AK AK - Erin Gilbert, 24, Girdwood, 1 July 1995

[ChatteringBirds]

Sorry if any of this has been answered; I haven't watched the videos.
How much forensic testing was done on her date's car back in 1995?
Did the specific friend he said he was seeking that night actually exist? Did that friend actually live in walking distance? Does it add up that the friend's house might have been difficult to find?
What was her sister's impression of that 7:00 a.m. phone call?
Thinking of her family. I hope they will get answers.

 

[theshadow45]

Erin has been missing for 25 years today.

 

[Coughykup]

"When he tried the ignition again, the car started." (From Erin's Charley Project page)

I'm no mechanic, but I'm pretty sure that if you leave your car lights on and then can't start it because the battery went dead, leaving the car alone for a couple of hours will not miraculously recharge the battery and allow you to start the car...

The car lights being left on causing the battery to die really bothers me. I looked up the weather for that day, and for 6:00 p.m., and it I can't figure out why he would have had the lights on to begin with. It didn't rain at all that day, was about 60 degrees, and cloudy. Anchorage, AK Weather History | Weather Underground If they went to the festival late morning or early afternoon, why would he have his lights on?

 

[alucardsdream]

The car lights being left on causing the battery to die really bothers me. I looked up the weather for that day, and for 6:00 p.m., and it I can't figure out why he would have had the lights on to begin with. It didn't rain at all that day, was about 60 degrees, and cloudy. Anchorage, AK Weather History | Weather Underground If they went to the festival late morning or early afternoon, why would he have his lights on?

I don't think he ever actually had the lights on, I think he just needed to make up a story to tell police.

 

[ChelaKitty]

I live in Everett, WA. Just listened to podcast and learned of this case. Bumping for Erin and her loved ones. Never give up, the truth is out there.

 

[CastlesBurning]

Seven years of Dateline's Missing in America: 156 still missing

 

[wary]

Okay, trying to consider the possibilities. I agree that it’s a very hard-to-believe story.

Could the date have not understood cars very well? So, he tried to start it, the battery was low, and he flooded the engine? That’s a problem that CAN solve itself if you wait around a few hours.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Erin Marie Gilbert went on a first date to the Girdwood Forest Fair in Girdwood, Alaska on July 1, 1995. The 24-year-old has been missing ever since. Erin had moved to Alaska the year prior and was working as a nanny. Her sister, Stephanie, told Dateline that Erin left for her date on July 1 with David “Dave” Combs, a man whom Stephanie said Erin had met a few nights earlier at a local bar. They drove to the Girdwood Forest Fair, and according to witness statements to the Alaska State Troopers, Erin was last seen at a beer garden with her date before they left around 6 p.m. In a statement to authorities in 1995, Dave Combs said they walked to his car, but the lights had been left on and it would not start. He told Erin he would walk to a nearby friend’s house for help. He said he walked for about two hours, but was unable to find his friend’s house. When he returned to the car, Erin was gone. He told authorities he figured Erin returned to the fair. When he tried to start the car this time, it worked. He stated he went back to the fair and searched for Erin until about 1 a.m. Lieutenant Randy McPherron, who is the sole investigator in the troopers' Cold Case Investigation Unit, told Dateline in 2019 they haven’t received any leads in several years, but said he would follow up on any that come in. He added there are no suspects in her disappearance but said they have attempted to reach Dave Combs multiple times for questioning. He told Dateline in 2020 that there have been no updates in her case. Erin’s sister, Stephanie, started a Facebook page FindingErinMarieGilbert, where she continues to post regularly. At the time of her disappearance, Erin was described as 5’5’, 145 lbs, with brown hair and hazel eyes. She would be 49 years old today. Anyone with information about Erin’s case is asked to call the Alaska State Troopers at 907-428-7200 or Lt. McPherron at 907-269-5611.
Seven years of Dateline's Missing in America: 156 still missing

 

[Fly808]

Dave Combs owns Combs Sheet Metal in Anchorage Alaska. If anyone knows him, it’d be great if you could chat with him to ask to please cooperate. Erin has been missing for 26 years almost. She is misses every day.

 

[RBC69]

Dave Combs owns Combs Sheet Metal in Anchorage Alaska. If anyone knows him, it’d be great if you could chat with him to ask to please cooperate. Erin has been missing for 26 years almost. She is misses every day.

You know that's the right guy? There's a few guys with that name in Alaska.

 

[RBC69]

It's these kinds of cases that really infuriate me. It must drive the local PD nuts because here's a guy with a "dog ate my homework" level alibi and they still can't pin it on him. It shows even morons can get away with it if everything breaks right for them.

 

[theshadow45]

Bumping for Erin, today is her birthday.

 

[MissingPersonsSleuth]

I just finished the podcast Alaska Unsolved and witnesses at the fair said she was with a man who looked like he was in the military or a cop because he had a crew cut. Erins sister said David had longer hair so maybe he is telling the truth. Although his story is very strange. Maybe she ran into someone she knew from the military base or housing?? I’m wondering if they ever questioned neighbors or people her brother in law associated with since two witnesses said she was with a guy who looked like he was in the military - maybe someone who was interested in Erin but the feeling wasn’t mutual. I’m sure her sister would know and I wonder if she discussed this publicly.

 

[theshadow45]

Erin has been missing for 26 years today.

 

[CastlesBurning]

Eight years of Dateline's Missing in America: 169 still missing

Erin Marie Gilbert went on a first date to the Girdwood Forest Fair in Girdwood, Alaska on July 1, 1995. The 24-year-old has been missing ever since. Erin had moved to Alaska the year prior and was working as a nanny. Her sister, Stephanie, told Dateline that Erin left for her date on July 1 with David “Dave” Combs, a man whom Stephanie said Erin had met a few nights earlier at a local bar. They drove to the Girdwood Forest Fair, and according to witness statements to the Alaska State Troopers, Erin was last seen at a beer garden with her date before they left around 6 p.m. In a statement to authorities in 1995, Dave Combs said they walked to his car, but the lights had been left on and it would not start. He told Erin he would walk to a nearby friend’s house for help. He said he walked for about two hours, but was unable to find his friend’s house. When he returned to the car, he said Erin was gone. He told authorities he figured Erin returned to the fair. Combs said when he tried to start the car this time, it worked. He stated he went back to the fair and searched for Erin until about 1 a.m. Lieutenant Randy McPherron, who is the sole investigator in the Alaska State Troopers’ Cold Case Investigation Unit, told Dateline in 2019 they haven’t received any leads in several years, but said he would follow up on any that come in. He added there are no suspects in Erin’s disappearance but said they have attempted to reach Dave Combs multiple times for questioning. McPherron told Dateline in 2021 that there have been no updates in the case. Erin’s sister, Stephanie, started a Facebook page FindingErinMarieGilbert, where she continues to post regularly. At the time of her disappearance, Erin was described as 5’5’, 145 lbs, with brown hair and hazel eyes. She would be 50 years old today. Anyone with information about Erin’s case is asked to call the Alaska State Troopers at 907-428-7200 or Lt. McPherron at 907-269-5611.

 

[theshadow45]

Bumping, today is Erin’s birthday.

 

[theshadow45]

Erin has been missing for 27 years today.

 

[Sonny Crockett]

Just recently found out about the EMG case. Very haunting and sad. There is definitely more information here re: when she was last seen, etc. than you may find in other missing persons cases. Unfortunately, a lot of important details that could help solve the case are also missing.

I have done some research on the case, notably listening to the well-done Vanished Podcast & also the excellent Alaska Unsolved multi-part podcast. These were both informative, and I liked how they focused on EMG as a person - prior to her disappearance. It really painted a picture of what she was like. She definitely had a lot going for her, and it's very sad that this was all cut short. It's extremely obvious that she wouldn't have just "skipped town" and left her family behind without explanation.

Unfortunately, I think EMG is deceased and is somewhere in the Alaskan wilderness. I've never been to Alaska, and prior to listening to the AU podcast - didn't realize just how many people go missing there every year. From the interview(s) with the search & rescue team member in AU, the logistics of the Alaskan geography make it much more difficult to conduct searches due to the dense/thick wilderness. And, you obviously wouldn't have this level of difficulty in a flatter/more heavily populated area, etc.

It seems evident that EMG died as a result of foul play, or as the result of an encounter with someone else that went horribly wrong.

The only other possibility is that - for some reason - she wandered off from the Girdwood Forest Fair & into the surrounding wilderness....and either lost her way somewhere & died, or was attacked by a wild animal, etc. However, as her sister S.J. said - EMG wouldn't have just wandered off when she was at a fair with a lot of people; nor would she have felt comfortable walking alone through the wilderness - especially at night. So, I find the possibility that she met with an accident on her own extremely unlikely/implausible, if not actually impossible.

 

[Sonny Crockett]

Part 2:

As others have mentioned, DC's story (about the events surrounding when he last saw EMG) is extremely sketchy/implausible. There are definitely a lot of holes here:

If someone's car doesn't start due to a dead battery, they are not going to go search for a friend & jumper cables two hours away (by foot, especially) - unless they're in the middle of nowhere. However, in this case they were parked near a crowded fair with a lot of people. All DC had to do was to go find friends that were at the fair (by all accounts, he did meet some friends there), and/or others that were at the fair - someone there would have had jumper cables & would have been willing to help him. Or, he and EMG could have just stood next to the car & asked anyone they saw for help. However - if he didn't feel comfortable asking strangers for this, I'm sure there was an administration area @ the fair that was set up for situations like this - especially given that so many people attended this event every year. Since DC was familiar with the general area & had been to the fair before, he should have known all of this.

I also find it implausible that he would have left EMG on her own for two hours while he searched for the friend/cables. The whole story makes little sense & is extremely suspicious.

And, his story about coming back to the car two hours later, finding EMG gone - and the car starting up with no problem - is also suspicious. I.e., I question whether the car's batteries were ever dead.

 

[Sonny Crockett]

Part 3:

It was interesting to hear about the people who felt they had seen EMG at the fair; this was mentioned in both podcasts, and does add credence that she was there at some point. Apparently she was seen by several vendors that she spoke to, as well as DC's friends (in the beer garden). Also, given that she stood out by being so tall, attractive/put together, & being dressed somewhat differently than the natives that attended the fair (her clothes were commented on by someone in the AU podcast) - I believe that they did see her. However, this is where I have some uncertainty re: this case:

As was mentioned in the AU podcast, DC was described by SJ as having long-ish hair (or at least hair that wasn't short). SJ noticed this when DC came to pick up EMG for the date - this was the first time SJ had seen DC.

However, one of the vendors that saw EMG described the man she was with as having a military-like short hair-cut. Well, this obviously wasn't DC. So, what occurred here?!

1) Did the vendor mistake a woman who looked like EMG for another woman that was similar in appearance? And, was this woman legitimately with a guy with a short hair-cut?
Or,
2) Was this actually EMG with DC, but the vendor confused DC with another guy (that she may have also seen with another tall woman) with a short hair cut?! Obviously these vendors see a lot of people at the fair.
Or,
3) Was this actually EMG with a guy who had a short hair-cut?!

I think this important detail may be significant. Though, it also may not mean that much. Note that eyewitness accounts can be notoriously unreliable.

Something else I wanted to touch on: In the AU podcast, the podcaster interviewed a woman who had been a bartender @ one of the local bars in the Girdwood area. And, the bartender reported that someone at the bar thought they saw EMG at an "after party" there that night; this would have been right after the fair. However, given that the bar must have been extremely crowded that night - I suspect this was a red herring. I.e., I don't think EMG went to the bar that night.

IMHO there is still hope that the case could be solved at some point. Someone involved in her disappearance may finally speak up (unlikely, I know)....and/or her body could still be found. It seems like cold cases are being solved a lot more often these days than in the past.