This is my first cold case investigation. Theresa A. Rideout, of Chandler, Indiana, was 36 years old when she was reported missing by a friend on September 11, 1994. An article ran in our local newspaper earlier this year about several unsolved cases. This case looked intriguing because of the lack of information available. I started my search for information with Google. I quickly learned that Theresa's name wasn't even spelled correctly on the Indiana State Police site, or Namus. Also, there were no photos of the missing woman. How could anyone possibly find this person if there wasn't even a photo released?*
Very little information exists on the Indiana State Police website -(Case No. 35-12879 - notice the incorrectly spelled name) - ISP: Teresa Rideout 09/11/1994
Namus has this short description (notice that her name is spelled incorrectly): "On 09/11/94 Teresa Rideout was reported missing by a friend. She has never been located. It is suspected that foul play could have caused her disappearance." - The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)
I realized that this case would be tough, given the lack of information available. Utilizing Ancestry.com, I was able to learn a bit about Theresa's family life. Theresa's mother, Euist Nichols, died when she was only 6 years old. And her father, William Nichols, died when Theresa was just 17. She had no siblings.
Two years following the death of her father, Theresa married Michael W. Rideout. They lived together in Henderson, Kentucky. They had one son together in June, 1980: William Matthew "Matt" Rideout. Theresa and Michael divorced in the mid-to-late '80s. Michael remarried (Julie Ramage Rideout). He died in 2009 from complications of diabetes at the age of 52. Theresa and Michael's son, William "Matt" Rideout died in December, 2018, in Las Vegas at the age of 38.
I reached out to Michael Rideout's sister-in-law, Kaye, on Ancestry.com to ask if she could provide me with any information on the disappearance. She responded, saying that she didn't know much about the case. Only that Theresa loved the river, and that the family thinks that she may have drowned. Theresa kept to herself and didn't really have much of a relationship with her family, or many others. Kaye mentioned that Theresa's son "Matt" had died in December, 2018. Kaye also mentioned that Matt had to go to court in order to declare his mother dead in order to collect on an insurance policy. So, on August 12, 2002, a Death Certificate was generated for Theresa A. Rideout (see attached). The Death Certificate states that Theresa is "presumed dead - last seen 9-2-94".
The street address mentioned on Theresa's Death Certificate is 6833 Maple Heights, Chandler, IN. I did some research on this property. In 1995, it was owned by Julia Waters. I did a little digging, and discovered that Julia Waters had been married to a man named Jack W. Barnett. Not having much else to go on, I decided to jump down this rabbit hole to see what I could find. I did a search for any legal history on Jack, and found that he had been arrested in September, 1990, for felony battery with a deadly weapon. He was charged and plead guilty - 4 years probation. Using Ancestry.com, I learned that Jack had passed away in 1994. His Death Certificate (see attached) lists his date of death as September 10, 1994, the day before Theresa was reported missing. Cause of death: "Self-inflicted gunshot wound through roof of mouth". The address listed on Jack's Death Certificate: 6833 Maple Drive, Chandler, Indiana. Coincidence?
At this point, I didn't know what relationship, if any, there was between Theresa and Jack. But I knew there had to be a connection. It was at this point that I started doing searches for historical newspapers in the area. Regular search engine searches weren't working. I was able to access historical papers using our local library website. I found three articles written in late 1994 about this case.
The first article (see attached), written on September 14, 1994, confirmed the connection between Jack and Theresa. It was titled "Girlfriend of Apparent Suicide Victim Missing". The article goes on to say that Theresa had been missing since September 2, 1994, about a week before her boyfriend was found dead, the victim of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, in a Posey County, Indiana, motel room (Four Seasons Motel in Mount Vernon, Indiana).
The article goes on to say that acquaintances of "Terry" Rideout reported her missing on September 11, 1994, the day after her companion, Jack Barnett, 33, was found dead. Police had attempted to get in touch with Theresa's relatives, but were not able to contact them.
Bruce Hargrave, chief deputy in the Warrick County Sheriff's Department, said: "We don't know a lot about this lady." He said her name had been entered into a national crime information computer in an attempt to locate her.
Warrick County Sheriff Jeff Gore said that, for now, her disappearance is being treated solely as a missing person's case.
According to the coroner, who had questioned the motel workers, Barnett had checked into the motel room alone.
The article mentions a friend and roomate of Theresa's, Gail Chapman. Ms. Chapman said that Theresa had last been seen by friends and co-workers when she finished her shift at the Burger King at 900 Main Street, Evansville, Indiana, around 7:00pm on September 2, 1994.
The article mentions Connie Weinzapfel, district manager of Burger King, said that Theresa had been employed at Burger King for about a month, and that she had dropped off the night deposit at Citizens National Bank at the end of her shift. She went on to say that Theresa did not show up for her shift the next day, Saturday, September 3, 1994, at 11:00am. Ms. Weinzapfel said that Theresa didn't call or answer the phone when she tried to contact her. Theresa's paycheck for two weeks' pay had not been picked up, Ms. Weinzapfel said. She went on to say, "This is very strange. It just totally shocked us." Then she went on to say that Theresa was a "very sensible, intelligent woman. She is not the type who would not call in, who would just disappear."
The article goes on to say that Gail Chapman reported that Jack Barnett was seen alone by several patrons of Don and Donna's Sports Bar on September 6, 1994. Ms. Chapman, who works at the bar, said a bartender saw Barnett that day. She said Barnett made no mention of Ms. Rideout's whereabouts to the bar patrons or bartender.
Ms. Chapman went on to say that Ms. Rideout and Jack Barnett lived together in Chandler, Indiana, for about three months. She said relatives of Barnett and Ms. Rideout's friends who checked their home after Barnett's body was found say nothing appears to be missing, other than Theresa's dog, River.
In the article, Ms. Chapman stated that Theresa's car, with which she had had mechanical problems, was still parked at the house. Ms. Chapman said that co-workers believed she was driving Barnett's red truck the Friday evening she left work. That truck was later found at the motel in Posey County, Indiana (Four Seasons Motel). Ms. Chapman said that, "Theresa was in a good mood Friday (September 2, 1994). It was like, 'See you tomorrow'...and that was it".
In the article, Ms. Chapman states that Jack Barnett and Theresa were last seen together at the American Legion Kapperman Post 44 in Warrick County the Friday morning (September 2, 1994) before she disappeared. They left the post around 10:30am, before her shift at Burger King began at 11:00am.
The article goes on to say that Carl Smith of Newburgh, Indiana, was a friend of Theresa's, and that he and Jack Barnett's ex-wife, Julie Waters, checked a river camp Barnett owned after Ms Rideout was reported missing and he has been searching for her since her disappearance. Mr. Smith said he had talked to Jack Barnett recently: "I talked to him recently and he said they had plans for the future and seemed to be doing fine. I was tickled to death that she found someone like him. It just doesn't add up. Whatever happened is something that happened very suddenly."
Ms. Waters, Jack Barnett's ex-wife, said she reported Theresa missing after she learned that her ex-husband was dead, but she believes that her disappearance is "just coincidence". Ms. Waters and Jack Barnett had been divorced about three years, but maintained a cordial relationship. She said she wanted to find Theresa to tell her about Jack's death "before she got slapped in the face with it". She said Jack had not seemed despondent. "They talked about getting married."
On the next day, an article was written with the headline, "Investigators Now Suspect Foul Play" (see attached). The article goes on to say that, since Theresa "Terry" Rideout didn't show up at Bradley's Colonial Chapel in Boonville, Indiana, for the funeral of Jack Barnett, investigators said they have increased suspicion that she may have been killed. The article mentions that Jack Barnett worked in Posey County, Indiana, at Southern Indiana Gas & Electric Company's A.B. Brown Power Plant in West Franklin. They said it was unclear on Wednesday whether he had worked there on the same day he checked in to the motel. The Posey County Sheriff mentioned that he was convinced Jack Barnett's death was a suicide, since the chain of his motel room was locked. Hotel workers called police when they tried to gain access to his motel room around 4:30pm. Barnett had not checked out, and had hung the "Do Not Disturb" sign on the door. Hotel employees had unlocked the door, opened it as much as they could, and they saw the blood on the floor.
*Note: Jack Barnett's Death Certificate mentions his time of death as 3:00am; it's curious that no one heard or reported a gunshot in a motel in the middle of the night*
According to the article, the coroner said that Barnett had left a personal note for his 13-year old daughter, but it did not say anything about Theresa. The coroner said, "He told her to grow up and be a good girl and that he loved her."
The article again mentions Carl Smith, Theresa's friend. He mentioned that he and Theresa had been friends for about eight years. "If she was in trouble, she would come over and tell me about it. We were just really good friends. I probably knew as much about her private life as anyone. She maybe would leave on the spur of the moment, for a trip or something. But not without letting someone know. It's not like her and the dog to both be gone." Carl said she didn't keep in close contact with her small family. He described Theresa as someone who was independent and didn't like to rely on people until she knew them well.
In the article, Detective Marvin Heilman said that he had not been able to reach any family members and that he was only told that she once lived in Phoenix, and had a sister in Indianapolis and an aunt in Kentucky. "No method of transportation, no belongings. It doesn't add up."
Another friend mentioned in the article is Cheri Ellis. Cheri used to go to various bars in Warrick County, Indiana, with Theresa. According to Cheri, "She seemed really happy. She's been on her own since she was pretty young. She's a very independent person. She didn't rely on anybody a whole lot."
The third and final article written on this subject was on December 29, 1994. It was titled, "Violent Film Found With Victim of Suicide He's Also Suspect in Disappearance of Chandler Woman". The article states that, before Jack Barnett shot himself in the head, he apparently watched a voilent film about a disillusioned man who went on a rampage and was killed by police. The movie "Falling Down", a film about an unemployed defense worker who wreaks havoc across central Los Angeles, was found in a Posey County, Indiana, motel room where Jack Barnett, 33, shot himself. Investigators say the fact that Barnett watched the video before his suicide is unusual, considering the circumstances of his death.
The article goes on to say that Detective Heilman is convinced that Theresa Rideout is dead. He said there have been no leads to indicate that she is still alive. Relatives and friends told police they haven't heard anything from her. She left with no money, had no vehicle, nothing. Only her dog is missing.
Mike Rideout, Theresa's ex-husband, was interviewed for this article. He was living outside Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas at the time with his new wife and he and Theresa's 14-year old son. He said, "I can't imagine that if someone is distraught, ready to kill themselves, that they wouldn't leave a note for their loved one. Even if there was some disagreement, they would want to say goodbye. And he didn't."
Detective Heilman later goes on to say that Theresa Rideout may have been involved with people who used drugs, according to her ex-husband. He said he believes that may keep some people who might know something about her death from coming forward.
*****
On December 5, 2019, I contacted the Four Seasons Motel. I knew it would be a long shot, but I'm just trying to make sure I don't leave any stone unturned. To my surprise, I received a response from the motel three days later. Unbelievably, the gentleman who currently owns the motel was working there with his mother, the former owner, at the time of Jack Barnett's suicide in 1994. He said that Jack had checked in a day prior to his death, but that the motel's records only go back to October, 1994, so he couldn't say for sure. He did mentioned that he had heard rumors that Jack killed Theresa and her dog because she had given him Hepatitis C and maybe AIDS.
He also mentioned that the TV in the room that Jack killed himself would always turn itself on at exactly 10:00pm every night. He said they even replaced the TV but the same thing would happen. Guests were complaining often that the room was haunted. Finally, they asked a preacher to speak in the room and ask Mr. Barnett to go. After that, there were no more issues.
I've attempted to contact several individuals mentioned above, including Gail Chapman and the American Legion Kapperman Post 44. I haven't heard back from either of them. I'd like to get a hold of Carl Smith or Cheri Ellis as well.
I have attached the following news articles (the only articles I could find on her case):
* 9/14/1994 - Girlfriend of Apparent Suicide Victim Missing (Evansville Courier & Press)
* 9/15/1994 - Investigators Now Suspect Foul Play (Evansville Courier & Press)
* 12/29/1994 - Violent Film Found With Victim of Suicide He's Also Suspect in Disappearance of Chandler Woman (Evansville Courier & Press)
I have attached the Death Certificate of Jack W. Barnett (Theresa's boyfriend). I've also attached the Death Certificate of Theresa A. Rideout.
I've also attached a few photos I found of Theresa on Ancestry.com. The photo where she's wearing sunglasses was posted on Kaye's Ancestry.com page, so I'm pretty sure that's her. The black and white photo is a yearbook photo from Henderson High School's yearbook, and I'm not 100% sure that's her, although it does say she's Theresa A. Nichols (her maiden name).
Very little information exists on the Indiana State Police website -(Case No. 35-12879 - notice the incorrectly spelled name) - ISP: Teresa Rideout 09/11/1994
Namus has this short description (notice that her name is spelled incorrectly): "On 09/11/94 Teresa Rideout was reported missing by a friend. She has never been located. It is suspected that foul play could have caused her disappearance." - The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)
I realized that this case would be tough, given the lack of information available. Utilizing Ancestry.com, I was able to learn a bit about Theresa's family life. Theresa's mother, Euist Nichols, died when she was only 6 years old. And her father, William Nichols, died when Theresa was just 17. She had no siblings.
Two years following the death of her father, Theresa married Michael W. Rideout. They lived together in Henderson, Kentucky. They had one son together in June, 1980: William Matthew "Matt" Rideout. Theresa and Michael divorced in the mid-to-late '80s. Michael remarried (Julie Ramage Rideout). He died in 2009 from complications of diabetes at the age of 52. Theresa and Michael's son, William "Matt" Rideout died in December, 2018, in Las Vegas at the age of 38.
I reached out to Michael Rideout's sister-in-law, Kaye, on Ancestry.com to ask if she could provide me with any information on the disappearance. She responded, saying that she didn't know much about the case. Only that Theresa loved the river, and that the family thinks that she may have drowned. Theresa kept to herself and didn't really have much of a relationship with her family, or many others. Kaye mentioned that Theresa's son "Matt" had died in December, 2018. Kaye also mentioned that Matt had to go to court in order to declare his mother dead in order to collect on an insurance policy. So, on August 12, 2002, a Death Certificate was generated for Theresa A. Rideout (see attached). The Death Certificate states that Theresa is "presumed dead - last seen 9-2-94".
The street address mentioned on Theresa's Death Certificate is 6833 Maple Heights, Chandler, IN. I did some research on this property. In 1995, it was owned by Julia Waters. I did a little digging, and discovered that Julia Waters had been married to a man named Jack W. Barnett. Not having much else to go on, I decided to jump down this rabbit hole to see what I could find. I did a search for any legal history on Jack, and found that he had been arrested in September, 1990, for felony battery with a deadly weapon. He was charged and plead guilty - 4 years probation. Using Ancestry.com, I learned that Jack had passed away in 1994. His Death Certificate (see attached) lists his date of death as September 10, 1994, the day before Theresa was reported missing. Cause of death: "Self-inflicted gunshot wound through roof of mouth". The address listed on Jack's Death Certificate: 6833 Maple Drive, Chandler, Indiana. Coincidence?
At this point, I didn't know what relationship, if any, there was between Theresa and Jack. But I knew there had to be a connection. It was at this point that I started doing searches for historical newspapers in the area. Regular search engine searches weren't working. I was able to access historical papers using our local library website. I found three articles written in late 1994 about this case.
The first article (see attached), written on September 14, 1994, confirmed the connection between Jack and Theresa. It was titled "Girlfriend of Apparent Suicide Victim Missing". The article goes on to say that Theresa had been missing since September 2, 1994, about a week before her boyfriend was found dead, the victim of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, in a Posey County, Indiana, motel room (Four Seasons Motel in Mount Vernon, Indiana).
The article goes on to say that acquaintances of "Terry" Rideout reported her missing on September 11, 1994, the day after her companion, Jack Barnett, 33, was found dead. Police had attempted to get in touch with Theresa's relatives, but were not able to contact them.
Bruce Hargrave, chief deputy in the Warrick County Sheriff's Department, said: "We don't know a lot about this lady." He said her name had been entered into a national crime information computer in an attempt to locate her.
Warrick County Sheriff Jeff Gore said that, for now, her disappearance is being treated solely as a missing person's case.
According to the coroner, who had questioned the motel workers, Barnett had checked into the motel room alone.
The article mentions a friend and roomate of Theresa's, Gail Chapman. Ms. Chapman said that Theresa had last been seen by friends and co-workers when she finished her shift at the Burger King at 900 Main Street, Evansville, Indiana, around 7:00pm on September 2, 1994.
The article mentions Connie Weinzapfel, district manager of Burger King, said that Theresa had been employed at Burger King for about a month, and that she had dropped off the night deposit at Citizens National Bank at the end of her shift. She went on to say that Theresa did not show up for her shift the next day, Saturday, September 3, 1994, at 11:00am. Ms. Weinzapfel said that Theresa didn't call or answer the phone when she tried to contact her. Theresa's paycheck for two weeks' pay had not been picked up, Ms. Weinzapfel said. She went on to say, "This is very strange. It just totally shocked us." Then she went on to say that Theresa was a "very sensible, intelligent woman. She is not the type who would not call in, who would just disappear."
The article goes on to say that Gail Chapman reported that Jack Barnett was seen alone by several patrons of Don and Donna's Sports Bar on September 6, 1994. Ms. Chapman, who works at the bar, said a bartender saw Barnett that day. She said Barnett made no mention of Ms. Rideout's whereabouts to the bar patrons or bartender.
Ms. Chapman went on to say that Ms. Rideout and Jack Barnett lived together in Chandler, Indiana, for about three months. She said relatives of Barnett and Ms. Rideout's friends who checked their home after Barnett's body was found say nothing appears to be missing, other than Theresa's dog, River.
In the article, Ms. Chapman stated that Theresa's car, with which she had had mechanical problems, was still parked at the house. Ms. Chapman said that co-workers believed she was driving Barnett's red truck the Friday evening she left work. That truck was later found at the motel in Posey County, Indiana (Four Seasons Motel). Ms. Chapman said that, "Theresa was in a good mood Friday (September 2, 1994). It was like, 'See you tomorrow'...and that was it".
In the article, Ms. Chapman states that Jack Barnett and Theresa were last seen together at the American Legion Kapperman Post 44 in Warrick County the Friday morning (September 2, 1994) before she disappeared. They left the post around 10:30am, before her shift at Burger King began at 11:00am.
The article goes on to say that Carl Smith of Newburgh, Indiana, was a friend of Theresa's, and that he and Jack Barnett's ex-wife, Julie Waters, checked a river camp Barnett owned after Ms Rideout was reported missing and he has been searching for her since her disappearance. Mr. Smith said he had talked to Jack Barnett recently: "I talked to him recently and he said they had plans for the future and seemed to be doing fine. I was tickled to death that she found someone like him. It just doesn't add up. Whatever happened is something that happened very suddenly."
Ms. Waters, Jack Barnett's ex-wife, said she reported Theresa missing after she learned that her ex-husband was dead, but she believes that her disappearance is "just coincidence". Ms. Waters and Jack Barnett had been divorced about three years, but maintained a cordial relationship. She said she wanted to find Theresa to tell her about Jack's death "before she got slapped in the face with it". She said Jack had not seemed despondent. "They talked about getting married."
On the next day, an article was written with the headline, "Investigators Now Suspect Foul Play" (see attached). The article goes on to say that, since Theresa "Terry" Rideout didn't show up at Bradley's Colonial Chapel in Boonville, Indiana, for the funeral of Jack Barnett, investigators said they have increased suspicion that she may have been killed. The article mentions that Jack Barnett worked in Posey County, Indiana, at Southern Indiana Gas & Electric Company's A.B. Brown Power Plant in West Franklin. They said it was unclear on Wednesday whether he had worked there on the same day he checked in to the motel. The Posey County Sheriff mentioned that he was convinced Jack Barnett's death was a suicide, since the chain of his motel room was locked. Hotel workers called police when they tried to gain access to his motel room around 4:30pm. Barnett had not checked out, and had hung the "Do Not Disturb" sign on the door. Hotel employees had unlocked the door, opened it as much as they could, and they saw the blood on the floor.
*Note: Jack Barnett's Death Certificate mentions his time of death as 3:00am; it's curious that no one heard or reported a gunshot in a motel in the middle of the night*
According to the article, the coroner said that Barnett had left a personal note for his 13-year old daughter, but it did not say anything about Theresa. The coroner said, "He told her to grow up and be a good girl and that he loved her."
The article again mentions Carl Smith, Theresa's friend. He mentioned that he and Theresa had been friends for about eight years. "If she was in trouble, she would come over and tell me about it. We were just really good friends. I probably knew as much about her private life as anyone. She maybe would leave on the spur of the moment, for a trip or something. But not without letting someone know. It's not like her and the dog to both be gone." Carl said she didn't keep in close contact with her small family. He described Theresa as someone who was independent and didn't like to rely on people until she knew them well.
In the article, Detective Marvin Heilman said that he had not been able to reach any family members and that he was only told that she once lived in Phoenix, and had a sister in Indianapolis and an aunt in Kentucky. "No method of transportation, no belongings. It doesn't add up."
Another friend mentioned in the article is Cheri Ellis. Cheri used to go to various bars in Warrick County, Indiana, with Theresa. According to Cheri, "She seemed really happy. She's been on her own since she was pretty young. She's a very independent person. She didn't rely on anybody a whole lot."
The third and final article written on this subject was on December 29, 1994. It was titled, "Violent Film Found With Victim of Suicide He's Also Suspect in Disappearance of Chandler Woman". The article states that, before Jack Barnett shot himself in the head, he apparently watched a voilent film about a disillusioned man who went on a rampage and was killed by police. The movie "Falling Down", a film about an unemployed defense worker who wreaks havoc across central Los Angeles, was found in a Posey County, Indiana, motel room where Jack Barnett, 33, shot himself. Investigators say the fact that Barnett watched the video before his suicide is unusual, considering the circumstances of his death.
The article goes on to say that Detective Heilman is convinced that Theresa Rideout is dead. He said there have been no leads to indicate that she is still alive. Relatives and friends told police they haven't heard anything from her. She left with no money, had no vehicle, nothing. Only her dog is missing.
Mike Rideout, Theresa's ex-husband, was interviewed for this article. He was living outside Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas at the time with his new wife and he and Theresa's 14-year old son. He said, "I can't imagine that if someone is distraught, ready to kill themselves, that they wouldn't leave a note for their loved one. Even if there was some disagreement, they would want to say goodbye. And he didn't."
Detective Heilman later goes on to say that Theresa Rideout may have been involved with people who used drugs, according to her ex-husband. He said he believes that may keep some people who might know something about her death from coming forward.
*****
On December 5, 2019, I contacted the Four Seasons Motel. I knew it would be a long shot, but I'm just trying to make sure I don't leave any stone unturned. To my surprise, I received a response from the motel three days later. Unbelievably, the gentleman who currently owns the motel was working there with his mother, the former owner, at the time of Jack Barnett's suicide in 1994. He said that Jack had checked in a day prior to his death, but that the motel's records only go back to October, 1994, so he couldn't say for sure. He did mentioned that he had heard rumors that Jack killed Theresa and her dog because she had given him Hepatitis C and maybe AIDS.
He also mentioned that the TV in the room that Jack killed himself would always turn itself on at exactly 10:00pm every night. He said they even replaced the TV but the same thing would happen. Guests were complaining often that the room was haunted. Finally, they asked a preacher to speak in the room and ask Mr. Barnett to go. After that, there were no more issues.
I've attempted to contact several individuals mentioned above, including Gail Chapman and the American Legion Kapperman Post 44. I haven't heard back from either of them. I'd like to get a hold of Carl Smith or Cheri Ellis as well.
I have attached the following news articles (the only articles I could find on her case):
* 9/14/1994 - Girlfriend of Apparent Suicide Victim Missing (Evansville Courier & Press)
* 9/15/1994 - Investigators Now Suspect Foul Play (Evansville Courier & Press)
* 12/29/1994 - Violent Film Found With Victim of Suicide He's Also Suspect in Disappearance of Chandler Woman (Evansville Courier & Press)
I have attached the Death Certificate of Jack W. Barnett (Theresa's boyfriend). I've also attached the Death Certificate of Theresa A. Rideout.
I've also attached a few photos I found of Theresa on Ancestry.com. The photo where she's wearing sunglasses was posted on Kaye's Ancestry.com page, so I'm pretty sure that's her. The black and white photo is a yearbook photo from Henderson High School's yearbook, and I'm not 100% sure that's her, although it does say she's Theresa A. Nichols (her maiden name).
