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

[dog.gone.cute]

Hello,

I happen to come across Mary and Dianne's cases on a blogsite that is not allowed here at WS per the T.O.S.

However, I did find a recent news article on CBS46 in Atlanta that there "may be a crack" in these 2 cold cases.

Below is the link and a few snippets from the news article:


Exclusive: A possible crack in the cold cases of Mary Shotwell Little and Diane Shields

ATLANTA, Ga. (CBS46) – After years of endless tips and dead ends CBS46's crime scene investigator Sheryl 'Mac' McCollum said she's one-step closer to finding Diane Shields killer.
“It's potentially a break,” she said.
...
Now 52 years later, Mac is convinced the alleged killer is hiding in plain sight – right here in metro Atlanta.
“I feel very confident he wants to tell it. I think he's been waiting to tell it. I think that's why he keeps contacting people,” she said.
...
“We knew we didn't have the fingerprint. We knew we didn't have the blood. We knew we didn't have the clothing, but what we did have was words,” said Mac. “And these words to me are very critical and I think they're the best evidence we have going forward.”
...
Mac plans to turn over a legal brief of findings to the GBI and East Point police before Thanksgiving. She said there could be a break in the case before Christmas.


Link: Exclusive: A possible crack in the cold cases of Mary Shotwell Little and Diane Shields

---------------

 

[dog.gone.cute]

Hello again,

Ever since I stumbled across Dianne and Mary's cases a few days ago, I have been reading as much as I can on these 2 fascinating, unsolved cold cases.

Of course, the first place you go when you find a cold case that is "new to you" is WebSleuths ... then backtrack to read as many MSM articles and reputable sites as possible.

I have read about a fourth of the thread here on Mary's case, but I did not find a thread here at WS on Dianne - unless I missed it?

I have a few questions that I have not been able to find answers to ... so before I post my theories, I will read a little bit more to see if I can find the answers.

Off to do some more reading here ...

 

[Markybug]

Hello,

I happen to come across Mary and Dianne's cases on a blogsite that is not allowed here at WS per the T.O.S.

However, I did find a recent news article on CBS46 in Atlanta that there "may be a crack" in these 2 cold cases.

Below is the link and a few snippets from the news article:


Exclusive: A possible crack in the cold cases of Mary Shotwell Little and Diane Shields

ATLANTA, Ga. (CBS46) – After years of endless tips and dead ends CBS46's crime scene investigator Sheryl 'Mac' McCollum said she's one-step closer to finding Diane Shields killer.
“It's potentially a break,” she said.
...
Now 52 years later, Mac is convinced the alleged killer is hiding in plain sight – right here in metro Atlanta.
“I feel very confident he wants to tell it. I think he's been waiting to tell it. I think that's why he keeps contacting people,” she said.
...
“We knew we didn't have the fingerprint. We knew we didn't have the blood. We knew we didn't have the clothing, but what we did have was words,” said Mac. “And these words to me are very critical and I think they're the best evidence we have going forward.”
...
Mac plans to turn over a legal brief of findings to the GBI and East Point police before Thanksgiving. She said there could be a break in the case before Christmas.


Link: Exclusive: A possible crack in the cold cases of Mary Shotwell Little and Diane Shields

---------------

Hello,

I happen to come across Mary and Dianne's cases on a blogsite that is not allowed here at WS per the T.O.S.

However, I did find a recent news article on CBS46 in Atlanta that there "may be a crack" in these 2 cold cases.

Below is the link and a few snippets from the news article:


Exclusive: A possible crack in the cold cases of Mary Shotwell Little and Diane Shields

ATLANTA, Ga. (CBS46) – After years of endless tips and dead ends CBS46's crime scene investigator Sheryl 'Mac' McCollum said she's one-step closer to finding Diane Shields killer.
“It's potentially a break,” she said.
...
Now 52 years later, Mac is convinced the alleged killer is hiding in plain sight – right here in metro Atlanta.
“I feel very confident he wants to tell it. I think he's been waiting to tell it. I think that's why he keeps contacting people,” she said.
...
“We knew we didn't have the fingerprint. We knew we didn't have the blood. We knew we didn't have the clothing, but what we did have was words,” said Mac. “And these words to me are very critical and I think they're the best evidence we have going forward.”
...
Mac plans to turn over a legal brief of findings to the GBI and East Point police before Thanksgiving. She said there could be a break in the case before Christmas.


Link: Exclusive: A possible crack in the cold cases of Mary Shotwell Little and Diane Shields

---------------

wow , sounds promising!

 

[dotr]

Some GRAPHIC IMAGES

CSI Atlanta: Cracking the cold cases of Mary Shotwell Little and Diane Shields
•Oct 24, 2019

 

[dotr]

Wondering if a separate thread should be started for Diane Shields?
Murder of Diane Shields 1967 - Newspapers.com
Murder of Diane Shields 1967

 

[Markybug]

Exclusive: A possible crack in the cold cases of Mary Shotwell Little and Diane Shields

I can’t view this link in Scotland, anyway round it ?

 

[dotr]

Exclusive: A possible crack in the cold cases of Mary Shotwell Little and Diane Shields

I can’t view this link in Scotland, anyway round it ?

Thanks for the link, rbbm.
"Mac has been investigating this case for 15 years with some of the city's most prolific cold case experts, including licensed private detective, John Fedack.

“You go through reports. You go on the internet. I've called people in California and Sea Island. And people in Canada,” said Fedack. “There was nothing in the files that just jumped out until our colleagues came up with some information.”
“If we can solve Diane Shields then we're going to be closer to solving Mary Shotwell Little,” she said.

Mac plans to turn over a legal brief of findings to the GBI and East Point police before Thanksgiving. She said there could be a break in the case before Christmas.

Results you’ll only see here on CBS46."

 

[Richard]

Wondering if a separate thread should be started for Diane Shields?
Murder of Diane Shields 1967 - Newspapers.com
...

While both are cold cases, Mary's is a Missing Person case, while Diane's is an unsolved murder. Here on Websleuths, the distinction means that they would be posted in different thread areas.

If you want to start a separate thread for Diane, it should be in the "Cold Case" section.

 

[Richard]

Mary Shotwell Little

• 
• 
• 

Mary, circa 1965; Mary's 1965 Mercury Comet

• Missing Since 10/14/1965
• Missing From Atlanta, Georgia
• Classification Endangered Missing
• Sex Female
• Race White
• Date of Birth 01/14/1940 (79)
• Age 25 years old
• Height and Weight 5'6, 120 pounds
• Clothing/Jewelry Description A long-sleeved olive green cotton/dacron sheath dress printed with small white flowers, a white London Fog raincoat, flats, a platinum wedding ring, a solitaire engagement ring, a yellow gold Women's College of the University of North Carolina class ring and a scarab bracelet. Carrying a brown burlap and leather John Romain purse.
• Distinguishing Characteristics Caucasian female. Light brown hair, hazel/green eyes. Mary has a discoloration on her left arm. She wears eyeglasses.

Details of Disappearance
Mary was a secretary at C&S Bank in Atlanta, Georgia in 1965. (The bank is now called Nation's Bank.) She had married Roy Little, a bank examiner, six weeks prior to her disappearance. Roy was out of town on October 14, training to become an auditor, but was going to return the next day. Mary planned a party to welcome his return.

She purchased groceries after work and then met a co-worker for dinner at the Piccadilly Cafeteria in the Lenox Square Shopping Center in the upscale Buckhead neighborhood of Atlanta. Mary was reportedly in good spirits at the time and spoke happily about her married life. She walked back to her car after dinner, at approximately 8:00 p.m. She has never been heard from again.

Mary did not show up for work the next morning and did not call in sick. Her boss discussed her absence with the co-worker she'd dined with the previous evening. Mary's co-worker knew that Mary's new metallic pearl-gray 1965 Mercury Comet with the Georgia license plate number 2829 was parked in a lot near Lenox Square from the previous evening's dinner.

A photograph of the Comet is posted with this case summary. Initially the car could not be located by security guards, but by the time Mary's bank supervisor arrived at Lenox Square, the car was in plain sight in the Yellow 32 section, where it was supposed to be.

There was a coating of red dust on the car's exterior, as if it had been driven on a dirt road. Four bags of groceries were found inside the vehicle, along with Coke bottles and a package of Kent cigarettes which were Mary's preferred brand.

There was also a slip, panties, a girdle, a bra, and a single stocking. Most of the items had been neatly folded and placed on the console between the front bucket seats, but the brassiere and the stocking were on the floor. The stocking had been cut, probably by a knife. The underwear was Mary's and appeared to have been worn recently. Mary's outer clothes, purse, coat, jewelry, and her car keys were missing and have never been found.

Blood was speckled on the undergarments and smeared on the steering wheel, the driver's side door near the handle, the inside window of the passenger's side, and on the front seats. Testing proved it was probably Mary's blood. There was only a very small amount, about as much as would come from a nosebleed.

Some police officers were of the opinion that the scene had been staged, due to the great smearing of the small quantity of blood. There was an unidentified fingerprint in the blood on the steering wheel.

Investigators learned that Mary's gasoline credit card had been used twice in North Carolina on October 15, the day following her disappearance. The first time was at an Esso station in Mary's hometown of Charlotte; the second time was at another Esso in Raleigh. Attendants at both stations recalled seeing a woman who appeared to have a minor injury to her head and was bloodstained on her head and legs.

Both workers told authorities that the woman was traveling with one or two unshaven middle-aged men who seemed to be commanding her. The woman appeared to be trying to hide her face from the attendants and she did not ask anyone for help.

The credit card had been used in the early morning hours of October 15 in Charlotte and approximately 12 hours later in Raleigh. This puzzled investigators; not only was Charlotte Mary's hometown and the city where her family resided, but Raleigh was only two to three hours away by car. The long span of time between credit card usages seemed strange, considering the short traveling distance between the cities.

Authorities speculate that perhaps whoever had Mary was trying to lead the investigation away from Atlanta. The signatures on the credit slips read "Mrs. Roy H. Little Jr." and appeared to be in Mary's handwriting. Using Roy's mileage logs and Mary's odometer, investigators estimated that the car had been driven only 41 miles that could not be accounted for.

Another odd angle of Mary's case emerged when the license plate on her Mercury Comet turned out to be a Charlotte, North Carolina plate that had been stolen in mid-October. Mary's car was legal in Georgia and had been fitted with the proper tags. Investigators believed that the stolen plate was a clue as to why her vehicle had not been located by Lenox Square security before her bank supervisor drove to the lot and discovered her car himself.

Authorities believed that whoever drove Mary's car to the lot may have kept it hidden on the night of her disappearance, only to return it to its initial parking spot later. This theory has never been proven. If the car was in fact moved, it would have been at about the same time that Mary was seen in North Carolina.

A $20,000 ransom demand was made for Mary after news about the credit card slips came out. An anonymous caller told Roy to go an overpass in the Pisgah National Forest in western North Carolina and find further instructions posted on a sign. An FBI agent went to the location in Roy's place and found a blank piece of paper struck to the sign. The caller did not contact the Little family again and has never been identified. The ransom demand is suspected to be a hoax.

Police investigated Roy for possible involvement in his wife's disappearance. Her former roommates did not like him and some refused to attend their wedding because of it. Roy reportedly did not seem to care much about Mary's disappearance. Several times he refused to take a lie detector test. However, he had a solid alibi for the time of her disappearance, and nothing to gain from her death, and there were no signs of trouble in the marriage. Roy has never been charged with any wrongdoing in connection with Mary's case.

There was some speculation that Mary's disappearance might have been connected to a sex scandal at her place of employment around the time she vanished. The bank had hired a former FBI agent to investigate claims of lesbian sexual harassment and possible prostitution on the property. Mary apparently knew about the scandal but it is not now believed to have anything to do with her disappearance.

Friends told investigators that Mary had been receiving unsettling phone calls at work during the weeks leading up to her disappearance. She apparently gave some indications to the caller that she was married and could no longer visit with the unknown person, but he or she was welcome to visit her. The caller's identity remains a mystery.

Mary also received flowers from a "secret admirer" in the weeks leading up to her disappearance. The bouquets were traced to a florist near Mary's residence, but the purchaser's identity remains unknown. Mary never shared the details of the strange phone calls or discussed the flowers with anyone.

According to some of her friends, she was fearful of being home alone or driving her car unaccompanied in the weeks prior to October 14. She did not explain why she felt unsafe. A few days before she disappeared, Mary insinuated to her co-workers that she had something important to tell them. She never revealed what it was.

In May 1967, eighteen months after Mary vanished, another young woman who worked in the same office was murdered. Diane Shields was last seen leaving work in her blue and white Chevrolet Impala. At 2:30 a.m. the next day, the car was found near a laundry on Sylvan Road in Atlanta with Shields's body inside the trunk. She was fully clothed and had not been sexually assaulted, and she was still wearing her diamond engagement ring. She had died of suffocation; a scarf had been shoved down her throat.

Police speculated that Mary's and Shields's cases might be connected, due the similarities in their disappearances and the fact that the women worked together, but eventually that theory was discarded. Shields's homicide, like Mary's disappearance, remains unsolved.

The police file concerning Mary's case vanished sometime in the years following her 1965 disappearance. Her father died in 1979, but her mother is still alive and has never stopped looking for her. Some police officers who investigated Mary's case do not believe foul play was involved; they think Mary staged her disappearance for unknown reasons.

Other investigators believe Mary was abducted. A woman reported being accosted by a man in the Lenox Square Shopping Center parking lot shortly before Mary would have been walking to her car; some authorities believe the man had something to do with Mary's disappearance. He has never been unidentified.

Mary's case remains active and unsolved.
Investigating Agency

• Atlanta Police Department 404-853-3434

Source Information

• Buckhead Web Enterprises
• True Crime Fanatic
• The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
• NamUs
• Mary Shotwell Little – The Charley Project
  

 

[jaejae]

Here is a recent report about this case and another case associated with it:

CSI Atlanta Exclusive: Friend and former roommate of Diane Shields & Mary Shotwell Little speaks for the first time

 

[Richard]

Here is a recent report about this case and another case associated with it:

CSI Atlanta Exclusive: Friend and former roommate of Diane Shields & Mary Shotwell Little speaks for the first time

Ms. Webb (roommate of Diane and Mary) speaks briefly about the coincidence and how it affected her. Although she probably had nothing to do with either Mary's disappearance or Diane's murder, there is a definite link between the two cases. Perhaps, had the police approached her differently back then (rather than accusing and badgering), more clues might have been uncovered with her cooperation and input.

 

[dotr]

Ms. Webb (roommate of Diane and Mary) speaks briefly about the coincidence and how it affected her. Although she probably had nothing to do with either Mary's disappearance or Diane's murder, there is a definite link between the two cases. Perhaps, had the police approached her differently back then (rather than accusing and badgering), more clues might have been uncovered with her cooperation and input.

Since LE came on so strongly with Ms Webb, could that mean that there was something about the crime that suggested the perp was female?

 

[Fukiyama]

Lesbian harassment?

With other cases I've followed over the years wrapped up more or less, this one remains the one that most interests me. The circumstances of how and why the undergarments were left behind and not the outerwear continues to mystify me.

 

[Stella]

I heard in the 5 Roses podcasts that one of Mary's and Diane's mutual roommates threw physical, even threatening fits when both girls announced their respective engagements. Are we talking about Judy Brownlee, Sandie Webb or someone else entirely?

 

[bulldoggirl77]

does anyone know who was helping Ray Pate on this case? he passed away last year.

 

[Markybug]

does anyone know who was helping Ray Pate on this case? he passed away last year.

that’s a shame , he had a lot of mileage in the case.

 

[dotr]

Bumping these posts in honour of Ray Pate, RIP...

GA - GA - Mary Shotwell Little, 25, Atlanta, 14 Oct 1965"]GA - Mary Shotwell Little, 25, Atlanta, 14 Oct 1965
Ray Pate, Mar 26, 2015
''I say thanks for your statements and I will in my limited ability attempt to
clear up the issue you have mentioned .. Since I have a copy of the F.B.I. file and it contained
information about the investigation of the lesbian connection.The conclusion they all reached was
that two females were indentified, consulter and they moved on.This departure of the two girls
happened before any evidence of Mary's disappearance came to the surface. There never was
any indication that any action was obvious by the femals and it was not a distubing trend..
The other suggestion you made about Diane being a plant to investigate the affairs can not
be found in the file either. Diane came up from Alabama and occupied Mary's position.
She went through less than ideal conditions and to her it was time to move on. She found a
job with the State, as a secretary, and that was where she was working when she was killed.
Stay tuned. The rest of the story can now be revealed as soon as I have a copy of the
East Point Police file on Diane Shields. That file will reveal, I think, vital missing evidence.''

GA - GA - Mary Shotwell Little, 25, Atlanta, 14 Oct 1965"]GA - Mary Shotwell Little, 25, Atlanta, 14 Oct 1965
Ray Pate, Jul 18, 2015

''I ask the followers of the two cold cases of :Mary Shotwell Little & Diane Shields
be explained as best as I am able. It has been a year since I started working on
these two cases..Hince, it is time for me to close my books and start another
project.Because of my lack of writing skills it might be at some point I will
make an error so please allow for such an event.I am reporting that I have
found the suspect in both cold cases.In fact,he foun me. To make a mountain
of details fit in this small space, I wil have to be careful to only describe the
necessary information..Soon after June of 2014, the suspected contacted me.
He wanted to assist me in finding the murderer. He had read my blog in response
to a long blog page where I had placed my e-mail address and described that I
was an invalid and had worked in A.P.D Homicide in the 60's and if he was
serious about his request to work with me he had to come to my home and we
would talk face to face where I could hear him properly . He came to my house
and drove in hellish traffic 55 miles not once, but three times.Now, I bought
a book on. cold case crimes where it explains that dealing with a suspect,
do not listen to what he says, you listen to what he does not say..Wilth this in
mind, we had great conversations. I discovered from him that he worked with
Mary shotwell and Diane Shields at the headquarters branch on Mitchell
St. where both victims were secretaries. He said he got a job at the C&S branch
while attending college. His job was as an office boy attending to the staff
In Mary's department. When Mary disappeared October 14, 1965, she had
been gone long enough for the bank to recruit Diane to move from the C&S
East Point, Ga office to replace Mary. Now the office boy has to stalk a new
girl who favored Mary. He quit contacting me because he said we differed
to much on theory. He said he believed that the cases involving the two
girls were not connected. He knew he was wrong because he knew he was
the critical link between the cases.He finally sent me. a final E-mail and
he explained that he was going to a certain restaurant and a waitress that
served him resembled Diane and he had made certain remarks that would
lead to useful dialogue and the usual dates,Now,mind you, she was in college
and about in the early 20's,He is 68 now and in poor health living in an assisted
living apartment.But he never gives up. He said he sent her a Christmas letter,
he said, heavy with lovers remarks and included in the letter two pieces of
jewelry . He said after the letter was sent, he tried conversation with him
and she withdrew her warmness and became distant So, she might still be alive.
He told me that Diane was killed just like Jon Benaa Ramsey, as you know,
the child from Colorado murdered in 1996. He said miss Ramsey was hit in the
head with a brick,and addled before her neck was crushed..
Note: The F.B.I. and local L.E. Interviewed 800 individuals and they missed the
office boy who was right under their nose. East Point P.D interviewed him
but wrote him off for some reason.East Point Police will not talk to me.So long.''

 

[kh_1975]

Wondering if a separate thread should be started for Diane Shields?
Murder of Diane Shields 1967 - Newspapers.com
Murder of Diane Shields 1967

Hi, it has been quite a while since I have logged on here. Did anyone ever start a new thread for Diane Shields? I tried a search, but couldn't find one.

 

[kh_1975]

I heard in the 5 Roses podcasts that one of Mary's and Diane's mutual roommates threw physical, even threatening fits when both girls announced their respective engagements. Are we talking about Judy Brownlee, Sandie Webb or someone else entirely?

I believe that Judy Brownlee was the roommate that reacted strongly to the girl's engagements.

 

[dotr]

Hi, it has been quite a while since I have logged on here. Did anyone ever start a new thread for Diane Shields? I tried a search, but couldn't find one.

Just started a thread..
GA - Diane Shields, 22, Georgia, strangled,beaten,body found in truck of car, 1967