SC SC - Dail Dinwiddie, 23, Columbia, 24 Sep 1992

[sammack]

I am sooo happy to see Dail's thread getting some buzz!!!

I was born and raised in Columbia, and although i'm much younger than Dail (born nearly 4 years after she went missing), her case is the one that really drew me to true crime... I believe I first heard of her on the 15th anniversary and have hoped for resolution ever since.

Dail's disappearance is still widely known in SC and is IMO probably the most famous (infamous?) cold case in the state.

I've read this thread start to finish probably 100 times over the years (joined this year but longtime lurker, lol). I've searched the internet high and low for anything else I can find about what could've happened. It BAFFLES me that there is so little.

This thread is the best resource for anyone who wants to learn about Dail and what could've potentially happened to her. The RCSD website has no mention of Dail under their cold cases or their 'have you seen me?' sections. The Columbia Police Department's cold case page is pretty pathetic IMO, but it gives a 4-sentence mention of her. It seems the citizens of SC (and of WS!) are more concerned with finding Dail than the local LE at times...

My personal theory is that whatever horrific things happened to Dail were done by someone whom she knew and trusted. I think it was someone who was either older and affluent themselves, or younger and from an affluent family.

I really hope Dail's case - and this thread - continue to get more attention!!

--And if anyone has any info on corruption regarding Leon Lott/RCSD and Dail - or if I missed something on WS - please share! Personal connections to RCSD but a lot of questions surrounding them...

 

[megs1477]

Doesn't fit his victim profile. (Everything i'm about to say is not to victim shame in ANY way; only facts from the LISK case, and only to explain how different Dail was from his M.O.)

RH's (alleged) victims were all sex workers at the time of their disappearances/murders. Many of them struggled with addiction and, overall, were considered "easy targets" to RH and other serial killers; police investigations basically stopped back then when they found out the victim was involved in sex work and/or used drugs.

RH also "hired" his victims, having prior contact to set up their meetings (i.e. wasn't a random snatching/crime of opportunity).

Dail was not involved in sex work, nor was she known to use drugs in any way - even recreationally. She was highly educated, came from an affluent family, and very locally known... her disappearance came with heavy media and police attention - the opposite of the victims (and attention) RH sought!

I agree with everything you said. The only thing that made me consider him is that DD would have been one of the first. In the beginning, they do things different. It takes time to establish the pattern, generally.

Thinking things through….For DD to leave without her purse, there is a chance she was drugged. Very common at concerts, etc. at that time. Despite being drugged, she is a very intelligent girl, and gets out of there. She wouldn’t just jump into a stranger’s car…but she needed a ride home. So if someone happened to drive by, it would have to be someone she knew/trusted. LE are about the only other people who command that sense of trust even when unknown.

 

[phcrider]

Ah okay. I was just thinking maybe if she attempted to walk home, would she have taken some back roads? I am sure the streets were packed after the concert which would make grabbing someone more difficult.

It’s been stated by friends and family many times that they’ll was a very cautious and maybe even overly cautious person who never took chances with her safety. No one believes that she attempted to walk home that night, and that wasn’t the direction she was saying going in anyway, if I’m not mistaken

 

[bestill]

Five Points is a very confusing place to drive through, I think anyone that is driving by would avoid it, it's more a destination. I went to college in Columbia in the 1980's and Five Points was the late night crowd during that time, very close to the University. I have thought about Dail's case over the years, her posters were all over the state and her name hasn't been forgotten. Said that her family still doesn't have answers and she's not been found. I, too, believe it's a well connected person that she encountered and things have been covered up.

One well connected person that was at USC and USC Law School from 1990 - 1994 and was Alex Murdaugh...

All JMO.

 

[SqrQn29]

It’s been stated by friends and family many times that they’ll was a very cautious and maybe even overly cautious person who never took chances with her safety. No one believes that she attempted to walk home that night, and that wasn’t the direction she was saying going in anyway, if I’m not mistaken

Yeah I agree. I was just trying to throw some other ideas around. No leads after so many years just baffles me.

 

[SqrQn29]

Five Points is a very confusing place to drive through, I think anyone that is driving by would avoid it, it's more a destination. I went to college in Columbia in the 1980's and Five Points was the late night crowd during that time, very close to the University. I have thought about Dail's case over the years, her posters were all over the state and her name hasn't been forgotten. Said that her family still doesn't have answers and she's not been found. I, too, believe it's a well connected person that she encountered and things have been covered up.

One well connected person that was at USC and USC Law School from 1990 - 1994 and was Alex Murdaugh...

All JMO.

Hmmm I didn’t realize he was in law school at USC at the time…that’s interesting.

There was so much coverage yet little details revealed. Just makes it very frustrating and agonizing. How is anyone going to make a break in the case?

 

[phcrider]

I am sooo happy to see Dail's thread getting some buzz!!!

I was born and raised in Columbia, and although i'm much younger than Dail (born nearly 4 years after she went missing), her case is the one that really drew me to true crime... I believe I first heard of her on the 15th anniversary and have hoped for resolution ever since.

Dail's disappearance is still widely known in SC and is IMO probably the most famous (infamous?) cold case in the state.

I've read this thread start to finish probably 100 times over the years (joined this year but longtime lurker, lol). I've searched the internet high and low for anything else I can find about what could've happened. It BAFFLES me that there is so little.

This thread is the best resource for anyone who wants to learn about Dail and what could've potentially happened to her. The RCSD website has no mention of Dail under their cold cases or their 'have you seen me?' sections. The Columbia Police Department's cold case page is pretty pathetic IMO, but it gives a 4-sentence mention of her. It seems the citizens of SC (and of WS!) are more concerned with finding Dail than the local LE at times...

My personal theory is that whatever horrific things happened to Dail were done by someone whom she knew and trusted. I think it was someone who was either older and affluent themselves, or younger and from an affluent family.

I really hope Dail's case - and this thread - continue to get more attention!!

--And if anyone has any info on corruption regarding Leon Lott/RCSD and Dail - or if I missed something on WS - please share! Personal connections to RCSD but a lot of questions surrounding them...

 

[phcrider]

Through the years I added everything I could find on the internet to this thread. I had a different account then but hopefully it’s still here. There is little info and LE never released much. Many thought Paula Marchant’s murder was connected but I didn’t, who knows? I have thought about Dail so many times since 1992, that’s the year my second daughter was born. They’re both in heaven now. I wonder if they’ve met. My Haley used to discuss the case with me, along with many others.

 

[phcrider]

Through the years I added everything I could find on the internet to this thread. I had a different account then but hopefully it’s still here. There is little info and LE never released much. Many thought Paula Marchant’s murder was connected but I didn’t, who knows? I have thought about Dail so many times since 1992, that’s the year my second daughter was born. They’re both in heaven now. I wonder if they’ve met. My Haley used to discuss the case with me, along with many others.

Yay! Everything I posted is still here, I was posting as S_Finch back then.

 

[phcrider]

Did anyone see Dail talk to the bouncer or see her actually leave? If his story hasn’t ever been verified then maybe she didn’t leave there at all, not under her power. That’s why her purse, which I assume had her inhaler in it, was still at the bar.

 

[megs1477]

Did anyone see Dail talk to the bouncer or see her actually leave? If his story hasn’t ever been verified then maybe she didn’t leave there at all, not under her power. That’s why her purse, which I assume had her inhaler in it, was still at the bar.

I was thinking about that...which led me to question: She was there with more than a dozen friends and was separated from all of them long enough that they thought she went home. So, who was she with during that time inside the club?

 

[ms_writer]

Through the years I added everything I could find on the internet to this thread. I had a different account then but hopefully it’s still here. There is little info and LE never released much. Many thought Paula Marchant’s murder was connected but I didn’t, who knows? I have thought about Dail so many times since 1992, that’s the year my second daughter was born. They’re both in heaven now. I wonder if they’ve met. My Haley used to discuss the case with me, along with many others.

Just wanted to say I'm sorry for your loss. Thank you for contributing to the conversation; I've also followed Dail's case for years.

 

[phcrider]

Just wanted to say I'm sorry for your loss. Thank you for contributing to the conversation; I've also followed Dail's case for years.

Thank you so much.

 

[phcrider]

I’ve decided to file a FOIA if the cost is something I can handle.

 

[Oakie]

I was thinking about that...which led me to question: She was there with more than a dozen friends and was separated from all of them long enough that they thought she went home. So, who was she with during that time inside the club?

This is an angle that hasn't been explored enough. Short of a confession of someone involved, though, it would be quite difficult to pin something on a culprit on the inside of the bar.

 

[phcrider]

This is an angle that hasn't been explored enough. Short of a confession of someone involved, though, it would be quite difficult to pin something on a culprit on the inside of the bar.

Have any of you ever seen or found where a friend of Dail’s commented on the case or their activities with her that night. With all the media coverage, you would think there would be at least a sentence or two from someone her age who knew her and was at five points that night. I’ve never even seen a name of one of her friends and not just those there that night. Maybe I missed it.

 

[megs1477]

This is an angle that hasn't been explored enough. Short of a confession of someone involved, though, it would be quite difficult to pin something on a culprit on the inside of the bar.

I wasn’t really thinking of guilt, so much as curiosity as to her mindset. Did she run into another friend group? Meet a boy she was chatting with? Was she in the restroom, sick? She was gone long enough her friends thought she left.
I think knowing her mindset and why she started walking alone may help narrow down possibilities.

 

[bestill]

I've been reading through the thread and am curious about the bouncer. Why did he watch her walk away for so long? Isn't that odd. Also, when did the bar realized that had her pocketbook? Something weird happened during that time. All jmo.

There are several neighborhood parks around Five Points, do we know how if any were searched and how LE searched for her? Did they physically search the area surrounding Five Points or did they just verify information with the friends, bar staff, etc...

 

[Oakie]

I've been reading through the thread and am curious about the bouncer. Why did he watch her walk away for so long? Isn't that odd.

Not necessarily. Men are naturally protective towards women, especially young petite women. And Five Points after midnight on a weekend has no shortage of rowdy drunks. (At least not then, I haven't hung around there in 25 years....)

 

[SqrQn29]

Through the years I added everything I could find on the internet to this thread. I had a different account then but hopefully it’s still here. There is little info and LE never released much. Many thought Paula Marchant’s murder was connected but I didn’t, who knows? I have thought about Dail so many times since 1992, that’s the year my second daughter was born. They’re both in heaven now. I wonder if they’ve met. My Haley used to discuss the case with me, along with many others.

Yeah, I saw that many thought Paula Merchant's disappearance was connected but I couldn't find any real connection with the digging I did.