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

[onceuponadecember]

I searched on ancestry and found another photo of Pam:

 

[onceuponadecember]

I also found James’s yearbook info:
He did Jayvee Football and Baseball, Intramural sports, Pinochle (Card playing) club, and the English Club. He wanted to be an accountant, but didn’t choose college.

 

[wary]

You can thank me later for screenshotting some of the dates. One thing that stands out to me is that Sunlending played weekly in July of 1971 in New Mexico. This is one of the possible locations James got the matches from: New Mexico. Maybe James met Pam when she was singing for Sunlending?

It’d be interesting to learn when James left Pennsylvania. Was that Christmas phone call local?

 

[onceuponadecember]

It’d be interesting to learn when James left Pennsylvania. Was that Christmas phone call local?

The Christmas call isn't even verified. I would probably guess the call (if it happened) was out of state probably.
IMO

 

[DSCrime]

RIP Pamela Buckley & James Freund

Great job again DDP

For a long time I checked in on this thread but never actively posted. Like many others I wondered if "Jock Doe" was Canadian. But as it turns out both Buckley and Freund were Americans. I remember even checking missing persons cases in France/Interpol for a possible match.

Hope that LE will finally be able to solve this case

My condolences to their families

 

[Feme98]

Maybe, but that was 44 years ago. Records have probably been destroyed or lost since then.

It’s possible that the tire tracks are being kept secret as the investigation is ongoing, maybe they will release some photos of it or LE’s thoughts on the car model.

 

[Feme98]

Now that both victims identities are known, may justice be served for both of them and to their families.

 

[onceuponadecember]

It’s possible that the tire tracks are being kept secret as the investigation is ongoing, maybe they will release some photos of it or LE’s thoughts on the car model.

Honestly I’m in denial with the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office. It took much convincing by Verna Moore to exhume Pam and James. Another thing that concerns me are the nasty reviews on Facebook about them. Delayed investigations, ignored calls, yikes.

IMO

 

[worldwatcher]

-"Their families have been notified and asked for privacy."

-"The sheriff said his investigators have always had a person of interest or two in the killings and they plan to reopen the case and press hard for an arrest."

Lancaster man's body identified in 44-year-old South Carolina cold case

It took so much time for the family's to get some answers, and a lot of time, to think, what happened with my loved ones.. .
As time passes, life goes on, so did the questions..
That must be hard, for the ones, who are left behind. A mother, a father, a sister, brother, friend, a daughter or son, an ex lover..

So, with this in mind and with all respect, I have come to realise, that you can be at the wrong time, at the wrong place and that's it, sadly!
Your family, friends, all your loved ones, all they want is some privacy, to deal, with the loss for so long..

I am thankful, that, there are people, who tried so hard to give the lost once a name, an identity, many kudos to them!

Also,I wish the family, friends, loved ones, all the peace/ strength, they can get, without their lives being turned up side down!
And I do hope, that the plead of the police in Sumter country will find justice & disclosure.

 

[Betty P]

Me too. But, why kill them instead of just robbing their car? Did James fought the hijacker? Was there any sign of a struggle (bruises, etc) on James and Pam´s bodies (beside the gunshots)?

In a way, this case is similar to that of Chynna Deese and Lucas Fowler, who were traveling through northern British Columbia on an adventuresome vacation. When their van broke down and Lucas couldn't repair it, they spent the night sleeping in the back by the side of the road. Two disturbed teenagers happened to drive by and decided to kill them, leaving their bodies along the side of the road. Their killers were on a spree that left others dead, ending over a thousand miles away in suicide. No one really knows why, it was all just a terrible tragedy.

Lucas Fowler and Chynna Deese: The forgotten faces in Canadian 'fugitives' story

On the plus side, local LE has some very good leads with the ballistic evidence from a gun confiscated from a local man just a year after the murders. I hope they're able to find out what happened and convict the killer(s). Maybe someone will read the news stories and come forward with information about the murders. Until then, all we can do is check to see if there's any news on the investigation and share the links on social media so people can contact LE if they have a tip.

ETA: Much praise for all the people who were so committed to finding the identities of the Sumter, SC couple. Without all your hard work, the DNA testing and identification might not have happened. Peace to all and to the families and friends of this young couple.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

DBM. I attempted to put together a timeline of Sunlendings performances and accidentally hit refresh before I saved my progress on the post.

I will attempt it again eventually.

Sunlending


ETA: The band is listed somewhere in here but I can’t quickly find it again. It’s dated March 25, 1972 in Colorado. Denver I think. I’ve slept since then.
https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/70s/1972/BB-1972-03-25-II.pdf

 

[Warwick1991]

If Jim had a vehicle, I think it might be possible to trace it. His insurance company might have records, and the car might have been registered in Pennsylvania. If the VIN number is discovered, the vehicle could be traced to some extent. It is a lot of research, but might not be an impossible task. Now that Jim's name is known, and the state(s) where he lived, there may be old records that can be searched. If the killer later registered it, that could help solve the crime.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

30-year-old James grew up in Lancaster, PA and graduated from McCaskey High School on June 10, 1964.

Court records show he married Cherylene Albright on December 11, 1965. In September of 1971, James filed for divorce from Cherylene. His family reported missing in 1975.

Pamela Buckley was 25 years old. The Redwood Falls Gazette reports she was the Redwood Jaycees Sno-Queen in February of 1970. She was set to become Miss Redwood Falls in 1971, but instead decided to tour the west coast with her folk trio ‘Sunlending’.

Her band made many stops along the coast. The group played at a coffeehouse in March of 1971, in San Diego, according to a headline in the San Diego State University Collegiate.

But, small coffee shops weren’t the band’s only stop. A story in the University of Minnesota Morris newspaper shows Sunlending in concert on campus on March 11, 1975 along with We Five, who at the time was nationally known. Her family reported her missing that year.
The lives of Pamela Buckley and James Freund, Sumter County's 1976 Jane and John Doe

 

[onceuponadecember]

If Jim had a vehicle, I think it might be possible to trace it. His insurance company might have records, and the car might have been registered in Pennsylvania. If the VIN number is discovered, the vehicle could be traced to some extent. It is a lot of research, but might not be an impossible task. Now that Jim's name is known, and the state(s) where he lived, there may be old records that can be searched. If the killer later registered it, that could help solve the crime.

I'm sure James had car insurance for his car. The thing that confuses me is that if he did have car insurance, why didn't he let his insurance cover the costs of a new car? I think most insurances cover car theft with replacements.

 

[Feme98]

Let’s keep faith that they will share details in the upcoming months! Maybe this case could be solved by the end of this year!

Honestly I’m in denial with the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office. It took much convincing by Verna Moore to exhume Pam and James. Another thing that concerns me are the nasty reviews on Facebook about them. Delayed investigations, ignored calls, yikes.

IMO

 

[Fede]

Maybe the 2 other SUNLENDING members can tell something about what was going on with Pamela at the time.

 

[wary]

I'm sure James had car insurance for his car. The thing that confuses me is that if he did have car insurance, why didn't he let his insurance cover the costs of a new car? I think most insurances cover car theft with replacements.

Maybe he didn’t have a car.
Maybe he didn’t have insurance.
Maybe he didn’t think of the insurance.
Maybe he didn’t want to give in to robbery.
Maybe the murderer/s weren’t motivated by his car.

The list is endless.

 

[Betty P]

30-year-old James grew up in Lancaster, PA and graduated from McCaskey High School on June 10, 1964.

Court records show he married Cherylene Albright on December 11, 1965. In September of 1971, James filed for divorce from Cherylene. His family reported missing in 1975.

Pamela Buckley was 25 years old. The Redwood Falls Gazette reports she was the Redwood Jaycees Sno-Queen in February of 1970. She was set to become Miss Redwood Falls in 1971, but instead decided to tour the west coast with her folk trio ‘Sunlending’.

Her band made many stops along the coast. The group played at a coffeehouse in March of 1971, in San Diego, according to a headline in the San Diego State University Collegiate.

But, small coffee shops weren’t the band’s only stop. A story in the University of Minnesota Morris newspaper shows Sunlending in concert on campus on March 11, 1975 along with We Five, who at the time was nationally known. Her family reported her missing that year.
The lives of Pamela Buckley and James Freund, Sumter County's 1976 Jane and John Doe

Newspapers.com showed Sunlending playing in Greeley, CO in November and December of 1971. None of the major daily papers of Denver are in Newspapers.com, but its likely they played Denver, too around that time.

They also played a lot in Taos, NM, Minneapolis of course, some dates in California, etc. in 1971. Then there seems to be a gap until a few years later, when they begin appearing in dates around the US again, more in 1977. Its possible they broke up for a while in 71 or 72 and Pamela chose to stay in Colorado Springs. Maybe she ended up making friends there. Her marriage records showed her living in Manitou Springs, CO, which is just up in the mountains above Colorado Springs. IIRC, there were a lot of hippies/young people living there and up in the mountains above there (Cripple Creek) in the 60s and 70s.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Dbm mistake so sry

 

[CCJD]

For the four guys in Sunlending, it's time to pack their guitars and synthesizers and hit the trail. Next stop: Boston.

"We're living in an adverse environment," said Ron Llear, 26, lead guitarist and singer for the band, which is scheduled to play Sunday at the Button South in Hallandale.

"Our influences have nothing to do with Caribbean music, Latin music, sun and fun, beach music or southern rock," said Rossi Kane, the group's manager. "We're a total enigma here."

Sunlending has all the right stuff to make a dent in the music biz. Llear; Tom Beier, 23, on keyboards; David Freedman, 23, on bass guitar; and Doug McCray, 24, on drums make it a point to do it their way.
MIAMI ROCKERS HEAD FOR BETTER ENVIRONMENT

Not the same as the Sunlending Folk Trio that Pam was in.
Sunlending