MN MN - Susan Swedell, 19, Lake Elmo, 19 Jan 1988

[Savemecastiel]

Bump

 

[Bit of hope]

1975 Oldsmobile Cutlass

What a wonderful car. What bothers me is the so called tempering with the radiator drain Petcock. I found this:

A radiator drain petcock is one of the more modern additions to vehicles to make maintenance of the cooling system easier. In older cars, a radiator had to be completely taken out for draining because of the absence of a radiator drain petcock. With new cars equipped with the tiny device, draining a radiator has become easier than ever.

Lets say her car had this "modern" device.

One of the most common questions among car maintenance circles involves finding the radiator drain petcock. It is not as difficult to find though. You can locate it underneath the radiator of your car if you lift the front of your car with a jack. The petcock is a small bolt right under the radiator and easy to spot as modern radiators do not have any other holes underneath them that would require bolts. Usually, the underside of a car radiator is covered by a plastic panel which can be easily removed to reveal the radiator drain petcock. Unscrewing the petcock then is a really easy job and requires simple mechanic tools.

What Is a Radiator Drain Petcock? | DoItYourself.com

So the person who did this knew exactly where to find it, possibly even used a jack to reach the drain petcock....a mechanic maybe?

 

[Bit of hope]

Bothering thoughts. Why would she change from her working gear to a skirt (not fit for the weather that evening/night) if she planned to have a movie night with her mother and sister.....could something have happened with her working clothes (got wet or dirty for instance) I don't understand that at all. Same thing with her coat....different reports about that....It's unsettling.

 

[Bit of hope]

Listened to the 10 episodes of the podcast...wow just wow....Great job. Still so many questions not answered... Will they ever. I feel so much sympathy for her sister and mother. They are the sweetest people imo.

 

[Bit of hope]

I made a summary of the podcast.....What I was wondering about.....the church....she was very involved with the church....nothing about that in the podcast, at least nothing about "a possible bad seed" in this community......

 

[JSolt1210]

I'm a little unclear as to Susan's living situation.

According to The Charley Project, "Swedell's mother believes her daughter came back to their apartment a few days after her disappearance." But Christine says, "I couldn’t get into the house. It was locked."

I ask because I live in an apartment, and it often smells of smoke... but it's from my downstairs neighbor. Now granted, if they lived in an apartment complex with a neighbor who smoked, then smelling smoke wouldn't have stood out to them—just like it doesn't stand out to me in my living situation. But what if a new neighbor had moved in that smoked pot, for example? The smoke might be a red herring.

Also, it would be very bold for an assailant to go back to any residence. Even if it was just a house that the family had to themselves, it would've been obvious to the assailant that 19-year-old Susan didn't live alone. If it was an apartment complex, there would be even more witnesses. And by this point it was "a week after Susan disappeared." Surely he would be afraid that police and family were looking for Susan.

 

[Bit of hope]

I'm a little unclear as to Susan's living situation.

According to The Charley Project, "Swedell's mother believes her daughter came back to their apartment a few days after her disappearance." But Christine says, "I couldn’t get into the house. It was locked."

I ask because I live in an apartment, and it often smells of smoke... but it's from my downstairs neighbor. Now granted, if they lived in an apartment complex with a neighbor who smoked, then smelling smoke wouldn't have stood out to them—just like it doesn't stand out to me in my living situation. But what if a new neighbor had moved in that smoked pot, for example? The smoke might be a red herring.

Also, it would be very bold for an assailant to go back to any residence. Even if it was just a house that the family had to themselves, it would've been obvious to the assailant that 19-year-old Susan didn't live alone. If it was an apartment complex, there would be even more witnesses. And by this point it was "a week after Susan disappeared." Surely he would be afraid that police and family were looking for Susan.

This a great tribute to Sue....Swedell Strong

 

[Thefacelessman]

I'm a little unclear as to Susan's living situation.

According to The Charley Project, "Swedell's mother believes her daughter came back to their apartment a few days after her disappearance." But Christine says, "I couldn’t get into the house. It was locked."

I ask because I live in an apartment, and it often smells of smoke... but it's from my downstairs neighbor. Now granted, if they lived in an apartment complex with a neighbor who smoked, then smelling smoke wouldn't have stood out to them—just like it doesn't stand out to me in my living situation. But what if a new neighbor had moved in that smoked pot, for example? The smoke might be a red herring.

Also, it would be very bold for an assailant to go back to any residence. Even if it was just a house that the family had to themselves, it would've been obvious to the assailant that 19-year-old Susan didn't live alone. If it was an apartment complex, there would be even more witnesses. And by this point it was "a week after Susan disappeared." Surely he would be afraid that police and family were looking for Susan.

Very true......however, IF (i stated why i'm unsure in a previous post) it's correct that she got willingly into a car, she MAY have returned with that person, willingly, to the property not wanting to be seen...which would explain no witnesses etc, a ciggi could easily have been overlooked by her and 'friend' ?

 

[Bit of hope]

 

[bluejeanbaby]

Hi!
I've been reading up a little on this case and I was wondering if the clerk at the gas station was ever looked at? Particularly if it was a male clerk?

 

[BethAnn777]

Hi!
I've been reading up a little on this case and I was wondering if the clerk at the gas station was ever looked at? Particularly if it was a male clerk?

The clerk was a female.

 

[Skip.HTH]

Thinking more on my previous post, from what I have read, Sue often worked afternoons/evenings. Now, in no way am I trying to say anything negative about Sue, so I will use myself as an example. At 19 years old if I would have had the house to myself I absolutely would have had my boyfriend over. I could easily see us smoking pot, having sex or just hanging out, eating food, etc.

Could Sue have been doing this? That would explain how someone knew where the key was and knew the house was unoccupied during the day.

I read on the thread here that Sue wanted to introduce her mom and sister to “Dale”. Maybe Sue and Dale were meeting up like I mentioned above. He calls her at work, she changes into a skirt for a quickie in the car and then plans on going home. Dale had other plans.

There are several Dales that were or are incarcerated in Minnesota.
Offender Search Results

So many questions...

I did some research following your lead found That David Dale Lott or Dale David Lott (not sure if David or Dale is first name) is in prison in Still water Minnesota for a sexual assault. I understand this is very close to where she lived and went missing. I did a search on him and he lived in Minnesota at some times in his past and is the right age. born 1973 now 38. assault in 2008. I called this information into the tip line with Washington county sheriffs.

 

[BethAnn777]

I did some research following your lead found That David Dale Lott or Dale David Lott (not sure if David or Dale is first name) is in prison in Still water Minnesota for a sexual assault. I understand this is very close to where she lived and went missing. I did a search on him and he lived in Minnesota at some times in his past and is the right age. born 1973 now 38. assault in 2008. I called this information into the tip line with Washington county sheriffs.

Looks like this guy was born in 1973, so he would have only been 15 in 1988.

 

[Skip.HTH]

Looks like this guy was born in 1973, so he would have only been 15 in 1988.

I checked again and yes he was born in February of 1973 so he was actually only 14 and that does seem too young for a 19 year old women to willingly go with. Also he would not legally have a license to drive at night. Sorry for the false lead.

 

[bluejeanbaby]

I wonder if perhaps there was a coworker who may have tampered with the car.

 

[BethAnn777]

This is a long shot, but I saw an article about a con artist, stripper that looks a bit like the sketch. I have no idea if he was in Minnesota when Susan went missing. Susan was said to be dating a stripper, and that alongside the similarity in the sketch made me wonder. His real name is Guy Cummins, but he was known to use many different aliases. His real name sounds totally made up too, just sayin’. Here is an article about him: Guy Cummings

Here is a side by side of Guy and the sketch of the man Susan was last seen with:


According to the article I linked above, Guy is not known to be violent, but he did hold a woman captive and threaten to have her killed. In 2015 he was 50, so that would have made him 24 in 1988. Guy is still alive so if it’s possible he is the suspect he could still be questioned. Anyone think this is worth me calling in a tip on?

 

[Savemecastiel]

Bumping. Your poster is in my Walmart in Wisconsin

 

[BethAnn777]

This is a long shot, but I saw an article about a con artist, stripper that looks a bit like the sketch. I have no idea if he was in Minnesota when Susan went missing. Susan was said to be dating a stripper, and that alongside the similarity in the sketch made me wonder. His real name is Guy Cummins, but he was known to use many different aliases. His real name sounds totally made up too, just sayin’. Here is an article about him: Guy Cummings

Here is a side by side of Guy and the sketch of the man Susan was last seen with:
View attachment 252036

According to the article I linked above, Guy is not known to be violent, but he did hold a woman captive and threaten to have her killed. In 2015 he was 50, so that would have made him 24 in 1988. Guy is still alive so if it’s possible he is the suspect he could still be questioned. Anyone think this is worth me calling in a tip on?

Responding to my own post-

Police questioned a man in Arizona in 2002 regarding Susan’s disappearance. He denied having anything to do with it, but failed a polygraph.
Teenager’s Secret ‘Meet-up’ During Blizzard Ends In Her Mysterious Death

Guy Cummings lived in Arizona in 2002. I wonder if he is the man police questioned?
https://www.familytreenow.com/records/people/cummings/guy/rnmou87mqg8cqflvjdxnnw

 

[Stina]

Responding to my own post-

Police questioned a man in Arizona in 2002 regarding Susan’s disappearance. He denied having anything to do with it, but failed a polygraph.
Teenager’s Secret ‘Meet-up’ During Blizzard Ends In Her Mysterious Death

Guy Cummings lived in Arizona in 2002. I wonder if he is the man police questioned?
https://www.familytreenow.com/records/people/cummings/guy/rnmou87mqg8cqflvjdxnnw

The title of that article really bothers me: "Ends In Her Mysterious Death"... So inaccurate and inappropriate, IMO. *SMH*

 

[Deleted member 269000]

As a previous user pointed out, I find it profoundly odd that SS would have changed out of work clothes into a noticeably “short skirt” before leaving work in a snow storm to watch a movie with family at home. Perhaps the ex that called off their date had reconsidered. Perhaps she had decided to meet up with Dale. Or perhaps it something else entirely. Still, the choice of clothing begs the question.

Several other items that stand out to me:
1) If SS intended to get a ride home with the long-haired stranger (LHS), it seems strange that she would leave her purse and glasses in her vehicle. Perhaps I'm underestimating the Mayberry-like security of 1980's Lake Elmo, but it seems that a teen would at least take her purse from a stalled vehicle she presumably intended to retrieve the next day.
2) I was struck that SS had spent $300 (over $650 adjusted for inflation) flirting with boys on party lines. However, after looking into the phenomenon (I'm too young to have experienced the fad) it doesn't appear particularly shocking: 1980s teens spent thousands flirting with strangers on the phone
3) Has there been any discussion of how the attention from Dale was received by SS? Were his calls welcomed? Feared? An annoyance? This seems significant, but I haven't seen it mentioned in the thread.
4) It seems possible that LHS could have been a non-local. I'm not from the area, but it appears Lake Elmo is a suburb of the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area. In 1990, Lake Elmo had approximately 5,900 residents, 513 of whom were between 18 and 24. https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1990/cp-1/cp-1-25.pdf. Assuming that this is the most likely age range for LHS, and given that men and women in 1990 Lake Elmo were roughly equal proportions of the population, this gives us about 257 male residents of the city aged 18-24. Considering that LHS was a tall, strapping man with shoulder-length hair and a flashy car, I would think it likely that residents would be familiar with LHS were he a local.
5) I wouldn't discount the smoke smell having come from something other than marijuana. Too often in the 1980s and 90s, LE was quick to make assumptions and associations when they believed marijuana was involved with a case. While my experience with marijuana is limited, I would never describe the smell as "sweet." Such a description brings to mind the smell of Black & Milds or certain kinds of pipe tobacco.

Ultimately, this may be a case derailed by a sloppy and apathetic investigation. I'm inclined to believe LE considered SS a runaway in the early days after she went missing, which may explain why they failed to conduct a timely forensic examination of the work clothes and dishes. There has been speculation previously in the thread that perhaps the clothes had been there before the disappearance, unseen, and the dishes were left by a romantic partner of SS's. I find this hard to believe. SS's mother noted that the clothes had been "shoved" under the bed and appeared quite certain that they had not been there previously. I'm certainly no stranger to the degree of tidiness with which most teens keep their rooms, but this seems an odd placement. Moreover, I would have to think that if it were regular practice for SS's lovers to visit her house using the hidden key, they (or SS) must have generally kept the place clean and replaced the key where they found it. Were dirty dishes and lost keys a regular occurrence, I would think SS's mother would not have been so surprised