 5'2" (157 cm); 120 lbs (54 kg)
Distinguishing Characteristics: White/Hispanic female. Light brown hair; brown eyes.
Marks, Scars: She has had a tonsillectomy. She has a small-sized scar below her buttocks. She has pierced ears.
Dentals: A small gap between her two front teeth.


Circumstances of Disappearance
Teresa Armanda Alfonso and her friend, Cynthia Robin Gooding, were dropped off at the Marathon Movie Theater in Marathon, Florida on 3 September 1974. Neither of the girls has been seen again.

Investigators
If you have any information concerning Alfonso's whereabouts, please contact:
Monroe County Sheriff's Office
Missing Persons Unit
305-296-2424
800-346-8477
You may remain anonymous when submitting information to any agency.


Source Information:
The National Center For Missing and Exploited Children
Florida Missing Children Information Clearinghouse
Florida Department of Law Enforcement
The Doenetwork


Links:
http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/2dffl.html

http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/218dffl.html

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This case has similarities to several others which involved the disappearance of more than one child:

Two months earlier, the disappearance of the Leslie Sisters (ages 13 and 15) from Arizona on 31 July 1974.

The three girls from Fort Worth who disappeared 24 December 1974.

The Lyon sisters (ages 11 and 13) from Montgomery County, Maryland 25 March 1975.

Two young boys; Steven Eugene Anderson (17) and David Williams (12) disappeared from New Jersey 7 April 1975.

Another similar case is the single disappearance of Dorthy Delilah Schoffield (12) from an Ocala, Florida Shopping Center in 1976.

 

[Richard]

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Steven Eugene Anderson
Missing since April 7, 1975 from New Lisbon, Burlington County, New Jersey
Classification: Endangered Missing
NCIC Number: M-011914999

Vital Statistics
Date Of Birth: April 25, 1957
Age at Time of Disappearance: 17 years old
Height and Weight at Time of Disappearance: 5'9; 150 pounds
Distinguishing Characteristics: White male. Brown, straight, short hair; blue eyes.
Marks, Scars: He has a chicken pox scar on his stomach.
Dentals: Anderson has a chipped front tooth.
Medical Conditions: Anderson is moderately retarded and is not capable of sustaining himself.
Clothing: He was last seen wearing a blue shirt, blue pants and a blue hooded coat.
-------------------------------------------------------
David Williams
Missing since April 7, 1975 from New Lisbon, Burlington County, New Jersey
Classification: Endangered Missing
NCIC Number: M-531123610

Vital Statistics
Date Of Birth: October 9, 1962
Age at Time of Disappearance: 12 years old
Height and Weight at Time of Disappearance: 5'0; 113 pounds
Distinguishing Characteristics: Black male. Black hair; brown eyes.
Clothing: A maroon jogging suit and a suede jacket.

-----------------------------------
Circumstances of Disappearance

Stephen Eugene Anderson and David Williams were last seen leaving the New Lisbon State School, which is off of State Highway 72 in New Lisbon, NJ on April 7, 1975. Both were students at the school. David did not have his medications with him.

Investigators
If you have any information on this case, please contact:
Human Services Police, New Lisbon Station
609-894-4025
You may remain anonymous when submitting information. LINKS:

Source Information:

The National Center For Missing and Exploited Children
The Doe Network: Case File 87DMNJ
The Doe Network: Case File 32DMNJ

LINKS:
http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/87dmnj.html
http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/32dmnj.html

 

[emery]

I just recently learned of a documentary, Have You Seen Andy?, by Melanie Perkins, who grew up with a little boy abducted in Lawrence, Mass. in 1976 and never found -- Andy Puglisi. Here's a link to her website.

http://www.haveyouseenandy.com/story/

Apparently the documentary aired on Cinemax last night. Did anyone catch it?

In reading through the news articles, particularly the Globe's continuing coverage, it was interesting to see that she believes a likely suspect in that case was a man named Charles Pierce, who was a necropheliac who abducted and killed several children, both male and female.

I wonder if he ever was in the Maryland area.

Interesting connection: Andy was last seen at the public swimming pool. The Lyon sisters would have walked by a public pool -- Glenmont, which I believe is no longer there -- on their way to and from Wheaton Plaza. It seems from the Globe coverage that pedophiles in the 70s targeted public pools as places to see/approach children. Apparently on the day Andy went missing, 5 known child molesters were at the pool where Andy was last seen.

 

[lizzybeth]

Emery, thank you so much for that link. I just finished reading about Melanie Perkins' search for Andy's killer. I think that was written in 1999. Did they say on the documentary if they ever found a body?

 

[emery]

Emery, thank you so much for that link. I just finished reading about Melanie Perkins' search for Andy's killer. I think that was written in 1999. Did they say on the documentary if they ever found a body?

It appears the case is still unsolved. Interesting that they seem to have some leads and yet they don't seem to have followed through on all them. I'd have dug up that whole area by now based just on the two boys' description of the grave-like whole they found shortly after Andy disappeared. And then to have a cadaver dog alert in a spot and not finish excavating? How very odd.

 

[emery]

Interesting connection: Andy was last seen at the public swimming pool. The Lyon sisters would have walked by a public pool -- Glenmont, which I believe is no longer there -- on their way to and from Wheaton Plaza. It seems from the Globe coverage that pedophiles in the 70s targeted public pools as places to see/approach children. Apparently on the day Andy went missing, 5 known child molesters were at the pool where Andy was last seen.

It occurs to me, though, that Glenmont would not have been open during Easter break. So it seems unlikely that any child molesters were lurking around it hoping to spot a vulnerable child when the Lyon sisters disappeared.

 

[Richard]

It occurs to me, though, that Glenmont would not have been open during Easter break. So it seems unlikely that any child molesters were lurking around it hoping to spot a vulnerable child when the Lyon sisters disappeared.

Good point. Swimming Pools traditionally open on Memorial Day Weekend, about two months after the girls disappeared. Late March is a time of unpredictable weather. Some days are warm and spring-like, while sometimes late March snow storms take place.

None of the newspaper articles written at the time mention the swimming pool as a place of interest. There is a pond or pool mentioned as being searched by scuba divers, but I believe that it is the pool which was on the grounds of the Nursing Home.

The Late April search focussed on an area west of Kensington around Rock
Creek.

 

[emery]

None of the newspaper articles written at the time mention the swimming pool as a place of interest. There is a pond or pool mentioned as being searched by scuba divers, but I believe that it is the pool which was on the grounds of the Nursing Home.

I'm pretty sure you're right. Glenmont would have opened after Memorial Day.

The nursing home had a fairly large pond on the property. I actually once caught a huge catfish in that pond using only a hook, a line and a piece of hotdog! I couldn't get the fish off the hook and had to drag it back, crying all the way, to the bottom of Glenway Drive and get help. Fortunately that tough old catfish survived and the teenager who helped me get it off the hook released it back into the pond.

I would hope the police thoroughly dredged that pond.

Children didn't often go near the pond because the Nursing Home groundskeeper, Mr. Sykes, would chase after you with a rifle filled with grapeshot if he found you there.

 

[Tracer]

In regard to the Eva Debruhl case, it seems one person reported seeing a man on the front porch and a van in the driveway...brown or dark orange as I remember. Another person has reported a white pickup truck.

"What is lacking in all this information is proof positive that he is the culprit in all these abductions and there is little information online about the other abductions compared to the information on the Lyon sisters disappearance. If only there were more information available on these other disapperances. Did anyone see someone or a vehicle?"

 

[Richard]

In regard to the Eva Debruhl case, it seems one person reported seeing a man on the front porch and a van in the driveway...brown or dark orange as I remember. Another person has reported a white pickup truck.

Eva's case has only been posted on the internet for about a year now. There are indeed some discrepancies, but only minor ones. Eva's grandmother claimed to have seen a white man on the porch that day, but I have seen no description or any police sketch of that man. I am not certain if the grandmother saw the man shortly before Eva went missing, or if it was earlier in the day.

There may have been more than one vehicle seen in the vicinity of the DeBruhl house that day.

According to the accounts I have seen, Eva was mowing the grass at her home, then went inside briefly. She made some tea, which she did not drink, and drew a bath, but did not get into the tub.

One might draw the conclusion that someone was watching the house and came to the door shortly after Eva had gone in, subsequently getting her to go with him in his vehicle. Who was he? What link (if any) did he have with the family or the neighborhood?

This case is similar to that of the Lyon Sisters case, and with some of the other cases presented in this thread for a number of reasons:
- Eva is close in age and in description to other victims.
- She disappeared with few or no witnesses.
- Her disappearance was more likely a swift abduction rather than a planned departure on her part.
- She may have been selected and watched for some time prior to the abductor making his move.
- There was no apparent struggle and it is likely that a motor vehicle was used by the abductor.

If one considers the potential suspect Fred Howard Coffey, Jr. many more coincidences and similarities might be seen. Fred seems to have been an opportunist, always on the look out for potential victims to molest, rape, and murder. He travelled a lot, but many of his crimes occurred close to home.

He raped a 13-year-old girl, dauhter of a fellow Navy man when both were living in Virginia Beach, VA in 1974. In October of 1974, he was arrested for "Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor" with a 15 year old girl.

He was convicted of molesting three children in North Carolina where he later lived, and at the time, he admitted molesting over 100 others.

Coffey has been convicted of murdering Amanda Ray (age 10) after abducting her from her home in North Carolina (where he lived in 1979). He has murder charges pending for killing Neely Smith (age 5) after abducting her in North Carolina (where he lived in 1981). He has murder charges pending for the murder of Travis Shane King (age 8) after abducting him from Bristol, VA (where he lived in 1986).

The Lyon Sisters and Kathy Beatty lived a very close to Fred's Gaithersburg, MD address at the time.

Eva lived only a short distance from Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, NC - Fred's home at the time.

 

[ihadcabinfever]

In regard to the Eva Debruhl case, it seems one person reported seeing a man on the front porch and a van in the driveway...brown or dark orange as I remember. Another person has reported a white pickup truck.

http://media.heraldonline.com/smedia/2006/06/15/11/debrulnewspaper63077.source.prod_affiliate.6.pdf


Mrs. Maree said that about 5 minutes after DeBruhl left a "new looking" blue and white or green and white jeep like vehicle drove into the circular driveway and stopped at the front door....A man of medium height and build wearing a light colored shirt and pants got out of the vehicle and walked up on the front porch . She said it looked like someone was talking to someone through the screen door..the vehicle then left and returned 10 to 15 minutes later. No one saw Eva get into the vehicle or heard noises that would indicate she was forced into it.

 

[Truthful Lies]

bump . .

 

[georgiagirl]

My money is on you. What the heck kind of statement is that....

I thought that myself.....

 

[shipmatekate]

Or just an attention seeker.

 

[Richard]

This is the first I have heard of this little girl. She disappeared in the month before the Lyon Sisters disappeared, under similar circumstances. Note the similarities in descriptions.

Could this case be linked to that of the Lyon Sisters and to disappearances of other children in Maryland and nearby states in 1975?

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... Tina Faye Kemp's family hasn't seen her for more than 32 years. ...


Tina Faye Kemp

Kemp was 14 years old when she disappeared in 1975. It was around 9 a.m. Feb. 3, a Saturday morning, when she left her home on Main Street in Felton.

"She just disappeared, no indication of where she was going," Hudson said.
She had no known family problems or any other indications that she would be a runaway, he said.

Because she was known to frequent horse-racing tracks in Delaware and surrounding states, police follow up with neighboring states whenever remains are found at a horse track.

But neither that nor other investigative efforts have netted solid leads.

Kemp, who was 5 feet tall and weighed about 100 pounds, had a medium build, brown hair and blue eyes. She last was seen wearing a white sweater, red and blue flannel shirt, blue jeans and red-and-white tennis shoes. ...

You can help
Police ask anyone who may know something that could help solve one of these cold cases to call detectives at 739-5939.

Callers may remain anonymous.

Source:

delawareonline ¦ The News Journal, Wilmington, Del. ¦ Few leads, little luck in cold cases

LINK:
http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070728/NEWS/707280346/-1/NEWS01

 

[Richard]

Actually, February 3rd fell on a Monday in 1975. Not sure if the date or the day of the week is in error in this story.

 

[Richard]

There has been a lot of discussion in these boards about other cases which might be linked to the disappearance of Sheila and Katherine Lyon from Wheaton, Maryland on Tuesday 25 March 1975.

Compare their descriptions with the other cases below.

Sheila, age 12 (almost 13), 5'2"; 100 pounds; White female, Blonde hair; blue eyes, wore glasses.

Katherine, age 10 (almost 11), 4'8"; 85 pounds; White female, Blonde hair; blue eyes

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Here are a few of the cases which I think bear strong similarities to the Lyon Case. Although these cases might not ALL be linked to the Lyon Sisters' disappearance - they might be connected in some way to each other.

Cynthia Gooding, 16 and Teresa Alfonso, 12, Missing Tuesday, 3 Sept 1974 Marathon, FL
Cynthia: 5'2; 100 pounds; White female. Brown hair; brown eyes
Teresa: 5'2"; 120 lbs; White/Hispanic female. Light brown hair; brown eyes.

Tina Faye Kemp, 14, Missing since Monday, 3 Feb 1975 from Felton, DE
5'0", 100 pounds, White female, Brown hair, Blue eyes.

Steven Eugene Anderson,17 and David Williams,12, Missing since Monday, April 7, 1975 from New Lisbon, NJ
Steven: 5'9"; 150 lbs; White male. Brown, straight, short hair; blue eyes
David: 5'0"; 113 pounds; Black male. Black hair; brown eyes

Wendy Eaton, age 15, Missing since Saturday, May 17, 1975, Media, PA
4'10; 90 pounds; White female. Brown hair; brown eyes, occasionaly wore glasses

Edna Christine Thorne,15, Missing Tuesday, 24 June 1975, Philadelphia, PA
5'1; 105 pounds; White female. Brown hair; brown eyes

Tracy Anne King, age 14, Missing Tuesday, July 8, 1975, Littlestown, PA
5'3; 110 pounds; White female. Red hair; blue eyes

(All the above were classified as Non-Family Abductions, and all remain unsolved today.)

Kathy Lynn Beatty, 14, also from Wheaton, MD, abducted and brutally attacked on Thursday, 24 July 1975. Died without regaining consciousness 5 August 1975.
Height/weight not known - thin, White female, Brown straight hair, eye color not known

Carolyn Majane, age 15, went missing Friday, Aug 22, 1975, from Moorestown, NJ. Her body was found in 1985, buried in a remote area.
Description not available.

Dorothy Delilah Scofield, 12, Missing Thursday, July 22, 1976, Ocala, FL
4'11; 100 pounds; White female. Brown, straight hair; blue eyes. Wore glasses

Judy Ann Sylvester,22, Missing Monday, 24 Jan 1977, Virginia Beach, VA
5'0"; 100 lbs; White female. Brown hair; blue eyes

Eva Jurlyn DeBruhl, 15, Missing Wednesday, 29 June 1977, Rock Hill, SC
5'1"; 105 lbs; White female. Brown hair; blue eyes

You can read specifics on each case in this thread. Any thoughts or comments? Any other possible linked cases - or more details on these?

 

[mere]

I wonder if this info was ever linked through LE?

 

[Richard]

I wonder if this info was ever linked through LE?

There are many separate jurisdictions involved with all the cases that I mentioned. I do know that there has been dialog between the Montgomery County (Maryland) Police investigators and other police departments, but could not say if there has been any linking of these cases by other jurisdictions.

I have passed my own thoughts about possible links to some of the investigators, but do not know what action they may have subsequently taken.

Possibly forming a joint task force involving all of these separate jurisdictions would bring out more solid leads and focus attention on a suspect or suspects for some or all of the cases.

 

[Richard]

Sharon Lynn Pretorius
Missing since September 28, 1973 from Dayton, Montgomery County, Ohio
Classification: Endangered Missing

Vital Statistics

Date of Birth: about 1960
Age at Time of Disappearance: 13 years old
Height and Weight at Time of Disappearance: Tall for her age.
Distinguishing Characteristics: White female. Long, brown hair, worn in braids.
Clothing: A yellow long-sleeved sweater, blue jeans and gym shoes.

Circumstances of Disappearance

Pretorius was last seen she left her home on Cornell Drive in the Dayton View neighborhood in Dayton, Ohio on September 28, 1973.

She had attended her classes at Fairview High School, where she was a freshman, gone home, had a piano lesson, and left to collect money in the neighborhood for her Journal Herald newspaper route.

Procedures at the time prohibited Pretorius's family from reporting her as a missing child until 24 hours had passed. Investigators believe she did not run away and was probably abducted and murdered.

A witness saw a girl matching Pretorius's description struggling with a man near a car at the corner of Cornell and Philadelphia Drive on the day she disappeared, but the man has never been identified and the girl was not confirmed to be Pretorius.

Authorities followed up many leads in her disappearance over the years, but her case remains a mystery.

Investigators
If you have any information concerning this case, please contact:
Dayton Police Department 937-333-COPS


Source Information:
Dayton Daily News
Guest Book for Sharon Lynn Pretorius
Dayton Daily News
Charley Project
The Doe Network: Case File 2051DFOH

LINK:
http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/2051dfoh.html