Sheila and Katherine Lyon-sisters missing since 1975 - #1

[Motherof5]

Thanks for the police contact you provided. I called Montgomery County Cold Case unit with the information this afternoon...hopefully it will help!

Thank you!!!!![emoji4]


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[isilverbell]

Here is the latest from the reporter:

http://www.wset.com/story/27329633/...rd-in-lyon-sisters-case#.VF1JsyHEzBo.facebook

Bedford, VA – Grand jurors heard more testimony Friday in Bedford in the decades-old case of two missing girls from Maryland.

Sheila Lyon, 12, and Katherine Lyon, 10, disappeared from a Wheaton, MD shopping plaza in March 1975. In September cold case investigators from Montgomery Co., MD searched Taylor's Mountain in Thaxton, where they believe the girls could be buried.

Capt. Darren Francke, with the Montgomery Co., MD Department of Police, said leads have come in since a news conference held in Bedford Co. on October 2. Francke said new information has come from people in both Bedford Co. and in Maryland. Investigators from Francke's department were in the area this week, working with the Bedford County Sheriff's Office and Commonwealth's Attorney and Virginia State Police. Francke said they are still interested in Taylor's Mountain, though he could not say if and when there will be another mountain search.

"We're still pointed in the direction that Bedford is involved,” said Capt. Darren Francke. “We're still on target down here. New information still puts us down here in Bedford."

Richard “Dick” Welch was named the second person of interest in the girls' disappearance at the October 2 news conference. Dick Welch owns property on Taylor's Mountain. He currently lives in Hyattsville, MD. Dick Welch's nephew, Lloyd Welch, Jr. was named a person of interest in February. Lloyd Welch, Jr. is a child sex offender, currently incarcerated in Delaware. The Welches have family ties to the area.

The multi-jurisdictional grand jury first met on October 3. Another meeting is scheduled for December 5. Bedford County Commonwealth's Attorney Randy Krantz said last week the grand jury will work at least through the end of the year. The grand jury has investigative power, can subpoena witnesses, and jail anyone who refuses to provide testimony.

Some local Welch family members confirmed in early October they had been called before the grand jury. They are now under gag orders.

 

[simplifymylife2014]

Thank you VERY MUCH for that update!

 

[simplifymylife2014]

It has happened before but I doubt it in this case. The odds of the girls being held for 39 years are basically none. Besides, I wouldn't wish that kind of tortured life on anyone.


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I understand what you are saying, however, I guess it depends on
each individual case. Elizabeth Smart and others seem happy to
still be alive and enjoying their lives to the best of their abilities.

 

[Motherof5]

Here is the latest from the reporter:

http://www.wset.com/story/27329633/...rd-in-lyon-sisters-case#.VF1JsyHEzBo.facebook

Bedford, VA – Grand jurors heard more testimony Friday in Bedford in the decades-old case of two missing girls from Maryland.

Sheila Lyon, 12, and Katherine Lyon, 10, disappeared from a Wheaton, MD shopping plaza in March 1975. In September cold case investigators from Montgomery Co., MD searched Taylor's Mountain in Thaxton, where they believe the girls could be buried.

Capt. Darren Francke, with the Montgomery Co., MD Department of Police, said leads have come in since a news conference held in Bedford Co. on October 2. Francke said new information has come from people in both Bedford Co. and in Maryland. Investigators from Francke's department were in the area this week, working with the Bedford County Sheriff's Office and Commonwealth's Attorney and Virginia State Police. Francke said they are still interested in Taylor's Mountain, though he could not say if and when there will be another mountain search.

"We're still pointed in the direction that Bedford is involved,” said Capt. Darren Francke. “We're still on target down here. New information still puts us down here in Bedford."

Richard “Dick” Welch was named the second person of interest in the girls' disappearance at the October 2 news conference. Dick Welch owns property on Taylor's Mountain. He currently lives in Hyattsville, MD. Dick Welch's nephew, Lloyd Welch, Jr. was named a person of interest in February. Lloyd Welch, Jr. is a child sex offender, currently incarcerated in Delaware. The Welches have family ties to the area.

The multi-jurisdictional grand jury first met on October 3. Another meeting is scheduled for December 5. Bedford County Commonwealth's Attorney Randy Krantz said last week the grand jury will work at least through the end of the year. The grand jury has investigative power, can subpoena witnesses, and jail anyone who refuses to provide testimony.

Some local Welch family members confirmed in early October they had been called before the grand jury. They are now under gag orders.

I'm so happy that people from Bedford and Maryland are coming forward with information. I think we're finally going to get answers for the Lyon family and hopefully justice will follow.


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[Richard]

The WMAL $7,000 Reward...

Back on 1 April 1975, Radio Station WMAL, offered a $7,000 reward to the first person who could offer information leading to the recovery of Sheila and Katherine Lyon. While hundreds of tips were called in to Montgomery County Police before and after that date, the girls remained missing and the reward was never paid out to anyone.

Just recently, MCP has asked WMAL if they would still honor that reward offer. Although WMAL has undergone several changes of management and ownership in the past 40 years, the current owners have stated that they would still honor that reward offer.

This could be significant information. Certainly a reward of a much higher amount could have been raised and offered through current Crime Solvers Tip organizations or through any number of businesses or individuals. But MCP took special steps to get this Specific Reward ($7,000) reinstated by WMAL.

It is not likely that this reward is being offered to gain new information, but rather to make or offer payment to someone who called in a tip back in 1975. Could there have been some significant information available back then which is now being proven correct - or that has yielded positive results?

Note that the reward was to be paid to the first person who offered information leading to the recovery of the Lyon sisters. Since MCP seems to believe that the girls are dead and buried somewhere, could they intend to offer this reward to someone who can lead them to their graves?

This is the specific reward that Lloyd Lee Welch, Jr. told his stepmother he was going to attempt to collect by calling in a tip after reading about it in the paper. Since MCP has indicated that they have Lloyd's name and Hyattsville address for 1 April 1975 (the date that the reward offer was announced) it is possible that he did indeed call them with information about the Lyon sisters.

 

[RichardLewis]

I had thought about this as well. There is some sort of strategy behind this token $7k reward, not obviously apparent to the casual observer. btw, what would $7000 in 1975 adjusted for inflation be worth today? $30k, $40k, $50K?...
That could be the type of serious money it would take to get somebody to turn in a family member, friend, etc... With a collective effort, we could start some type of go fund me (or similar) account to get the reward higher if that would solve the problem. Also, just think about the hundreds of thousands of dollars (maybe $1M+ ? over 39 years??) in resources (LE payroll, expenses, resources, time, opportunity costs, public expense...) that have been expended investigating the case over the years. MCP probably spends at least $7k every time they go to Bedford for a few days. I'm sure they would gladly give $7k to somebody to lead them to the girls at this point, perhaps with or without the chance to convict somebody; just for some resolution for the family.

 

[simplifymylife2014]

Very interesting points RichardLewis!!

 

[AAWJ]

But money will also make a lot of people lie just for the pay out.

 

[Motherof5]

But money will also make a lot of people lie just for the pay out.

They don't get the money unless their info is legit. They don't give reward money to liars.


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[boogie55]

Am I missing something in the last statement of this article that came out yesterday or has the author just chosen the wrong wording ? Has LE actually said this?

"Police said the Lyon sisters were taken to property owned by Richard “Dick” Welch after being kidnapped in Wheaton. A search of the property came up empty."

http://www.thesentinel.com/mont/ind...-lyon-sisters-grand-jury-testimony&Itemid=766

 

[simplifymylife2014]

Am I missing something in the last statement of this article that came out yesterday or has the author just chosen the wrong wording ? Has LE actually said this?

"Police said the Lyon sisters were taken to property owned by Richard “Dick” Welch after being kidnapped in Wheaton. A search of the property came up empty."

http://www.thesentinel.com/mont/ind...-lyon-sisters-grand-jury-testimony&Itemid=766

This article contains MANY things I have never heard before!!

Richard, would you comment on ALL of the things that we have never read before such as what was mentioned in the last comment and was Helen Craver ever stated to have been WITH LLW at the mall?!!

 

[Richard]

The Old WMAL Reward...

Adjusted for inflation, a $7000 reward in 1975 would be roughly equivalent to a $35,000 reward today. I do not think that increasing the amount would necessarily make someone who called in a tip in 1975 come forward any faster. It may be that someone called MCP with information in 1975 and has been recently contacted by them to elaborate on their earlier tip.

Except for that $7000 WMAL reward offered in 1975, I do not know of any other reward ever offered in the past 40 years. By re-instating (or validating) that origional reward, it would be available only to someone who could prove that they were "first" to offer valuable information back in 1975 which would lead to the recovery of the Lyon Sisters.
This would eliminate any current crank calls or offers of theories relating to the case. If MCP thought that offering a larger reward would yield results in this case it would have been done at some point in the last 40 years.

In fact, MCP was opposed to WMAL offering the $7000 reward initially and asked that they "hold off" on making the offer until late in the day on Monday, 31 March 1975 when it was decided that WMAL could go ahead and announce their offer. This was done and announced in the newspapers on Tuesday, 1 April 1975. This was all stated in articles in the Washington Post for those two dates.

It is possible that someone has already been contacted by MCP who asked if the reward offer was still good. This might also have a basis in legal procedings. If a witness comes forward who was paid by MCP for information, that testimony or evidence could be considered tainted, whereas if WMAL was simply making good on a 1975 reward, then "no foul" by MCP.

 

[Richard]

This article contains MANY things I have never heard before!!

Richard, would you comment on ALL of the things that we have never read before such as what was mentioned in the last comment and was Helen Craver ever stated to have been WITH LLW at the mall?!!

----------------

I cannot comment specifically on every article which has come out in recent times on this case, other than to state that most news articles borrow heavily from previously published accounts. There are a few very good reporters who do go to primary sources and come up with good information.

The article in question states in part:

quote Montgomery County Police spokesperson Captain Paul Starks said MCPD is not involved with the grand jury proceedings or Welch’s arrest.

“The investigation of the Lyons sisters is a priority for us. The testimony and other information that occurs in grand jury is secret. This is Bedford County’s investigation,” Starks said.

Sheila and Katherine Lyon disappeared on March 25, 1975 while walking home from Wheaton Plaza. Witnesses told police the girls were seen at the mall eating pizza at Orange Julius and speaking with a man who had a microphone. They were reported missing by their mother after they failed to return home by 7 p.m.

In February, Montgomery County police and the FBI named Lloyd Lee Welch as a suspect in the sister’s disappearance. Welch, who was 18 in 1975, is a convicted child molester with an extensive arrest record in Maryland, South Carolina, Virginia and Delaware. Police said he and his girlfriend Helen Craver were at Wheaton Plaza the day the Lyon sisters disappeared. Lloyd and other members of his family have publicly proclaimed their innocence. Craver died in 2009. Lloyd is currently serving a 30-year sentence in Delaware.

Police said the Lyon sisters were taken to property owned by Richard “Dick” Welch after being kidnapped in Wheaton. A search of the property came up empty.



--------

Here are my comments on the article:

The quote of Captain Sparks, MCP, is the only new information released and comes from an official briefing.

The paragraph about the girls disappearance is a paraphrase of one of my early summaries which incorrectly changes the name of "The Orange Bowl" to "Orange Julius". I have long ago corrected that bit of information because NOBODY ever actually saw the girls "eating pizza" that day. It was their INTENT to have lunch there, according to their mother. They were reported to have been seen talking to the Tape Recorder Man (TRM) at a planter near the Orange Bowl. I believe it was actually their father who called police when the girls failed to return home by 7PM, although their mother relayed that information to a reporter in 1975.

The next paragraph begins with a misstatement that Lloyd Welch was named as a SUSPECT in the Lyon sisters' disappearance last February. He was actually named a "Person of Interest" in the case.

Helen Craver was named as a person with whom Lloyd was connected, but it was never stated that she was present at Wheaton Plaza on 25 March 1975. Police have stated that they believe Lloyd was there that day.

MCP has linked that information (however obtained) with a report and composite drawing of an (in 1975) unidentified Long Haired Man (LHM) reportedly seen following and bothering Sheila, Kate, and an unidentified third girl that day. Some articles have mistakenly stated as a fact that this was a sketch of Lloyd Welch rather than as a sketch of an unknown suspect bearing a resemblence to Welch.

Since some photos shown of Welch in the MCP briefings were of him and Helen, other reporters may have assumed/inferred that BOTH were at the mall that same day.

Montgomery County Police have not stated publicly (yet) that the girls were kidnapped by Dick Welch and transported to Virginia. Investigators in Virginia have stated that they believe the girls could possibly be buried in Bedford County. Richard Welch has been formally named by MCP as a Person of Interest in the Case, but the statement made by the reporter seems to be her conclusion rather than a matter of reporting the facts as stated.

 

[Historydetective63]

They don't get the money unless their info is legit. They don't give reward money to liars.


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Good point!

 

[georgiasblu]

I'm so happy that people from Bedford and Maryland are coming forward with information. I think we're finally going to get answers for the Lyon family and hopefully justice will follow.


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Hi all, been following along on this thread for a few years. I saw that Patricia Welch, wife of Richard was arrested for lying to the Grand Jury. The article was dated Dec 8 but I don't know how to link from my phone. It was Wdbj 7.

 

[Soulmagent]

Hi all, been following along on this thread for a few years. I saw that Patricia Welch, wife of Richard was arrested for lying to the Grand Jury. The article was dated Dec 8 but I don't know how to link from my phone. It was Wdbj 7.

Here is a washington post link for that . I read the link you mentioned but it states the same info ..I am sure it has been posted somewhere on here already.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/crime/patricia-welch-65-accused-of-lying-to-grand-jury-in-lyon-sisters-case/2014/12/08/b9b1458e-7e89-11e4-8882-03cf08410beb_story.html

 

[Richard]

Any time a reward is offered to the general public for information in a police case, there are specific written stipulations or requirements for payment. Sometimes partial rewards are paid or the reward money could be split between tipsters. Usually there has to be some verification, such as law enforcement providing a supporting statement, or for an arrest taking place, charges being made, victims recovered, etc. etc. It would all be in writing as to what is necessary to meet the requirements of the reward.

I do not know what the specifications are for the WMAL reward, but it was STATED in the press that the reward of $7,000 was being offered to "the first person who could provide information leading to the recovery of the Lyon sisters."

Nothing was stated (in terms of reward requirements) regarding arrests or convictions because at the time that the reward was offered (1 April 1975) it was not known what had happened to the girls. Police had suspicions and theories, but no solid evidence of any specific crimes at the time and they were still expressing hope that the girls would be found alive and well.

 

[Historydetective63]

I wonder if Edna Welch has been called before the grand jury? Edna Welch is Lloyd Welch's step-mother (she was married to his father), and Patricia Welch is Lloyd Welch's Aunt (She is married to his Uncle, Richard "Dick" Welch of Hyattsville, Maryland).

 

[Historydetective63]

Richard, in your own opinion, why do you think the LHM sketch was never released by montgomery county police back in March-April 1975 when it could have potentially led to the current persons of interest (Lloyd Welch & Dick Welch) 39 years ago when everything about the case was fresher?