burblestein
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Theresa Terri Diane Walsh
DOB: 25 March 1950
Description: 5 feet 6 inches tall, 125 pounds, youthful appearance
Last seen: Zuma Beach, CA on 22December 1973
Terri Walsh lived in Miranda CA, north of Santa Rosa, with her husband and small son. During Winter 1973, she decided to take a road trip. She hitchhiked her way south on Highway 101 through Santa Rosa, to visit friends in the Los Angeles area. She then hitched her way to Malibu to visit other friends.
Homesick for her family, Terri decided to hitchhike home for the holidays. She was last seen on the highway across from Zuma Beach on 22 December 1973. It was a sunny day, temperature in the 60s.
On 28 December 1973, a couple of kayakers were taking advantage of high water caused by heavy rains to shoot the rapids on Mark West Creek north of Santa Rosa. They spotted Terri's body bobbing in an eddy, between a boulder and a log. The horrified sportsmen hurried to call the Sonoma County Sheriff'sOffice; the call was received at 15:10 hours.
Retrieval of Terri's body from the rapids of a flooded creek at the bottom of a canyon was an epic effort. Her remains still showed some evidence of rigor mortis; she had died within the last day or two. No clothing or shoes were found with her. However, the array of ropes binding her made it obvious she had been murderedand in an extremely cruel way.
Her thumbs had been bound together, then her wrists. Her wrists had then been tied to her thighs. Nor was that all. Her ankles had also been tied up. In a final vicious stroke of meanness, a length of rope had been tied to the ankle bindings, run up Terri's back, looped about her neck, and pulled snug with her heels against her buttocks. The pain of being cinched up became excruciating; however, stretching her legs to relieve the strain tightened the noose around her throat. As Terri inevitably tired and relaxed her legs, she slowly and agonizingly throttled herself to death.
Terri Walsh's remains were found within100 yards of the fire trail where Lori Lee Kursa had been dumped a year earlier. However, it is not known where Terri entered the creek. Bridges and roadside embankments upstream offered several possibilities.
Lori is considered the fourth victim of the Santa Rosa Hitchhiker Killer; Terri is deemed his sixth victim.
Sources:
Lost Coast Highway, by Gray George, pages 203 214.
News articles: (apparently from the Santa Rosa Press Democrat
http://www.santarosahitchhikermurde...et_witness-officials_seek_killer_of_woman.pdf
http://www.santarosahitchhikermurders.com/articles/walsh/mark_west_creek-another_girl_slain.pdf
http://www.santarosahitchhikermurders.com/articles/walsh/still_no_identity_on_slain_girl.pdf
http://www.santarosahitchhikermurders.com/articles/walsh/dead_woman_unidentified.pdf
http://www.santarosahitchhikermurders.com/articles/walsh/miranda_woman_said_sonoma_murder_victim.pdf
DOB: 25 March 1950
Description: 5 feet 6 inches tall, 125 pounds, youthful appearance
Last seen: Zuma Beach, CA on 22December 1973
Terri Walsh lived in Miranda CA, north of Santa Rosa, with her husband and small son. During Winter 1973, she decided to take a road trip. She hitchhiked her way south on Highway 101 through Santa Rosa, to visit friends in the Los Angeles area. She then hitched her way to Malibu to visit other friends.
Homesick for her family, Terri decided to hitchhike home for the holidays. She was last seen on the highway across from Zuma Beach on 22 December 1973. It was a sunny day, temperature in the 60s.
On 28 December 1973, a couple of kayakers were taking advantage of high water caused by heavy rains to shoot the rapids on Mark West Creek north of Santa Rosa. They spotted Terri's body bobbing in an eddy, between a boulder and a log. The horrified sportsmen hurried to call the Sonoma County Sheriff'sOffice; the call was received at 15:10 hours.
Retrieval of Terri's body from the rapids of a flooded creek at the bottom of a canyon was an epic effort. Her remains still showed some evidence of rigor mortis; she had died within the last day or two. No clothing or shoes were found with her. However, the array of ropes binding her made it obvious she had been murderedand in an extremely cruel way.
Her thumbs had been bound together, then her wrists. Her wrists had then been tied to her thighs. Nor was that all. Her ankles had also been tied up. In a final vicious stroke of meanness, a length of rope had been tied to the ankle bindings, run up Terri's back, looped about her neck, and pulled snug with her heels against her buttocks. The pain of being cinched up became excruciating; however, stretching her legs to relieve the strain tightened the noose around her throat. As Terri inevitably tired and relaxed her legs, she slowly and agonizingly throttled herself to death.
Terri Walsh's remains were found within100 yards of the fire trail where Lori Lee Kursa had been dumped a year earlier. However, it is not known where Terri entered the creek. Bridges and roadside embankments upstream offered several possibilities.
Lori is considered the fourth victim of the Santa Rosa Hitchhiker Killer; Terri is deemed his sixth victim.
Sources:
Lost Coast Highway, by Gray George, pages 203 214.
News articles: (apparently from the Santa Rosa Press Democrat
http://www.santarosahitchhikermurde...et_witness-officials_seek_killer_of_woman.pdf
http://www.santarosahitchhikermurders.com/articles/walsh/mark_west_creek-another_girl_slain.pdf
http://www.santarosahitchhikermurders.com/articles/walsh/still_no_identity_on_slain_girl.pdf
http://www.santarosahitchhikermurders.com/articles/walsh/dead_woman_unidentified.pdf
http://www.santarosahitchhikermurders.com/articles/walsh/miranda_woman_said_sonoma_murder_victim.pdf