NV NV - Donnis Redman, 14, & Michael Griffin, 18, Las Vegas, 1 March 1958

[Richard]

One of the odd things I find on Michael's profile is the car. On Charley Project and Namus it's identified as a 1950 or 1951 Dodge Clipper with twin exhausts and mufflers. The thing is I don't find any record of a vehicle by that name from Dodge. I do see images of a vehicle called a Clipper but it's a Packard vehicle. It's typical of that era, a huge boat of a car. I've seen a white 1951 Dodge which would attract attention of the younger generation. Probably the film Rebel Without a Cause created interest in older vehicles. If it was all tricked out with double mufflers and exhausts I could see it being targeted for theft. Could it be a 1941 instead of a 1951 vehicle?

There would seem to be some confusing information regarding this car. Double exhausts would only be found on a vehicle of that era which had a V-8 engine.

Prior to 1953, all Dodge cars came with either a straight (in line cylinder) six or straight eight engine. The Packard Clipper was always either straight six or straight eight.

Dodge did not have a model named "Clipper" but did have a "Crusader" model starting in 1951 - mostly for sale in Canada.

I think that there must have been some mistaking the facts in this case regarding the car's description.

 

[Valiant]

There would seem to be some confusing information regarding this car. Double exhausts would only be found on a vehicle of that era which had a V-8 engine.

Prior to 1953, all Dodge cars came with either a straight (in line cylinder) six or straight eight engine. The Packard Clipper was always either straight six or straight eight.

Dodge did not have a model named "Clipper" but did have a "Crusader" model starting in 1951 - mostly for sale in Canada.

I think that there must have been some mistaking the facts in this case regarding the car's description.

Actually there are, and probably were back then, kits to put dual exhaust on straight 6 or straight 8 engines. It can be as simple as a Y to split a single exhaust pipe into 2 pipes either before or after the muffler or after doors shop setups that create a dual setup at the engine, using separate exhaust manifold/header for each half the engine. Here’s an example, though this one if for a straight 6 Ford.

 

[Richard]

There could be a way to modify or change just about anything. A set of custom headers for a straight six engine is a good example.

While it could be done, what would be the gain of modifying a straight six engine with dual exhaust? At most, a little more horsepower. Without the headers, and splitting the exhaust further back, there would likely be no benefit whatsoever.

Besides the headers, such a modification would require two mufflers and two separate exhaust pipes. That would require a lot of work, expertise, and expense. Especially for an 18 year old boy.

 

[John/Jane Doe]

4633DMCA - Michael Lawrence Griffin

2409DFCA - Donnis Marie Redman

 

[SimsGuy67]

Pinky has been ruled out as the Tucson Jane Doe, found in 1965.

 

[Bit of hope]

Doe Network said that the hair on Little Miss X was wavy, "but may not have been natural". i wonder if this could mean that she dyed it to a brown color.

I think they mean it was possibly straight but permed or done with pin curls or rollers.

 

[Issa]

I wish I had more or contact with Pinky's family. Or someone from hers or Michael's high school. Someone knows more to the story than we do. I know yearbooks are online now I wonder if their are?

 

[Richard]

65 years missing...

 

[hoodratholly]

Has anyone tried searching what we know in the 1950s census? Maybe we’ll find a family clue or something in there 1950 Census - Home | 1950 Census

 

[Bit of hope]

This is the obituary of Donnis's mom. https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/dailybreeze/name/catherine-welsh-obituary?id=21626164

I think the Redman family lived in San Pedro, Los Angeles, CA when Donnis eloped. (Also mentioned in the obituary above as hometown of her mother)

Donnis was last seen in Las Vegas, Nevada on March 1, 1958. She and her boyfriend, Michael Griffin, were in San Pedro, California when they eloped to Las Vegas,

Donnis Marie Redman – The Charley Project

charleyproject.org

 

[Richard]

65 years missing...


Donnis Redman, 14 and Michael James Griffin, 18
Both missing since 1 March 1958

 

[OddOneOut]

This is the obituary of Donnis's mom. https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/dailybreeze/name/catherine-welsh-obituary?id=21626164

I think the Redman family lived in San Pedro, Los Angeles, CA when Donnis eloped. (Also mentioned in the obituary above as hometown of her mother)

Donnis was last seen in Las Vegas, Nevada on March 1, 1958. She and her boyfriend, Michael Griffin, were in San Pedro, California when they eloped to Las Vegas,

Donnis Marie Redman – The Charley Project

charleyproject.org

I wonder if the car could have been a Packard Clipper from 1955?

 

[MadMcGoo]

I just now realized I didn’t post these on Pinky’s thread. Pardon the cross post.

Aug 31, 1951, page 2 - News-Pilot at Newspapers.com - Newspapers.com

View the digital scanned newspaper from News-Pilot dated Aug 31, 1951, page 2.

www.newspapers.com

May 24, 1957, page 6 - News-Pilot at Newspapers.com - Newspapers.com

View the digital scanned newspaper from News-Pilot dated May 24, 1957, page 6.

www.newspapers.com

 

[branmuffin]

I just now realized I didn’t post these on Pinky’s thread. Pardon the cross post.

Aug 31, 1951, page 2 - News-Pilot at Newspapers.com - Newspapers.com

View the digital scanned newspaper from News-Pilot dated Aug 31, 1951, page 2.

www.newspapers.com

View attachment 450214

May 24, 1957, page 6 - News-Pilot at Newspapers.com - Newspapers.com

View the digital scanned newspaper from News-Pilot dated May 24, 1957, page 6.

www.newspapers.com

View attachment 450213View attachment 450212

She looks so much older than 14, so poised and sophisticated looking.

 

[Bit of hope]

I just now realized I didn’t post these on Pinky’s thread. Pardon the cross post.

Aug 31, 1951, page 2 - News-Pilot at Newspapers.com - Newspapers.com

View the digital scanned newspaper from News-Pilot dated Aug 31, 1951, page 2.

www.newspapers.com

View attachment 450214

May 24, 1957, page 6 - News-Pilot at Newspapers.com - Newspapers.com

View the digital scanned newspaper from News-Pilot dated May 24, 1957, page 6.

www.newspapers.com

View attachment 450213View attachment 450212

Wow, she is so pretty. I remember a discussion in here (or at a Jane Doe thread being a possible match to Donnis) about the use of lipstick at a young age. She obviously was familiair with it.

 

[SophieRose]

Has anyone tried searching what we know in the 1950s census? Maybe we’ll find a family clue or something in there 1950 Census - Home | 1950 Census

In the 1950 census Donnis is living with her divorced mother and her mother's divorced sister (both born in Washington) and her two young sons in the San Pedro section of LA.

Her father Russell L Redman (born in Missouri) is remarried and also living in LA with new wife. Donnis' father was married three times and if right man identified, he appears to have a son from first marriage. Father and son died in the 1990s.

Her mother Catherine Marie married Lawrence Welsh in 1969, he died in 2010 shortly after CM's death. 1930 census shows Catherine Marie's father as born in Austria, 1940 census shows him born in Italy.

 

[CuriousCricket]

65 years missing...


Donnis Redman, 14 and Michael James Griffin, 18
Both missing since 1 March 1958

Michael Griffin, San Pedro California school year book for Mary Star of the Sea High School 1956 snipped today from Ancestry

 

[CuriousCricket]

This may be a duplicate.

 

[CuriousCricket]

View attachment 463970
This may be a duplicate.

And this is just weird. Having seen the missing person flyer and his name was listed as Michael Lawrence Griffin instead of Michael James Griffin, I found a Michael L Griffin with his own place in 1959

 

[SophieRose]

When I searched Donnis' ancestry back in Sep, I also searched Michael's, forgot to post it.

Born as Laurence Michael Griffin on 10/7/1939 in Los Angeles County to Truman Lawrence Griffin (7/22/14 born in Utah - 4/12/94 died in LA CA) and Ruth Constance Butterfield (12/7/11 born in CA -2/9/96 died in LA CA). Only child.