Theory #3: Other Stranger Abduction

[Cubby]

Is anyone still researching that picture of the child from synanon that we thought resembled Anna?

 

[Cubby]

I'm bumping this because I still see a strong resemblence between the little girl in the synanon photo and Anna's younger half brother in the 1967 Family Christmas photo in the book. Does anyone else see this resemblence or is it just me?

Were we ever able to id exactly who the parents were to the little girl in the synanon pic?

 

[Dr. Doogie]

After the abduction and murder of Polly Klaas, Annasmom requested that the San Mateo County Sheriff Department look into the possibilty that Richard Allen Davis be reviewed for possible involvement in Anna's disappearance. Davis was a resident of the very small community of La Honda, which is just south of where Anna and Annasmom lived. The SMCSD determined that he was incarcerated on the day that Anna was taken.

According to the Wikipedia article on Davis, this may be incorrect. It shows:

"Arrest record

[edit] 1960s

• March 6, 1967: At age 12, Davis has his first contact with law enforcement when he was arrested for burglary in Chowchilla, where he lived with his grandmother.
• May 24, 1967: Arrested again for forging a $10 money order. He stayed briefly in juvenile hall before his father moved him and his siblings to La Honda.
• November 15, 1969: Arrested for the burglary of a La Honda home.
• November 16, 1969: The first of several occasions when Davis' father turns Davis and his older brother over to juvenile authorities for incorrigibility.

[edit] 1970s

• September 15, 1970: Arrested for participating in a motorcycle theft. A probation officer and judge accept his father's suggestion that he enlist in the Army to avoid being sent to the California Youth Authority.
• July 1971: Entered the Army. His military record reflects several infractions for AWOL, fighting, failure to report, and morphine use.
• August 1972: General discharge from the military.
• January 16, 1973: Anna disappears. (added by Dr. Doogie)
• February 12, 1973: Arrested in Redwood City for public drunkenness and resisting arrest. Placed on one-year summary probation.
• April 21, 1973: Arrested in Redwood City for being a minor in possession of liquor, burglary and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Charged with trespassing, later dismissed.
• August 13, 1973: Arrested in Redwood City leaning against hedges extremely intoxicated. Released upon sobriety.
• October 24, 1973: Arrested in Redwood City on traffic warrants. Between April and October, he was implicated in more than 20 La Honda burglaries, leading a probation officer to report that residents were so angry at him, he might be in danger if he returned to La Honda. He pleaded guilty to burglary and was sentenced to six months in county jail and placed on three years' probation.
• May 13, 1974: Arrested for burglarizing South San Francisco High School. He was sent to the California Medical Facility, Vacaville, for a 90-diagnostic study. A county probation officer recommended prison, but proceedings were suspended when Davis enrolled in a Veterans Administration alcohol treatment program. He quit on the second day.
• September 16, 1974: Sentenced to one year in county jail for the school burglary. He was allowed to leave jail to attend a Native American drug and alcohol treatment program. He failed to return, leaving behind two angry fellow inmates who had given Davis money to buy drugs and bring the contraband back to jail.
• March 2, 1975: After being released, the two inmates tracked Davis down and shot him in the back. He was rearrested on a probation violation for failing to return to jail. Later, he testified against the inmates, earning him the epithet of "snitch" from fellow inmates. He was placed in protective custody.
• April 11, 1975: Arrested for parole violation.
• July 11, 1975: Arrested for auto theft and possession of marijuana. Received 10-day jail sentence.
• August 13, 1975: Probation revoked after arrest for San Francisco burglary and grand theft. He was sentenced to a term of from six months to 15 years in prison.
• August 2, 1976: Paroled from Vacaville.
• September 24, 1976: Abducted Frances Mays, a 26-year-old legal secretary, from the South Hayward BART station and attempted to sexually assault her. She escaped and hailed a passing car in which California Highway Patrol Officer Jim Wentz was riding. Wentz arrested Davis."

According to this timeline, Davis was free on January 16. (I recognize that this timeline may be incomplete, but it was compiled from evidence entered into testimony during Davis's trial so I tend to give it more credence than your usual Wiki information.)

As you can see from the highlighted sections, Davis was very active in burgalizing homes very near Purisima Creek Road as early as April 1973. Since he was living in the area, it is certainly possible and likely probable that he was active in January 1973 in the same crimes in the area.

Map: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=...71,-122.291222&spn=0.171914,0.367699&t=h&z=12

Two things that point away from Davis as a suspect are (1) he doesn't seem to have started crimes of sexual nature until late 1976, and (2) all of his sexual victims were adults or, in the case of Polly, at least post-pubescent. Nothing indicates that he was attracted to girls the age of Anna.

 

[Lucy's mom]

Hi Dr. Doogie!

I don't think I've posted on here before but I have been a lurker for a few months. I admire you (and everyone else) for helping Anna's mom locate her daughter. :clap:
I just had one comment to make about RAD. Since he was obviously familiar with the area, he very easily could have been Anna's abductor but like you said, it doesn't match the profile of his other victims. However, he could have realized that after the Anna abduction and that's why he chose older victims later. Just my two cents...but for some reason, I tend to lean more toward the two George's over anything else. I also think Anna is alive but just has no idea who she is and where she came from. GB's obsession over her could have led them to kidnap her and then place Anna with a woman friend of his where this woman would take over as Anna's mother and still allow GB and GW to have contact with her. This woman could be the same woman Anna's brother saw try to lure her in the car.

 

[SeekingJana]

I was a bit startled when I read the outline of what happened at your family home on the day that Anna disappeared.
Could you tell me if you lived on some type of communal property?

These are the people you have noted as being on your premises who are NOT family members on the day Anna disappeared:
1) Horsewoman #1- attacked by rooster
2) Horseperson #2
3) Horseman #3- killed your rooster and threw him in the creek ( hmmm)
4) Friend #1 ( with baby from SF)
5) Friend #2 ( arrived with #4 and baby).
6) Person described as " Ranch Resident", apparently not a family member
7) Carpenter friend of your husband Joe's- said he stopped to look at the view and saw an old van with 2 men in it near your residence.


Annasmom, we have SEVEN non-family adults in your home on the day that Anna disappeared. Was this amount of activity normal for your home?
If so, have you made mental notes of every person in and out of your residence for perhaps a 4-6 month time before Anna disappeared?

If this amount of activity is or is not normal for your home, how likely is it that someone would be casing your house and snatch a verbal 6 year old with all of these people in and out all day long? Was Anna friendly with GeorgeW or not at this point?
Have you checked out the people who were in your house that day? The resident? The horsepeople?

I know that George is the focus, and I know why, of course. But.. I had no idea that you had this amount of activity going on where Anna was exposed to many people, if this was a usual type of day for you.
I know it was a different time in our history, and I know you lived on a farm which may have been a working farm with items sold or land parceled out, but 7 non- related people in one day alone makes me wonder who else might have seen Anna from the age of 5-6... maybe a couple who couldn't have children, and saw her briefly, and took her.

It SEEMS obvious that she probably went with someone she knew, because you never heard her scream or protest.
However, she could have been gagged or drugged with something like a Chloroform soaked cloth over her nose and mouth. I believe Chloroform was easy to obtain back then. Also, GeorgeW had a friend at one point who was an anestheiologist. The friend would have had access to fast acting inhalant anesthetics especially for children's anesthesia.

 

[Annasmom]

I was a bit startled when I read the outline of what happened at your family home on the day that Anna disappeared.
Could you tell me if you lived on some type of communal property?

These are the people you have noted as being on your premises who are NOT family members on the day Anna disappeared:
1) Horsewoman #1- attacked by rooster
2) Horseperson #2
3) Horseman #3- killed your rooster and threw him in the creek ( hmmm)
4) Friend #1 ( with baby from SF)
5) Friend #2 ( arrived with #4 and baby).
6) Person described as " Ranch Resident", apparently not a family member
7) Carpenter friend of your husband Joe's- said he stopped to look at the view and saw an old van with 2 men in it near your residence.


Annasmom, we have SEVEN non-family adults in your home on the day that Anna disappeared. Was this amount of activity normal for your home?
If so, have you made mental notes of every person in and out of your residence for perhaps a 4-6 month time before Anna disappeared?

If this amount of activity is or is not normal for your home, how likely is it that someone would be casing your house and snatch a verbal 6 year old with all of these people in and out all day long? Was Anna friendly with GeorgeW or not at this point?
Have you checked out the people who were in your house that day? The resident? The horsepeople?

I know that George is the focus, and I know why, of course. But.. I had no idea that you had this amount of activity going on where Anna was exposed to many people, if this was a usual type of day for you.
I know it was a different time in our history, and I know you lived on a farm which may have been a working farm with items sold or land parceled out, but 7 non- related people in one day alone makes me wonder who else might have seen Anna from the age of 5-6... maybe a couple who couldn't have children, and saw her briefly, and took her.

It SEEMS obvious that she probably went with someone she knew, because you never heard her scream or protest.
However, she could have been gagged or drugged with something like a Chloroform soaked cloth over her nose and mouth. I believe Chloroform was easy to obtain back then. Also, GeorgeW had a friend at one point who was an anestheiologist. The friend would have had access to fast acting inhalant anesthetics especially for children's anesthesia.

Again, sorry for the late answer. I was lost without my computer. We lived on a 640-acre ranch which had three private residences. Nos. 1, 2, and 2 were never in our house, but were questioned by police. Our friends with the baby were a married couple who came for a brief visit. The other person was our neighbor and someone who came looking for her when he didn't find her in his own house. This person, the last person to see Anna that we know of, has been questioned extensively and forum members have even spoken to him by telephone.

In answer to your question, our house did not usually have so many visitors, but the farm itself was used by horse boarders, hunters and a motorcycle club, so there was lots of traffic from Purisima Creek Road down the private road of the farm (I have a drawing posted some time in the past couple of weeks which shows how things were laid out.)

 

[SeekingJana]

Again, sorry for the late answer. I was lost without my computer. We lived on a 640-acre ranch which had three private residences. Nos. 1, 2, and 2 were never in our house, but were questioned by police. Our friends with the baby were a married couple who came for a brief visit. The other person was our neighbor and someone who came looking for her when he didn't find her in his own house. This person, the last person to see Anna that we know of, has been questioned extensively and forum members have even spoken to him by telephone.

In answer to your question, our house did not usually have so many visitors, but the farm itself was used by horse boarders, hunters and a motorcycle club, so there was lots of traffic from Purisima Creek Road down the private road of the farm (I have a drawing posted some time in the past couple of weeks which shows how things were laid out.)

Wow, so there was a lot of traffic in and around your property most of the time, with the horse boarders, hunters and motorcyclists. That's a huge parcel of land.

It's amazing that you had several people coming and going that day in your home, yet Anna still managed to be snatched right out from under your eyes. This gives a lot of weight to someone she knew being the abductor, IMO.

One thing I thought about and don't mean any disrespect in bringing this up, knowing that there probably is no definitive answer except that no remains were found in or near the creek: About the rooster which was killed earlier in the day and thrown into the creek. Is there any chance that Anna would have seen the dead rooster caught on brush or debris and gone into the creek after it? I remember how I was at that age.. We lived on a farm with creeks and animals, and I would not have had fear about going into a deep or fast moving creek at the age of 6, because I had played in and around it all my life. I also would not have recognized the bird as being " dead" and might have gone right in for it to try to save it.

 

[Dr. Doogie]

...One thing I thought about and don't mean any disrespect in bringing this up, knowing that there probably is no definitive answer except that no remains were found in or near the creek: About the rooster which was killed earlier in the day and thrown into the creek. Is there any chance that Anna would have seen the dead rooster caught on brush or debris and gone into the creek after it?...

The body of the rooster was found later farther downstream than the area of the stream that Anna had access to. It is conceivable that the bird's body hung up near the farm, but later broke loose and got hung up farther downstream for a second time.

But the fact that a 5-10 pound rooster's body was not able to be washed out to sea or to be lost in a raging stream is rather convincing evidence that Anna's 40 pound body would have also not disappeared into the creek not to be found for 35 years. The vegetation on the creek may be more plentiful today than in 1973, but my visit to the area a couple of years ago showed too many natural "snags " of trees for Anna to have been washed to sea.

 

[SeekingJana]

Thank you for the added info, DD.
I respect you and Annasmom and all that the two of you have done for Anna so much. I hate to ask questions, even, but it's the only way I know to learn things and maybe us all see something differently.

My best,
Maria

 

[Joe Ford]

The body of the rooster was found later farther downstream than the area of the stream that Anna had access to. It is conceivable that the bird's body hung up near the farm, but later broke loose and got hung up farther downstream for a second time.

But the fact that a 5-10 pound rooster's body was not able to be washed out to sea or to be lost in a raging stream is rather convincing evidence that Anna's 40 pound body would have also not disappeared into the creek not to be found for 35 years. The vegetation on the creek may be more plentiful today than in 1973, but my visit to the area a couple of years ago showed too many natural "snags " of trees for Anna to have been washed to sea.

While much has been done to tame Purissima Creek since then, it is worth mentioning this occurence that took place circa 1860, described by June Morrell in her excellent book, "Half Moon Bay Memories".

"In 1862, on the banks of Purissima Creek, the Village of Purissima rivalled Spanishtown (Half Moon Bay). That year a series of heavy storms caused the Purissima to overflow, flooding the valley, and two to three acres of land slid into the creek. Trapped in their recently completed home, the Lane family barely escaped with their lives before the rushing water claimed the house, sweeping it away.

When all was quiet again, only a piano lay undisturbed, high atop a huge redwood log. The flood washed out roads and bridges. In the aftermath, the debris of dwellings, orchards, fences, redwood trees and logs were violently hurled 70 feet over Purissima Falls and into the Pacific Ocean."

 

[Annasmom]

While much has been done to tame Purissima Creek since then, it is worth mentioning this occurence that took place circa 1860, described by June Morrell in her excellent book, "Half Moon Bay Memories".

"In 1862, on the banks of Purissima Creek, the Village of Purissima rivalled Spanishtown (Half Moon Bay). That year a series of heavy storms caused the Purissima to overflow, flooding the valley, and two to three acres of land slid into the creek. Trapped in their recently completed home, the Lane family barely escaped with their lives before the rushing water claimed the house, sweeping it away.

When all was quiet again, only a piano lay undisturbed, high atop a huge redwood log. The flood washed out roads and bridges. In the aftermath, the debris of dwellings, orchards, fences, redwood trees and logs were violently hurled 70 feet over Purissima Falls and into the Pacific Ocean."

June Morrall in her blog Half Moon Bay Memories has been strongly supportive of the search for Anna the past two years and has a number of links to Lulu for ordering the book Searching for Anna. I think it is probably important to point out to those who have not seen the Purisima setting in person that the terrible-sounding storm of 1862 was not the situation in January of 1973, when no houses were swept away and the pianos remained safely in their places.

 

[Joe Ford]

June Morrall in her blog Half Moon Bay Memories has been strongly supportive of the search for Anna the past two years and has a number of links to Lulu for ordering the book Searching for Anna. I think it is probably important to point out to those who have not seen the Purisima setting in person that the terrible-sounding storm of 1862 was not the situation in January of 1973, when no houses were swept away and the pianos remained safely in their places.

You are right, of course. The comparison may be an unfair exaggeration. I use it only to illustrate the terrifying and almost unimaginable power of rushing water and its capacity for destruction and upheaval.

 

[Joe Ford]

This might be a good time to point out that it is not my opinion that Anna fell into the creek and drowned. I am in complete agreement with Annasmom and the rest of you dedicated sleuthers that it is imperative the search be pursued on all fronts.

The perplexing mist surrounding Anna's vanishing has become less dense through all of your relentless researching efforts.

I think that I tend to overreact to what I sometimes feel are dismissive comments or speculations regards the creek as a viable possibility to Anna's disappearance. It is my fear that, if construed as such, no future effort will ever be expended in that direction.

I must admit that I harbor, maybe foolishly, a scenario in which someone with the wherewithal and resources, overwhelmed with compassion, steps forward to say "By Golly, I can help you there. I just happen to have a team of divers, dogs, trackers and volunteers that would just love to give the creek a go!" Maybe not likely...but not impossible.

However, please do not interpret my wishes to keep this path of exploration open as, in any way, discordant with the concurrent investigations. Our goal is to find Anna...in that we are resolute.

Once again, I am deeply indebted and grateful to all of you sleuthers and well-wishers.

Thank you.
Joe

 

[raf]

I wish to ask -since it seems that the Anna's abduction has not been an extemporaneous fact, but a precise plan- if in the days or months, before of abduction, Annasmom and Joe had the sensation that someone spied the house.....or the kindergarten....
thanks,
raf

 

[Annasmom]

I wish to ask -since it seems that the Anna's abduction has not been an extemporaneous fact, but a precise plan- if in the days or months, before of abduction, Annasmom and Joe had the sensation that someone spied the house.....or the kindergarten....
thanks,
raf

Raf, perhaps we were naive, but we paid very little attention to the constant traffic around the farm. It was possible and even probable that any number of people could have been watching either the kindergarten or the farm or both. Unfortunately, we have not been able to single out an individual which this might have been. We did establish early on, in the company of a sheriff's department employee, that it would have been possible to watch the farm from a vantage point on Higgins Canyon Road where one would not have been seen, and to time the schedule of the school bus from that point to our house.

Also, thank you so much, Joe, for clarifying your position on the search. Of course the person in the best position to assist us lives right at the place from which Anna disappeared, but she has neither come forward nor responded to several messages we have sent her, including a flyer taped to her mailbox last year.

 

[Cubby]

This might be a good time to point out that it is not my opinion that Anna fell into the creek and drowned. I am in complete agreement with Annasmom and the rest of you dedicated sleuthers that it is imperative the search be pursued on all fronts.

The perplexing mist surrounding Anna's vanishing has become less dense through all of your relentless researching efforts.

I think that I tend to overreact to what I sometimes feel are dismissive comments or speculations regards the creek as a viable possibility to Anna's disappearance. It is my fear that, if construed as such, no future effort will ever be expended in that direction.

I must admit that I harbor, maybe foolishly, a scenario in which someone with the wherewithal and resources, overwhelmed with compassion, steps forward to say "By Golly, I can help you there. I just happen to have a team of divers, dogs, trackers and volunteers that would just love to give the creek a go!" Maybe not likely...but not impossible.

However, please do not interpret my wishes to keep this path of exploration open as, in any way, discordant with the concurrent investigations. Our goal is to find Anna...in that we are resolute.

Once again, I am deeply indebted and grateful to all of you sleuthers and well-wishers.

Thank you.
Joe

Thank you for the honest post Joe, I understand your point completely. I too do not believe Anna went into the creek, but given the opportunity...
I have a question, and a comment. First, how much of the creek is on private property since the owner will most likely not agree to access? It was 4 miles from the farm to the ocean correct? Second, my thoughts on any volunteer who might be able to search with current technology would be Tim Miller with TES. If he and his organization were conducting a search in the area, I would by all means contact him and determine if he has equipment which might benefit an additional search of the area and was available to help. Technology has come a long way in 35+ years and his organization just recently helped locate a missing woman for which divers were unable to find her previously. (more at thread here:
http://websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=72616)

 

[SideKick]

Thank you for the honest post Joe, I understand your point completely. I too do not believe Anna went into the creek, but given the opportunity...
I have a question, and a comment. First, how much of the creek is on private property since the owner will most likely not agree to access? It was 4 miles from the farm to the ocean correct? Second, my thoughts on any volunteer who might be able to search with current technology would be Tim Miller with TES. If he and his organization were conducting a search in the area, I would by all means contact him and determine if he has equipment which might benefit an additional search of the area and was available to help. Technology has come a long way in 35+ years and his organization just recently helped locate a missing woman for which divers were unable to find her previously. (more at thread here:
http://websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=72616)

Hi Cubby,

There really isn't a reason NOT to conduct an additional search in creek, and you are right, technology has indeed come a long way since the 70's. Tim Miller is so successful and I think this is a fabulous idea to have his search team help out with Anna's search. Here is his url for those not familiar with Tim Miller, Texas EquuSearch.

http://www.texasequusearch.org/about_us.html

He may not find anything in the creek, but the farm land itself was vast, you never know.:blowkiss:

I can't wait!

 

[Joe Ford]

Thank you for the honest post Joe, I understand your point completely. I too do not believe Anna went into the creek, but given the opportunity...
I have a question, and a comment. First, how much of the creek is on private property since the owner will most likely not agree to access? It was 4 miles from the farm to the ocean correct? Second, my thoughts on any volunteer who might be able to search with current technology would be Tim Miller with TES. If he and his organization were conducting a search in the area, I would by all means contact him and determine if he has equipment which might benefit an additional search of the area and was available to help. Technology has come a long way in 35+ years and his organization just recently helped locate a missing woman for which divers were unable to find her previously. (more at thread here:
http://websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=72616)

Hot damn, Cubby !!! Yours is just the kind of dust-stirring, boots-on-the-ground response that I have been hoping to hear. Bless you. Until now I had never even heard of Tim Miller or TES. I have just come from their website http://www.texasequusearch.org/ and am simply overwhelmed and impressed with their mission statement, technical capabilities, and recent successes in the field.

I sure hope that someone from the Searching for Anna team will contact them regards the possibility of becoming involved in our search. Maybe include one of Mikie's books? If I can assist financially or in any other capacity, I hereby volunteer.

Great idea, Cubby.

The acreage along the creek is primarily privately owned, with a section near the ocean in trust to a conservation organization as far as I know. I am fairly certain that the owner of Rancho Canada Verde, from whence Anna disappeared, would bow to public pressure if approached that way. It wouldn't hurt to try.

 

[Cubby]

You're welcome Joe. I first learned about TES simply by reading here at WS. It's my understanding they will conduct a search if contacted by family or LE. IMVHO, it would be worth someone from the Searching For Anna team to make an initial contact with details of the previous search efforts and the information obtained regarding the flow patterns of the creek etc. I don't know his schedule, or what kind of equipment he has, but it would be worth finding out more.

ETA: I agree the current owner would bow to a bit of pressure if TES was out.

I know someone here at WS who works with Tim as a volunteer and if this is something which will be pursued please let me know and I will be happy to put someone in contact with her via PM or ask she contact you via PM.

 

[MagicRose99]

This might be a good time to point out that it is not my opinion that Anna fell into the creek and drowned. I am in complete agreement with Annasmom and the rest of you dedicated sleuthers that it is imperative the search be pursued on all fronts.

The perplexing mist surrounding Anna's vanishing has become less dense through all of your relentless researching efforts.

I think that I tend to overreact to what I sometimes feel are dismissive comments or speculations regards the creek as a viable possibility to Anna's disappearance. It is my fear that, if construed as such, no future effort will ever be expended in that direction.

I must admit that I harbor, maybe foolishly, a scenario in which someone with the wherewithal and resources, overwhelmed with compassion, steps forward to say "By Golly, I can help you there. I just happen to have a team of divers, dogs, trackers and volunteers that would just love to give the creek a go!" Maybe not likely...but not impossible.

However, please do not interpret my wishes to keep this path of exploration open as, in any way, discordant with the concurrent investigations. Our goal is to find Anna...in that we are resolute.

Once again, I am deeply indebted and grateful to all of you sleuthers and well-wishers.

Thank you.
Joe

Joe, any of us who have been here and read thru all these threads and the book (even when it was still being written) know how hard you searched the creek and the area around the creek. We know how hard you tried to find Anna.

When you say you believe the creek did not claim her, I have to agree. Nobody would know more about this than you.

I say Annasmom is my hero... well, I gotta point out that YOU are my hero too. No father could love that little girl more than you do.