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

[skibaboo]

What do we know about the history of the elderly driver?

He would have been born c1907 and his young adulthood would have been in the Depression years and then the war years - both periods when a lot of people were on the move and looking for work and could therefore disappear without too many questions being asked.

Thanks for sending out the map signal!

Do we want a map putting together? I'm happy to do one if needed. If yes, can someone point me in the right direction for location details that would need to be added. TIA

 

[OneParticularHarbor]

Hi, I am not 100% on her movements after she got out of work at 3:00 PM that Friday. According to one of the other Rainbow restaurant employees she changed into her regular clothes, put the blue uniform into her bag, then left the restaurant. I am not sure what her movements were the next 13-14 hours. I always assumed she started hitchhiking right from Natick Center where the restaurant was located. I am very familiar with the area. Now I am not so sure. Oddly, I read a recent report where the writer said "she walked to catch a bus." That is the first time I saw anything like that. I am thinking that statement is erroneous. Natick Center is not a hub for local MBTA buses nor is there a Peter Pan or Grayhound terminal.

Her apartment was about 4-4.5 miles from the restaurant. Not sure about foul play at the apartment...based on the 70 year old's description, I believe she made it through the night. Also, the Sherborn detective mentioned a detail in the old man's interview where he noted Simone's smelled like she had not taken a shower or bath. I could take it to mean that she never went back to the apartment, and just stayed out all night...not sure. It also could be the old man's way of telling the police, "no way I touched her..."

The old Shoppers World had a bus terminal. It was about 3.5 miles from Natick Center, which is a long-ish walk, though doable. Or a quick hitch hike, if you can manage not to get busted by a statie on Rt 9.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shopper's_World

 

[Alleykins]

Here is Simone's FB missing/help find page: https://www.facebook.com/Simone-Ridinger-154320864777396/
It hasn't been updated in a while but has some photos.

 

[jgfitzge]

The old Shoppers World had a bus terminal. It was about 3.5 miles from Natick Center, which is a long-ish walk, though doable. Or a quick hitch hike, if you can manage not to get busted by a statie on Rt 9.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shopper's_World

Thanks OPH, Route 9 Shoppers World, ahh the memories, the Jordan Marsh dome! Anyway, not sure taking a T bus would have been the move to get her to the highway to hitch hike. If it was me, I would get a ride or hitch to route 9, then get off at the 128/Route 9 exit, then thumb a ride 128 south, eventually to Route 3 or 44 to the Cape.

 

[jgfitzge]

Good questions, I can only add that based on her age (dob: 01/05/1960) and Massachusetts school guidelines, it appears that she was going into her senior year of HS. So, your question about why she moved to a place of her own is a good one...I am in the same age range, went to an all boys school in the Boston area...I don't recall a member of our senior class living outside the house, if there was, it would have been a rarity. Sherborn is a small, rural town, population of about 4,000 (3500 in the 1970s) and it shares a regional HS with Dover. Yes, there is not a lot of info on her life, no lengthy interviews with family members. Since there was a reference to the mother's boyfriend, It sounds like the parents may have been separated or divorced.

 

[Alleykins]

I think it depends on the living situation whether or not an older teen would move out on their own back then. I know a few and all of them were from single parent homes or homes where the mother remarried. Most of them were guys, though. My sister moved out at 16.

 

[Sweetluv]

To me, simone was very independent for her age...working, apartment..hitchhiking. She doesn't come across as someone who would have not put up a fight or struggle. What was done after she went missing? Was there a thorough search of the area, surrounding water, and apt complex?

 

[jgfitzge]

Good questions, I can only add that based on her age (dob: 01/05/1960) and Massachusetts school guidelines, it appears that she was going into her senior year of HS. So, your question about why she moved to a place of her own is a good one...I am in the same age range, went to an all boys school in the Boston area...I don't recall a member of our senior class living outside the house, if there was, it would have been a rarity. Sherborn is a small, rural town, population of about 4,000 (3500 in the 1970s) and it shares a regional HS with Dover. Yes, there is not a lot of info on her life, no lengthy interviews with family members. Since there was a reference to the mother's boyfriend, It sounds like the parents may have been separated or divorced.

I got to thinking more about her school situation and the family not following up for 9 days. It may be that Simone may have dropped out of school. I am not sure what the calendar was back in 1977 but current Massachusetts schools in the suburbs (for the most part) begin before Labor Day. Even if Dover Sherborn HS started after Labor Day, it would have been no later than Tuesday or Wednesday. So, there did not seem to be any school preparation. Maybe that is why there was no "Simone needed to be back for school" comments?

 

[Sweetluv]

If the elderly mans story is not correct, then either he is lying, but why...hmm? Or, mistaken identity. If correct, then what when down between the drop off point and her destination. She either hitched a ride with the wrong person or ran off? If the drop off point stated by the elderly man is accurate, how far from there was her mothers house? To the ferry?
I feel like we are missing something here..a busy holiday weekend and no one came forward...? Was there no publicity?

 

[jgfitzge]

If the elderly mans story is not correct, then either he is lying, but why...hmm? Or, mistaken identity. If correct, then what when down between the drop off point and her destination. She either hitched a ride with the wrong person or ran off? If the drop off point stated by the elderly man is accurate, how far from there was her mothers house? To the ferry?
I feel like we are missing something here..a busy holiday weekend and no one came forward...? Was there no publicity?

The approximate distance from where the elderly gentleman supposedly picked up Simone to Hyannis is about 75 miles. The distance to Martha's Vineyard is about 20 miles, about a 45-50 minute ferry ride

 

[Sweetluv]

SherbornDetective....any new updates or theories??

 

[SeaSparrow4170]

I found the elderly guy’s statement about her “needing a shower” kind of creepy and not something typically brought up , I mean unless you were trying to distance yourself from something..... just my opinion . I just keep thinking that since they lived near each other that it’s very possible that he frequented her restaurant and maybe became acquainted with her , even on a very basic level.

Perhaps he either became aware of her travel plans through polite conversation or happened to come across her while she was hitch hiking and she was familiar enough with him to get in.

If he had a gun on him it would’ve been easy enough for him to over power her regardless of age or physical capacity. Say he owns multiple properties, even one on the Cape on the way to the Osterville (where he claimed he was going) or Hyannis (where he claimed he dropped her off) so if he did stop off on a property in that area she wouldn’t have necessarily been alarmed . He then could’ve had her get out of the car there at gun point and killed her . No heavy lifting for the old guy . Maybe it’s far fetched but his coming forward after a decade not long before he died wreaks of death bed confessional to me.

If she was going to Martha’s Vineyard I don’t know why she would go by way of Hyannis instead of by Falmouth , which is in the opposite direction.

Why would he drop her off at the airport rotary when it’s a longer walk to the ferry terminal by Cape Cod Hospital when the West End rotary would’ve been a shorter more direct walk for her via South St and a shorter drive back to Osterville (where he claims he was going) by way of West End rotary to Craigville Beach rd which dumps you out into Osterville with in minutes . He would’ve literally had to pretty much go by the vicinity of the ferry terminal to get back to Osterville anyways , so why wouldn’t he have just dropped her off there to begin with.

My gut feeling is he probably got aquianted with her at the rainbow room , took advantage of the fact that she was going to the cape , brought her to a property- killed her and used the advantage that the investigators up north weren’t familiar with the Cape and that Simone was an independent older teen that was rebellious so wouldn’t necessarily ring any alarms if she wasn’t heard from immediately. Maybe he even continued to go to the rainbow room after . Do we know anything about him personally or his past ?

I could be completely off base here and my mind went to far but I just can’t shake this guy being involved. I’d love to hear any updates

 

[SeaSparrow4170]

also, have any possible business connections been investigated/contacted for the info on the elderly guy? I just did a blind search on google for clock repair businesses (figuring they didn't exist anymore but hey it was worth a shot) and came up with

Cape Cod Time Clock Co
5 Marks Lane #5
Hyannis MA

described as a clock repair business in operation for 40 + years
walking distance from west end rotary and minutes from Osterville, plus I'm sure he had more than one business contact for clock parts etc. Crazy idea, but generally these specialty services are family owned and passed down, maybe someone remembers something even if they don't have any business records with him?

Could be completely left field but I wanted to throw it out there

 

[jgfitzge]

I found the elderly guy’s statement about her “needing a shower” kind of creepy and not something typically brought up , I mean unless you were trying to distance yourself from something..... just my opinion . I just keep thinking that since they lived near each other that it’s very possible that he frequented her restaurant and maybe became acquainted with her , even on a very basic level.

Perhaps he either became aware of her travel plans through polite conversation or happened to come across her while she was hitch hiking and she was familiar enough with him to get in.

If he had a gun on him it would’ve been easy enough for him to over power her regardless of age or physical capacity. Say he owns multiple properties, even one on the Cape on the way to the Osterville (where he claimed he was going) or Hyannis (where he claimed he dropped her off) so if he did stop off on a property in that area she wouldn’t have necessarily been alarmed . He then could’ve had her get out of the car there at gun point and killed her . No heavy lifting for the old guy . Maybe it’s far fetched but his coming forward after a decade not long before he died wreaks of death bed confessional to me.

If she was going to Martha’s Vineyard I don’t know why she would go by way of Hyannis instead of by Falmouth , which is in the opposite direction.

Why would he drop her off at the airport rotary when it’s a longer walk to the ferry terminal by Cape Cod Hospital when the West End rotary would’ve been a shorter more direct walk for her via South St and a shorter drive back to Osterville (where he claims he was going) by way of West End rotary to Craigville Beach rd which dumps you out into Osterville with in minutes . He would’ve literally had to pretty much go by the vicinity of the ferry terminal to get back to Osterville anyways , so why wouldn’t he have just dropped her off there to begin with.

My gut feeling is he probably got aquianted with her at the rainbow room , took advantage of the fact that she was going to the cape , brought her to a property- killed her and used the advantage that the investigators up north weren’t familiar with the Cape and that Simone was an independent older teen that was rebellious so wouldn’t necessarily ring any alarms if she wasn’t heard from immediately. Maybe he even continued to go to the rainbow room after . Do we know anything about him personally or his past ?

I could be completely off base here and my mind went to far but I just can’t shake this guy being involved. I’d love to hear any updates

SeaSparrow,

Great points, in line with a lot of my previous comments. Like me, you sound like a Massachusetts local? At this point, I am thinking the "MSP Trooper story is BS and the elderly man picked her up and/or crossed paths with Simone. I also believe his "coming forward" after 9 years and only after reading the story in the paper is a "confession without consequences." It was his way of getting his affairs in order. His "she needed a shower" comment was pretty clever, it says to the interviewing officer, "hey, I know what you're thinking, but, no way would I touch her...." In addition, another pretty slick move on his part was saying, "she referred to herself as Sissy." OK, like girls named Diane, sometimes are sometimes called Dee or DeDe, etc..He put this tidbit out there, making it close enough to her real name Simone and at the same time making the story credible. So, even when people say "she never went by that nickname" he has cover by us thinking Simone may have said her name was Sissy and not her real name to protect herself.

Your comments on his connection to the Rainbow Restaurant are right on the money...I think just in polite bantering he had a pretty good idea not only was she going to the Cape but she was hitchhiking. Factor in her independence, no father in the picture, etc, (again which he probably found out with polite banter) like a predator, this was a great opportunity.

And the whole where he supposedly dropped her off scenario I have gone over before. Yes, technically you can get a ferry from Hyannis to MV but most of us would take it from Falmouth.

 

[jgfitzge]

also, have any possible business connections been investigated/contacted for the info on the elderly guy? I just did a blind search on google for clock repair businesses (figuring they didn't exist anymore but hey it was worth a shot) and came up with

Cape Cod Time Clock Co
5 Marks Lane #5
Hyannis MA

described as a clock repair business in operation for 40 + years
walking distance from west end rotary and minutes from Osterville, plus I'm sure he had more than one business contact for clock parts etc. Crazy idea, but generally these specialty services are family owned and passed down, maybe someone remembers something even if they don't have any business records with him?

Could be completely left field but I wanted to throw it out there

Great research and analysis!

SherbornDetective, maybe you already checked this out but if you haven't already looked into this angle, this could bear some fruit...

Definitely has got to be a family owned business. I mean how many of these businesses can there be?

 

[Odyssey]

IIRC the man gave her a ride the day after she went missing, not the day of. I am still of the opinion that she was voluntary missing, at least initially. She was known to do that, which is why her disappearance wasn’t reported right away.

At the time it seemed like she got a ride with someone else after her disappearance and planned on visiting someone but never showed. I think she was alive after the man dropped her off though.

 

[SeaSparrow4170]

yep, born and raised on the cape. I've also dispatched for law enforcement for over a decade so I've got a special intuition I'd guess you'd say

 

[jgfitzge]

yep, born and raised on the cape. I've also dispatched for law enforcement for over a decade so I've got a special intuition I'd guess you'd say

So SeaSparrow, sounds like you are on the same page with me as far as where the elderly man "supposedly dropped off" Simone. It was reported he dropped her off and said "he last saw her walking toward a restaurant; either a Ground Round or Howard Johnson's" I remember further down Main street it ends at a small roundabout near the old Paddock restaurant (closed a year or two ago) and hotel/conference center (is it still a Sheraton?) Back in the day, I recall both the Ground Round and HOJOs being on or near Main street?? I think he may have been referring to this small roundabout/rotary where Main Street and Scudder Ave. meet, near the Hyannis Package store. From there you may be able to see the restaurants. I don't think you would be able to see them from the larger airport rotary? Am I right on this?

 

[Sweetluv]

Seasparrow....good point, I never really paid attention to the...needing a shower.. remark. This does sound like a statement one would make to sound disinterested. Hmmm

 

[Sweetluv]

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