MA MA - Joan Risch, 30, Lincoln, 24 Oct 1961

[ChuckMaureen]

The attached photo shows the guts of the Model 554 wall-mount phone. Note the crimp on the handset cable and that the crimp is placed behind a U-shaped retainer tang in this version; some and later versions used a variation in which the crimp is physically attached to the base via a hook. That, plus the four wires (not visible) from the cable are attached to the phone via spade-lug connectors that are held on by screws. Significant force is required to pull the cable from the phone.

 

[ChuckMaureen]

I walked down old bedford from the angle looking for the Barkers house.After a walk of about .5miles ,to my surprise there were two houses on my right There was a sign in the middle of the dirt road that said end of trail.The road turned to asphalt and first mail box #read 8,no name,the next one #4 with a name plate above reading the Barkers.I said wow, their still alive!I thought maybe the people living in #8 cut the same deal, as the Barkers did with the feds.There was a blue tarp covering the main section of the house roof.We had a rain wind storm 3 weeks ago and many trees ,branchs came down,but there was no roofing activity or sign of life.On either side of main house were step back foundation jogs,running across 12-16 feet.I determined the jog on right was the kitchen because of how the driveway entered the property and the window that Barb glanced out of to see Joan run in her drive way.Barbs house, I figured was set back 150 feet from the road,add 20 feet for the road spacing,and Joan parked 30 feet down her 60 foot driveway ,police photos guesstimate.So Barb had to visually navigate a 200ft plus veiw with many trees and bushes on her property plus the pines,hemlocks on either side of Joans driveway.I stood on the other side of the road looking at Barbs, then looking where i thought Joans driveway cut in from photos, going back and forth for what seemed like 30 min.and concluded Barbs veiw was challenging.Barb might have been able to see a car at the end of Joans driveway,but her neighbor#8 would have a birds eye veiw of Joans driveway!I went to 1957 aerial photos and zomed in ,it shows the right side of Joans driveway is well screened.

Non-evergreen trees would have lost most, if not all of their respective leaves so non-line-of-sight views would not be as restrictive as would be in summer days.

 

[ChuckMaureen]

bbm

From BB's official statement:

I saw Joan about 2:30pm, I s aw [sic] her run beside her car. She has a trench coat on at this time. I saw something red. I though hat [sic] she was chasing a child and the child was wearing a red jacket. She was running with her arms outstretched. Later I saw her walking back towards the house.

From the same statement paper, six paragraphs from the above. Note the different times. Did BB see JR both indicated times or was that BB simply not remembering the exact time? Close enough.

It seemed to me that when she ran to the car, she went back to the house again. I did see something red, this was about 2:15pm.

At the time when BB saw JR running beside her car, LR was at the B house and we assume so was BB's son.

BB did not indicate she saw JR as wearing something red or that JR appeared bloodied. What she described implies she thought she saw something red as separate from and in front of JR. Seeing JR running with "outstretched arms" made BB think JR was chasing someone, a child, because BB did not see an adult... but likely also did not see an actual child but saw something red that she mistook to be a "red jacket" in front of JR, at about the height of a child, which could match the distance from JR's outstretched arms to the ground.

We might assume JR's "outstretched arms" were either bloody or she was carrying something small enough to have been mistaken for a child's red jacket, carrying it so as not to allow it to come in contact with her trench coat. Could that "something" have been David's bloodied corduroys or underpants later found in the kitchen? Maybe it was the apron that was found on the floor behind the overturned telephone table in the corridor that led to the living room.

The "walking back toward the house" is strange. If we assume the incident was under way at that point why such haste toward the car but only a walk-back to the house? Was the "something red" dripping blood? JR's vehicle was stained with blood in three locations. Hurried to get it to the vehicle, bloody it up, task done, walked back?

 

[ChuckMaureen]

Finger streaks on the trunk lid?

 

[ChuckMaureen]

Case records indicate LE checked the registration of the vehicle parked in the R driveway to verify it was registered to the Rs... but no where do records indicate that LE checked the trunk. Reviewing a photo of the vehicle we can see the passenger door was not in a fully closed position at the time the photo was taken.

The circle is drawn on the trunk lid to indicate blood extends farther than what has been reported ("top center of the trunk"). It extends to the top of right-side rear fender.

 

[ChuckMaureen]

Wondering... what if BB actually saw a perp dressed in JR's trench coat and the "something red" she saw was actually a bloodied JR running from the perp? That would explain the blood found in the driveway and on the vehicle.

It's far-fetched, not a likely scenario but given the distance between the BB house and the R's driveway and the first "running" (perp chasing JR out of the house and around the vehicle in the driveway), then "walking" (perp walking back to the house where JR had already run and with no concern because he had already destroyed the phone)... I'd not rule it out entirely.

I'm sure it did not happen, but just throwing out ideas.

 

[ChuckMaureen]

If JR's arms were bloodied and outstretched in front of her (BB: "something red") as she ran around her vehicle it is plausible she touched the vehicle at various points to facilitate her running in tight turns around it. That is a plausible scenario, but the missing element is why was she running? From someone? By herself but in a daze? Or, fully cognizant and hurrying to stage scenes?

Fingerprints. Unidentified. All, but one. One fingerprint was identified, but its owner has not been revealed (redacted in case records).

One thing to note: BB official statement does not indicate LR said, "mommy is gone and the kitchen is covered in red paint". I haven't determined where that attribution comes from.

BB's official statement reads:

Lily came in ad [sic] said that I can't find mommy, Davids [sic] in bed and the place is messed up.

I went across the street and found blood all over the kitchen. I went upstairs and found David in bed in the little room facing north towards the street.

 

[ChuckMaureen]

There is a phrase of text in BB's official statement that is x'd out. I figured out what it is. It's not very interesting, unless you're curious who attended those parties.

BB's statement reads:

She did very little enteraining [sic], xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx I do know that she has a friend in Bedford, who had a baby a few days ago. I really don't know what else I can tell you,.

The x'd out phrase is: "maybe a bridge party at home"

The importance element is this: with that phrase x'd out of the official statement, LE would have no official justification to determine who attended those parties and interview them. As far as the record is concerned there were no bridge parties, unless some other interviewee(s) mentioned them. Given the sparsity of information we have, we have no way of knowing if that aspect of the case received the follow-up it deserved.

 

[ChuckMaureen]

JR's vehicle was a 1951 Chevrolet Styleline Business Coupe, color was "Fathom Green".

The model did not have a back seat, it was modified to provide a flattened storage area and it sported a large trunk. The front seat was a split-bench, fold-down passenger seat-back to access the rear storage area. It also did not have body trim and did not include fender skirts.

 

[ChuckMaureen]

It's seems large enough to mistake (at a distance) the corduroy for a 'jacket'. The "something red"?

 

[ChuckMaureen]

There appears to be a dirty (blood-stained?) paper towel on the seat of the high chair.

 

[billhp]

Non-evergreen trees would have lost most, if not all of their respective leaves so non-line-of-sight views would not be as restrictive as would be in summer days.

Non-evergreen trees would have lost most, if not all of their respective leaves so non-line-of-sight views would not be as restrictive as would be in summer days.

bbm

From BB's official statement:



From the same statement paper, six paragraphs from the above. Note the different times. Did BB see JR both indicated times or was that BB simply not remembering the exact time? Close enough.



At the time when BB saw JR running beside her car, LR was at the B house and we assume so was BB's son.

BB did not indicate she saw JR as wearing something red or that JR appeared bloodied. What she described implies she thought she saw something red as separate from and in front of JR. Seeing JR running with "outstretched arms" made BB think JR was chasing someone, a child, because BB did not see an adult... but likely also did not see an actual child but saw something red that she mistook to be a "red jacket" in front of JR, at about the height of a child, which could match the distance from JR's outstretched arms to the ground.

We might assume JR's "outstretched arms" were either bloody or she was carrying something small enough to have been mistaken for a child's red jacket, carrying it so as not to allow it to come in contact with her trench coat. Could that "something" have been David's bloodied corduroys or underpants later found in the kitchen? Maybe it was the apron that was found on the floor behind the overturned telephone table in the corridor that led to the living room.

The "walking back toward the house" is strange. If we assume the incident was under way at that point why such haste toward the car but only a walk-back to the house? Was the "something red" dripping blood? JR's vehicle was stained with blood in three locations. Hurried to get it to the vehicle, bloody it up, task done, walked back?

bbm

From BB's official statement:



From the same statement paper, six paragraphs from the above. Note the different times. Did BB see JR both indicated times or was that BB simply not remembering the exact time? Close enough.



At the time when BB saw JR running beside her car, LR was at the B house and we assume so was BB's son.

BB did not indicate she saw JR as wearing something red or that JR appeared bloodied. What she described implies she thought she saw something red as separate from and in front of JR. Seeing JR running with "outstretched arms" made BB think JR was chasing someone, a child, because BB did not see an adult... but likely also did not see an actual child but saw something red that she mistook to be a "red jacket" in front of JR, at about the height of a child, which could match the distance from JR's outstretched arms to the ground.

We might assume JR's "outstretched arms" were either bloody or she was carrying something small enough to have been mistaken for a child's red jacket, carrying it so as not to allow it to come in contact with her trench coat. Could that "something" have been David's bloodied corduroys or underpants later found in the kitchen? Maybe it was the apron that was found on the floor behind the overturned telephone table in the corridor that led to the living room.

The "walking back toward the house" is strange. If we assume the incident was under way at that point why such haste toward the car but only a walk-back to the house? Was the "something red" dripping blood? JR's vehicle was stained with blood in three locations. Hurried to get it to the vehicle, bloody it up, task done, walked bac

bbm

From BB's official statement:



From the same statement paper, six paragraphs from the above. Note the different times. Did BB see JR both indicated times or was that BB simply not remembering the exact time? Close enough.



At the time when BB saw JR running beside her car, LR was at the B house and we assume so was BB's son.

BB did not indicate she saw JR as wearing something red or that JR appeared bloodied. What she described implies she thought she saw something red as separate from and in front of JR. Seeing JR running with "outstretched arms" made BB think JR was chasing someone, a child, because BB did not see an adult... but likely also did not see an actual child but saw something red that she mistook to be a "red jacket" in front of JR, at about the height of a child, which could match the distance from JR's outstretched arms to the ground.

We might assume JR's "outstretched arms" were either bloody or she was carrying something small enough to have been mistaken for a child's red jacket, carrying it so as not to allow it to come in contact with her trench coat. Could that "something" have been David's bloodied corduroys or underpants later found in the kitchen? Maybe it was the apron that was found on the floor behind the overturned telephone table in the corridor that led to the living room.

The "walking back toward the house" is strange. If we assume the incident was under way at that point why such haste toward the car but only a walk-back to the house? Was the "something red" dripping blood? JR's vehicle was stained with blood in three locations. Hurried to get it to the vehicle, bloody it up, task done, walked back?

If Joan was hurt why not just run to Barbs,we know she could run!

 

[billhp]

Non-evergreen trees would have lost most, if not all of their respective leaves so non-line-of-sight views would not be as restrictive as would be in summer days.

I read 100 yds separated the two houses.If you look at the police photo,the one with 5 people in the road youll see that there is still lots of leaves still on the trees.Barb has lots of trees on her lot,but the real vision problem was JR hemlocks as barb alluded to.As you move up JR drive, the more obstructed the view becomes , because the drive runs diag toward the house.See aerial photo and police.photos.IMO Barb could not stay focussed.

 

[ChuckMaureen]

I read 100 yds separated the two houses.If you look at the police photo,the one with 5 people in the road youll see that there is still lots of leaves still on the trees.Barb has lots of trees on her lot,but the real vision problem was JR hemlocks as barb alluded to.As you move up JR drive, the more obstructed the view becomes , because the drive runs diag toward the house.See aerial photo and police.photos.IMO Barb could not stay focussed.

The view from the B house to JR's vehicle (which was parked in the R driveway closer to OBR than it was to the R house) was relatively clear compared to the view from house to house. If JR was being chased around / near to her vehicle as opposed to her chasing someone I expect BB should have seen the 'chaser'.

 

[billhp]

The view from the B house to JR's vehicle (which was parked in the R driveway closer to OBR than it was to the R house) was relatively clear compared to the view from house to house. If JR was being chased around / near to her vehicle as opposed to her chasing someone I expect BB should have seen the 'chaser'.

I agree she should have been able to see a chaser,but there was none.Holding her arms out like she didnt want to mess up her cloths,the Item was messy enough to make drips on the drive and put blood on the car.Took a few min. to complete outside setup stage,the clock was running!

 

[ChuckMaureen]

I agree she should have been able to see a chaser,but there was none.Holding her arms out like she didnt want to mess up her cloths,the Item was messy enough to make drips on the drive and put blood on the car.Took a few min. to complete outside setup stage,the clock was running!

Which leads to... who assisted JR in her venture? I am not sure how many cab companies served the area but we do know LE checked at least one cab company, no joy.

 

[Betty P]

Which leads to... who assisted JR in her venture? I am not sure how many cab companies served the area but we do know LE checked at least one cab company, no joy.

My theory is that she was struck, stabbed or otherwise injured in the kitchen before and during the time she was calling for help on the phone. She ran outside to get away from her attacker, but he stayed inside to avoid being seen by neighbors. Her son was still inside the house. Her attacker may have called ou reminding her the baby was inside with him, so she reluctantly walked back. JMO, the attacker used threats to her son to control her.

The other alternative is that BB saw the attacker, knew who he was and didn't want to reveal that to LE. BB also should have seen the blue grey car parked behind JR's.

 

[jgfitzge]

Hello All, anyone local that is interested in doing a "walking tour" of the Old Bedford Road/Route 2A area let me know. Maybe checking the area out will give us a bit more insight on the Risch disappearance. As an added bonus, this time of year is pretty around the area...

 

[scruffydog]

Hello All, anyone local that is interested in doing a "walking tour" of the Old Bedford Road/Route 2A area let me know. Maybe checking the area out will give us a bit more insight on the Risch disappearance. As an added bonus, this time of year is pretty around the area...

I wish I was closer-I would love to do this!!

 

[jgfitzge]

Okay, I happened to notice that tomorrow, October 24 marks the anniversary of probably Massachusetts most infamous disappearance. Sadly, we seem to be no closer to solving (or even half-way solving) this case. I may be wrong but it seems the only way we will get any closer to solving this mystery is by a death bed verbal or written confession. Most young adults around in 1961 would be in their late 80s or early 90s at this juncture.