MA MA - Simone Ridinger, 17, Sherborn, 2 Sept 1977

[Sweetluv]

maybe was about to sell the car in which someone was in.

 

[SeaSparrow4170]

There use to be a Chili’s Restaurant right at the airport rotary it was bulldozed years ago and I believe it’s just a vacant lot ? I’d have to ask around if / what it was before . The Paddock was at the West End rotary not far from the Melody Tent .

 

[Sweetluv]

Years later coming forward, if the elderly man was responsible, I think the key is finding out what prompted him after all this time to go to the police. Sounds like he thought there was going to be a possible discovery made and he was trying to cover himself. Does the SherbornDetective know of anything going on in the vicinity?

 

[SeaSparrow4170]

My uncle retired as a post master from down there I’ll have to ask him about those restaurants. One of my co workers said the Chili’s had been built at that airport location and there was nothing there prior. She also said she only knew of a ground round and Howard Johnson’s in Falmouth, not Hyannis. I’ll ask around some more .

 

[jgfitzge]

There use to be a Chili’s Restaurant right at the airport rotary it was bulldozed years ago and I believe it’s just a vacant lot ? I’d have to ask around if / what it was before . The Paddock was at the West End rotary not far from the Melody Tent .

I do not remember Chili's Restaurant being around in 1977. I believe that chain didn't come around Massachusetts until at least late 80's....

 

[jgfitzge]

Years later coming forward, if the elderly man was responsible, I think the key is finding out what prompted him after all this time to go to the police. Sounds like he thought there was going to be a possible discovery made and he was trying to cover himself. Does the SherbornDetective know of anything going on in the vicinity?

Yes, why he came forward in April of 86 is key. However, it could be anything from guilt and wanting to "get right" to "OMG, I am selling that property or car!" I believe I checked before and there was a newspaper article in February (?) of 1986 about Simone so that may have been the article he was referring to when he cam forward.

 

[jgfitzge]

I wonder if Simone knew him from the restaurant and had made plans with him to give her a ride all along. This gave him time to think and plan out ...possible rape, murder, ect. The elderly man made up the story about where he was going to his family. . Maybe came forward years later because something frightened him....construction near burial site or

very interesting theory...the elderly man as a restaurant regular offering to give her a ride to the Cape in advance..hmm...that could work except, he would be taking a huge risk of Simone mentioning to someone that she had a ride from a restaurant customer. I am just thinking...would a 17 year old in 1977 accept a 1.5 -2 hour ride from a 70 year old man in advance? Maybe...heck if she was hitchhiking and he pulled over on 95 she would have gotten in...

 

[jgfitzge]

My uncle retired as a post master from down there I’ll have to ask him about those restaurants. One of my co workers said the Chili’s had been built at that airport location and there was nothing there prior. She also said she only knew of a ground round and Howard Johnson’s in Falmouth, not Hyannis. I’ll ask around some more .

SeaSparrow - I am almost 100% sure there was a HOJOs around the center in Hyannis. I am not sure if it was on Main or off of Main, but I do remember one. Ground Round (or as we used to call it "Ground Hound" I do not remember one in Hyannis or anywhere on the Cape...

 

[Gruffin]

SeaSparrow - I am almost 100% sure there was a HOJOs around the center in Hyannis. I am not sure if it was on Main or off of Main, but I do remember one. Ground Round (or as we used to call it "Ground Hound" I do not remember one in Hyannis or anywhere on the Cape...

HoJoland tries to list all the restaurants associated with Howard Johnson's. Just northwest of the rotary, at 545 Iyannough Road (the south side of 132 between Hinckley Road and the rotary, next to the rotary), there apparently was a Red Coach Grill. Maybe the elderly man misremembered this as a Ground Round? Apparently it formerly looked rather like a Howard Johnson--the site I just linked even suggests that maybe it originally (before the postcard in the 1960s) was a Howard Johnson's stand. This Red Coach Grill was eventually altered and redecorated into a Chili's Grill and Bar, which apparently closed in 2005. From Google Street View it seems that between 2008 and 2010 the building was torn down, and it and its associated parking was replaced by a fenced in grassy area that now exists between the rotary and the new Revival Presbyterian Church at 90 Hinckley Road, which immediately before 2012 or so was a Verizon warehouse.

Apparently there was also a Howard Johnson's in Hyannis at Main and Winter, some distance from the rotary.

My guess is Miss Ridinger was walking toward the Red Coach Grill when the elderly man last saw her.

 

[Sweetluv]

So I just read an article from the cape cod times. I found it interesting. Simones stepsister said she stopped by the restaurant to see if Simone needed a ride since she was known to hitchhike. Her reply was..she was all set and didn't need a ride. It also stated the elderly man came forward due to a recent newspaper article about her disappearance. He said he dropped her off near the airport and she headed towards the Howard Johnsons or ground round.

 

[jgfitzge]

So I just read an article from the cape cod times. I found it interesting. Simones stepsister said she stopped by the restaurant to see if Simone needed a ride since she was known to hitchhike. Her reply was..she was all set and didn't need a ride. It also stated the elderly man came forward due to a recent newspaper article about her disappearance. He said he dropped her off near the airport and she headed towards the Howard Johnsons or ground round.[/QUOTE

very interesting that she said she was all set with a ride. Makes the case for a pre arranged ride with the elderly man more credible. Again, to clear things up, if the elderly Man stated that he dropped Simone off at the airport rotary in Hyannis and she was walking towards the Howard Johnson's he is mistaken. There was no Howard Johnson's or Ground Round near the airport rotary.

 

[jgfitzge]

I reread the recent Cape Cod Times story on Simone Ridinger and a couple of items came more into focus.

- It mentioned Simone was working on her GED, so it sounds like she did drop out of school. Therefore, there was no need to "get ready for school" around Labor Day. Further, she was not due back at school since she was not enrolled. So, disregard my previous posts concerning this point.


"On April 24, 1986, a 70-year old man called Sherborn police after reading a story about Ridinger’s disappearance" OK, it is not like he read the story that morning and went down to the police station. The article was published in February, 1986, two months prior.


I am still wrestling with the possibility of the elderly man being a Rainbow Restaurant regular, finding out about her plans, and offering a ride. With her subsequent disappearance he would be taking a huge risk in being looked at as a suspect.


http://www.capecodtimes.com/news/20170924/cold-case-where-is-simone-ridinger

 

[SeaSparrow4170]

HoJoland tries to list all the restaurants associated with Howard Johnson's. Just northwest of the rotary, at 545 Iyannough Road (the south side of 132 between Hinckley Road and the rotary, next to the rotary), there apparently was a Red Coach Grill. Maybe the elderly man misremembered this as a Ground Round? Apparently it formerly looked rather like a Howard Johnson--the site I just linked even suggests that maybe it originally (before the postcard in the 1960s) was a Howard Johnson's stand. This Red Coach Grill was eventually altered and redecorated into a Chili's Grill and Bar, which apparently closed in 2005. From Google Street View it seems that between 2008 and 2010 the building was torn down, and it and its associated parking was replaced by a fenced in grassy area that now exists between the rotary and the new Revival Presbyterian Church at 90 Hinckley Road, which immediately before 2012 or so was a Verizon warehouse.

Apparently there was also a Howard Johnson's in Hyannis at Main and Winter, some distance from the rotary.

My guess is Miss Ridinger was walking toward the Red Coach Grill when the elderly man last saw her.

Good digging ! I’m much more familiar with the Upper Cape (Falmouth/ Mashpee) than the rest of it . The Hojo’s lists a location at Winter & Main st which would most likely be visible from the West End rotary and walkable to the ferry terminal . I had never heard of that other restaurant . Any updates aside from the restaurants?

 

[Sweetluv]

The remark she gave about being all set and not needing a ride implies to me that she had transportation but according to coworkers, she was hitchiking..so why not tell them? Whoever she got in the car with, I believe foul play occurred. A local would know of places to dispose the body....anyone know if a search party or dogs ever brought out?

 

[Sweetluv]

Background check ever conducted on the elderly man? Any rainbow rest employees recently interviewed or what about her roommates...they never came forward? Her apartment searched.....just some questions that come to mind.

 

[PaulR]

Reading the article, it mentions someone who once gave Ridinger a ride and asked to take photos of her. I would hope he and his friends would have been checked out, I'm not sure how old this person was but asking to take photos of a teenager is pretty creepy.

That the elderly driver never mentioned this to his family isn't all that surprising to me. I have a few elderly relatives (some passed on) who could have seen a triple homicide and they wouldn't mention it unless you said "hey don't you live near where that murder went down?" They would have said "yeah, I saw it with my own eyes" and went back to eating their meatloaf.

 

[Sweetluv]

Is there any possibility of her disappearing at free will? She was very independent for 17...working, own apartment, hitchhiked..

 

[SeaSparrow4170]

I would assume at some point her social security number would’ve popped up . Even if she wanted to cut ties from her family the use of her info would’ve signaled she was at least alive

 

[jgfitzge]

Reading the article, it mentions someone who once gave Ridinger a ride and asked to take photos of her. I would hope he and his friends would have been checked out, I'm not sure how old this person was but asking to take photos of a teenager is pretty creepy.

That the elderly driver never mentioned this to his family isn't all that surprising to me. I have a few elderly relatives (some passed on) who could have seen a triple homicide and they wouldn't mention it unless you said "hey don't you live near where that murder went down?" They would have said "yeah, I saw it with my own eyes" and went back to eating their meatloaf.

First of all - love your avatar!

Sorry, I know elderly folks tend to be on the low key side but I got to disagree with you on this point. I find it telling and troubling that he did not tell his family about giving a missing girl a ride to the Cape and his reporting it 9 plus years later. I might concede perhaps not mentioning the September 1977 incident where he said the trooper asked him to give Simone a ride. Maybe he was concerned about appearances...But...9 years later when he supposedly reads about the case in the paper and reports his story to the Sherborn police and still doesn't mention it to his family?? He was not a passive observer, he was an active participant. Sorry, it just doesn't pass the smell test with me.

 

[Sweetluv]

If the man gave her a ride, no big deal to not mention it to your family..but...you come forward to cops saying a girl that is missing was the same one you gave a ride to at the time of her disappearance, and keep that from your family..strange!
Also, he makes mention that law enforcement gave