AK AK - Erin Gilbert, 24, Girdwood, 1 July 1995

[PeterPenelope]

Part 3:

It was interesting to hear about the people who felt they had seen EMG at the fair; this was mentioned in both podcasts, and does add credence that she was there at some point. Apparently she was seen by several vendors that she spoke to, as well as DC's friends (in the beer garden). Also, given that she stood out by being so tall, attractive/put together, & being dressed somewhat differently than the natives that attended the fair (her clothes were commented on by someone in the AU podcast) - I believe that they did see her. However, this is where I have some uncertainty re: this case:

As was mentioned in the AU podcast, DC was described by SJ as having long-ish hair (or at least hair that wasn't short). SJ noticed this when DC came to pick up EMG for the date - this was the first time SJ had seen DC.

However, one of the vendors that saw EMG described the man she was with as having a military-like short hair-cut. Well, this obviously wasn't DC. So, what occurred here?!

1) Did the vendor mistake a woman who looked like EMG for another woman that was similar in appearance? And, was this woman legitimately with a guy with a short hair-cut?
Or,
2) Was this actually EMG with DC, but the vendor confused DC with another guy (that she may have also seen with another tall woman) with a short hair cut?! Obviously these vendors see a lot of people at the fair.
Or,
3) Was this actually EMG with a guy who had a short hair-cut?!

I think this important detail may be significant. Though, it also may not mean that much. Note that eyewitness accounts can be notoriously unreliable.

Something else I wanted to touch on: In the AU podcast, the podcaster interviewed a woman who had been a bartender @ one of the local bars in the Girdwood area. And, the bartender reported that someone at the bar thought they saw EMG at an "after party" there that night; this would have been right after the fair. However, given that the bar must have been extremely crowded that night - I suspect this was a red herring. I.e., I don't think EMG went to the bar that night.

IMHO there is still hope that the case could be solved at some point. Someone involved in her disappearance may finally speak up (unlikely, I know)....and/or her body could still be found. It seems like cold cases are being solved a lot more often these days than in the past.

I wonder if the guy with the short haircut who the vendor believes she saw with EMG was in fact a friend or acquaintance of DC. I recall reading that DC had some friends at the fair, he may well have introduced her to them. She didn’t know anyone else there, and may have hung with his one of his buddies for a bit while he went off to do something. Anyway, it’s clear there are people out there who know more about what happened that day and who are too scared (or cowardly, or self-interested) to speak up. So many small town cases remain unsolved for this reason. From what I’ve heard/ read it seems DC got a super easy ride during investigations. As someone else wrote here, his “alibi” is giving Dog Ate My Homework. I’m so sorry for the loss of this precious young woman.

 

[alb1on]

Like many I have great doubts about Combs story, but I can see one way in which a car is 'dead' and then restarts after a while. I had a new Citroen XM in the 90s. Periodically it refused to start or cut out when driving - but restarted when the garage came out to tow it in. The garage thought I was making it up until they took it out and it dumped them 10 miles away. It turned out to have a cracked coil which cut all electrics when the crack seperated - either due to engine heat or for other reasons. It is unlikely this was Combs issue but not impossible.

 

[PommyMommy]

DEC 5, 2022

https://www.nbcnews.com/dateline/nine-years-dateline-s-missing-america-188-still-missing-n1301708

Erin Marie Gilbert

Erin Marie Gilbert went on a first date to the Girdwood Forest Fair in Girdwood, Alaska on July 1, 1995 and hasn’t been seen since. The 24-year-old had moved to Alaska the year prior and was working as a nanny. Stephanie Gilbert-Juarez told Dateline that her sister’s date on July 1 was with David “Dave” Combs, a man whom Stephanie said Erin had met a few nights earlier at a local bar. They drove to the Girdwood Forest Fair and according to witness statements to Alaska State Troopers, Erin was last seen at a beer garden with Combs before they left around 6:00 p.m. In a statement to authorities in 1995, Dave Combs said they walked to his car, but the lights had been left on and it would not start. He said he told Erin he would walk to a nearby friend’s house for help. He said he walked for about two hours, but was unable to find his friend’s house. He told authorities when he returned to the car, Erin was gone and he figured she’d returned to the fair. Combs said when he tried to start the car this time, it worked. He stated he went back to the fair and searched for Erin until about 1:00 a.m. Lieutenant Randy McPherron of the Alaska State Troopers told Dateline in 2019 they haven’t received any leads in several years, but that they’d follow up on any that come in. He added there are no suspects in Erin’s disappearance. Erin’s case is one of the cases being looked into by the newly-created Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons investigative team. Erin is described as 5’11”, 145 lbs., with brown hair and hazel eyes. She would be in her early 50s today. If you have tips, please call investigators from the Alaska State Troopers, Lantz Dahlke at 907-451-5919 or Lonny Piscoya at 907-764-3864 or their tip line at 411.

 

[Deleted member 287549]

Like many I have great doubts about Combs story, but I can see one way in which a car is 'dead' and then restarts after a while. I had a new Citroen XM in the 90s. Periodically it refused to start or cut out when driving - but restarted when the garage came out to tow it in. The garage thought I was making it up until they took it out and it dumped them 10 miles away. It turned out to have a cracked coil which cut all electrics when the crack seperated - either due to engine heat or for other reasons. It is unlikely this was Combs issue but not impossible.

Yes, I can see this as something that could happen to someone's car. Car batteries die all of the time, and it's possible that they can be started again later.

However, where the DC "story" falls apart is that he said he needed jumper cables to start the car - and ended up walking two (or more) hours to a friend's house to get them. WTF?! I.e., he was at a crowded fair & he apparently had friends there. So, if his car wouldn't start (which is completely possible), why didn't he ask someone at the fair for jumper cables?! Surely someone there would have them. Or, if none of the other fair-goers had jumper cables - he could have gone to the fair's administrative area & asked about this. This is why the story doesn't make sense - not just because the car allegedly wouldn't start.

 

[theshadow45]

Bumping, today is Erin’s birthday.

 

[NobleKnight]

David Combs is either responsible for Erin being missing or knows way more then he is letting on.

How do you leave for TWO HOURS to go and look for jumper cables? "Hey wait here by my car while I go figure this out"

It was July which can get really hot even in Alaska. His story of ditching her by his vehicle and somehow 'getting lost' (wasn't he from there?) while looking for this friend's house for two hours is extremely far fetched. And it's far fetched because it has to be.. he needed those two hours to be him 'lost' while she was supposedly waiting for him in the heat by his car.

Of course there's always the possibility the car thing isn't a total lie.. meaning they get back to his car and he tells Erin 'hey, my car won't start' (he's lying) and tells her to accompany her to a cabin where they can find a ride or jumper cables (whatever).

Is it possible that Dave knew this date wasn't going the way he had hoped? Did he know that if he dropped her off at home back in anchorage that she would NOT be agreeing to anymore dates with him?

He calls the next morning asking if she had made it home.. why not do that the night of? He also got a lawyer.

One thing I know is that his story is ridiculous..

What does Dave know?

 

[Deleted member 287549]

Several points/comments:

-I don't find it at all unusual that DC hired legal representation after EMG went missing. Even if he had absolutely 0 to do with whatever happened to her, his doing this makes perfect sense. I.e., he was the one she was on the date with when she vanished & was obviously suspected of having something to do with this.

-EMG was 5'11". This was emphasized in the podcast(s) I listened to about the case, and is significant because she did stand out @ the fair due to her unusual height - for a female. I.e., this is important/relevant to the case because people @ the fair did apparently notice her (if she was the one they saw), and did mention some alleged?! conversations they thought they had with her in interview(s), etc. Conversely, if she had been of average height/shorter than average height - they may not have taken as much (if any) note of her & she would have certainly blended in the crowd much easier.

-EMG did not have a cell phone. Her relatives wanted her to take their family cell phone to the fair, but she didn't want to - probably because she didn't think she needed this. Note that back in the mid-1990's, cell phones were a relatively new technology & a good # of people didn't have them at the time. Going along with this, people definitely didn't depend on them during that era - like they do now.

I can relate to this, since I didn't have a cell phone at all in the '90's - and only got my first one well into the 200X's.

 

[theshadow45]

Erin has been missing for 28 years today.

 

[dotr]

July 9 2023

Cold case at Forest Fair: the 28th anniversary of Erin Marie Gilbert’s disappearance

Erin Marie Gilbert disappeared nearly 30 years ago. Today, her family is still looking for answers.

www.alaskasnewssource.com

''ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - The Girdwood Forest Fair is having its 48th annual celebration this weekend. The time also marks the 28th anniversary of the disappearance of Erin Marie Gilbert, who was last seen at the fair on July 1st, 1995.

Erin Marie Gilbert’s disappearance is in the Alaska State Trooper’s cold case department. Gilbert’s sister, Stephanie Juarez, continues looking for answers through a Facebook page dedicated to finding Gilbert.

“Just keeping that alive,” Juarez said. “It’s really all you can do. Because the other choice is to do nothing, and then it fades away with time.”

Juarez now lives outside the state of Alaska. She travels back and fourth to raise awareness for her missing sister with flyers.''

 

[elframo]

Erin's case is revisited on the latest Unfound podcast.

‎Unfound: Erin Marie Gilbert Revisited on Apple Podcasts

‎Show Unfound, Ep Erin Marie Gilbert Revisited - Dec 15, 2023

podcasts.apple.com

 

[ekardh]

It doesn't take a lot of detective work to guess who harmed Erin.

Unfortunately, it does take evidence to charge them. As bogus as the date's story sounds, there are no signs of foul play. Erin's fingerprints were found inside the vehicle, but that doesn't prove anything, as the date doesn't dispute that she was in the car.

There are a thousand places Erin could've been dumped in Alaska, especially with at least a 2 hour window unaccounted for. After almost 30 years, I sincerely doubt that she will be found now, and it will take a sudden crisis of conscience for her fate to be revealed.

 

[theshadow45]

Bumping, today is Erin’s birthday.

 

[theshadow45]

Erin has been missing for 29 years today.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

“I am not able to share specific investigative techniques or what specific investigative actions have been taken so that I do not interfere with the ongoing investigation,” said Austin McDaniel, a spokesperson for the Alaska State Troopers, Department of Public Safety.

“When you have a missing person in your family, I don’t think you ever really get to that grieving point,” said Juarez

Search for missing woman continues 29 years after disappearing from Forest Fair

July 1, 2024, marks 29 years since Stephanie Juarez last saw her sister, Erin Marie Gilbert, alive.

www.alaskasnewssource.com

 

[FromGermany1]

The Young Woman Who Mysteriously Disappeared During A First Date — Erin Gilbert

Mystery

vocal.media

Excerpt:
It is important to mention that the boy cooperated in the initial stages of the investigation and gave several statements to the detectives. His story of the day Erin disappeared never changed. He insisted that he left her in the car and when he returned two hours later, she was no longer there.

However, several weeks after the disappearance, Dave made a somewhat strange move. He went to a police station to get the polygraph test but when he was in the middle he left without completing it.
-.-.-.-
It is known that Erin’s family has not had any contact with Dave since the disappearance. On the page they have enabled on Facebook for the search for the girl they tell her the following:

“Dave Combs, if you follow this page please call me and tell me where Erin is and what happened. Have the courage to finish this horrible journey in which we continue to look for her.”

 

[FromGermany1]

I'm wondering: Arriving at the fair at 5pm (after an hour long drive!) and leaving again at 6pm (when they got to the car, which wouldn't start) doesn't make sense to me at all.

 

[mlhenn]

Erin Marie Gilbert – The Charley Project

Last updated October 11, 2024; four pictures added, distinguishing characteristics updated.

• 
• 
• 
• 

Gilbert, circa 1995; Tattoo on Gilbert's chest

• Distinguishing CharacteristicsCaucasian female. Brown hair, hazel eyes. Gilbert's hair was cut in a short bob at the time of her disappearance. She has a tattoo of a large blue flower on her chest; a photo of it is posted with this case summary.

 

[beubeubeu]

Was it ever explained WHY did she stayed in the car?
Was she tired? Sleepy? Little injured? Wearing some really uncomfy shoes?

Unless that date wasn't even remotely acceptable I'd have to be in pain or completely exhausted to not go with the guy. Unless he discouraged her from going with him, explaining that he'll get there faster alone, or that's just a quick walk.

No way I'd wait for a guy for two hours on the first date - unless he'd tell me that's how long it may take - doesn't sound like he did though. Then 30-40 mins and I'd leave to look out for him. 20-30 mins later I'd figure that he's ghosting me in a weird way or got lost.

Was his car fingerprinted at least?
Were dogs trying to track her?
His story sounds idiotic but with some circumstances it may sounds sort of plausible, hard to say if these occured thou.

 

[mlhenn]

Gilbert was gone by the time Combs got back, and he thought she might have returned to the fair. When he tried the ignition again, the car started.

So after walking for help for 2 hrs, he goes back and the car just starts right up??!

 

[beubeubeu]

Locals must have so much better understanding of his story.
In some areas keeping car lights on while driving any time of the day/year is like sure, thats the way to make yourself visible, in others itd be like are you out of your mind to have lights on?!
I stumbled on Erin's story and her date's story hit me as completely ridiculous, but on the other hand...

(I'm quotting charleyproject page)

Gilbert was last seen during the evening hours of July 1, 1995 at the Girdwood Forest Fair in Girdwood, Alaska. She was on a date with David Combs, a man she'd met the night before.

So she didn't knew him, he didn't knew her well.
6pm sounds kinda early to end the party, isn't it? Daylight still on, not very windy, not very cold,

Combs stated that at 6:00 p.m., they went to his car and the vehicle would not start because he had left his car lights on.

Was that his uneducated guess? Did he had no clue about cars and assumed that cause it wont start, it must be cause he left lights on?

He told Gilbert he would walk to a nearby friend's house for help. Combs walked for two hours but was unable to locate his friend's residence, so he returned to the car.

Well, according to google maps, even now two hours seem like enough time to walk near every single house in Girdwood.

Gilbert was gone by the time Combs got back, and he thought she might have returned to the fair. When he tried the ignition again, the car started. He went to the Girdwood Forest Fair and searched for Gilbert until 1:00 a.m. but couldn't found her.

So around 8pm he came back, figured that car works and went back to the Fair...

Visual thanks to Google Maps - red star is approx. where the car was parked, blue is where the fair took place.
It says 7min long walk.

Not sure if I can share this, this is a picture from Finding Erin Marie GIlbert FB page, to visualise how big of an event it was. Much newer photo, but same stage, IMO not a crowd I'd search through for several hours to conclude that I can't find someone.

At 7:00 a.m. he called her sister, whom she lived with, and asked if she'd made it home.

It sounds just... but I'd lie if I said I don't know people who would act like that and prioritize not waking someone up in case everything is fine OVER alerting them right away in case something is very wrong.

She hadn't, and Gilbert's sister and her family drove to Girdwood and had her name announced onstage at the fair, and searched the festival and the nearby woods. Then they called the police. An extensive search involving dogs and helicopters turned up no sign of her.

And here we go, even the most forgiving attitude can't possibly hold that stretch.

So they went back to the car, and she was watching from distance how he tries and fails to turn the engine on? Did they went there just to see that lights are on and that's how she ended up outside?
Otherwise how on earth could she end up waiting OUTSIDE the car? Like who would leave a woman to wait OUTSIDE the car for even 20 mins with some sort of big party happening nearby?! That's beyond ridiculous.

Still, it somehow may be extremely unfortunate summary while in reality few additional details made it plausible.

But what about the dogs?
What it means that searches turned out no sign of her. Like literally NO SIGN OF HER?
Unless those searches happened much later, dogs should be able to track her path from the parking place to the fair.
So imo, either something made dogs work impossible, or she was never there.
People saw her at the fair but that doesn't mean she ever actually walked the street there for those few minutes. Or waited by the car. Surely dog would be able to tell if she did.
So maybe he drove her straight to the fair, left to find a parking spot... With constantly moving crowd, small area, no actual path anywhere and all festival things there may be no track of her for the dogs.
But then she had to be picked up from there as well. Would she accept a ride from a stranger?
Was it possible to knock on somebody's door or go to a local bar and ask to make a call home to have someone to get there and pick her up in case that date wasn't cool at all?

Horrible scenario, just horrible.