CA CA - Elizabeth 'Beth' Funchess, 6 mos, San Jose, 9 Sept 1977

[SophieRose]

No, I don't. That info came from two 1981 Santa Cruz Sentinel articles on newspapers.com.

Any part of Skyline Road would not be near that ranch. And no section of Skyline is in Santa Cruz County, where the ranch is.

 

[rosesfromangels]

No, I don't. That info came from two 1981 Santa Cruz Sentinel articles on newspapers.com.

Any part of Skyline Road would not be near that ranch. And no section of Skyline is in Santa Cruz County, where the ranch is.

Hmmm. Thanks. I do recollect the focus was on any connection to the ranch and the time the husband worked there. But again, this memory is from 38 years ago....

 

[SophieRose]

I'm showing Freedom CA as another place the couple once lived. Maybe worked at the ranch then.

 

[SophieRose]

The California death index lists her death in Santa Cruz County, so her remains must have been found there. So they must have been near the summit. Castle Rock State Park gives a Los Gatos address but most of the park looks to be in Santa Cruz County. So on the west side of some of the road is Santa Cruz County.
Map of Santa Cruz County
http://www.co.santa-cruz.ca.us/grandjury/GJ2008_final/1-7 County Fire_files/image001.jpg

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_State_Route_35

The ridge that the road follows forms the border between Santa Cruz and Santa Clara counties. However, the boundary is so irregular that the road weaves in and out of the two counties.

 

[rosesfromangels]

SophieRose:

I'm so happy to have someone on this thread with me after it being quiet for so long! Thank you!
I looked at an aerial map with the starting point of Diane's house on Rainbow Drive in San Jose. You are thinking they went straight up Saratoga road/hwy 9. Yes, that makes the most sense, although I will say that's a bit of a drive. There was methodology to picking that location aside from the fact it was/is mountainous and remote.

And yes, I looked at the map for Freedom, CA. I've lived here my whole life and never knew there was such a little town. It's history is quite interesting. Even today, folks that live up in the SC or LG mountains are considered "mountain folk", and to be perfectly blunt either hippies or "herbalists". I know that is a general statement, so please, no offense. Diane certainly did not seem to fit that profile, at all. So the fact they lived there seems incongruent.

So back to the drive to the mountain area. This just has to be a "pay back" of some sort. But what?!?
She must have been in a van and concealed, and there must have been more than one person, maybe three.
One driving, one holding the baby, and one detaining Diane. At least two.

 

[sloane7777]

WOW, Rose I just saw this thread , jumping in .......... Bump!

 

[rosesfromangels]

WOW, Rose I just saw this thread , jumping in .......... Bump!

thank you SO much. Really need more eyes and sleuthing on this one. I have never forgotten this, and am determined to make progress.

 

[SophieRose]

SophieRose:

I'm so happy to have someone on this thread with me after it being quiet for so long! Thank you!
I looked at an aerial map with the starting point of Diane's house on Rainbow Drive in San Jose. You are thinking they went straight up Saratoga road/hwy 9. Yes, that makes the most sense, although I will say that's a bit of a drive. There was methodology to picking that location aside from the fact it was/is mountainous and remote.

And yes, I looked at the map for Freedom, CA. I've lived here my whole life and never knew there was such a little town. It's history is quite interesting. Even today, folks that live up in the SC or LG mountains are considered "mountain folk", and to be perfectly blunt either hippies or "herbalists". I know that is a general statement, so please, no offense. Diane certainly did not seem to fit that profile, at all. So the fact they lived there seems incongruent.

So back to the drive to the mountain area. This just has to be a "pay back" of some sort. But what?!?
She must have been in a van and concealed, and there must have been more than one person, maybe three.
One driving, one holding the baby, and one detaining Diane. At least two.

Actually it's not that far of a drive, might take 30 minutes at most because it's very windy. The article posted about the psychics said at the time of her disappearance her husband and friends" vainly searched the mountains skirting San Jose."

I wonder if she was dead when she left the house. That tv cord may not have been used to tie her but to strangle her. Plus an animal could have dragged the baby to another location.

 

[rosesfromangels]

I strongly believe Beth is alive

 

[rosesfromangels]

Diane, I joined Websleuths over five years ago now because of you. This will be my 2,500th post, and it's for you. I can't believe it's been 38 years since you were murdered, and this case still hasn't been solved. Someday....it will be, and we will find your baby Beth.
So post 2500 is for you Diane. Never forgotten!

 

[Nutmeg_916]

Bumping. I'm a new user, and the abductions of and Cindy Wanner in Granite Bay CA have always disturbed me. I had no idea a similar case happened in San Jose. Thank you for this information.

 

[bbclayton]

Enigma, I knew Diane before she married Ken. That is the correct spelling "Funchess".

 

[rosesfromangels]

Enigma, I knew Diane before she married Ken. That is the correct spelling "Funchess".

What's your theory on why she was murdered, and who do you suspect?

 

[miamaia]

Diane's remains (skull and pelvis and rib bones) were found by hikers, but not near the Locatelli ranch but in a ravine used as a dumping ground off Skyline Boulevard in the Santa Cruz Mountains. With the remains were found a multi-colored tank top, a nursing bra and a gold necklace, identified by her parents as one they gave her on a visit home shortly before she disappeared.

So the killer probably took her straight up Saratoga Road (HW 9).

Is there any more information on the condition of Diane's remains or possible causes of death?

 

[rosesfromangels]

Is there any more information on the condition of Diane's remains or possible causes of death?

I have a different recollection than SophieRose about where Diane's remains were found. However, it's been a very long time, so she could very well be right. I thought she was found in a shallow grave, after the rains, right near where her husband worked at one time. (ranch).

I never heard a cause of death, but I distinctly remember that the only thing (that I heard about) missing was a T.V. cord. At the time, I remember the speculation being she was strangled with it, or tied up...but the strangulation theory was the prime one.

 

[shadowdancer]

Bump.

I have to wonder whether Diane was ever the target - I think the 'target' may have been baby Elizabeth and they needed to kill Diane in order to be able to take the baby.

Maybe someone wanted a baby to raise as their own, or maybe (and it makes me sick to type this) some paedophile wanted the baby.

 

[rosesfromangels]

If my memory serves me right, the prime theory was the want of the baby.
I have always speculated the prime motivation was to eliminate Diane.

 

[Odyssey]

Hi,

I lived in San Jose for many years and just wanted to point out a couple things because I think there may be some confusion.

I have seen several references to The Summit and also to Highway 9. For those not familiar with the area, those are two completely different areas. Both Highway 9 and highway 17 go through the mountains, the summit is on highway 17. Highway 9 goes from Saratoga (upscale suburb of San Jose) through several towns - Ben Lomond, Brookdale, Boulder Creek, Felton, and maybe another that would be considered in the mountains. But from what I can recall, those areas were commonly referred to by their names, I don't recall it being called the Santa Cruz Mountains, even though it technically was.

When someone said Santa Cruz Mountains, they usually meant the Highway 17 side, where the summit is. I can't say how it was in 1977 because I wasn't there yet, but the San Jose area at that time was just another place, it wasn't Silicon Valley yet. When I was there in the late 1980s I can remember highway 17 being a huge traffic jam with Santa Cruz people commuting to San Jose for work and San Jose people going to the beaches in Santa Cruz. It doesn't strike me as a place one could stop to dump a body unless it was really late night/early morning. Highway 17 was also a dangerous highway, lots of twists and turns that sneak up on you and no divider separating oncoming traffic. Lots of accidents on that road. So even late at night I wouldn't dare stop on that highway.

I would think highway 9 would be a more preferable place to do something like that as it does go through several towns and there are lots of places to stop. But I think if it had been highway 9, they would have said she was found in Felton, or whichever town, not the Santa Cruz Mountains.

I know this doesn't answer any questions but I mainly wanted to point out that the summit and highway 9 can't both be right.

 

[rosesfromangels]

This is the general area that I recall her being found. However, it's been forty years, so my recollection could be incorrect. But this is what I recall from the news reports.

 

[rosesfromangels]

Well Diane, post number 4000 is dedicated to you. When I joined this forum almost 7 years ago to post about you, I never had any idea I'd still be posting 7 years later! Maybe your case led me here to help others in whatever little way I do....

But still we don't know, these 39 years later who murdered you, or whatever happened to Baby Beth.
But i've never forgotten you. I will keep sleuthing, and I think the right place to look now is for Beth.
I think whomever murdered you would be in their 70's now, and thinking about their own mortality. Maybe they want to make peace, and will speak. We can only pray.

So honoring you, Diane, with my 4000th post, and thinking of you this Thanksgiving week. God Bless you!