PA PA - Joanne Williams, 22, Scranton, 7 Dec 1978

DNA Solves
DNA Solves
DNA Solves
Oct 30, 2023

Nov 1, 2023


 
Vivian Muniz March 28, 2024
''Pennsylvania State Police Troop R – Dunmore Station continues its investigation of 22-year-old Joanne Williams who was reported missing on December 7, 1978.''
<strong><em>Joanne Williams</em></strong>

Joanne Williams
''On December 7, Williams left her residence in the 500 block of East Gibson Street in Scranton, driving her red 1977 Datsun, to go to an exercise class at her dance school. Williams left the dance school on Route 6 in Chinchilla at 10:00 p.m., she never arrived home and has never been heard from again.
On December 16, 1978, nine days after Williams went missing, her car was found parked at Lafayette Street and North Everett Avenue. It was unlocked and inside was her paycheck, her purse with its contents undisturbed. There was no sign of her at the scene.
Williams’s case remains unsolved. She was declared legally dead in 1991.''

https://www.doenetwork.org/cases/1526dfpa.html1526DFPA - Joanne Williams​

1


Name: Joanne Williams
Case Classification: Endangered Missing
Missing Since: December 7, 1978
Location Last Seen: Scranton, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania

Physical Description​

Date of Birth: Circa 1956
Age: 22 years old
Race: White
Gender: Female
Height: 5'2"
Weight: 95 lbs
Hair Color: Blonde
Eye Color: Blue
 
The other thing I was thinking about in this case was the comment made by the Scranton PD Detective Walsh about someone or some people know something but have just remained silent [all these years.] He identified 40 people that were in her family/work/social circle and interviewed them all. They all are probably dead or in their 60s at least. Maybe some of them would talk today. The clock seems to be ticking on getting any potential new information from any possible witnesses or people with significant information on the case.
 
What happened to her car? Does someone own it today by some slim chance? Could it have any evidence value if it was still in existence? They said back then there were no signs of foul play when they found it.
 
On December 16, 1978, nine days after Williams went missing, her car was found
So, her car wasn't found for 9 days? 9 days when people, including police, were looking for her? 9 days of knowing she had a new, red, car? That sounds like her car may have been elsewhere, like in a private garage or under a tarp for 8 days. Then likely left, unlocked no less, where it was found under cover of darkness.

If her body was indeed put into an open grave, someone planned this to coincide with that. I'd think GPR could be used to see what anomalies are in the plots besides a casket.
 
It's easy to tell what seven graves in Cathedral Cemetery were likely open the night of Joanne's dissapearance just by reading the obits for that week.
 
I have re-read more carefully all The Scranton Times and Tribune articles on Joanne Williams including their Sunday editions and the eventual paper that cam about because of their merger. Have I still missed something? Probably. There are going to be some clarifications and corrections from my prior posts. Instead of one rambling post I'm going to post by issue.
 
There are so many cases of women missing and their cars being left behind, as well as purses. Does she have family looking for her?
Her parents died years ago. She was a single child. She has two cousins who are probably in their sixties or seventies now. Pretty sure the answer to your question is no.
 

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