GA GA - Mary Shotwell Little, 25, Atlanta, 14 Oct 1965

[dogperson]

I worked for c&s bank in the 60's. The employees of the c&s, as well as other banks in the neighborhood, were not shocked to see the cases not going anywhere. How could they be? After all, power and money are every thing. Two young women with their lives planned, their hapinness in the future, means nothing to power and money. This is the bottom line.. over the years law enforcement was intimidated. No one wanted to lose their lives, their families lives, maybe even their jobs. The power was too powerful, and is still out there. Passed down through generations of the rich and powerful families that were behind all of this in the beginning, still re-enforced by their investors, partners etc. Over the years these cases have been brought back again by people who are cruel publicity seekers, pretending to be interested in writing a book. In doing so they sometimes involve others who relly care for these women, and what happened to them. Some who knew them or were close to others who did. Some of these leeches have numerous websites naming many victams, and not having the time to follow up, even if they could, or even if relly wanted to. If anyone gets too close, or starts asking too many questions. that might bring up other questions. they get squashed!!! Would like to continue this if there is any interest.

Did you work there during the time of Mary's disappearance, or was it before or after that time? Do you know what her co-worker's theories were on what happened to her?

 

[org.phantom]

I am going to respond as best as I can without having this post in front of me. I will include the post in my reply.
Rackley told law enforcement that he called mary's house and got no answer. He also told them he went to her house and the paper from the day before was still on the porch and her mail, I think. He then went to where Isla Stack told him she last saw mary-in the parking lot of Lennox Mall.
According to someone who lived there at the time and shopped at Lennox mall, the Picadilly cafeteria was on a floor above the grocery store. One had to go to the ground level to get to the grocery store. The two girls, Mary and Isla (Ila) saved the grocery shopping for last. The bag boy who loaded the groceries in Mary's car was extensively interviewed and his report showed nothing unusual about Mary's demeanor or the encounter.

It has been a very long time. But, if I remember correctly from my discussions with Ila, she and Mary had dinner after which Mary grocery shopped alone. Your description of Lenox Square (not a mall at that time) is correct. I don't remember anything about a bag boy; but, that is highly possible. I do remember that when Mary's car was found during a second search of the parking lot her groceries were in the back seat.

Something else about Ila and Mary. They were not particularly close within the office. Ila was considerably older than Mary and they did not share mutual friends. Ila was surprised when Mary ask her to please meet her at Lenox Square. They had never socialized outside of the bank. After the fact, Ila found that request to be strange.
She suspected that Mary was fearful.

 

[Anadarko]

It has been a very long time. But, if I remember correctly from my discussions with Ila, she and Mary had dinner after which Mary grocery shopped alone. Your description of Lenox Square (not a mall at that time) is correct. I don't remember anything about a bag boy; but, that is highly possible. I do remember that when Mary's car was found during a second search of the parking lot her groceries were in the back seat.

Something else about Ila and Mary. They were not particularly close within the office. Ila was considerably older than Mary and they did not share mutual friends. Ila was surprised when Mary ask her to please meet her at Lenox Square. They had never socialized outside of the bank. After the fact, Ila found that request to be strange.
She suspected that Mary was fearful.

Welcome to WS!

Were you an employee of C&S also? Or just friends with Ila?

TIA

 

[org.phantom]

Wait a minute. I just thought of something that could be really important. Mary didn't come into work, so her boss' first move was to call the security department at Lennox mall where she was last seen the night before to check for her car? He didn't have police check her apartment? Why would he do that?

My husband once had an employee who didn't come into work and didn't call. They rang his apartment and he didn't answer the phone. The next day, same deal, so my husband called the police and asked them to check on him. They found the man dead - he had untreated diabetes. But notice, my husband didn't call where the man was last seen - he called his home. That's what I would expect a normal employer to do. So what's with Mary's boss calling the mall security?

And then, to top it off, the boss drives over to mall around noon and finds Mary's car himself and tells police about what is obviously a very staged situation with her car. Does this sound strange to any of you? I'd like to know if he went to Mary's house first.

Gene's first move was not to call Lenox Sq. security. When he couldn't get Mary to answer her phone he went to her home. I met him running up the stairs as I was coming down. I asked him why he was running. That's when he told me "something has happened to Mary. We can't find her". What really sounds strange is how things have become so confused over these many years.

 

[ncthom]

Gene's first move was not to call Lenox Sq. security. When he couldn't get Mary to answer her phone he went to her home. I met him running up the stairs as I was coming down. I asked him why he was running. That's when he told me "something has happened to Mary. We can't find her". What really sounds strange is how things have become so confused over these many years.

Org.phantom, that's amazing. Are you saying that you were there that day, October 15, 1965? And you knew Mary? I would love to hear your opinions about these cases.

 

[ncthom]

I don't know if it's already been mentioned, but did Mary and Diane know each other personally? I have wondered if the first disappearance was staged and Diane was the true intended victim for some reason.

In answer to your question, my impression is that Mary and Diane did know each. They had both friends and roomates in common. I don't know when Diane started to work at C&S, so I can't say for sure that they knew each from work, as well, but I suspect they did. I believe I read that Diane had moved in with some of Mary's roomates when Mary got married in early September 1965 and moved to the Circle Line apartments in Decatur with her new husband Roy Little. I can't say how well Mary and Diane knew each other, but, yes, I do believe they were acquainted.

I know that one of Mary's roomates at Mary's first residence in Atlanta, what has been described as a triplex apartment in the Emory area, was a woman named Sandra Green. Sandra was an aluma of UNC Woman's College in Greensboro, as Mary was. I was also told by some of Mary's friends that one of Mary's closest friends from Myers Park High School in Charlotte, Janet Routh, had moved to Atlanta and gotten a job with C&S Bank before Mary. I presume Janet may have helped steer Mary to C&S Bank when Mary moved to Atlanta after graduation from college - sometime in 1962. Unfortunately, Janet Routh died several years ago and I was never able to speak with her.

 

[liz b.]

In answer to your question, my impression is that Mary and Diane did know each. They had both friends and roomates in common. I don't know when Diane started to work at C&S, so I can't say for sure that they knew each from work, as well, but I suspect they did. I believe I read that Diane had moved in with some of Mary's roomates when Mary got married in early September 1965 and moved to the Circle Line apartments in Decatur with her new husband Roy Little. I can't say how well Mary and Diane knew each other, but, yes, I do believe they were acquainted.

I know that one of Mary's roomates at Mary's first residence in Atlanta, what has been described as a triplex apartment in the Emory area, was a woman named Sandra Green. Sandra was an aluma of UNC Woman's College in Greensboro, as Mary was. I was also told by some of Mary's friends that one of Mary's closest friends from Myers Park High School in Charlotte, Janet Routh, had moved to Atlanta and gotten a job with C&S Bank before Mary. I presume Janet may have helped steer Mary to C&S Bank when Mary moved to Atlanta after graduation from college - sometime in 1962. Unfortunately, Janet Routh died several years ago and I was never able to speak with her.

I thought that Diane went to work for C&S after Mary's disappearance. And that Diane moved in with some of Mary's old room mates after Mary had disappeared ?

 

[rob525]

I am new to this fite and found this case while reading through another thread. This will be one of my first post but I would like to relate a few "first impressions" I got from reading the articles and thread. There seems to be a lot of conflicting information that makes things difficult to understand tho.

- The first thing that stands out is the car. If it takes 4 hours to get to Charlotte from Atlanta and she is sighted in Charlotte " a few hours" after last being seen ( I have heard around four hours later) the events in Atlanta happened quickly.That means there was an accompliss who remained in Atlanta with the car while Mary was transported north through Charlotte. If in fact the car was not returned to the parking lot until after 10 am and before 12 pm the following day why not at least attempt to get rid of potential evidence. And most of all why return the car? It makes no sense. In my mind the two theories that make the most sense are 1.) The security guard initially asked to check for the Comet either was being lazy and just did not actually check or just went looking for a liscense plate and did not pay much attention to the actual car.Or, 2.) she was followed from the lot and the attack was initiated else where.The car was returned to the parking lot to distract the initial investigation.But it still makes little sense why the car would be returned in broad daylight. There would be no real way to tell wether the police had been notified and at what stage the investigation was when the car was returned. It seems like a huge risk for someone who planned out an elaborate crime.
- I do have a comment about the roses. When one is trying to be particularly romantic, you might send someone 11 roses.The inference being that the receiver of the roses is the 12th and most beautiful of all the roses. That might explain the 5 roses and could indicate the same sender.
- The bosses reaction and actions may seem strange but it may just be the times and a closer boss/employee relationship than what is found today.
- I wonder if the static between Marys friends and husband where a result of his military background clashing with an anti Vietnam war mindset?

This post is much longer than I intended. I do have other thoughts and an idea that came to mind but I have to check a few things first.

 

[scriptgirl]

I definitely don't think this was an attack by a random killer. I think the bank was involved. Are C&S banks still around?

 

[noZme]

I definitely don't think this was an attack by a random killer. I think the bank was involved. Are C&S banks still around?

This case was HUGE when I was a kid growing up in GA.

I think Mary was disappeared because either she knew something about the banking business or personal business about someone at work.

Citizens & Southern Banks merged with Nations & then Bank of America.

 

[scriptgirl]

Just out of curiousity-would there still be paperwork and account info around for C&S and how widespread was that bank-was it just in the South or was it nationwide?

 

[liz b.]

This case was HUGE when I was a kid growing up in GA.

I think Mary was disappeared because either she knew something about the banking business or personal business about someone at work.

Citizens & Southern Banks merged with Nations & then Bank of America.

Mary was the secretary to the Human Resources manager. IMO, she would have known a whole lot about the employees at the bank...

 

[liz b.]

Just out of curiousity-would there still be paperwork and account info around for C&S and how widespread was that bank-was it just in the South or was it nationwide?

I know that Citizens and Southern Bank financed most of the construction loans to various individuals who were building up Atlanta at that time....

 

[scriptgirl]

And not all these people were upstanding citizens, I bet. Where there any scandals connected with these construction deals in later years?

 

[liz b.]

And not all these people were upstanding citizens, I bet. Where there any scandals connected with these construction deals in later years?

Don't know about that...possibly it is more likely that she would have known many details about those people who actually worked at the bank. And any people newly hired...MOO

 

[Fukiyama]

New to this thread...

I agree with the general idea that Mary had been seeing someone, a powerful someone, who came and got her.

I agree with the general idea that just about everything was planted to throw people off the track, the blood, the undergarments, traveling north, etc.

The parts that confuse me:

I agree that Diane's murder is not a coincidence, though I really have no idea how she could have been involved. I'm just not sure how Mary's former relationship fits in here. Was she killed by a former lover or was she killed by evil bankers and their associates because she learned too much about internal bank affairs? If it's the former, that makes the connection to Diane's murder rather murky. If it's the latter, would Diane have been on the job long enough to have learned the same things? Would The Powers That Be have allowed confidential info to come into the hands of the Human Resources manager's secretary a second time?

The more I think about it now, the more I think a Somebody at the bank was using the secretarial pool as his own personal harem. I'd be very interested in learning more about the experiences of other single women working for the bank from that time period.

Thanks.

 

[scriptgirl]

Fuki, as usual, good points

 

[liz b.]

New to this thread...

I agree with the general idea that Mary had been seeing someone, a powerful someone, who came and got her.

I agree with the general idea that just about everything was planted to throw people off the track, the blood, the undergarments, traveling north, etc.

The parts that confuse me:

I agree that Diane's murder is not a coincidence, though I really have no idea how she could have been involved. I'm just not sure how Mary's former relationship fits in here. Was she killed by a former lover or was she killed by evil bankers and their associates because she learned too much about internal bank affairs? If it's the former, that makes the connection to Diane's murder rather murky. If it's the latter, would Diane have been on the job long enough to have learned the same things? Would The Powers That Be have allowed confidential info to come into the hands of the Human Resources manager's secretary a second time?

The more I think about it now, the more I think a Somebody at the bank was using the secretarial pool as his own personal harem. I'd be very interested in learning more about the experiences of other single women working for the bank from that time period.

Thanks.

Interesting thoughts in your post. There was that rumor IIRC, about an organized prostitution ring at the bank. In fact, I think that is why ML's boss was brought in to manage Human Resources. He was supposed to be investigating this. Somehow,though,nothing supposedly ever came to light. Maybe means nothing, or it could mean a lot... But Mary knew about it all, she talked to her mother,and her sister about it. And, I would bet that she talked to her husband about it too. I think he had some knowledge of what happened to ML...MOO

 

[scriptgirl]

Whatever happened to her hubby, was he investigated thorougly

 

[liz b.]

Whatever happened to her hubby, was he investigated thorougly

ML'S husband is retired. He was looked at with some suspicion by some LE people.He refused to take a LDT. He has consistently refused to discuss ML's disappearance.

They had been married for 6 weeks when she vanished. He was out of town, in a training session, he was a trainee bank examiner. But he was due home on the day after she vanished.

I have never thought he was actually involved in her disappearance at all. But, I think she may well have discussed the goings on at the bank she worked at. He may have formed some conclusions. Could be why he didn't want to take a LDT.

After her disappearance he had a hard time at work. He eventually quit,saying he had basically been forced out of his job...

JMO