OR OR - Rodney Grissom, 14, & Karen Lee, 15, Albany/Cornelius, May 1977

[Fuuro]

http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/g/grissom_rodney.html
http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/l/lee_karen.html

These 2 children disappeared together within 2 days and were believed to be hitchhiking to California. They really remind me of the 2 people who were found deceased in Mendocino CA in 1979, but those young adults were proven to be related, and as far as we know these kids are just friends. What were kids so young doing hitchhiking anyway? Did their parents know about this, or did they plan on not coming back? I wonder if the Green River Killer was involved in this? If I recall correctly, he did operate out of OR at one point... He could've targeted Karen Lee and harmed Rodney Grissom because he was a witness. :moo:

 

[dogperson]

I believe DNA finally proved the 2 kids in Mendocino were not related. At first they were thought to be brother and sister and the last thing I recall seeing about them is that it was now thought they were a boyfriend and girlfriend who ran away together. I too think these would be a good match.

 

[Angelpantz]

How do I find out if these two children were ever identified? Rodney is my father in laws son and I'd love to find out if this is Rodney they found. I'm not sure how to proceed from here

 

[theshadow45]

The Mendocino County Jane Does have been identified as Kerry Graham and Francine Trimble of Forestville, California. Nuclear DNA tests proved that both bodies were female.

 

[Romulus]

Karen Jean Lee (15) & Rodney Lynn Grissom (14) - Albany OR, 1977

Rodney Lynn Grissom

Endangered Missing from Albany, Oregon since May 24, 1977

Age: 14 -- Height: 5'2" -- Weight: 100 lbs -- Hair Color: Brown -- Eye Color: Blue

http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/g/grissom_rodney.html

Namus https://www.findthemissing.org/en/cases/14013/3/

Karen Jean Lee

Endangered Missing from Cornelius, Oregon since May 26, 1977

Age: 15 -- Height: 5'7" -- Weight: 128 lbs -- Hair Color: Brown -- Eye Color: Brown

Karen has a scar on her upper lip and her left knee.

http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/l/lee_karen.html

Namus https://www.findthemissing.org/en/cases/12090/0/




Karen and Rodney were last seen in Cornelius and Albany, Oregon in May, 1977. Rodney left on May 24th, and Karen left on May 26. The pair reportedly planned to hitchhike to California. Neither of them have been heard from since. Later on, some items related to Karen and Rodney were found off a logging road in Washington County, Oregon. These items led investigators to believe foul play was involved in their disappearance. ​

 

[Ibiz]

http://charleyproject.org/cases/l/lee_karen.html

Why are these Charley project links always dead?

 

[Ozoner]

http://charleyproject.org/cases/l/lee_karen.html

Why are these Charley project links always dead?

Charley Project re-vamped their site.

http://charleyproject.org/case/karen-jean-lee


http://charleyproject.org/case/rodney-lynn-grissom

 

[Ibiz]

Thank you. It's sad that there's just so little info on this case. I think after so many years have passed, agencies should release whatever they know about a lot of these old cases to the public.

 

[Two for the road]

Bump.

I found quite a few newspaper articles about these two and it appears that they are likely deceased and have been since at least November after they went missing.

 

[Coffee56]

1977: Friends Karen Lee, 15, and Rodney Grissom, 14, made their final phone call from Lebanon. Their bodies were never found but Karen’s jeans, pages of her journal and the blouse she’d sewn for a school project were found off a logging road in the Upper Soda Fork area of Linn County. Five years later, some of Grissom’s clothing and possessions were found not far from where Lee’s things had been located.

Do you have a tip on Highway 20 disappearances?

 

[Coffee56]

Ghosts of Highway 20

 

[Two for the road]

The articles I found stated that some bones were found near their items as well. I cannot find anything about what became of the bones but knowing Oregon, they were likely destroyed. One article i found says that Karen's belongings were found bundled up in a blanket tied with cable wire and that they suspected foul play because one of her shoes was in the bundle and it was still tied and it was apparently a shoe that would have been hard to remove without untying.

So very likely they were killed shortly after making that phone call. My question is charley, doe network and namus say they were headed to CA...but she made the call in Lebanon to family in WI. And if you look, Lebanon is east of where they started from, not South as you'd expect if they were headed to California. Then their belongings were found even further east... doesnt make much sense.

Anyway, I'm sure the remains they found by their belongings have been destroyed as they are not in namus...


Nice find coffee!!

 

[Two for the road]

@meggilyweggily not sure if you get on WS much, but did you want to update their Charley pages with this new info and photo?

Apologize if I tagged the wrong WS user!

 

[ClaireNC]

Possible victims of a SK? OR - John Arthur Ackroyd suspected SK US Highway 20 1976-1992

 

[Two for the road]

Possible victims of a SK? OR - John Arthur Ackroyd suspected SK US Highway 20 1976-1992

I think so. I think they found their remains too but they were never entered into Namus. I emailed Nici Vance about it but it was during the Annie Doe/Annie Lehman case. They found her diary, purse, clothing and shoes and some bones. And they also found Rods wallet and ID along with some bones.

My theory is that Ackroyd was the ride that Karen said she found. They didn't make it very much further than where that call was made to where the remains and belongings were found. Again just my theory.

<modsnip - referenced post was removed>

 

[ClaireNC]

I think so. I think they found their remains too but they were never entered into Namus. I emailed Nici Vance about it but it was during the Annie Doe/Annie Lehman case. They found her diary, purse, clothing and shoes and some bones. And they also found Rods wallet and ID along with some bones.

My theory is that Ackroyd was the ride that Karen said she found. They didn't make it very much further than where that call was made to where the remains and belongings were found. Again just my theory.

<modsnip - referenced post was removed>

Thanks for the info! While I believe what Dr. Vance said is true, I wonder why they are still listed as missing. <modsnip - referenced post was removed>

 

[Two for the road]

Thanks for the info! While I believe what Dr. Vance said is true, I wonder why they are still listed as missing. <modsnip - referenced post was removed>

The series that's written in 5 parts? Yes I've read it. <modsnip - referenced post was removed> The sad part is, it's seems to be Ackroyd's MO seems to be to only dispose of parts of his victims. I don't even want to think about what he did with the rest.

 

[Two for the road]

That snow mountain Jane doe skull looks so much like Karen. The high cheek bones and pointed chin!

Per articles at the time, she was ruled out via dentals...but those have been wrong before!

 

[medgal1968]

How do I find out if these two children were ever identified? Rodney is my father in laws son and I'd love to find out if this is Rodney they found. I'm not sure how to proceed from here

Lets chat! I am Rodneys cousin and his father is my Great Uncle. I am wanting to get some closure for the family with regards to this case.

 

[MadMcGoo]

Current list of Unidentified Person exclusions for
Karen Jean Lee per NamUs:
​

UP8419 01/16/2001 Isle of Wight VA
UP4790 04/24/1981 Miami OH
UP6629 02/03/1991 Frederick VA
UP8579 01/25/1981 Hanover VA
UP12683 06/06/2014 Newport News VA
UP3153 04/19/1981 Will IL
UP11638 05/09/1978 Josephine OR (X2)
UP9978 10/13/2010 Pierce WA (X2)
UP6796 11/18/1985 Alleghany VA
UP10450 07/08/1979 Mendocino CA
UP6642 08/07/1986 Chesterfield VA
UP10799 02/24/1980 Clark WA
UP6665 05/14/2007 Petersburg VA
UP6150 11/07/1998 Stafford VA
UP1567 06/01/1987 Knox TN
UP2128 08/14/1977 Snohomish WA (X2)

Current list of Unidentified Person exclusions for
Rodney Linn Grissom per NamUs:
​

UP703 01/12/1981 Harris TX
UP14360 08/14/2015 Bland VA
UP11170 01/26/2005 Accomack VA
UP12163 06/30/1995 Accomack VA
UP6639 07/28/2007 Fairfax VA
UP6149 01/22/1996 Halifax VA
UP14518 04/03/2010 Shenandoah VA
UP14901 11/14/1980 Cuyahoga OH
UP787 02/09/2002 Richmond VA
UP6512 04/25/1985 Greensville VA
UP6637 10/07/2006 Fairfax VA
UP6530 05/18/1990 Chesterfield VA
UP9399 01/09/1983 Caroline VA
UP13739 03/28/2015 Virginia Beach VA
UP1296 10/10/1980 Pinellas FL
UP6515 04/19/1987 Charlottesville VA
UP6278 07/05/2007 Botetourt VA
UP6304 08/01/1993 Clarke VA
UP6513 01/01/1990 Brunswick VA
UP10450 07/08/1979 Mendocino CA
UP6469 11/26/2005 Falls Church VA
UP9805 11/26/2011 Lee VA
UP9342 07/20/1982 Chesapeake VA
UP2626 02/01/1991 Virginia Beach VA
UP5532 04/07/1992 Newport News VA
UP6301 11/10/1988 Caroline VA
UP6638 04/06/2006 Fairfax VA
UP5239 01/01/2008 Lynchburg VA
UP2229 09/28/1990 Stafford VA
UP6507 11/10/1988 Caroline VA