Identified! Mystery couple murdered in South Carolina, 1976 - Pamela Buckley & James Freund #9

[onceuponadecember]

Agreed, LOL. In all seriousness, I honestly have no idea where to look next regarding this case. Do we look at the KOA story, the gun, the victims' lives? I honestly don't know.

 

[Awsi Dooger]

Just as the crime scene itself is almost undetectable due to today's landscape around the murder-site, criminal thinking has also evolved.

Thank you. I needed somebody to summarize that way...so I'll give up. Nothing from the available photos or information makes perfect sense to me toward the murder site. Seemingly it has to be on that end of Locklair, but not very close to the intersection nor close to I-95. Yet we lack any photos or aerials that indicate a swatch of trees on both sides that seem to be significant enough to match the available photos.

Mostly I'm annoyed at myself for not seeing that 2008 video when it was linked here. I was following this case at the time but on the Unsolved Mysteries forum at Sitcomsonline.com.

Since boyhood I've loved to piece things together geographically, toward visual perspective. Now I'm counting on the book to supply new photos. Or perhaps from a televised program about the case.

 

[Awsi Dooger]

IMO,

I think there was someone else in the back of the van with them. Van stops, Pam & Jim then step out the back doors of the van into small ditch (their backs to the van) and are immediately shot by an individual who was also in there with them. Vans of that period tended to have 2 doors on back - both swing open. In shock, they spin or turn and are now facing the van and and then shot in the chest, falling backwards onto their backs or perhaps even collapsed to sitting with their fronts to the van. Individual then steps out of the van and administers the coup-de-grace shots to each of them. Gets back into the van and it tears off. Therefore, I also believe that someone else was driving. If you look at the photo of the casts being taken of the tire impressions, those tracks are right up to the very edge of the road so they would have stepped out and down into the grassy area.

Pamela and Jim may have known they were in danger, but they were not dishelved so I don't believe they knew that. We've heard of no evidence indicating they had fought physically with anyone (bruises etc) nor that they had been restrained in any way. I don't think they felt at risk at that moment.

I believe they stepped out of the back of that van believing they had arrived at 'a destination' - what they thought that destination to be I have no idea neither do I know their purpose for going to that destination. A pee break, whatever. Thought they were arriving somewhere else? They thought they had arrived somewhere for a purpose and were not suspicious. Ergo perhaps stepped out without their belongings wholly thinking that they'd be getting back into that van after they did whatever was intended at their "destination's stop."

Whoever shot them, knew them. Pamela and Jim would have been able to identify them. So, they ensured they were both dead. Whoever shot them had them comfortable and not suspicious. How did they know them and what was their intended destination/action/purpose that night?

That's how I'm leaning also, to a van with more than one perpetrator and controlled at gunpoint in back by the second guy. Then shot after exiting the back double doors. They may have believed they were simply going to be dumped in the middle of nowhere in the middle of the night, then stunned when it turned into a double execution.

My dad had a white 1975 Dodge van so it's easy for me to envision the layout with the two back doors and how they opened.

Until recently I thought we might have driven that van past the crime scene on I-95 within a day or two of these murders. My mom had a baby in early July. Then we watched the Montreal Olympics for 16 days at home. Those Games ended on August 1. I distinctly remember we waited another week before leaving Miami on the trip. My uncle invited us to spend two weeks at his cabin in North Carolina. I always assumed we took I-95 since that was our typical route north. But after checking with my cousins recently, that cabin was in Franklin, NC. That means the more logical route was I-75 not I-95. I know we took I-75 on the way back because we stopped at Omni in Atlanta and just happened to run into Gladys Knight. She was a huge star at that time. She saw the baby and came over to congratulate my mom while raving about how great the baby looked. It created a picture and oft-told story within my family.

 

[shellbee]

Could someone explain why there is a general assumption that James and Pam were traveling in a van? I think the National Review article referred to a van as well.

 

[Betty P]

Could someone explain why there is a general assumption that James and Pam were traveling in a van? I think the National Review article referred to a van as well.

There were tire tracks at the crime scene indicating a van had brought them there. It was a first road and the tracks are very visible in some of the news photos. LE took casts from the tracks and surmised it was a van.

Its not yet publicly known if the van was the vehicle the victims were traveling in.

 

[Betty P]

This is a link back to an old post from awhile back, that mentions some information about this case, some of which I hadn't heard, and is good as a refresher of sorts.

<a href="Mystery couple murdered in South Carolina, 1976 - #3">Mystery couple murdered in South Carolina, 1976 - #3</a>

Great comment! These are the same things I've wondered about. Having found the murder weapon with its owner 4 months after the murders, LE should have been able to solve this. They probably did, they just didn't pursue arrest and prosecution. JMO.

Not sure about the KOA campground story, though. It keeps getting longer and more elaborate with each telling. We really need some links for most of this information.

ETA: Copy paste of some of the quote from the link to Mysterylover's post above

Who was at the hospital all that night with Lonnie Henry?

The person that had Lonnies S&W .357 pistol that night of Aug. 9th murdered and robbed the young couple..he knew where he left his gun or who had it....why file off the serial numbers...unless he knew...yet LE dropped the ball....WHY?
I can NOT find any arrest record for Lonnie Henry being charged with DUI and a Felony for carrying a concealed murder weapon with the serial numbers filed off.
WHY wasn't he charged with something so serious? Who made the decision to NOT charge him or take him to trial?

Was someone 'with power' making sure Henry wouldn't start naming names to get out of jail?

I'm beginning to suspect someone wanted to 'sanitize' this case as well as the info. that has been released!..... I understand most LE carried .357 S&W's during the '70's also...

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see the following distances was NOT too far for Lonnie to drive in the middle of the night and be back at the hospital that morning? Someone try driving it and prove my point....

Monroe NC hospital to Sumter SC --89 miles
Monroe NC hospital to Florence SC--80 miles
Monroe NC to Wadesboro, NC 29 miles (Henry lived near Wadesboro)

When Henry was arrested, driving drunk with the murder weapon in his car, why wasn't he arrested?

 

[plehmann]

[QUOTE = "Betty P, Post: 16613630, Mitglied: 38181"] Nun, laut Henry. Diese Waffe war überall. Zuerst von seinem Bruder gegeben. Dann wurde es von jemandem gestohlen. Dann landete es irgendwie wieder in seinem Auto?

JMO, es ist wichtig zu wissen, ob er oder sein Bruder oder seine Freunde Freundschaften mit jemandem hatten, der in der Strafverfolgung arbeitete. Die Methode zur Ausführung von JP und Pamela war der von ausgebildeten LE-Offizieren sehr ähnlich. Es war eine sehr charakteristische Art, Mord zu begehen - Schüsse zu zählen.

Es könnte auch erklären, warum JP keine Abwehrwunden hatte oder Pam bei der Flucht helfen wollte. Als Armee-Tierarzt hätte er ein Selbstverteidigungstraining absolviert, das er wahrscheinlich in einer anderen Situation angewendet hätte.

Es war eine so schnelle und organisierte Art, Menschen zu töten, an einem Ort, der höchstwahrscheinlich nur den Einheimischen bekannt war. Gleich hinter der Kreisgrenze. [/ QUOTE]

Hello, greetings from Germany.

Here in Germany, too, some are interested in this case. There's even a thread on a large forum.

Doppelmord in Sumter County - Opfer nach 44 Jahren identifiziert - Allmystery


I read here that Lonnie George Henry got the gun from his brother. The brother's name is said to be Jimmy. So it was in this forum in a post.
In Jimmy Henry's obituary one could read:


"Jimmy was born in Anson County on May 11, 1930, a son of the late Julian Richardson and Rosa Diggs Henry. After growing up in Morven and Wadesboro, NC, serving in the US Army from 1951 to 1953, he worked as a meat market manager for Winn-Dixie for 31 years. He retired to Kerr Lake in the mid 1980's, where he enjoyed fishing, playing guitar and singing with friends."

Source: Jimmy Franklin Henry (1930-2012) - Find A Grave...

Here is a picture showing that Jimmy served in the US Army. His rank was corporal.

Picture / Source: https://images.findagrave.com/photos/2013/271/87971298_138045638643.jpg

James Paul Freund is said to have been stationed in Germany around 1966.
Here is a link with US Army bases in Germany:

Liste der amerikanischen Militärstandorte in Deutschland – Wikipedia

 

[Andreee]

[QUOTE = "Betty P, Post: 16613630, Mitglied: 38181"] Nun, laut Henry. Diese Waffe war überall. Zuerst von seinem Bruder gegeben. Dann wurde es von jemandem gestohlen. Dann landete es irgendwie wieder in seinem Auto?

JMO, es ist wichtig zu wissen, ob er oder sein Bruder oder seine Freunde Freundschaften mit jemandem hatten, der in der Strafverfolgung arbeitete. Die Methode zur Ausführung von JP und Pamela war der von ausgebildeten LE-Offizieren sehr ähnlich. Es war eine sehr charakteristische Art, Mord zu begehen - Schüsse zu zählen.

Es könnte auch erklären, warum JP keine Abwehrwunden hatte oder Pam bei der Flucht helfen wollte. Als Armee-Tierarzt hätte er ein Selbstverteidigungstraining absolviert, das er wahrscheinlich in einer anderen Situation angewendet hätte.

Es war eine so schnelle und organisierte Art, Menschen zu töten, an einem Ort, der höchstwahrscheinlich nur den Einheimischen bekannt war. Gleich hinter der Kreisgrenze. [/ QUOTE]

Hello, greetings from Germany.

Here in Germany, too, some are interested in this case. There's even a thread on a large forum.

Doppelmord in Sumter County - Opfer nach 44 Jahren identifiziert - Allmystery


I read here that Lonnie George Henry got the gun from his brother. The brother's name is said to be Jimmy. So it was in this forum in a post.
In Jimmy Henry's obituary one could read:


"Jimmy was born in Anson County on May 11, 1930, a son of the late Julian Richardson and Rosa Diggs Henry. After growing up in Morven and Wadesboro, NC, serving in the US Army from 1951 to 1953, he worked as a meat market manager for Winn-Dixie for 31 years. He retired to Kerr Lake in the mid 1980's, where he enjoyed fishing, playing guitar and singing with friends."

Source: Jimmy Franklin Henry (1930-2012) - Find A Grave...

Here is a picture showing that Jimmy served in the US Army. His rank was corporal.

Picture / Source: https://images.findagrave.com/photos/2013/271/87971298_138045638643.jpg

James Paul Freund is said to have been stationed in Germany around 1966.
Here is a link with US Army bases in Germany:

Liste der amerikanischen Militärstandorte in Deutschland – Wikipedia

I believe I read in a much earlier WS post that this Jimmy Henry that you refer to is not the brother of Lonnie, the truck driver in question in this case. There was some confusion about it as the names were similar. Can others confirm that? As for James Freund, I hadn't heard that he was in the service.

 

[Betty P]

I believe I read in a much earlier WS post that this Jimmy Henry that you refer to is not the brother of Lonnie, the truck driver in question in this case. There was some confusion about it as the names were similar. Can others confirm that? As for James Freund, I hadn't heard that he was in the service.

Yes, according to the local Lancaster, PA newspaper, he enlisted in 1964

Fortunately, this thread is one of the older WS types that has several sub forums. Why don't we post these articles in the Media sub thread?

 

[worldwatcher]

[QUOTE = "Betty P, Post: 16613630, Mitglied: 38181"] Nun, laut Henry. Diese Waffe war überall. Zuerst von seinem Bruder gegeben. Dann wurde es von jemandem gestohlen. Dann landete es irgendwie wieder in seinem Auto?

JMO, es ist wichtig zu wissen, ob er oder sein Bruder oder seine Freunde Freundschaften mit jemandem hatten, der in der Strafverfolgung arbeitete. Die Methode zur Ausführung von JP und Pamela war der von ausgebildeten LE-Offizieren sehr ähnlich. Es war eine sehr charakteristische Art, Mord zu begehen - Schüsse zu zählen.

Es könnte auch erklären, warum JP keine Abwehrwunden hatte oder Pam bei der Flucht helfen wollte. Als Armee-Tierarzt hätte er ein Selbstverteidigungstraining absolviert, das er wahrscheinlich in einer anderen Situation angewendet hätte.

Es war eine so schnelle und organisierte Art, Menschen zu töten, an einem Ort, der höchstwahrscheinlich nur den Einheimischen bekannt war. Gleich hinter der Kreisgrenze. [/ QUOTE]

Hello, greetings from Germany.

Here in Germany, too, some are interested in this case. There's even a thread on a large forum.

Doppelmord in Sumter County - Opfer nach 44 Jahren identifiziert - Allmystery


I read here that Lonnie George Henry got the gun from his brother. The brother's name is said to be Jimmy. So it was in this forum in a post.
In Jimmy Henry's obituary one could read:


"Jimmy was born in Anson County on May 11, 1930, a son of the late Julian Richardson and Rosa Diggs Henry. After growing up in Morven and Wadesboro, NC, serving in the US Army from 1951 to 1953, he worked as a meat market manager for Winn-Dixie for 31 years. He retired to Kerr Lake in the mid 1980's, where he enjoyed fishing, playing guitar and singing with friends."

Source: Jimmy Franklin Henry (1930-2012) - Find A Grave...

Here is a picture showing that Jimmy served in the US Army. His rank was corporal.

Picture / Source: https://images.findagrave.com/photos/2013/271/87971298_138045638643.jpg

James Paul Freund is said to have been stationed in Germany around 1966.
Here is a link with US Army bases in Germany:

Liste der amerikanischen Militärstandorte in Deutschland – Wikipedia

Hi @plehmann
Welcome to WS and many thanks for your info post, it gives a little bit more info about Jimmy's life,that I couldn't find on ancestors, only Lonnie, listed with 2 children.
FamilySearch.org
@andre I do think that it is Jimmy, Lonnie's brother!

 

[Andreee]

Hi @plehmann
Welcome to WS and many thanks for your info post, it gives a little bit more info about Jimmy's life,that I couldn't find ancestors, only Lonnie, listed with 2 children.
FamilySearch.org
@andre I do think that it is Jimmy, Lonnie's brother!

I hope it as, because as you say, it gives more info about Lonnie's family! I am going to look back again in previous posts to see what I had read about this.

 

[Andreee]

Yes, according to the local Lancaster, PA newspaper, he enlisted in 1964

Interesting! I'm not sure if this was mentioned before or not, I've forgotten if so lol.

 

[Vern]

Interesting! I'm not sure if this was mentioned before or not, I've forgotten if so lol.

You've just forgotten. His service and time spent stationed in Germany led to much discussion about his outstandingly performed root canal, linking to Landstuhl American Military Hospital etc.

 

[Andreee]

You've just forgotten. His service and time spent stationed in Germany led to much discussion about his outstandingly performed root canal, linking to Landstuhl American Military Hospital etc.

oh right! I've been missing too much sleep lately, insomnia, and spending too much time here in middle of night, lol. g'night!

 

[worldwatcher]

So Jimmy was never married, nor did he fathered any children, that is known off..?
And he worked here Winn-Dixie - Wikipedia, 31 years as a meat market manager.

And the gun was originally stolen by a group of thieves in the Raleigh-Durham, NC area, before the Henry’s came into possession of the gun.
Jimmy gave it, as a Christmas present, (4 or 5 yrs, prior to the murders) to his brother Lonnie. (a truck driver)
The crime scene is described, here on WS, as one, with a local knowledge of the area.

 

[worm]

I wouldn't have so easily posted it if it hadn't already been posted here on WS.

I wasn’t questioning you for posting it, if fact I appreciate any and all of the info that others bring. It’s just that I, and a couple of others, discussed our doubts on the KOA thing in some posts a while back. It just seems to me that the guy at the camp couldn’t be sure of anything he told the investigator. Again, thanks for your input.

 

[T rex]

So Jimmy was never married, nor did he fathered any children, that is known off..?
And he worked here Winn-Dixie - Wikipedia, 31 years as a meat market manager.

And the gun was originally stolen by a group of thieves in the Raleigh-Durham, NC area, before the Henry’s came into possession of the gun.
Jimmy gave it, as a Christmas present, (4 or 5 yrs, prior to the murders) to his brother Lonnie. (a truck driver)
The crime scene is described, here on WS, as one, with a local knowledge of the area.

Start here and follow the trail to Sumter. It's George Henry's 1st cousin that lived in Dillon SC. Of course you will need more than just this but there is much to be had.
Herein lie the answers. Imo. I wish I could post more. Good luck.


Mary Lucille Henry Rippy (1915-2000) - Find A...

 

[worldwatcher]

Start here and follow the trail to Sumter. It's George Henry's 1st cousin that lived in Dillon SC. Of course you will need more than just this but there is much to be had.
Herein lie the answers. Imo. I wish I could post more. Good luck.


Mary Lucille Henry Rippy (1915-2000) - Find A...

Thanks,
Two of her children died at very young age, her hubby died a year before the murders. (1975)
Jimmy must have been 46 yrs old, att of the murders (born 1930)
Her other two children were 42 yrs (1943) and 36 yrs (1940) old in 1976.
Sad, that she had to bury 3 children during her life.

ETA:
So according to MSM or WS post, (really can't remember any more, where to have read it..) the gun was given by Jimmy to Lonnie, 4 or 5 years prior to the murders, as a Christmas present. So we're talking about December 1971/1972.
I guess that the "theft of this gun" must have hit the newspapers?

By looking at the map, where it was originally stolen, it seemed that James and Pam were killed 184 miles futher, from where it was stolen..
Imo, seems that the gun stayed local, the place were lonnie got pulled over (there seemed to be^no arrest records, as stated above^) was also not far from the CS.

 

[lilagold]

I read here that Lonnie George Henry got the gun from his brother. The brother's name is said to be Jimmy. So it was in this forum in a post.
In Jimmy Henry's obituary one could read:


"Jimmy was born in Anson County on May 11, 1930, a son of the late Julian Richardson and Rosa Diggs Henry. After growing up in Morven and Wadesboro, NC, serving in the US Army from 1951 to 1953, he worked as a meat market manager for Winn-Dixie for 31 years. He retired to Kerr Lake in the mid 1980's, where he enjoyed fishing, playing guitar and singing with friends."

I'm new here and I don't know how relevant this is, but Lonnie Henry had another brother - Platt Walker Henry - who was in the news in 1967, when he shot and nearly killed a black soldier who tried to enter a restaurant in Wadesboro. It was the time of desegregation in N.C. and many violent racist incidents happened there at the time.

Here are the links to some articles. She second one quotes a "George Henry" who is the nephew of the shooter. Could that be Lonnies son?

22 Mar 1967, Page 5 - The Danville Register at Newspapers.com

9 Jul 1967, 8 - The Charlotte Observer at Newspapers.com

 

[shellbee]

In this account, the guy at the KOA says that Pamela had a suitcase with her on both visits but still can’t say how they were traveling. Also, this is the first time that I’ve heard about this wad of cash that the man had.

This isn't a rhetorical question, I'm asking seriously: am I the only one who has dismissed the entire KOA story? I feel like the one element, that James was from Quebec and disowned by his doctor/father, being wrong discredits the entire testimony.