CA CA - Alma Root, 14, Auburn, 1 Jan 1980

[JusticeForAll]

If Scot didn't report her missing then who did? He says he dropped her off then went to work. Did LE check out his employment records? Did they search his car? So many unanswered questions........I am getting the feeling the LE just believed Scot's story and wrote Alma off as another runaway.

 

[Dr. Doogie]

I have sent an email to the detective with the following questions:

* The various missing-person's websites concerning Alma have some conflicting information. Several websites state that the family says that there is no aunt in Rio Linda (where Petschek claims to have left Alma), but one site stated that the aunt says that Alma never arrived at her house. Was it ever established if there was an aunt in Rio Linda? And did Petschek ever identify either the exact address or at least a general neighborhood where she was alledgedly dropped?

* Petchek was alledgedly dropping Alma off while on his way to work at McClellan Air Force Base. Did he arrive on schedule that day for work? It seems odd that a civilan would be working on New Years Day on the base, but some civilians may have been scheduled on the holiday.

* The websites also mention that 14 year old Alma was staying with her 25 year old boyfriend Petschek. Had Alma run away from home, or were the parents aware and accepting of this highly unusual arrangement?.

* I had read that it is suspected that Alma may have been hitchhiking home based on Petschek's testimony. Has it been established whether she was heading back to Petschek's place in Penryn or if she was returning to her family's home in Auburn?

* Since Petschek is the one who claimed that Alma disappeared on 1/1/80 and his testimony is questionable, when was the last time anyone besides Petschek saw Alma? It seems that something may have befallen Alma some time prior to 1/1/80 and was only reported by Petschek that day after he had had time to dispose of any evidence of his involvement.

 

[Paradise]

I submitted a match while I was a member of Doenetwork for Alma and "Orange Socks". Although the sketch of Orange Socks doesn't really look that much like Alma, the post mortem photos look like her. My match was refused because of the time issue (Orange Socks was found on 10/31/79, before Alma went missing) and because the UID didn't have a heart tattoo (although this could have been left out of the info for Orange Socks for identification purposes). I always had a feeling the boyfriend was involved, a 14 year old having a 25 year old boyfriend (let alone living with him) isn't normal.

 

[meggilyweggily]

It may have been legal, back then. The age of consent in many states has risen sharply in the past ten or so years, and it's not under 16 in a single state now, but back in 1980, 14 years was common.

 

[Dr. Doogie]

The age of consent was 18 in California. I recall that because I turned 18 in 1976 and familiarized myself with the laws to avoid any legal troubles. :innocent:

 

[Richard]

For those following Alma's case, here are some links to other Websleuths threads which mention her as possible match with unknown victims:

1. Author Claims to have witnessed 3 Murders on West Coast in the 1980s

Link
http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=33687&highlight=alma+violet+root


2. Unidentified Female Oklahoma, Found April 18, 1980

Link
http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36062&highlight=alma+violet+root

3. Unidentified White Female Located 9 Nov 1979 Caledonia, NY

Link
http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=23127&highlight=alma+violet+root

 

[Dr. Doogie]

For those following Alma's case, here are some links to other Websleuths threads which mention her as possible match with unknown victims:

1. Author Claims to have witnessed 3 Murders on West Coast in the 1980s

Link
http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=33687&highlight=alma+violet+root


2. Unidentified Female Oklahoma, Found April 18, 1980

Link
http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36062&highlight=alma+violet+root

3. Unidentified White Female Located 9 Nov 1979 Caledonia, NY

Link
http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=23127&highlight=alma+violet+root

The OK Female has been ruled out by dentals. I had turned in this match to Placer Co. Sheriffs and they were immediately excited - only after they contacted OK did they recall that they had already examined the JD and ruled out a match. (Both Alma and the JD had a tattoo of a blue heart on their breast.)

 

[Richard]

The OK Female has been ruled out by dentals. I had turned in this match to Placer Co. Sheriffs and they were immediately excited - only after they contacted OK did they recall that they had already examined the JD and ruled out a match. (Both Alma and the JD had a tattoo of a blue heart on their breast.)

Alma has also been recently ruled out as a match to "Cali" the unknown girl in Livingston County, NY. Also by dentals.

It is interesting, however to read about these unsolved cases which occurred in the same general time frame. Even if Alma is not one of these unknown victims, there could still be a connection with the cases. Serial Killers will often target victims who resemble eachother, or who are of a certain height or build. Others seek similar circumstances or situations.

 

[iconoclast]

I found this on the California Attorney General's website. Apparently Mr. Petschek continues his activities.

 

[Richard]

It isn't hard to connect the dots on this case. The problem is lack of a body in order to prosecute this dirtbag. I doubt that interrogating him would do any good, as he probably couldn't tell the truth if he stepped in it. But if former friends or acquaintences of his were to be contacted, maybe his previous residences, and favorite places might be revealed and a proper search might be conducted for Alma's body.

There might also be other cases of missing children which could be solved if connected to him.

 

[JusticeForAll]

Dr. Doogie have you gotten a response from the detective handling the case concerning the questions you e-mailed her?

 

[Dr. Doogie]

Dr. Doogie have you gotten a response from the detective handling the case concerning the questions you e-mailed her?

No. She sent an email right after she received mine saying "Give me a couple of days to get the answers", but no further response.

 

[JusticeForAll]

bumping for Alma

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Gone but not forgotten
30 years later family still wonders what happened to sister

Even though it’s been 30 years since Alma “Violet” Root disappeared, her sisters still catch themselves looking twice when they see someone who resembles her.

“It took me a long time to quit looking — it took me forever,” said Root’s older sister, Laura Huff. “I still sit with her book of her belongings and wish I knew where she was.”

[snip]

Lewis’ investigation also led her and a Placer Sheriff’s sergeant to Petschek’s front door when he lived in El Dorado County a few years ago.

“The hair stood up on my neck and the sergeant said it did on his as well,” Lewis recalled.

The two told Petschek that they were looking into Root’s disappearance.

“‘Why are you so interested?’” Lewis recalled Petschek asking. “‘She was just a throw away,’ he said.”

More: http://auburnjournal.com/detail/138...order_sort=&content_class=1&sub_type=&town_id=

 

[ttrachel04]

Just came across this case on charleyproject. For some reason it tugged at my heartstrings. Any news on this?? It came up as "updated" on charley project, but I don't know why.

 

[Dr. Doogie]

Reasons why Scot Petschek is a person of interest:

1) He was a twenty-five year old man who was the last known person to see his fourteen year old "girlfriend" Alma alive.

2) His story of dropping her off at her "aunt's" does not match the facts - Alma had no aunt. I have never been able to find out if the Placer County detectives actually identified the house where Petschek claims to have dropped her off at.

3) He was convicted of attempting to kidnap an eleven year old girl and is a registered sex offender. (Don't for a moment buy into his story of "scaring a girl in Placerville" and then plead guilty to get it over with. NOBODY pleads guilty to a sex crime that they are innocent of to "move on".)

4) He has numerous run-ins with LE in Placer, Sacramento and El Dorado counties over the years and they all are very familiar with his activies. They all keep a close eye on this , just waiting for his latest misstep.

It seems pretty clear to me that this scum knows more than he is saying.

 

[Stephani]

Dr. Doogie-you never recieved a response for your questions regarding this case that you submitted in 2006?

 

[Richard]

Alma Violet Root, 14, Missing since January 1, 1980 from Auburn, CA


Alma Violet Root
Missing since January 1, 1980 from Auburn, Placer County, California
Classification: Endangered Missing


Vital Statistics

Date Of Birth: February 8, 1965
Age at Time of Disappearance: 14 years old
Height and Weight at Time of Disappearance: 5'4; 130 pounds
Distinguishing Characteristics: White female. Brown hair; brown eyes.
She goes by the name Violet.
Marks, Scars, Tattoos: Tattoo of a small blue heart over her right breast.
Dentals: Available
DNA: mtDNA Available in CODIS.

Circumstances of Disappearance

Root had been staying with her boyfriend in Penryn. The boyfriend told police she asked him to drive her to her aunt's house in Rio Linda, CA on New Year's Day, 1980 when she disappeared. The boyfriend said he then went to work at McClellan Air Force Base, and when he returned to Rio Linda to pick Root up, she wasn't there.

He later told police he didn't think it was strange because Root often ran away and hitchhiked. Root's family was mystified by his explanation because Root didn't have an aunt living in Rio Linda. No one has heard from Root since.

Investigators

If you have any information on this case, please contact:

Placer County Sheriff's Department
Detective Lorrie Lewis
530-889-7800

Email: pcsoweb@placer.ca.gov

You may remain anonymous when submitting information.

Agency Case Number: 911125043

NCMEC #: NCMC761400

NCIC Number: M-880318478

Please refer to these numbers when contacting any agency in regards to this case.

Source Information:

The National Center For Missing and Exploited Children
California Department of Justice
The Doe Network: Case File 82DFCA

LINK;

http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/82dfca.html

 

[malaika]

I can't open the doe link; can anyone copy a photo of Alma for us?

 

[JusticeForAll]

http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/r/root_alma.html