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

[Alleykins]

Hi Alleykins,

I think I put forward a couple of possibilities of how the 70 yr old gets around that trooper story. I believe he kept that part of the story intentionally vague. So, IMO he accomplishes a few things, he gets to "confess without consequences" knowing full well there is no way they could verify his trooper based on the sketchy details he gave. See, that is why I believe the trooper story is BS, If it was he would have provided as much detail as he did in describing Simone's clothing and jewelry.

Another possibility is he and the trooper knew each other and the 70 year old didn't want to get him in trouble and waited until perhaps the trooper passed away before coming forward. It's a bit of a stretch, I know. The trooper could have even been a relative he was covering for.

 

[Sweetluv]

When you break it down, assuming the elderly man was telling the truth, he read an article that jogged his memory so he came forward. Cop forgot about the minor encounter from nine yes ago or didn't want to get involved since he did offer a 17 yr old hitchhiker a ride. Or he is lying and after nine years, something spooked the 70 yr old and he came up with this story...question is, what happened during that year to initiate this? Was there construction going on near where he buried the body so he feared she would be found? Was her case being reopened and her picture being put out there?

 

[Sweetluv]

Also, threw in the cop story to make him look more credible..a sense of the law on his side. Could he have been covering up and protecting someone???

 

[jgfitzge]

When you break it down, assuming the elderly man was telling the truth, he read an article that jogged his memory so he came forward. Cop forgot about the minor encounter from nine yes ago or didn't want to get involved since he did offer a 17 yr old hitchhiker a ride. Or he is lying and after nine years, something spooked the 70 yr old and he came up with this story...question is, what happened during that year to initiate this? Was there construction going on near where he buried the body so he feared she would be found? Was her case being reopened and her picture being put out there?

Hey, good point about possible construction going on near a buried body, didn't think of something like that...Yes, what initiated him going to the Sherborn Police Department on April 24, 1986? I still think it may be a case of making peace with himself with little time he had left. But, a full confession will make his life a living hell at 79 (arrest, trial, family shame, etc..) It allows him to make a "no consequences confession" using a vague "trooper passed her off to me" story for credibility.

 

[Alleykins]

Has the 70 yr old man's property or properties ever been searched?

 

[Alfie]

I just stumbled onto this thread. I wanted to know why this case was getting so much attention over this week.

I'm going to be myself...very direct. The old man's story is laughably bad. The hell kinda cop lets an old man give a teenage girl hitchhiking a ride? Old men are dirty. Wouldn't the cop felt responsible for a wandering teenage girl and gave her a ride to home? People in this thread saying that's not a normal thing to do...? Isn't this kind of their job, making sure people are okay and in a safe place? Not some friggin 70-something old dirty man going somewhere on a holiday weekend by himself. What would he get pulled over for? Going too slow or a busted lamp?

It sounds like to me she was fine hitchhiking around the cape until she met the old man. I'd be making a beeline to him HARD before I focus on anyone else. Both are very local...in fact, both were crapping where they were eating. I hate coincidences, and this case has too many. Too damn many.

I don't know the area personally, but during the labor day weekend, things get hectic, which can work to a criminal's advantage. The road was the center of this incident...I'd be combing dump sites and checking out the old man's vehicle history.

 

[Gruffin]

I am not seeing the elderly gentleman who gave Simone Ridinger a ride as likely being involved unless he had some sort of suggestive criminal record. I should think it would be very strange for someone that old to start killing unless he had a known criminal history that might suggest the tendency. Was he then married? As an explanation for why he didn't come forward until years later, I can much more easily imagine his not having been entirely keen on his wife knowing that he had picked up a young female hitchhiker.

One possibility is that in traveling to Martha's Vineyard, Miss Ridinger fell off the ferry and into Nantucket Sound and no one noticed. Maybe she was feeding the seagulls and leaned over the edge too much or something? A drizzly day it was in Hyannis that September third, with fog both morning and evening, and I imagine it was even worse on the Sound. Visual evidence of her fall may have been obscured by the fog or by the drizzle having caused most passengers to stay inside under cover. But more likely she was murdered.

 

[Sweetluv]

Is a description of the elderly man known? Meaning, was he (capable) of overpowering Simone....yes, he could of used a weapon, but what about lifting..digging...disposing of the body?? From his physical description, could he have pulled this off on his own?

 

[Sweetluv]

Also, was his past ever looked into..before and after her disappearance? The car is probably junked by now, but surely that would have contained evidence.

 

[Alfie]

Also, was his past ever looked into..before and after her disappearance? The car is probably junked by now, but surely that would have contained evidence.

No mention of that. If I was a betting person, I'd say the detective posting here would not spill that delicate matter at the moment given the circumstances of the case. Yes, the car may be long gone, but vehicle records could have been kept all this time.

 

[Sweetluv]

I keep going back to the holiday weekend..more out of state (strangers)
Though you would think that someone out of state would not be familiar enough with where to dump a body. Esp one missing since 1977!! Unless, frequently visits...but why commit this crime at all, esp if your on vacation. Someone mentioned it was rainy with fog...someone hit her while due to viability and panicked..even the elderly man?

 

[intriguedcuriosity]

How long had Simone been working at the Rainbow Room Restaurant? Was it her first job?
I wonder what prompted her to move from Sherborn to Framingham alone at 17?
Was it her senior year in high school? Didn't her teacher say it seemed something was bothering her?
I wish a bit more was known about her and her life growing up.. Hard to find any info.

 

[Jmoose]

Happy to see that Simone's disappearance is getting some attention lately. Most cases this old don't, and won't, unfortunately.

 

[SherbornMADetective]

I will respond to many of your ideas, comments and questions in the near future. A lot of what has been discussed cane be addressed and the thoughts/ideas bring up some excellent points.

 

[jgfitzge]

SherbornMADetective,

Thanks for checking in. Look forward to your responses. I really hope your attention and the Cape Cod Times story shook a few memories...

 

[Sweetluv]

Thank you SherbornMADetective!

 

[Sweetluv]

Clarification pls...is the theory that as soon as simone left work, she hitchhiked to see her family? How far is work from her apartment? I would have thought after working in a diner, she would have went home, showered and at least changed out of her work clothes. Maybe she met foul play there.

 

[jgfitzge]

Clarification pls...is the theory that as soon as simone left work, she hitchhiked to see her family? How far is work from her apartment? I would have thought after working in a diner, she would have went home, showered and at least changed out of her work clothes. Maybe she met foul play there.

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..."

 

[Sweetluv]

Thanks jgfitzge

 

[MelmothTheLost]

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.