WA WA - Marcia Joyce, 28, Bellingham, 30 Aug 1978

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I do find it unsettling.
I would question why someone would add a date if they were not sure the person had died.
I don't think that is creepy at all. If she went missing last year, then it would be creepy. But after decades with no contact, the assumption is that she is dead. And if this is the daughter's husband's tree, then it was created by someone with no emotional connection to the woman. If I had someone in my family tree who went missing, I would probably do the same thing.
 
I do find it unsettling.
I would question why someone would add a date if they were not sure the person had died.

Everyone is reading too much into this. I went on ancestry and found the record. If you look at the comments for the entry, it reads "Went missing on 29 Aug 1978 from Bellingham, Whatcom, Washington. Never found and is still on FBI Missing Persons list." The person doing the tree probably wanted to document that she was missing and chose to say she was dead because there is no "missing" category on ancestry and either (1) is assuming Marcia is dead because she has not been found after all these years, overwhelming odds are she didn't leave of her own accord and probably did die that day or (2) she is in contact with the daughter and the daughter believes her mother died that day.

It's the inlaw's tree and Marcia is just one name on it because her daughter married into it. The tree goes back 6 generatiosn to the 1800s, but Marcia's line goes back only one 1 generation. I doubt the person who made the entry put as much thought into this as you think.
 
I did not put a lot of thought in to it actually just thought it creepy when i saw it.
With Marcia's sister being on here I assume that if contact had been made with any member of the family all the family would know
Contact would also had to of been made after 2011 ,that is when LE re opened her case at the request of her son and member's of Marcia's family.
.
Everyone is reading too much into this. I went on ancestry and found the record. If you look at the comments for the entry, it reads "Went missing on 29 Aug 1978 from Bellingham, Whatcom, Washington. Never found and is still on FBI Missing Persons list." The person doing the tree probably wanted to document that she was missing and chose to say she was dead because there is no "missing" category on ancestry and either (1) is assuming Marcia is dead because she has not been found after all these years, overwhelming odds are she didn't leave of her own accord and probably did die that day or (2) she is in contact with the daughter and the daughter believes her mother died that day.

It's the inlaw's tree and Marcia is just one name on it because her daughter married into it. The tree goes back 6 generatiosn to the 1800s, but Marcia's line goes back only one 1 generation. I doubt the person who made the entry put as much thought into this as you think.
 
It would be useful to know if the family had two cars, if their home was within walking distance of the town center/bank, if the money was withdrawn from their usual local branch or another branch of the bank. I doubt we are going to find out the answer to the latter but knowing if it was even physically possible for Marcia to withdraw the money would help a lot.

There was only one vehicle which was husbands truck-his trip to the bank was to withdraw money for new tires.
The trip from their home to downtown was over 10 miles.

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I was reading the updates on the Doe Network today and found Marci's profile & then followed up here. To Jill, as soon as I finish typing this, I am gonna take a minute and pray for resolution & justice for Marci, that God would bring all that is hidden in darkness to light. It is 2017 and people still care. It is never too late for justice. My aunt was murdered in '75 but at least her killer was arrested, sent to prison and we have closure & that is what we hope for you Jill, for you, Tony and your family. Big hugs! :hug:
 
Marcia Lynn Joyce – The Charley Project
Marcia Lynn Joyce

  • joyce_marcia.jpg
  • joyce_marcia2.jpg
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Joyce, circa 1978
  • ''Age 28 years old
  • Height and Weight 5'4, 110 pounds
  • Distinguishing Characteristics Caucasian female. Light brown to blonde hair, blue eyes. Joyce's nickname is Marci.''
''Joyce was last seen hanging laundry in the backyard of home in the 4700 block of Everson-Goshen Road in Bellingham, Washington during the morning hours of August 30, 1978. She was home alone with her two children at the time. Her husband had gone to Northwestern Commercial Bank at Alabama Street and James Street to make a withdrawal from the family's account.

Joyce left her children inside the house while she hung laundry. When her son came out to see her, she was gone. She has never been heard from again.

When Joyce's husband went to the bank that day, he discovered someone had withdrawn all the money from the account. This withdrawal probably happened a few days previously. Authorities don't know who made the withdrawal and believe it could have been Joyce. The bank is now closed, but authorities are trying to locate former employees who might remember the 1978 transaction.

It's possible Joyce left of her own accord, but her family doesn't believe she would have abandoned her children. Foul play is suspected in Joyce's case; her disappearance is considered a potential homicide. Her case remains unsolved''
 
Wish I had something to add. This is one of the very few cases that I believe the missing person went off to start a new life. I feel with the time gone by we are unlikely to ever find out what really happened.
 
I’m sure this will sound way out there but here it goes:

In January 1976, Bianchi left Rochester and moved to Los Angeles to live with his adoptive cousin, Angelo Anthony Buono Jr., age 42, who had a history of sexual violence. Bianchi was introduced to the uninhibited California culture where sex and drugs were freely available. In July 1976, Bianchi started working at California Land Title Company and used his first paycheck to get his own apartment at 809 E Garfield Avenue in Glendale. He still wanted to be a police officer, but the Los Angeles and Glendale Police Departments turned him down.

Becoming the Hillside Strangler

While at the title company, he started dating coworker Kelli Boyd and soon they were cohabiting. When she became pregnant in June 1977, Bianchi proposed marriage. Boyd was skeptical and declined the offer, but continued to live with him. Bianchi became morose, began staying out all night with Angelo Buono and lied to her about their nocturnal activities. Between October 17, 1977 and February 17, 1978, Bianchi and Buono embarked on a rampage, killing at least 10 young women, ranging in age from 12 to 28, and terrorizing Los Angeles County for months. Sometimes the duo impersonated police officers and preyed on prostitutes. But Bianchi also befriended and killed women who lived in his neighborhood. The victims were tortured, raped, and finally strangled. Their naked, mutilated bodies were dumped on freeway embankments to taunt the authorities. The media dubbed it the work of the “Hillside Strangler.”

On February 23, 1978, Kelli Boyd gave birth to a son, Ryan, at the Glendale Adventist Hospital. In early March 1978, having tired of both Bianchi’s duplicity and Los Angeles, Boyd decided to return to her parent’s home in Bellingham to raise Ryan. Bianchi begged for reconciliation and she finally relented, but demanded that he move to Bellingham, which he did in late May 1978.

Life and Death in Bellingham

Reunited with his family, Bianchi rented a small house at 401 E North Street and found employment with Whatcom Security Agency, Inc., 2009 Iron Street, as a security guard. In August 1978, he took a job in the security office at the Fred Meyer Super Shopping Center, 800 Lakeway Drive, where he met coworker Karen Mandic. In November 1978, Bianchi was rehired by Whatcom Security Agency as “patrol captain.” He applied to become a reserve deputy for Whatcom County Sheriff’s Department and began taking police courses.

After he murders two Bellingham women, police arrest serial killer Kenneth A. Bianchi on January 12, 1979. - HistoryLink.org
 
I’m sure this will sound way out there but here it goes:

In January 1976, Bianchi left Rochester and moved to Los Angeles to live with his adoptive cousin, Angelo Anthony Buono Jr., age 42, who had a history of sexual violence. Bianchi was introduced to the uninhibited California culture where sex and drugs were freely available. In July 1976, Bianchi started working at California Land Title Company and used his first paycheck to get his own apartment at 809 E Garfield Avenue in Glendale. He still wanted to be a police officer, but the Los Angeles and Glendale Police Departments turned him down.

Becoming the Hillside Strangler

While at the title company, he started dating coworker Kelli Boyd and soon they were cohabiting. When she became pregnant in June 1977, Bianchi proposed marriage. Boyd was skeptical and declined the offer, but continued to live with him. Bianchi became morose, began staying out all night with Angelo Buono and lied to her about their nocturnal activities. Between October 17, 1977 and February 17, 1978, Bianchi and Buono embarked on a rampage, killing at least 10 young women, ranging in age from 12 to 28, and terrorizing Los Angeles County for months. Sometimes the duo impersonated police officers and preyed on prostitutes. But Bianchi also befriended and killed women who lived in his neighborhood. The victims were tortured, raped, and finally strangled. Their naked, mutilated bodies were dumped on freeway embankments to taunt the authorities. The media dubbed it the work of the “Hillside Strangler.”

On February 23, 1978, Kelli Boyd gave birth to a son, Ryan, at the Glendale Adventist Hospital. In early March 1978, having tired of both Bianchi’s duplicity and Los Angeles, Boyd decided to return to her parent’s home in Bellingham to raise Ryan. Bianchi begged for reconciliation and she finally relented, but demanded that he move to Bellingham, which he did in late May 1978.

Life and Death in Bellingham

Reunited with his family, Bianchi rented a small house at 401 E North Street and found employment with Whatcom Security Agency, Inc., 2009 Iron Street, as a security guard. In August 1978, he took a job in the security office at the Fred Meyer Super Shopping Center, 800 Lakeway Drive, where he met coworker Karen Mandic. In November 1978, Bianchi was rehired by Whatcom Security Agency as “patrol captain.” He applied to become a reserve deputy for Whatcom County Sheriff’s Department and began taking police courses.

After he murders two Bellingham women, police arrest serial killer Kenneth A. Bianchi on January 12, 1979. - HistoryLink.org


I suppose it is possible, but all his victims were found. Bianchi wasn't very organized. Hmmm worth consideration!
 
I have 2 ideas
I think she withdrew the money without telling her husband and then looked for the best time to leave with the money, alone or with someone else
plain and simple she was kidnapped
 
I think of this case a lot as the years roll by. I grew up in Bellingham, a family member owns a farm less than 300 yards from the house she disappeared from, the clothesline posts still sit in the backyard (as of 2015 or so).

Marcia was murdered by her husband, I can guarantee you that. What does common sense tell us? How often do mothers actually abandon their children and run off to begin a new life? She just left them in the house, eh? Gimme a break, man. I don't buy that for a second. If she ran off, where the f is she? Where the f is Tom Joyce, that's the real question. I would ask him something akin to this: Your (gorgeous) wife and the mother of your children runs out on you in 1970 effing 8, all these years tick by, and you're never curious? You never contact Bellingham PD over the years just to check to see if maybe anyone has heard from her? You never get in touch with her family and see if anyone knows where she's at, if she's safe, etcetera? Why? Just not the curious type, I guess.

How many of you would never reach out a single time over the course of 50 years of your gorgeous spouse suddenly up and ran out on you? That's that, end of discussion? Never get an urge to check in with your children's families, the ole in-laws to see if maybe your beautiful, missing wife has been seen it heard from? Bollocks. Everyone would get curious, unless they weren't curious at all because they have the answer, which I firmly believe Tom Joyce does.
 
I think of this case a lot as the years roll by. I grew up in Bellingham, a family member owns a farm less than 300 yards from the house she disappeared from, the clothesline posts still sit in the backyard (as of 2015 or so).

Marcia was murdered by her husband, I can guarantee you that. What does common sense tell us? How often do mothers actually abandon their children and run off to begin a new life? She just left them in the house, eh? Gimme a break, man. I don't buy that for a second. If she ran off, where the f is she? Where the f is Tom Joyce, that's the real question. I would ask him something akin to this: Your (gorgeous) wife and the mother of your children runs out on you in 1970 effing 8, all these years tick by, and you're never curious? You never contact Bellingham PD over the years just to check to see if maybe anyone has heard from her? You never get in touch with her family and see if anyone knows where she's at, if she's safe, etcetera? Why? Just not the curious type, I guess.

How many of you would never reach out a single time over the course of 50 years of your gorgeous spouse suddenly up and ran out on you? That's that, end of discussion? Never get an urge to check in with your children's families, the ole in-laws to see if maybe your beautiful, missing wife has been seen it heard from? Bollocks. Everyone would get curious, unless they weren't curious at all because they have the answer, which I firmly believe Tom Joyce does.

What I cannot comprehend, is why the BPD do not locate Tom Joyce and ask him some routine questions before it's too late? They could do this through another agency, even. Why have they never done a single thing in 50 years? If Marcia Joyce was out there living today, in this social media age, she would have been found by now. Bellingham was a tiny community in 1978, there would likely be two people missing, right? Her, and whoever she ran off with. It is not a bedroom community of Seattle, especially not in 1978. It's 90 miles from Seattle, and is pretty isolated, especially where she lived at, out in the country (I've been there). Her social circle was small, she was young...who could she have possibly known that would not be reported missing if the pair up and ran off together?

Tom Joyce killed his wife, likely because he met someone else and wanted to be free of a custody battle, alimony, child support, etcetera. This is a very common motive among men who murder their wives. The most obvious answer is often the real answer. I find it mighty suspicious that ol Tommy Joyce never reached out over the years to see if perhaps anyone has heard from Marci. Wouldn't you? Wouldn't anyone? Anyone who is genuinely curious about where the wife is surely would.

It's common for wife killing, jealous and bitter men to *also* blame the wife after they kill them. Rather than "she was abducted!" It's typically pinned on the wife, such as "she ran out on her children." This is so common that it's almost a cliché at this point. Blame the wife, divert attention away from yourself, make her look like a deserter even though you've murdered her.

What proof does he have that she ran off? Let me guess...none, right? Not one single shred of evidence. Why? Because it didn't happen. It's infuriating that this case is just in suspended animation forever as her husband gets older, older, older.

This is a solvable case. I guess the BPD is content to let Joyce die never having to even answer a question about his now 50 years missing wife. Bummer.
 
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