NM NM - Patty Pritz, 14, & Mattie Restine, 13, Carlsbad, 11 Aug 1961 - #1

[Sunshine 1950]

Hi, I think the Pritz lived on a street called Lewis Avenue (Now named Mountain View) when Patty was born. I may be wrong but this is what I remember. David Cathey also lived on that street...he lived on the corner of 8th and Lewis. When I was born in 1946, we lived at the end of the street. It was a dead end then. I knew David (called Davie later on) all of my early life, but I lost touch with him when we moved to the country when I was probably 11 yrs old. I don't remember her ever going with him, at least she wasn't later on when we were in high school (to my knowledge) because she went to the dances. David is probably 64-65 years old now because he is at least two years older than me.

I do have my yearbooks-- somewhere. I will need to look for them. I haven't seen them in years. But I will try to find them. It may take a while....smile.

I wonder if David Cathey is related to the J.Lee Cathey that was the Asst. DA. then the DA? Lee Cathey has a major role in this case as well. But I've heard he has Alzhiemers. Maybe he would talk about the old days if someone talked to him.

 

[flipdullpenny]

If David Blair called his father shortly after the killing Willie Dee Blair might have been involved in moving them from the killing scene and placing them in the Artesia Road area. Contained in the LE reports is the fact that a size 7-1/2 shoe print was found at the scene, the same size as Willie wore. As far as I know we don't know the size of shoe worn by David Blair. Anyone know?

What if DB didn't call WB, he just showed up there, and WB & AB took the bodies then as he cleaned up then went home to pack, I think I heard that W (B) M was a large man, like a size 13 boot, and he didn't know WB that well, they had just went hunting and fishing together for this time, what a first time to remember. I think it was to throw LE off the trail. Did anyone find out how AB was so envolved with the Higher up in CBad.

I have just a few thoughts and a few questions from the statement(s) of WB.

Does anyone know the Hughes full names that lived on 804 Legion Avenue. Legion was very close to Lewis Avenue (now Mountain View on a Carlsbad Map) where perhaps Patty lived per comment from Carlsbad Native before the move to Mesquite St.

I can't find anything on Mr. Hardesty's Ranch. Which area of Eddy County is it located? Could it be where the volunteer fire fighters were looking in Dark Canyon, which Dark Canyon Road does end up on the Queen Hwy.

I think Cox Ranch is off the Queen Highway on what is now called Marathon Rd before or after the Sitting Bull Falls Road, I will have to check.

Which Blair wore 7.5 shoe/boot size, AB sounds like the most likely, that is a very small size for a man, women that worked at the potash mines had to were boots also, There were a lot of people that came to work the mines, I remember a union strike about that time. At my age, I had a hard time trying to figure out a strike, name calling and picketers, and bosses with picketers.

I had just turned 6 years old in August 1961, we spend many hours hunting rabbits and fishing in that area. I know there is an old car on Queens Hwy on the right side of the road, and it would be almost impossible to remove, it is held by a tree on a sharp curve. I am not sure what kind of car it is but it looks older than a 55 or 56, no telling how many cars are lost in that area with all the winding roads.

Just one more note: Now called Queen Hwy on maps, was just off the Carlsbad-Artesia Hwy, If just a small word (off ) the highway, would make a lot more scene in the statements. I think the Lewis Ranch is off the Artesia Highway, on now what is called the Queen Highway, on the way to Queen NM.

This is my first post ever, I haope I did some good, I have been reading over and over for days. I wake up in the morning and the middle of the night with questions and visions, kinda like the show Medium, but have no claim to this, except I would like the perp to be found Dead or Alive. Anne, et all, I am so sorry for your loss.

 

[fish1966]

flip,I too was confused about Legion Ave but the street that you are thinking of by 8th street are houses 2400's and up. But I think there is another Legion in town. The Hughes that you are talking about lived facing 8th street on the left side of Patty's house. Kevin Hughes lived in the house after his parents passed away I think. Kevin played baseball with my brother when they were kids and I my brother was born in 195l. Kevin has since passed away from cancer I believe.

 

[fish1966]

By the way, flip, you are not the only one loosing sleep over this. I am thinking of it constantly as are others on here and others that are not on here. Pray God allow this to be revealed that those that have lived with this all their lives (Mattie's and Patty's families)
can have some peace in their lives.

 

[flipdullpenny]

I remember that there was an alley between our house an Mesquite St. We lived on Lake and Mesquite St. was at an angle to our house. If you walked across Bonbright and went across the alley...you could be at Patty's house within minutes. That's how I remember it anyway. The Simmons family lived across the street from us and their garage was right there by the alley. That is the garage that Ronnie RIce asked Patty to leave him a note at. Funny how things start to click when your memory is jarred.

Also if my memory is right I think the Arrowhead Drive Inn was on Church St. not that far from the old Eisenhower Jr. High building. But I might be wrong on that as well. But I do believe Church St. is right.

I guess in the day it was the high school was on Church, at my time it was the Mid-High school 9th-10th grades only, and Eisenhower was a Jr High School, 7-8 grade, now it is the PR Lava. and the Arrowhead was a drive in-pick up a coke and hamburger place, but there was a Drive in Theater by where the Hospital or new hotel is, I have been told twice it was called the Arrowhead Drive in Theater, but I don't remember the theater, just the food place next to the school. It has been many things over the years, but it still looks like a castle front at the door. All things turn on a dime, I'm just a penny.

 

[justthinkin]

Welcome to WS. flipdullpenny. Unusual handle you've got there.

I'm just dropping by to say I haven't fallen off the face of the earth. Have company this weekend. Will probably try to get back in the groove tomorrow sometime.

SS1950, I've got my fingers crossed. Doesn't look like I'm going to come down with the flu. I had the flu back in 1959. All I can guess is that I have immunity from that similar flu. Whoohoo. To those who don't know. I got a good exposure doing some banking I had to do. 15 mins. sitting in front of someone coughing, and who informed me she had the flu. What the heck was she doing at work?

Now I've probably jinxed myself by this little announcement.

 

[Sunshine 1950]

Mattie & Patty's bodies were found at .7 mile West and .7 mile North of the Hamilton Service Station. Station was located 9.8 miles North of Carlsbad on Highway 285.

I need to give Charles Titus credit for this map...he sent to me several years ago.

 

[Sunshine 1950]

Okay people I dug in some of the notes I took when Mr. Titus and I were emailing back & forth.
The other Officer that went to Carlsbad with him was Jerry Morgan, this was on August 15,1961. Chief Deputy Joe Hill who took them out to the crime scene. Officer Titus said they had seen where there was two dug out holes where they tried to retrieve some type of evidence. He (Titus) said they spent most of the day out there with Deputy Hill, then left to go back home.

 

[justthinkin]

Thanks for the pic of Dan McGrew, SS1950. Do you have the date that he died?

What was this man like? Did he ever laugh much or joke around or was he mostly always serious in nature? SS1950, you said he used to come over & if a pot of coffee wasn't on, he'd start one up himself. What do you remember of this man outside of his "cop nature?"

If we can get a collection of people's memories of Dan McGrew, we might have more basis to confirm whether or not he may have committed suicide.

From the article, it sounds like he had a lot going for him, and yet, from the photo, there's a sad quality about him. Eyes not focused in a clear direction, and seemingly turned inward. I wonder who chose that particular photo to be published in the newspaper?

Who was, W. C. Dan McGrew?

 

[Legacy]

November 3, 1961 Albuquerque Journal...Last Day is Described

 

[Carlsbad Native]

Sunshine wrote: I wonder if David Cathey is related to the J.Lee Cathey that was the Asst. DA. then the DA? Lee Cathey has a major role in this case as well. But I've heard he has Alzhiemers. Maybe he would talk about the old days if someone talked to him.


Hi Sunshine,
I think his name was actually David Caffey but although I have been checking, I can't find out for sure. His dad was a miner and his mom was a stay at home mom. I don't think he was kin.

 

[Sunshine 1950]

Thanks for the pic of Dan McGrew, SS1950. Do you have the date that he died?

What was this man like? Did he ever laugh much or joke around or was he mostly always serious in nature? SS1950, you said he used to come over & if a pot of coffee wasn't on, he'd start one up himself. What do you remember of this man outside of his "cop nature?"

If we can get a collection of people's memories of Dan McGrew, we might have more basis to confirm whether or not he may have committed suicide.

From the article, it sounds like he had a lot going for him, and yet, from the photo, there's a sad quality about him. Eyes not focused in a clear direction, and seemingly turned inward. I wonder who chose that particular photo to be published in the newspaper?

Who was, W. C. Dan McGrew?

I remember McGrew as being very sure of himself. Maybe struck on himself...easy going...and he seemed to enjoy children. He would always ask us how our school day went...stuff like that. I don't recall him touching us...but he did pick Kelly (8 months old) up and play with him some.
I heard later during the 2003 investigation that he was a ladies man...but I don't know that for sure. I don't remember him as flirting with my mother...of course...my mother would have thrown him through the door if he had I'm sure....
I always felt like he sincerely wanted to caught the killers and solve the case.
That article is the only one I have on him....when I started looking for stuff on McGrew it was hard to find...even his obit. I asked CT if he had anything on McGrew and he sent me that article...minus the first page of it!? CT said to...McGrew was a smart elick(sp?)...but I don't remember him as being that way...but I was only 11-13 yrs. old when I was around McGrew. So I might have been mistaken...
McGrew was a very handsome man....

 

[Legacy]

I emailed SS1950 and asked her permission to share the out of state accounts of the girls' murders, since she doesn't have some of these. Various ones of these show an even greater degree of brutality inflicted to Mattie than do the in state reports. I'll let SS1950 take it from here...as there are some conflicting accounts as to whether Mattie, in fact, was spared added brutality and considered "the innocent one" by the killer.

 

[justthinkin]

Are there any more accounts like that last article that have Mattie receiving blows to her head prior to being shot?

Would a .38 ever be described as a small caliber weapon?

Are there any newspaper reports that the gun used was a .38?

 

[fish1966]

just, if my memory is working the original article in the Current Argus in 1961 does mention the condition of her head being crushed.

 

[Sunshine 1950]

just, if my memory is working the original article in the Current Argus in 1961 does mention the condition of her head being crushed.

I do remember the officers that came to the house told my parents that Matties skull had been crushed in...that she would have died from the blows alone...and they have always said it was most likely a 38 caliber gun that was used.

 

[Sunshine 1950]

I think I found the Hughes man name...the one that was friends with Willie D. Blair.

It is Truett Hughes
wife: Marcella JeAnne Phillips
married: June 30, 1938 in Vernon, Tx.

I have that down from the notes I took with BB

This is the very close friend of the Blair family. He gave WB an alibi for when the two young girls were molested. and then again when WB said he had been fishing with the Hughes family the night the girls were missing.

 

[Legacy]

just, if my memory is working the original article in the Current Argus in 1961 does mention the condition of her head being crushed.

If anyone is in or close to the Carlsbad area and if you have time...the LDS Family History Center in Carlsbad has copies of the old local newspapers in large binders - at least that is what I have been told. I'm wondering if we can't access the McGrew obituary that way, as well as other articles relating to the homicides. You would want to take a digital camera and snap photos of the articles, as from what I was told, they don't have a way to copy because of the way they are bound together - should be a lot easier that way anyway.

Also, another suggestion for those living in the area. The metal detector idea was not at all a bad one. Maybe law enforcement would appreciate someone going to the area with a detector, like Mr. T said ---- just in case. You might want to get a go ahead from law enforcement first though - and the property owner. Maybe just the suggestion of doing it would spark law enforcement to perform the detector search themselves.

I don't have access to many of the old newspapers, just those that participate in the site I belong to - Carlsbad is not one of those.

Anything anyone can add in the form of old articles, including obituaries of any of those involved in one way or another would be greatly appreciated.

 

[justthinkin]

Anyone who decides to seek access to search with a metal detector should go in a group for reasons of safety!

I am now a little bit confused by the maps after you posted this last one, SS1950.
The car that someone saw turning around in a pasture, were they observing that from 137 or 285? Earlier, I had the impression the murders happened a ways out 137. According to google maps, there's a road that cuts off of 137, crosses a creek and then turns back toward 285. Somehow I had it in my mind that that was where the bodies were found. Please clarify for me.

 

[Legacy]

19 Aug 1961 El Paso Newspaper Page 5