CA CA - April Pitzer, 30, Newberry Springs, 28 June 2004

[Murkywaters]

http://local.nixle.com/alert/5235530/

Gloria just posted on Facebook she is aware of the remains found, and apparently they were found just right up the way from where April went missing. I hope with all my heart this is her.

 

[carbuff]

I posted this on the UID thread, but I think it belongs here, too: map showing Elephant Mountain where some of the clothing was found, Baghdad Cafe near where she was last seen, and location of the new remains: https://goo.gl/maps/WGXye

 

[Murkywaters]

Gloria has also posted there is a upcoming search for April soon, she is hoping somebody can help her get to California again this fall for a 'big expedition'. Apparently there is a STRONG chance April is at one of the locations.

 

[GoblinKeeper]

Has anything new been found on April? I've seen several youtube videos (Disappeared, We Miss You), and tend to think she can be found, if she hasn't already been located. For some reason, I keep thinking of the Red Dog mine, and the old guy's words, "she hasn't gone far enough." I wonder if she was buried in the mine, or somewhere close by, just past the area where they were searching. I think that's where the cadaver dogs lay down, was by a shaft in the mine. IIRC, that shaft was later found to have been dynamited. Hiding the evidence? Or was it a natural cave-in? Was she originally there and then moved to another location close by that the old guy knew about, but was being deliberately cryptic? This is one of the cases that truly bothers me, because her mother has been so close, and so many remains are turning up, but it seems she's disappointed time and again. And with two daughters who have known their mother so very little, that's saddening. I pray closure comes soon, for her mother's and daughter's sake.

 

[Murkywaters]

Has anything new been found on April? I've seen several youtube videos (Disappeared, We Miss You), and tend to think she can be found, if she hasn't already been located. For some reason, I keep thinking of the Red Dog mine, and the old guy's words, "she hasn't gone far enough." I wonder if she was buried in the mine, or somewhere close by, just past the area where they were searching. I think that's where the cadaver dogs lay down, was by a shaft in the mine. IIRC, that shaft was later found to have been dynamited. Hiding the evidence? Or was it a natural cave-in? Was she originally there and then moved to another location close by that the old guy knew about, but was being deliberately cryptic? This is one of the cases that truly bothers me, because her mother has been so close, and so many remains are turning up, but it seems she's disappointed time and again. And with two daughters who have known their mother so very little, that's saddening. I pray closure comes soon, for her mother's and daughter's sake.

Gloria has been down more times since my last post. I don't think anything has turned up. In the Disappeared episode I remember Gloria and detectives believed by Dan Dan's last words, ''her mums hearts in the right place she's just not far enough'' meant April was deeper down in the Red Dog mine, however they showed footage of the search and they said the Red Dog mines floor was just ''a clean bottom'' April wasn't down there. There is SO much to Aprils case that was left out in the Disappeared episode. Gloria has done several podcasts and each time she does one you learn something new. http://deathvalleyjim.com/2014/09/0...ogram-missing-desert-april-beth-pitzer-story/ This one was done on September 8th.

 

[GoblinKeeper]

Gloria has been down more times since my last post. I don't think anything has turned up. In the Disappeared episode I remember Gloria and detectives believed by Dan Dan's last words, ''her mums hearts in the right place she's just not far enough'' meant April was deeper down in the Red Dog mine, however they showed footage of the search and they said the Red Dog mines floor was just ''a clean bottom'' April wasn't down there. There is SO much to Aprils case that was left out in the Disappeared episode. Gloria has done several podcasts and each time she does one you learn something new. http://deathvalleyjim.com/2014/09/0...ogram-missing-desert-april-beth-pitzer-story/ This one was done on September 8th.

Murkywaters, thanks for letting me know, and thanks for the podcast link. I do agree that with every podcast, every article, every mention of April's case, you can learn something new. I just wish there were something more we could all do that would help bring April home where she belongs. I've been of the opinion that Dan Dan, Uncle Chuck, and the unmentioned guy were all involved in her disappearance to one degree or another. It may have involved drugs, or perhaps something else, but they were all involved. It's too bad Dan Dan and Uncle Chuck never talked; and it's too bad the other guy couldn't have been made to talk (sometimes I think there's a use for the old third degree in a basement with one light and a chair with handcuffs :thinking.

 

[RSully94]

I hope Gloria finds her soon. This is one of those episodes from Disappeared where I just think that they are SO close to finding her

 

[SheRa]

I thought I had seen most of the Disappeared episodes, but I was watching some last night that I had never seen when they originally aired and I caught April's case. Oh dear, I have never cried so hard at a TV show! All cases are tragic but this one broke my heart right open. When April's mom mentioned that it doesn't matter if a missing person was "a drug addict, or a prostitute, or whatever; they're lives and they have names" (paraphrased) I just started bawling. April's mom is an amazing and inspiring woman and I will add April's case to my prayers.

I don't have much else to say other than that I believe she WILL be found and if justice isn't served in this life I believe it may already be getting served in the next...

 

[Gtcomo]

What a coincidence running into people in California that she testified against thousands of miles away. I'm trying to rationalize this??? Could have she still been working undercover? Being a narc is what got her killed! It's a very intriguing case, I doubt she's ever found or that this case ever gets solved

 

[JusticeWillBeServed]

Bumping.

Missing April Beth Pitzer Facebook Page

Eleven years ago today. I lost the joy of my life. My beautiful April Beth

 

[LadyL]

so coincidental that you bumped April's thread just now - I just saw her case in Namus & came to search for her thread here

 

[JusticeWillBeServed]

so coincidental that you bumped April's thread just now - I just saw her case in Namus & came to search for her thread here

Yeah, I was watching her Disappeared episode and I was checking to see if there were any updates.

 

[carbuff]

I'm sorry she still hasn't been found. How can people do things like this to other people?

 

[allmybecsloveme]

Bumping for April...

 

[JusticeWillBeServed]

Bumping, missing for twelve years now.

https://www.facebook.com/wheelsofhopeforthemissing/photos/a.1578889298996839.1073741828.1578610502358052/1763782577174176/?type=3&theater

 

[Murkywaters]

http://www.rrobserver.com/news/article_cedb74b4-ed5c-11e5-911d-2bcdc3686fc5.html

In March a search was conducted in the Red Dog mine, It was searched before, but no man had ever dared to go to the bottom. Apparently it was known as a rattlesnake pit. That proved to be false.

“We made it all the way to the bottom,” he said, “but we know there’s one more level — we see another ladder that goes 50 feet down.

“We realized there were no snakes at the bottom, but we’re being careful. We climb down that last ladder and into a room about 15 feet by 40 feet. It’s crazy.”

They noticed a small, conical indentation that “looked like something had been there and had been lifted straight out,” he recalled. “Whatever was here is not here. We took pictures and left it undisturbed.”

Ultimately, the San Bernadino Sheriff’s Department had them return to that site, wearing “white suits, masks and gloves,” with Hill finding himself part of a virtual forensics team.

They retrieved dirt samples from every few inches, separately bagged them and had them returned to the surface; that required another two days of work. The SBSD wanted to have the samples analyzed to see if there was any DNA evidence from Pitzer contained.

 

[Murkywaters]

There’s a postscript to the story, Hill said. It turns out one of the men suspected in the killing of Pitzer, meth manufacturer Steve Wilkinson, was seen in the area of the mine last September, one day before he was thought to be on his way to Amarillo – to dispose of Pitzer’s remains there? – and killed when the Cessna 310 he was a passenger in crashed into a mountain near Silverton, Colo., well off the I-40 corridor a small plane would have followed southern California to Amarillo, even after a confirmed stop for fuel in Flagstaff.

Perhaps Pitzer’s remains now lie somewhere in the San Juan Mountains.

Steve Wilkinson was interviewed on the program Disappeared. I never knew he was a suspect in April's murder though. Anyway, how twisted do you have to be to go back into that mine 11 years later to remove of a persons remains only to dump it again somewhere else.

 

[Solitaryone]

Thank's for the updates on this sad and haunting case! I remember the "Disappeared" episode, and always felt that Steve Wilkinson was involved. Here's some snips from a news article on the plane crash:


Intrigue surrounds Silverton-area plane crash
Felon on Cessna that slammed into Grizzly Peak - Friday, September 25, 2015

http://www.durangoherald.com/articl...Intrigue-surrounds-Silverton-area-plane-crash


"Authorities are investigating an intriguing mystery behind the Sept. 5 plane crash in western San Juan County that killed four people, seeking answers as to why the small plane had gone so far off its intended course and exploring possible links to a methamphetamine bust."

<snip>

"And among those on board was Steven Wilkinson, 59, of Newberry Springs, California, who was arrested Sept. 1 by the San Bernardino Sheriff&#8217;s Department in connection with the sale of methamphetamine, being in possession of methamphetamine while armed and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Wilkinson&#8217;s previous criminal history includes pleading guilty to possessing an illegal substance with intent to sell in 2008. He also pleaded guilty to possessing illegal drugs in 2003, according to San Bernardino County Court records.

Wilkinson&#8217;s latest arrest was part of a large law-enforcement operation conducted Aug. 31 and Sept. 1. The operation also included the seizure of about 11,000 marijuana plants and resulted in charges against 34 people in the Barstow area.

Jodi Miller, spokeswoman for the San Bernardino Sheriff&#8217;s Department, said Wilkinson posted $50,000 bail Sept. 2. She had no information on the conditions of the bail, including whether or not he was barred from leaving California."

<snip>

"Ron Hamm Jr., operator of Daggett Aviation at the Barstow-Daggett Airport, said he knew three of the people on the plane but did not know Wilkinson.

&#8220;I didn&#8217;t know the individual. But I knew of him. He was a shady character with a lot of bad history,&#8221; Hamm said.

Hamm told the Standard that there is rampant speculation in Barstow as to why Wilkinson was aboard the flight.

&#8220;Rumors at the local bars&#8221; are that Wilkinson was &#8220;either going out there to get money to make a big deal or to help him with his current &#8216;lawyer stuff&#8217; because of that bust,&#8221; Hamm said. &#8220;Or he was going to get dropped off and not come back.

Another acquaintance described Wilkinson as someone who &#8220;ruled that desert out there with an iron fist.&#8221;

More at link.

 

[Murkywaters]

http://www.desertdispatch.com/news/20160729/county-has-cold-case-backlog

Denton has visited the area several times attempting to locate her daughter's remains and feels certain they were buried in one particular mine she has been inside. Some of Pitzer's clothing was found in a mine shaft in Ludlow in 2005, but nothing else.

But Denton now believes April's remains were moved last year, loaded on a small plane in Ludlow and perhaps dropped over the desert somewhere between Ludlow and Flagstaff, Arizona. The plane Denton is referring to eventually crashed in the mountains of Colorado and all on board were killed. Denton believes the person who ordered April's murder was on that plane, though she is not convinced he is dead. Authorities identified the man as one of the victims of the crash, though the National Transportation Safety Board has not yet completed its investigation.

"I pray somebody will see this and call and say, 'Gloria, I moved her body,'" Denton said. "And then I'll be OK."

Denton said Pitzer has two daughters. "Her oldest will turn 18 in August and the youngest just turned 16," she said. "They want to go and put flowers on their mom's grave."

 

[Murkywaters]

http://www.desertdispatch.com/news/...ics-help-in-locating-remains-of-missing-woman

NEWBERRY SPRINGS — Authorities announced Wednesday afternoon that they are seeking the public’s assistance in locating the remains of April Beth Pitzer, who was last seen in Newberry Springs in June 2004.

One of the country's most high-profile cold case investigations involves the death of Pitzer, who was declared legally dead in 2012. Investigators say they believe Pitzer was murdered, but her body has yet to be found.