TX TX - Barre Monigold, 23, Tyler, 17 June 1979

[JusticeWillBeServed]

NamUs

Charley Project

Charley Project Blog

Vital Statistics at Time of Disappearance
• Missing Since: June 17, 1979 from Tyler, Texas
• Classification: Missing
• Date of Birth: September 11, 1955
• Age: 23 years old
• Height and Weight: 5'7 - 5'11, 150 - 190 pounds
• Distinguishing Characteristics: Caucasian male. Brown hair, blue eyes. Monigold may go by his middle name, Kallan. He has a thin mustache. Monigold may wear silver wire-rimmed eyeglasses.
• Clothing/Jewelry Description: A red plaid shirt with blue and tan squares, brown slip-on shoes, a St. Christopher necklace and a silver watch.

Details of Disappearance
Monigold was last seen in the 3900 block of Old Bullard Road in Tyler, Texas on June 17, 1979. He went outside at 1:00 a.m. to turn the dome light off in his blue 1978 Monte Carlo. He has never been heard from again. Few details are available in his case.


East Texas Investigators Encouraged By Discovery Of Missing Missouri Boys - January 2007

"We get a lot of contacts and calls from people that are looking on these databases," said Walsworth. "People calling in from seeing her picture on the website, seeing it on a flyer that we put out." Tyler police also continue to investigate the disappearance of a Tyler man in 1979, 19-year-old Kallan Monigold.

"We have recently worked on his case," said Walsworth. "We actually talked to suspects in jail that we know were around during the time frame and try to get information from them."

 

[alb1on]

The thing I find strangest about this case is the application for probate (implying a declaration of death had already been made) as early as 1981 (see http://www.usdocket.com/377195/estate-of-barre-kallan-monigold,-decd-court-case-detail.html). Surely it is unusual for such a finding only two years after a disappearance unless there is evidence to support the finding of death?

 

[JusticeWillBeServed]

When I first read about this case, I thought it was strange. He was last seen leaving an apartment to turn off his car light and then was never seen again. Surely they must know more than that and even a little bit more could be made public. On the blog I linked earlier, someone wrote that this case was covered in a book written years ago. Its called Smith County Justice and it was written by David Ellsworth. You can find it on-line if interested, Barre's case begins on page 207.

On the night in question, Barre was asleep with his girlfriend in the living room of his friend's apartment. His friend returned home at 1:15 am and noticed the dome light was on in Barre's car. He wakes Barre up to inform him about the light so Barre goes to the window to see for himself. The car is about 30-40 feet from the window. After confirming this, Barre walks outside to turn the light off and is never seen again. The friend had returned home with his date so three people are in the apartment. The friend is mixing drinks in the kitchen and hears no unusual noises. He also had a good view of the parking lot so presumably he would have heard something. After about five minutes, he stepped out on the balcony calling for Barre but got no response.

The car was still in the parking lot and the driver's side was unlocked. There was no evidence of a struggle or violence. All of his clothing, personal belongings and money were left behind. Some individuals claimed to have witnessed Barre being forced into another vehicle although these claims were never proven. A big theory was that Barre was killed by a jealous ex-boyfriend. The girl he was dating had just ended a relationship that was described as volatile. A different man later confessed to the murder although it turned out to be false. While conducting interviews for the book, Ellsworth couldn't get one consistent theory on what happened that night.

However one night, an anonymous caller gave him a number that could be used to reach Barre. The number was listed for Jamaica. Of course Barre never answered himself but Ellsworth still traveled there to follow up on the tip. The details of his journey are interesting but he never confirms that Barre was or had ever been there. There are reasons to suspect that Barre could have fled town but without any money, its difficult to believe that. The most likely scenario is that he was murdered that same night, imo.

One aspect that I keep thinking about is the light in the car. Did Barre legitimately forget to turn it off and someone just happened to be waiting for him? Did the person go into the car and turn the light on as a way to lure him out? Was it a random ambush? Hoping this case can be solved one day.

 

[Savemecastiel]

Bumping

 

[CastlesBurning]

Bumping for Barre...this summer is 41 years.

 

[bearfossils]

This case blows my mind. If foul play was involved, I’d have to assume someone was either waiting for him in or near the car, or some random predator just got incredibly lucky. Someone must have grabbed him fast for no one to hear or see anything. Barre’s page on Charley Project said he knew karate and could defend himself, so someone must have blitz attacked him? Or multiple were involved? Could it have been a case of mistaken identity? Was the dome light turned on to lure him out? And if he left on his own, which I have a very hard time believing, how did he do it with absolutely no possessions?

It’s just so strange for him to disappear so quickly, so randomly, so close to other people. I wish we had more information. I feel for his family and friends. Bumping for them and Barre.

 

[ChatteringBirds]

Adding photo and bumping case.

Barre Kallan Monigold – The Charley Project



Barre, ca. 1979

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

Just in case, could someone check for Rule-outs against John Does? It's the only thing I think we could realistically look for - a match with an UID.

My heart really goes out to his family. He was only 23 when he went missing.

 

[AliceInPain]

I have just learned that dome lights in those days could drain the battery or worse, so I can see someone turning it on to lure the owner to his car.

But the book mentioned above also quotes a letter from Barre's brother writing "...this vehicle is equipped with a new feature which causes the dome light to remain on for approximately 15-20 seconds after leaving the car..." Maybe it malfunctioned?

It's odd there were no "unusual noises" heard. He was right outside the house and there were other people present. No struggle, no shouting, no car speeding off. And the parking lot was well-lit. When the ex shot the girfriend he'd been banging on the door and shots had been heard.

This is also from the book:

A host of claimants firmly maintained that Monigold had been murdered by Paul Woodward and that his body was secreted beneath the foundation of one of the newly constructed homes on the shores of Lake Tyler where Woodward had been operating as a builder.

sbm

Just in case, could someone check for Rule-outs against John Does? It's the only thing I think we could realistically look for - a match with an UID.

He has 44 rule-outs, 36 of them in Virginia, none are in Texas:

 

[ChatteringBirds]

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

By bringing people, information, forensic science and technology together, NamUs helps resolve cases.

www.namus.gov

Height:
5' 9" - 5' 11" (69 - 71 Inches)
Weight:
170 - 190 lbs
Eye Color: Blue
NCIC record lists hazel eyes.

Clothing: Plaid red shirt with blue and tan squares on shirt.
Footwear: Brown slip on shoes.
Jewelry: Silver watch and St. Christopher necklace

 

[heartanium]

What an odd case. There was an arrest made but I don't think anyone was ever charged.

21 June 1979, The Tyler Morning Telegraph, pg 6


3900 Old Bullard Road

Everything I can find say he has Hazel eyes, so I'm going to go with the NCIC record being correct.

"light brown hair, light brown mustache, and a small scar about 1/2 inch long beneath his bottom lip." Haven't seen that detail before.

"He is a car salesman at King Chevrolet." The dealership is now defunct and the land is being redeveloped, but the location was W Erwin St & Bonner Ave

31 October 1979, The Tyler Morning Telegraph, pg 1



"The car was found in the parking lot with the light turn off, but no keys."

18 March 1980, The Tyler Morning Telegraph, pg 1


"Held without bond is Gylie Glen Wilbanks, 32."

9 August 1987, The Tyler Courier Times, pg 6



"An arrest was made, but polygraph tests on [Wilbanks] lead to his release when polygraph experts in three cities concluded the suspect had no first-hand knowledge in the man's disappearance.

 

[heartanium]

Found this article that mentions Wilbanks and another guy named Paul Woodward in conjunction with Barre's disappearance.

25 March 1980, The Tyler Morning Telegraph, pg 1



"Gyle Glen Wilbanks of Whitehouse, arrested the day after Woodward was arrested, claimed woodward was the "hit man" in the alleged murder of Monigold."

"A subsequent polygraph showed Wilanks made up the story because "he wanted to be somebody."

 

[heartanium]

Alright it keeps getting weirder. Not sure what to make of this.

19 March 1980, The Tyler Morning Telegraph, pg 1 and 10

 

[spartanx]

No way this guy fled to Jamaica. In the middle of the night, with nothing to his name, completely out of the blue? No way...
Additionally, he did not have his wallet and there was no activity in his bank account after he disappeared. It would be tremendously difficult to get to Jamaica and settle there without money or a passport or anything like that...
Maybe he interrupted a robbery and that's why the ceiling light was on... But wouldn't the thief flee from what he saw? Or hurt him there and leave his body. A simple car theft will turn into a situation where the criminal will kidnap a young man. There would be too much of a fight and they would have no reason to hold him...it would be easier to just find another car to steal....
I can think of many possible scenarios but fleeing to Jamaica doesn't make sense just to receive a call from Aya...
either way
rest in peace