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

[southerngospel]

News article detailing the dental work.

 

[Moonwalker9]

Wow. Yet another classic jd case solved Aswell as one of the longest websleuths threads ever. 2021 started well.

 

[Fukiyama]

Re: Traveling by motorcycle

It's hard! It's riding around on the back of a bike all day. Definitely not as smooth as riding in a car. It takes a lot of out of you.

If they were on a bike, I doubt Pam's outfit she was wearing when she died was what she wore when they were on the road. Shorts and sandals are a good way to get one's legs burned on the hot exhaust pipes.

 

[worm]

I haven’t seen much on the motorcycle theory. Were they seen traveling on a bike?

 

[southerngospel]

Re: Traveling by motorcycle

It's hard! It's riding around on the back of a bike all day. Definitely not as smooth as riding in a car. It takes a lot of out of you.

If they were on a bike, I doubt Pam's outfit she was wearing when she died was what she wore when they were on the road. Shorts and sandals are a good way to get one's legs burned on the hot exhaust pipes.

The motorcycle thing could be untrue...who knows?...but..it has been hypothesized to me that the motorcycle was something bought/traded for on the way to sumter...meaning they didnt go cross country on it. It was a recent acquisition. As i said....it could be another "canadian dentist's son" myth.

 

[Ray_of_hope]

Found this from Bubblyone on websleuths:

"I check in here periodically. Keep thinking that one day I will find out this has been solved. In the meantime, I have a question. A few days ago, I checked in and found that another site was referenced. Do you think that today I could find the site? I believe it was a facebook page for this couple?? Anyhow, I was reading some comments that were posted by different people. One of the people posting said that her mother was the person that waited on the female when she was buying peaches at the fruit-stand. She stated that Jean/Jacque did not come in, rather he was on a motorcycle waiting outside.

Has anyone read this before? I am thinking that if they were on a motorcycle, where did the motorcycle go, where did it end up? I know they believe a van was used to transport them to the site where they were found. Did the van also house the motorcycle?

I am going to see if I can find that site again and will link it here, but wondering about this...anyone?

Bubblyone, Sep 14, 2016 Report
#962 "

 

[Ray_of_hope]

Link at site is inoperable but a followup post:

"When all else fails...go to your history to see what you searched. Here is the link:

Log In or Sign Up to View

Bubblyone, Sep 15, 2016 Report
#964 Like"

 

[southerngospel]

Found this from Bubblyone on websleiths:
"
I check in here periodically. Keep thinking that one day I will find out this has been solved. In the meantime, I have a question. A few days ago, I checked in and found that another site was referenced. Do you think that today I could find the site? I believe it was a facebook page for this couple?? Anyhow, I was reading some comments that were posted by different people. One of the people posting said that her mother was the person that waited on the female when she was buying peaches at the fruit-stand. She stated that Jean/Jacque did not come in, rather he was on a motorcycle waiting outside.

Has anyone read this before? I am thinking that if they were on a motorcycle, where did the motorcycle go, where did it end up? I know they believe a van was used to transport them to the site where they were found. Did the van also house the motorcycle?

I am going to see if I can find that site again and will link it here, but wondering about this...anyone?

Bubblyone, Sep 14, 2016 Report
#962 "

Same thing i saw on facebook...

 

[killarney rose]

When Is South Carolina Peach Season
South Carolina tends to have a colder year-round climate than Georgia. Since peaches hit their peak during the warmest months of the year, South Carolina Freestone peaches do not become available until mid-June. South Carolina peaches continue to be harvested until late August.

When Are Peaches In Season? | Farm Fresh Fruit Gifts

 

[wary]

In previous thread, there are a lot of post about a mechanic from York NE who worked on a car/van that fitted the description of JPF and PM.

This is one from @dotr.
Mystery couple murdered in South Carolina, 1976 - #7 Pam Buckley & James P Freund

But then how did it happen that they had Washington or Oregon plates? The conversation in the older thread centered around their being a specific couple missing from that area. (In other words, the excitement and many posts about it were because people thought they’d identified the couple.)

 

[wary]

You're right, someone wanted their IDs and other belongings destroyed but on the other hand their bodies were left in plain sight. It's like the killer(s) didn't mind if someone found the couple's bodies, but at the same time the killer(s) didn't want PB and JF's names to be known. Why?

My first thought is that they took the IDs because the purse and wallet that held the IDs also contained, or might have contained, money. (And they didn’t take rings and watch because they knew that they’d get almost nothing from a pawnshop, besides the possibility of distinctive jewelry being traced back to them, (the murderer(s).

And they took the belongings, (again just my idea,) because they were in the vehicle, and it would be pointless to throw them out beside the victims, when you could race away, sort through them at your leisure, and then throw them in the trash.

 

[Fukiyama]

The motorcycle thing could be untrue...who knows?...but..it has been hypothesized to me that the motorcycle was something bought/traded for on the way to sumter...meaning they didnt go cross country on it. It was a recent acquisition. As i said....it could be another "canadian dentist's son" myth.

I know. I'm just saying that if they were traveling very far on a motorcycle, we have to consider the entire experience and how it would have affected how we are theorizing what they wore, what they carried, and so on.

 

[mp_1989]

The motorcycle thing could be untrue...who knows?...but..it has been hypothesized to me that the motorcycle was something bought/traded for on the way to sumter...meaning they didnt go cross country on it. It was a recent acquisition. As i said....it could be another "canadian dentist's son" myth.

This. Or they could have been hanging out with some people at a camp site and borrowed their bike for a little joy ride.. those people may have then moved on and thus were unable to be questioned about their contact with them

 

[mp_1989]

Must add here that I don't mean they stole the bike - just that they were friendly with and borrowed it from someone

 

[mp_1989]

IMO and random possibilities on both of the above haha

 

[worldwatcher]

But then how did it happen that they had Washington or Oregon plates? The conversation in the older thread centered around their being a specific couple missing from that area. (In other words, the excitement and many posts about it were because people thought they’d identified the couple.)

Idk, just thought it was worth a mention.
However, I do think, but that, moo, that a mechanic would remember a woman, like Pam, she is described as very beautiful, and maybe James and the mechanic talked about cars, given the fact that he, himself was a skilled mechanic.
Also, to my understanding, York NE is in the same area as the truck stop matches.
(The John Doe had a pack of matches from " Grant's" truck stop. There are three Grant's truck stops in the US; (York, NE), (Lupton, AZ) and...)
https://sumtermysterycouple.com/

Just because their ID-ed, doesn't mean the old leads, witnesses didn't pan out, Imo.

I guess that with her being beautiful, she could have chosen for many travel companions, but she seemed to choose James, who looks (BTW) quite different on the sketches and post mortem pictures.,then his year book picture.

 

[otto]

Found this from Bubblyone on websleuths:

"I check in here periodically. Keep thinking that one day I will find out this has been solved. In the meantime, I have a question. A few days ago, I checked in and found that another site was referenced. Do you think that today I could find the site? I believe it was a facebook page for this couple?? Anyhow, I was reading some comments that were posted by different people. One of the people posting said that her mother was the person that waited on the female when she was buying peaches at the fruit-stand. She stated that Jean/Jacque did not come in, rather he was on a motorcycle waiting outside.

Has anyone read this before? I am thinking that if they were on a motorcycle, where did the motorcycle go, where did it end up? I know they believe a van was used to transport them to the site where they were found. Did the van also house the motorcycle?

I am going to see if I can find that site again and will link it here, but wondering about this...anyone?

Bubblyone, Sep 14, 2016 Report
#962 "

Curious about relying on statements regarding someone names Jock or Jacques. The victim's name is James, so would that mean that statements about someone named Jock are unrelated?

 

[Satchie]

You're right, someone wanted their IDs and other belongings destroyed but on the other hand their bodies were left in plain sight. It's like the killer(s) didn't mind if someone found the couple's bodies, but at the same time the killer(s) didn't want PB and JF's names to be known. Why?

Many killers target people who they know won't be missed. It's like an instinct, they just know they'll be more likely to get away with it if the victims are somehow isolated, transient or marginal, and they will frequently take ID to confuse and slow down cops.

 

[wary]

Curious about relying on statements regarding someone names Jock or Jacques. The victim's name is James, so would that mean that statements about someone named Jock are unrelated?

I think the fruit-stand statement didn’t have any mention of the name Jack or Jock. I think it’s just the quoted poster thinking of him that way, after all these years of discussion.

 

[Dragonfyree]

Also, to my understanding, York NE is in the same area as the truck stop matches.

It is close, that is why I believe Pamela stopped there on her way from Colorado - going East.

I think you were probably right that the mechanic noticed her more than the guy - who I don't think was James. I think he was just her ride at that moment.

Back in the 70's almost any guy could have talked to the mechanics about cars, as most of them repaired their own as they didn't have computerized cars yet. I'm a female and I knew how to change tires, spark plugs and start my car with a screwdriver.

I think it makes more sense that she went to the East coast and met him and they traveled together rather than them running all over the country. Maybe they were walking the Appalachia Trail and got off to go to the Darlington 500 which took place on 9/5 that year?