TN TN - Teresa 'Trenny' Lynn Gibson, 16, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, 8 Oct 1976

[Richard]

"the dogs should have found her if she was in the woods"

You are putting dogs on too high of a pedestal here. Dogs can help but they aren't going to be 100% effective by any stretch. They used dogs in the Devin Bond case and didn't find him after picking up his trail when he originally went missing. Then just last week, more than two years after he was last seen, he was found not far from his last-known location. They wonder if the dog had the wrong scent originally -- and therein is the problem when it comes to working with animals: they can't talk and we're essentially trying to make inferences about what they are thinking. We aren't going to make those inferences with complete accuracy by any stretch....

Many factors enter into a search. Weather, terrain, elapsed time, distance, level of dog/handler training and experience. We don't know what all those specifics were and so it is hard to draw solid conclusions regarding the dog search.

Having trained tracking dogs, I can tell you that they DO communicate with the handler on an intimate level. Their sense of smell and ability to discriminate individual scents is phenomenal - something well beyond a human's scenting ability or even most human comprehension.

IF the dog is given a target scent (such as a piece of clothing, or personal item) then the dog will search out that person to the exclusion of all other persons.

 

[SAMS]

Wonder was Trenny well liked by other students. Curious about the dynamics there. MOO

 

[Starbuck80]

Many factors enter into a search. Weather, terrain, elapsed time, distance, level of dog/handler training and experience. We don't know what all those specifics were and so it is hard to draw solid conclusions regarding the dog search.

Having trained tracking dogs, I can tell you that they DO communicate with the handler on an intimate level. Their sense of smell and ability to discriminate individual scents is phenomenal - something well beyond a human's scenting ability or even most human comprehension.

IF the dog is given a target scent (such as a piece of clothing, or personal item) then the dog will search out that person to the exclusion of all other persons.

Very true. The Gibson’s did bring along unwashed clothing of Trenny’s for the dogs to get her scent. I know that bloodhounds and German Shepherds were used, as well as Trenny’s uncles came with their own dogs (I’m not sure what breeds these dogs were) to search as well. All the animals had the same result.

 

[Starbuck80]

Wonder was Trenny well liked by other students. Curious about the dynamics there. MOO

For the most part, yes. Trenny got along with her classmates and while friendly and kind, tended to keep to herself.

 

[Starbuck80]

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Link to an interview about Trenny’s case that I did
recently.

 

[Starbuck80]

 

[Richard]

TERESA "TRENNY" LYNN GIBSON, DISAPPEARED OCTOBER 8, 1976,CLINGMANS DOME, GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK, TENNESSEE

On October 8th, 197616 years old, Teresa (known as"Trenny") Lynn Gibson went with 35-40 of her classmates from Bearden High School in Knoxville, Tennessee, on a field trip to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

The students were hiking around 1.8 miles to Andrews Bald from Clingmans Dome and then back on the Forney Ridge Trail.

The group separated into small groups when they arrived at the trail depending on how fast they could walk. Despite there being such a large group, there was only one teacher supervising, in addition to the bus driver. According to some accounts, no one was informed by the school where they were going until they actually arrived or were on the way to the trailhead.

TRENNY HIKED WITH SEVERAL DIFFERENT SECTIONS OF HER CLASSMATES AT DIFFERENT PACES DURING THE DAY. SHE WAS LAST SEEN AT APPROXIMATELY 3:00 P.M. NEAR CLINGMAN'S DOME, WALKING ON A MODERATELY STEEP TRAIL WITH SHARP DROP-OFFS AND DENSE UNDERGROWTH ON BOTH SIDES AND SHE WAS SAID TO HAVE LEFT THE PATH TO THE RIGHT AFTER SPOTTING SOMETHING. SHE WAS WEARING A BLUE BLOUSE, A BLUE AND WHITE STRIPED SWEATER, A BORROWED BROWN PLAID HEAVY JACKET, BLUE JEANS, BLUE ADIDAS SHOES AND A DIAMOND AND STAR SAPPHIRE RING. TRENNY WAS NEVER SEEN AGAIN AND HER BODY NEVER FOUND.

LINK:
Trenny Lynn Gibson - Strange Disappearances from U.S. National Parks — StrangeOutdoors.com

 

[Starbuck80]

 

[Starbuck80]

 

[SAMS]

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[Betty P]

Thanks! That was very good. Laura has put a tremendous amount of work into researching Trenny's disappearance and uncovered some very compelling information. It has certainly made me rethink what might have happened to Trenny. It's interesting that her personal jewelry and comb resurfaced in the possession of other students after she went missing.

Great work, Laura! I hope Trenny's family gets answers some day about what happened to her.

ETA: Does anyone know which side of the path Trenny climbed off? Facing Clingman's Dome with Andrews Bald behind on the trail, did she leave on the left side or right side?

 

[Betty P]

I also checked the trail that runs from Clingman's Dome to Cooper's Gap. You can find hiking videos of it on You Tube. That's way too steep and narrow for anyone to navigate at night. I assume that's the theory if someone came to retrieve Trenny or her remains the evening of her disappearance, resulting in dogs finding her scent at Coopers Gap. Another possibility for dogs picking up the scent there is someone tossing an item from a passing vehicle that contained her scent.

It's also possible that some of the story about where Trenny had lunch with her classmate and where people saw her on the trail is inaccurate.

The presence of small footprints on the Appalachian Trail points to her getting lost, missing the turnoff to Clingman's Dome. It has happened in that area since then and before. If Trenny's friends are covering something up, it seems more likely she went off trail with someone to drink a beer, smoke some weed (yeah, it was 1976, high school kids did that a lot). Perhaps her brother's friend tried to get fresh and in trying to get away, she had a fatal fall or became lost. The kids wouldn't have wanted to admit to having weed, so they concocted a story.

The jewelry is interesting, but since no one has turned it over to LE or Trenny's family, its rumor at this point, right? Her brother saw the comb in the friend's car, was that turned in to LE as evidence or returned to the family?

 

[Starbuck80]

I also checked the trail that runs from Clingman's Dome to Cooper's Gap. You can find hiking videos of it on You Tube. That's way too steep and narrow for anyone to navigate at night. I assume that's the theory if someone came to retrieve Trenny or her remains the evening of her disappearance, resulting in dogs finding her scent at Coopers Gap. Another possibility for dogs picking up the scent there is someone tossing an item from a passing vehicle that contained her scent.

It's also possible that some of the story about where Trenny had lunch with her classmate and where people saw her on the trail is inaccurate.

The presence of small footprints on the Appalachian Trail points to her getting lost, missing the turnoff to Clingman's Dome. It has happened in that area since then and before. If Trenny's friends are covering something up, it seems more likely she went off trail with someone to drink a beer, smoke some weed (yeah, it was 1976, high school kids did that a lot). Perhaps her brother's friend tried to get fresh and in trying to get away, she had a fatal fall or became lost. The kids wouldn't have wanted to admit to having weed, so they concocted a story.

The jewelry is interesting, but since no one has turned it over to LE or Trenny's family, its rumor at this point, right? Her brother saw the comb in the friend's car, was that turned in to LE as evidence or returned to the family?

Collins Gap was where the tracking dogs lost
Trenny’s scent. At the side of a paved road. There is an overflow parking lot in that area that holds 15-20 cars. The family got the comb back because it was Trenny’s brother who found it. The girl that had the jewelry admitted having it, but refused to say how she had obtained it and from whom. If the jewelry was just a rumour, why would you admit to having it in your possession?

 

[Starbuck80]

Thanks! That was very good. Laura has put a tremendous amount of work into researching Trenny's disappearance and uncovered some very compelling information. It has certainly made me rethink what might have happened to Trenny. It's interesting that her personal jewelry and comb resurfaced in the possession of other students after she went missing.

Great work, Laura! I hope Trenny's family gets answers some day about what happened to her.

ETA: Does anyone know which side of the path Trenny climbed off? Facing Clingman's Dome with Andrews Bald behind on the trail, did she leave on the left side or right side?

Trenny stepped off the trail to the right.

 

[MissLaura]

I just listened to the Trail Went Cold's podcast on Trenny: The Trail Went Cold – Episode 100 – Trenny Gibson

I was shocked to hear that this trip to the park was not known ahead of time. That just seems so impractical to spring on some teenagers where they would obviously need appropriate clothing.

It seems like in cases like this, it is usually the case of a person getting lost or stuck somewhere, where they succumb to the elements of the outdoors. The particulars in Trenny's case are just so strange that I think some sort of foul play is possible. Robert's story doesn't make much sense.

 

[Starbuck80]

I just listened to the Trail Went Cold's podcast on Trenny: The Trail Went Cold – Episode 100 – Trenny Gibson

I was shocked to hear that this trip to the park was not known ahead of time. That just seems so impractical to spring on some teenagers where they would obviously need appropriate clothing.

It seems like in cases like this, it is usually the case of a person getting lost or stuck somewhere, where they succumb to the elements of the outdoors. The particulars in Trenny's case are just so strange that I think some sort of foul play is possible. Robert's story doesn't make much sense.

Trenny’s case is very strange, I agree with you. From about 1/2 of what the classmates I interviewed told me, they had an idea they were headed to the Smokies. The rest did not know the destination, only that they would be gone all day. The Gibson’s has no idea that Trenny was going to the Park until the school counsellor called that evening to tell her mother that Trenny was lost in GSMNP.
If Trenny got lost in the Park and succumbed, no trace has ever been found. Not a scrap of clothing, bones, nothing. Her comb was found in another student’s car and her jewelry had been purloined by another classmate. This and the fact that the dogs tracked her to the shoulder of a paved road, says some sort of foul play to me. Robert’s story is ridiculous, and if he was totally innocent, he should have spoken to that fact years ago.

 

[Starbuck80]

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[Betty P]

Trenny’s case is very strange, I agree with you. From about 1/2 of what the classmates I interviewed told me, they had an idea they were headed to the Smokies. The rest did not know the destination, only that they would be gone all day. The Gibson’s has no idea that Trenny was going to the Park until the school counsellor called that evening to tell her mother that Trenny was lost in GSMNP.
If Trenny got lost in the Park and succumbed, no trace has ever been found. Not a scrap of clothing, bones, nothing. Her comb was found in another student’s car and her jewelry had been purloined by another classmate. This and the fact that the dogs tracked her to the shoulder of a paved road, says some sort of foul play to me. Robert’s story is ridiculous, and if he was totally innocent, he should have spoken to that fact years ago.

Does LE have any of this evidence? I'm still trying to verify this info before deciding it may be foul play. Thanks!

 

[CalmSeas]

Great podcast, thanks!

 

[Starbuck80]

Does LE have any of this evidence? I'm still trying to verify this info before deciding it may be foul play. Thanks!

Yes, the Knoxville police department were notified that a girl in the sophomore class had Trenny’s jewelry and her comb was found in Robert Simpson’s car. It was right on the dashboard and it was actually Trenny’s brother, Bob who spotted it. The FBI came to Bearden the week after Trenny’s disappearance to interview the students. It all went nowhere.