Identified! Mystery couple murdered in South Carolina, 1976 - Pamela Buckley & James P Freund #8

[Ajaygee11]

Did I imagine it, or were the gunshots supposedly heard at around 1 am?

No you did not imagine it, apparently by a “hermit living in the sticks nearby”.

 

[worldwatcher]

The witness, who heard the shots, didn't he say, that he first heard a cardoor slammed, before the shots?
By the positions of the bodies, I would think, Pam and James, tried to escape, run away, got shot in their backs and felt, the final shot must have been in the heads, just to make sure..?
MOO
2008 Canada Sumter County Does - Newspapers.com (pictures included)

 

[PatLaurel]

And there's also this:

Charges of non-support of a <modsnip> child.

JSP 1976 S. SC - Newspapers.com

 

[worldwatcher]

The witness, who heard the shots, didn't he say, that he first heard a cardoor slammed, before the shots?
By the positions of the bodies, I would think, Pam and James, tried to escape, run away, got shot in their backs and felt, the final shot must have been in the heads, just to make sure..?
MOO
2008 Canada Sumter County Does - Newspapers.com (pictures included)

It says, in the article ^^that they were rolled onto their backs, before the last shot was fired, there is also a mention of a van????

 

[Betty P]

I’ve got a theory about James. Firstly, let me list my facts before I dive into the theory

1. There is a photograph of James with his fellow baseball team members on Ancestry
2. James’s autopsy suggested he played contact sports (Baseball)
3. James was a US Army Private who had served in Germany

My theory is that James had an undiagnosed neurological disease and/or mental illness. I sustain this with the fact that many sports players getting constant blows to the head are more likely to develop brain damage. Another thing adding to this is possible exposure to explosives or explosive devices while in Germany.
Mental illness and neurological disorders/diseases are not uncommon in these types of people. This may also explain why James’s ex-wife divorced him on the grounds of indignities.

I'll have to disagree on making such judgments with little or no evidence. Lots of people in that age cohort got divorces back then, usually as the result of marrying at an early age and maturing to have different views or life goals than their partners. According to the records in the local newspaper, it was James who sought the divorce.

Might I respectfully suggest that we respect the innocent murder victims by not making these kinds of gross generalizations about them? Their family members and friends are still living and they deserve some respect and sympathy. Just because a person ended up deceased at the hands of a vicious killer doesn't mean there was something wrong with them or the way they were living their life. They're victims of a tragic, random, senseless crime.

JMO, TIA

 

[UncoolNegated]

Awesome. If James Paul Freund had been entered into NamUs, then I think this gets solved a long time ago because of the initials. Someone would have looked because the initials matched the ring or watch or whatever it was.

 

[JovanSrna]

They were very beautiful and I hope we hear from their families at some point.

 

[Betty P]

And there's also this:

Charges of non-support of a <modsnip> child.

JSP 1976 S. SC - Newspapers.com

It's difficult to make child support payments when you're deceased. Maybe I grew up differently, but have always felt its wrong to judge people's lives with little evidence and when they're no longer around to defend themselves.

 

[PatLaurel]

Does anybody know James' date of birth? I could only find 1946 - the year he was born in.

Sep. 17th 1946 or the 16th?

"A son to Mr. and Mrs. Adam W. Freund (Lolaetta Coates), 22 Prescott street,'Leominster."

Fitchburg Sentinel from Fitchburg, Massachusetts on September 17, 1946 · Page 1

 

[Triss]

I'll have to disagree on making such judgments with little or no evidence. Lots of people in that age cohort got divorces back then, usually as the result of marrying at an early age and maturing to have different views or life goals than their partners. According to the records in the local newspaper, it was James who sought the divorce.

Might I respectfully suggest that we respect the innocent murder victims by not making these kinds of gross generalizations about them? Their family members and friends are still living and they deserve some respect and sympathy. Just because a person ended up deceased at the hands of a vicious killer doesn't mean there was something wrong with them or the way they were living their life. They're victims of a tragic, random, senseless crime.

Agreed. While I love the brainstorm and all these ideas that we have here, there's literally no evidence to suggest a mental illness. And thank you for pointing out that it was JPF who wanted a divorce.

 

[PatLaurel]

It's difficult to make child support payments when you're deceased. Maybe I grew up differently, but have always felt its wrong to judge people's lives with little evidence and when they're no longer around to defend themselves.

I'm not judging him. Afaik he was still around in 1974<modsnip>

MOO JMO

 

[Feme98]

It says, in the article ^^that they were rolled onto their backs, before the last shot was fired, there is also a mention of a van????

I do think that they were shot in the throat first, then rolled onto their backs, and shot in the back and then in the head.

 

[Triss]

Sep. 17th 1946 or the 16th?

"A son to Mr. and Mrs. Adam W. Freund (Lolaetta Coates), 22 Prescott street,'Leominster."

Fitchburg Sentinel from Fitchburg, Massachusetts on September 17, 1946 · Page 1

Thank you! So he did not live to celebrate his 30th birthday... Very sad. I'll make sure to light a candle for him on his birthday.

 

[Kikalina]

Thank you! So he did not live to celebrate his 30th birthday... Very sad. I'll make sure to light a candle for him on his birthday.

I saw on ancestry that it is 9/16 his DOB. I’ll see if I can find it again. He shared a birthday with my dad

James Paul Freund discovered in U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007

 

[onceuponadecember]

Sorry for the somewhat abrasive theory, I had made assumptions of it due to these kinds of issues being common in former athletes and veterans of war. Reading back through the threads, there are more questions than answers. I'm almost done writing up the timeline for James, so let me just finish my cup o' coffee and that timeline and I'll get back.

 

[worldwatcher]

I do think that they were shot in the throat first, then rolled onto their backs, and shot in the back and then in the head.

With all due respect, I think it hard to roll them on their backs and shoot them, in the back. I really believe, the two were running away from the shooter and (s) he shot them in the backs, while running.. maybe walking, maybe he or she lured them out of the car, so there wouldn't be any traces of a shooting, in the car or van.
MOO

 

[Triss]

I saw on ancestry that it is 9/16 his DOB. I’ll see if I can find it again. He shared a birthday with my dad

Great, thank you!

I'm almost done writing up the timeline for James, so let me just finish my cup o' coffee and that timeline and I'll get back.

Exciting, can't wait! Thank you for your effort

 

[UncoolNegated]

Agreed. While I love the brainstorm and all these ideas that we have here, there's literally no evidence to suggest a mental illness. And thank you for pointing out that it was JPF who wanted a divorce.

And even if the fanciful theory was right, what difference would it make in this case?

 

[Fede]

With all due respect, I think it hard to roll them on their backs and shoot them, in the back. I really believe, the two were running away from the shooter and (s) he shot them in the backs, while running.. maybe walking, maybe he or she lured them out of the car, so there wouldn't be any traces of a shooting, in the car or van.
MOO

I think that I read originally that they were shot 3 times each one. One in the chest, one in the back and one in the throat. But maybe the one in the chest is an exit wound from the back shot (this should be in the autopsy report). I agree that it would have been easier to shot them first in the back (maybe the killer/s make them walk before shooting them) and then shot them in the throat execution style (the distance of this shot can be calculated through powder marks).

 

[onceuponadecember]

(Before I begin, I'm going to change some of the names to keep the privacy of his family. I'll call the wife Gia, the daughter Marie, the father Mr. Freund, the uncle Geoff and the grandfather P.B., thanks.)

• September 16, 1946: James is born in Fitchburg, MA
• c. May 1965: James graduates from Lancaster High School
• December 18, 1965: James marries "Gia"
• February 7, 1966: James’s maternal uncle, “Geoff” dies
• November 17, 1966: James’s father, Mr. Freund, dies of a heart attack (James is serving in Germany when he dies)
• January 11, 1970: James's daughter, "Marie" is born
• September 17, 1971: James and "Gia" divorce on the grounds of indignities
• July 24, 1972: James’s grandfather, P.B. dies in Warren County, Ohio.
• October 17, 1974: Charges filed by ? on the grounds of non-support of a child are dropped due to payment of costs (I think this means she couldn't afford to go through with the lawsuit)
• December 25, 1975: (UNVERIFIED EVENT) James calls "Marie" on Christmas Day. This is the alleged last communication with him
• August 9, 1976: James and Pam are found dead in Sumter County, SC