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

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MadMcGoo said:
I’m so exhausted and irritated at this point.

The folk trio “Sunlending” played mostly in Minnesota, but also spent about a week in South Dakota, New Mexico and Colorado, at separate times. This was all between 1970 and 1972. Around 1977 is when newspaper articles started to spike...it was about a Mary MacGregor, who by most accounts became apart of Sunlending in 1974. I’m not sure if she replaced Pam or joined along side her. It may not make a difference, but could speak to when Pam left the trio.

Interestingly, Mary was born and raised in Minnesota and about the same age as Pam. She was 28 in 1977. Also, in 1977, Mary’s place of residence is listed as Steamboat Springs, Colorado.

7 May 1977, 22 - The Tribune at Newspapers.com
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Mary MacGregor is still alive and had a hit in November 1976 called Torn Between Two Lovers. It ranked #10 on the Billboard hot 100 chart of 1977. :)
 
I may have come across an explanation for the end of Sunlending. Another member of the trio may have been ill fated almost exactly one year before Pamela. I googled Anthony Matthews Colorado with some musical terms like singer, and this sad summary showed up, "Writer and vocalist, Anthony Matthews, a world-class hanglider and much loved Steamboat entertainer, was killed in a hang gliding accident Aug. 1, 1975 in Steamboat Springs."

Steamboat Springs is several hours from Colorado Springs. It doesn't necessarily have to be the same guy. But using the info above I googled again and found a PDF with a long summary and tribute from his hangliding buddy. It includes a poem and picture of Anthony Matthews at the end, a long haired guy who looks very much like the male at left in the Sunlending photo.

To find that PDF, google "Anthony Matthews hang gliding." It is the first link that shows up.

Also, two links lower is an article titled, "Hang gliding 1973 part 1 -- Hang Gliding History." That article includes this photo of Anthony Matthews. I'm not going to say it's definitively the same guy...but name, time frame, singer, length of hair, general location and wearing glasses are shared:

https://hghistory.files.wordpress.c...nthonymatthewsbyvirgildahrensgsjanmarch74.jpg

I realize Pamela may have left Sunlending long before August 1975. The trio probably split up, for whatever reason.
 
Am I the only one finding it all so odd. In the presser yesterday he said they were unsure of how they knew each other. Both were reported missing at similar times, both from different states, then turn up dead, wouldn’t report where they were heading and said were working with “different agencies” regarding that. Then within that 8 months before they are found dead neither contact their families or friends.
 
What bothers me with everyone saying carjacking etc. what we’re they doing for money? It’s a fun theory that they were just freely traveling the country but income has to come from somewhere. I’ve toured the country I know how people get by. I’m not saying it was some crazy drug smuggling scheme but I doubt it was all innocent methods either. Also looking at James teeth in his post Morten photos he looked like he needed some major dental work done. Also there has to be a reason why each of their families suddenly become so alarmed at such similar times to finally report them missing. I think with the sheriff saying “other agencies” we are likely looking at some other illicit activity. Again I don’t think anything crazy out there like hit men etc. but prob stuff that James and Pam were in over their heads in.
 
Claireishere said:
What bothers me with everyone saying carjacking etc. what we’re they doing for money? It’s a fun theory that they were just freely traveling the country but income has to come from somewhere. I’ve toured the country I know how people get by. I’m not saying it was some crazy drug smuggling scheme but I doubt it was all innocent methods either. Also looking at James teeth in his post Morten photos he looked like he needed some major dental work done. Also there has to be a reason why each of their families suddenly become so alarmed at such similar times to finally report them missing. I think with the sheriff saying “other agencies” we are likely looking at some other illicit activity. Again I don’t think anything crazy out there like hit men etc. but prob stuff that James and Pam were in over their heads in.
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My guess would probably be odd jobs such as something agricultural or a service. It’s honestly hard to tell.
 
Unless there is something more in the news about the two, such as interviews from the family, I don't think there is much more useful information to contribute to this thread. I doubt the police will release further information for a long time, if ever, and this might be the end of the road.
 
Gameman said:
Unless there is something more in the news about the two, such as interviews from the family, I don't think there is much more useful information to contribute to this thread. I doubt the police will release further information for a long time, if ever, and this might be the end of the road.
Click to expand...
I've made a stockpile of Pam photos and I'm trying to figure out which one is her in a choir photo right now. From how it appears, Pam was your average choir kid who enjoyed to sing.
 
Claireishere said:
That requires being stationary for a season, plus no reason to not contact fam, and would be more known locally.
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I forgot, LOL. But yeah, the question is honestly how did they have enough money to survive together? It's so strange o_O
 
I believe this is the other member of Sunlending, the guy at right in the photo...John Daly. He is primarily known as a guitarist but it looks like he cut his own album in 1981 and then someone uploaded one of the songs to YouTube in 2014. He has a number of credits, as recent as 2016, often with Beach Boys member Carl Wilson notably when Wilson broke away to do his own album independent of the other members of the Beach Boys.

Piece of My Life - John Daly | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic

John Daly | Credits | AllMusic

 
onceuponadecember said:
I forgot, LOL. But yeah, the question is honestly how did they have enough money to survive together? It's so strange o_O
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Yes, it is very strange. You would certainly have to save a lot of money to be on the road and travel for almost 8 months. I thought maybe since she was previously in a band and from his pictures that someone saw on ancestry which indicated he likely had some kind of musical talent that it’s possible they could have maybe volunteered and performed at different places shops, bars, outdoor events etc. for extra money while traveling. However I think if that were true then someone would have most def. recognized or remembered seeing them.
 
Mando said:
Yes, it is very strange. You would certainly have to save a lot of money to be on the road and travel for almost 8 months. I thought maybe since she was previously in a band and from his pictures that someone saw on ancestry which indicated he likely had some kind of musical talent that it’s possible they could have maybe volunteered and performed at different places shops, bars, outdoor events etc. for extra money while traveling. However I think if that were true then someone would have most def. recognized or remembered seeing them.
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I don't think James was a musical person, as I verified earlier in the thread it was not him in those band pictures. James did Jayvee Football and Baseball, as well as English club and Pinochle Club (card playing club).
However, Pam was a very musical woman. She could sing and did choir for at least three years of HS. Her vocal abilities led her to be able to become a singer for Sunlending, which was an opening act for the renown We Five. Pam's replacement or former Sunlending member was Mary MacGregor, who's song Torn Between Two Lovers was ranked #10 on the Billboard hot 100 in 1977.
Hope this info answers your question.
 
Does anyone know her married name? I’m sorry if it’s already been posted. I’m having a hard time keeping up with this thread. I was assuming she may have kept her maiden name as some people do because of certain careers etc. they have. Although I figured it’s possible more info on her could be found if we knew a married name.
 
Mando said:
Does anyone know her married name? I’m sorry if it’s already been posted. I’m having a hard time keeping up with this thread. I was assuming she may have kept her maiden name as some people do because of certain careers etc. they have. Although I figured it’s possible more info on her could be found if we knew a married name.
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Her married name was probably Pamela Clemens or Pamela Buckley-Clemens
 
Awsi Dooger said:
I believe this is the other member of Sunlending, the guy at right in the photo...John Daly. He is primarily known as a guitarist but it looks like he cut his own album in 1981 and then someone uploaded one of the songs to YouTube in 2014. He has a number of credits, as recent as 2016, often with Beach Boys member Carl Wilson notably when Wilson broke away to do his own album independent of the other members of the Beach Boys.

Piece of My Life - John Daly | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic

John Daly | Credits | AllMusic

Click to expand...

Good info.

I read that Daly was originally from PA. (Not sure if he could have known Jim at that time, though)?? Daly also lived in Largo, FL.

Also, Matthews recorded the "Steamboat Album" before he died in the hang gliding accident while living in CO.

Since both of them stayed in the music field, it's possible Pam did as well. We just don't know.

John Denver (before he was "discovered") lived in Minnesota. And, he was pals with Peter Yarrow who recorded with MacGregor.

I keep circling around these people and finding nothing.
 
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onceuponadecember said:
(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
Click to expand...
If you are good on working on timelines, then you should do ones for serial killers. It might really help shed some light on unsolved cases. I try it at my website sometimese. It can be difficult.
 
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