Claudette
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There was a SK in the WY/OK areas in the 1970s and 1980s named Royal Russell Long. He was tied to several disappearances and deaths, some of which were from carnivals or similar events. There is surprisingly very little information about him available.
Known victims
Sharon Baldeagle, 12, hitchhiker, Wyoming, September 19 1984
Charlotte Kinsey, 13, Oklahoma State Fair 1981
Cinda Pallett, 13, Oklahoma State Fair 1981
Presumed victims
Carlene Brown, 19, Rawlins WY Rodeo, July 4 1974
Christy Gross, 19, Rawlins WY Rodeo, July 4 1974
Deborah Meyer, 14, Rawlins WY, August 4 1974 (same town as the rodeo)
Jayleen Dawn Banker, 10, Rawlins WY, August 23 1974
Survivors
Unnamed friend of Sharon Baldeagle, 16, hitchhiker, Wyoming, September 19 1984
Two male friends of Charlotte and Cinda
Long was arrested in Albuquerque a week after Baldeagle's disappearance. He went to prison for her disappearance.
Long was charged with the murders of Charlotte and Cinda but the case was dismissed due to "lack of evidence". Technically I guess they would be considered presumed victims, but I think it was a miscarriage of justice that this case was thrown out by the judge. It's pretty clear he was the killer.
His victims usually were in pairs, however he did have single victims. His victims had a fairly wide age range of 10-19 and did not prefer specific features (victims have been both Caucasian with varying hair and eye color, as well as one native American victim). Thus, he was more of an opportunistic SK with a vague preference of young females.
According to Charley Project:
"Long lived in the Rawlins area in 1974 and worked at local fairs and carnivals. He died in prison in 1993 and was never convicted in connection with any missing people besides Sharon. "
"Royal Russell Long...was employed as carnie and part-time long-haul truck driver [in 1981]."
"Long was apprehended in 1985 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Sharon wasn't with him and he said he did not know her whereabouts. He said he drove her to Cheyenne, Wyoming and put her on a bus or truck bound for Dallas, Texas and this was the last time he ever saw her. Prosecutors considered charging Long with Sharon's murder, but they decided against it, and Sharon's father stated he believed his daughter was alive. Long pleaded guilty to two counts of kidnapping for the purpose of committing indecent liberties with a minor and was sentenced to two life terms in prison."
"[Long's] own daughter claimed he had molested her for years and witnessed him try to lure other girls with puppies or stuffed animals." Note: stuffed animals were found in his car when arrested in NM. He lured Cinda, Charlotte and two boys with stuffed animals by "hiring" them to unload a truck of stuffed animals for the carnival.
He held two traveling jobs - with a traveling carnival and as a long-haul trucker. Considering the sheer number of known and presumed victims, plus the fact he traveled, it is almost guaranteed there are other victims that have yet to be tied to him.
Are the following possible victims?
Diane Olson, 16, July 1963, Pinedale WY
Sandy Rea, 17, September 19 1984, Oklahoma
Patricia Lynn Taylor, 14?, August 31 1981, Oklahoma
Known victims
Sharon Baldeagle, 12, hitchhiker, Wyoming, September 19 1984
Charlotte Kinsey, 13, Oklahoma State Fair 1981
Cinda Pallett, 13, Oklahoma State Fair 1981
Presumed victims
Carlene Brown, 19, Rawlins WY Rodeo, July 4 1974
Christy Gross, 19, Rawlins WY Rodeo, July 4 1974
Deborah Meyer, 14, Rawlins WY, August 4 1974 (same town as the rodeo)
Jayleen Dawn Banker, 10, Rawlins WY, August 23 1974
Survivors
Unnamed friend of Sharon Baldeagle, 16, hitchhiker, Wyoming, September 19 1984
Two male friends of Charlotte and Cinda
Long was arrested in Albuquerque a week after Baldeagle's disappearance. He went to prison for her disappearance.
Long was charged with the murders of Charlotte and Cinda but the case was dismissed due to "lack of evidence". Technically I guess they would be considered presumed victims, but I think it was a miscarriage of justice that this case was thrown out by the judge. It's pretty clear he was the killer.
His victims usually were in pairs, however he did have single victims. His victims had a fairly wide age range of 10-19 and did not prefer specific features (victims have been both Caucasian with varying hair and eye color, as well as one native American victim). Thus, he was more of an opportunistic SK with a vague preference of young females.
According to Charley Project:
"Long lived in the Rawlins area in 1974 and worked at local fairs and carnivals. He died in prison in 1993 and was never convicted in connection with any missing people besides Sharon. "
"Royal Russell Long...was employed as carnie and part-time long-haul truck driver [in 1981]."
"Long was apprehended in 1985 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Sharon wasn't with him and he said he did not know her whereabouts. He said he drove her to Cheyenne, Wyoming and put her on a bus or truck bound for Dallas, Texas and this was the last time he ever saw her. Prosecutors considered charging Long with Sharon's murder, but they decided against it, and Sharon's father stated he believed his daughter was alive. Long pleaded guilty to two counts of kidnapping for the purpose of committing indecent liberties with a minor and was sentenced to two life terms in prison."
"[Long's] own daughter claimed he had molested her for years and witnessed him try to lure other girls with puppies or stuffed animals." Note: stuffed animals were found in his car when arrested in NM. He lured Cinda, Charlotte and two boys with stuffed animals by "hiring" them to unload a truck of stuffed animals for the carnival.
He held two traveling jobs - with a traveling carnival and as a long-haul trucker. Considering the sheer number of known and presumed victims, plus the fact he traveled, it is almost guaranteed there are other victims that have yet to be tied to him.
Are the following possible victims?
Diane Olson, 16, July 1963, Pinedale WY
Sandy Rea, 17, September 19 1984, Oklahoma
Patricia Lynn Taylor, 14?, August 31 1981, Oklahoma