A Betty Lee Whitaker was sentenced to 1-5 years in state prison in 1977 on an auto theft charge when she was 59, she was released after being given credit for 158 days served and grand theft auto charges were dismissed.
Last month, we brought to you a story about Nicholas Cunferman, who went missing in 1986. Our Facebook followers shared Nicholas’ story over 90 times. We are very appreciative of the public’s help with these historical investigations. This month, we are sharing the story of Betty Whitaker.
On March 4, 1986, Betty Whitaker was a patient at Novato Community Hospital. Against the advice of medical staff, she left the hospital. The hospital staff reported Betty as missing to the Novato Police Department on March 4, 1986. Since then, she has never been found. At the time she was reported missing, Novato Community Hospital was located on Hill Road in Novato.
Betty Whitaker was born in 1917. Today, she would be 102 years old. At the time Betty went missing, she was 64 years old, 5’ 2” tall, weighing 160 pounds, with gray hair and blue eyes. Betty was wearing a gold bracelet and a rosary. She continues to be listed as a missing person in the State of California Missing Persons Database and also within NAMUS, the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System. What makes this case difficult to investigate is that detectives were never able to obtain a picture of Betty and were never able to locate her family. NPD was never able to locate any dental records nor does she have an available DNA profile that could be used to compare to an unidentified person. Betty used the alias, Lana Lee, at the time she went missing.
We are appreciative of any assistance the public can provide about Betty’s case. You can find Betty’s NAMUS profile at the link provided:
Wonder if she could be either one of these does. Stats line up pretty well but weight is off for both of them.
UP5870 Date Found: July 8, 1981 Location: San Francisco, CA Age: 55-75 Years Race: White / Caucasian Height: 5' 2"(62 inches) , Measured Weight: 100 lbs, Measured Hair Color: Gray or Partially Gray Eye Color: Blue Circumstances: The subject registered for a room in the Powell Hotel on 7-7-81. On 7-8-81, a maid entered the room to do a routine linen change when she noticed the subject unresponsive in bed. There was no personal property except for some jewelry which was on the desk. On the nightstand next to the bed were two unlabeled containers with Seconal, Tylenol, and Valium capsules in them suggesting a possible ingestion.
UP4317 Date Found: January 9, 1982 Location: Los Angeles, California Age: 55-75 Years Race: White / Caucasian Height: 5' 2"(62 inches) , Measured Weight: 84 lbs, Measured Hair Color: Gray or Partially Gray Eye Color: Blue Circumstances: On 1/9/1982 the decedent was found in a hotel room that she shared with a man. The man met her a few months earlier and only knew her as "Vivian" Found at the King Edward Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles.
