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Women can be the devil to track down because their names change.
I would like to add if anyone that was friends with Patty during this time, if you would contact Anne. It might help clear up some of the questions that have risen about the diary. Linda Roberts mother's last name was Howard and she lived in the house on church street and may still be there if she is living. Margaret seems to have moved from Carlsbad soon after the girl's deaths. Maybe someone might know her family or where they moved to.
One of the guys hanging out with Rabe when he was in town also had the last name of Howard. I wonder if they were related? I can't remember if all three were from out of town or just Rabe. When Rabe reportedly came back to the motel room the night of the murders and told the other two they'd have to leave because of what he'd just done - it made me think the other two might have been local and just "hanging out" in Rabe's room to party.
I think one of these guys is still living - at least in 2003. Any chance you've talked to him, Sunshine?
I just re-read the newspaper article citing DA Cathey's investigation of Rabe. It is noted that Rabe was in town studying for his bar exam. He was friends with two guys who worked at a gas station near the motel where he was staying.
It mentions in the side notes of the article that the Howard male was a Jr. I suppose he could have been using his middle name, or maybe was even a nephew or other relative of Cliff Howard, assuming it was Cliff Howard's station they were working at.
The corner of Canal and Church: wouldn't the girls have had to pass by this intersection on their way home from the Beach that night? Isn't this also very close to where the Warble girl and Mrs. Howard lived? It might make sense that they lived close to one of their gas station businesses.
This is getting interesting...or just another coincidence in the making.
Does anyone know the name of the lady who Katie Pinson took care of who had Alzheimers? She also had a close friend named Mary. There may have been someone related to this Mary or someone else close to Katie who was friends with Nichols during his visits to Carlsbad. I can't say this for sure, but it was a fleeting thought of the Nichols family member I spoke to.
I keep thinking there is a connection that is being overlooked, or yet to be discovered that might tie all the pieces together and make some of the conflicting sightings and theories make more sense. If we could just find it.
You said all the guys hung out at the gas station, Jan1966. Do you know if David Blair would have ever been a regular there or friends with that group?
Legacy,
I don't remember anything about David Blair although his picture looks familiar. A lot of the guys hung out at that gas station. It would have been about five blocks from the Howard home where Linda Roberts lived. They would definitely have had to walk by there on their way to and from the beach. I have been trying to find a picture of Rabe. He may have graduated from Ysleta High School in El Paso in '50 or '51. I couldn't find any link in El Paso or Phoenix. Yes he said he passed the bar but I don't know if that was Texas or Arizona. :banghead: brick by brick by brick!
That's interesting. Sure wish we could find some information on him. Or the Dennis McCaskey guy. ThanksEarly on when I was looking into the suspects I found a newspaper article indicating Rabe practiced law in El Paso. In fact I think it was an article having to do with him being held in contempt by the judge hearing the case. I'll look for it...
Anne, I e-mailed you the info on Cliff Howard. He has a son named Joel Howard.
Anne, I found a listing for Rex Howard in Pinellas Park, Fla. near St. Peterburg. I will e-mail you his phone number. His age is listed as 69.
I know R. Howard, Jr. was from Carlsbad. But the other one D. McCaskey...I'm not sure. I know that the investigator couldn't find anything out about him...he thought maybe he was deceased as well. The Howard guy lived in Florida when the investigation was re-opened.
And yes, these guys would hang out with Rabe when he came into town. He did insurance adjustments for State Farm...I believe.