CA CA - Lauralyn Palmer, 71, missing while walking her dog, Shasta County, 20 Apr 2018

[Tripod]

Hi all. Thank you for keeping this thread going. I wish I had some news to share with you, but I sadly don't. Thank you again for keeping my Aunt in your thoughts. In the event anything new pops up I will post here to let all of you know too. Some things have happened but I cannot talk about them as it is not official and so far nothing has come of it, so I don't feel that it is right to post about it. The minute I know something that I can talk about, I will let all of you know too. Again, I do appreciate you all keeping this going. We are coming up on 7 months now, and it is hard to believe that we have nothing new to talk about regarding her case.

Thank you for sharing this, Hanyuu, and hopefully you'll be able to post more before long. Prayers, and hoping for answers for you and yours.

 

[JerseyGirl]

After working her normal volunteer shift at a local thrift store on April 20, 2018, 71-year-old Lyn Palmer returned to her home in Fall River Mills, California. Waiting for her was her husband of 20 years, Bob Palmer, and Bob’s daughter’s dog, a Blue Heeler named Lucy, who they were taking care of for a few days. Lyn told her husband she was going to take Lucy on her typical 15-minute walk, leaving her phone, wallet, and purse on the kitchen counter. But she never returned. Four days later, Lucy returned to the house unharmed. Family and authorities have searched tirelessly for Lyn, but nothing of significance has been found and police say there are no signs of foul play. The Secret Witness program of Shasta County, in collaboration with Lyn’s family, is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to Lyn’s whereabouts.

Five years of Dateline’s Missing in America: 109 still missing

 

[Tripod]

Thinking of Lyn.

 

[Tripod]

Bump for Lyn, and thinking of you and your family during this Christmas season, Hanyuu. How are you all holding up?

 

[Hanyuu]

Bump for Lyn, and thinking of you and your family during this Christmas season, Hanyuu. How are you all holding up?

Hi, thank you for asking and thank you for always bumping! We are doing ok. I wish I had something new to tell all of you. There still are no new developments in her case. One thing that is helping us right now manage the holidays is that we are going into 2019 with a more proactive approach to making sure Lyn's name and face is not forgotten. My Mom found that the local theater has advertisements that people can pay to have run before a movie shows. She got the idea that she could have my Aunt's missing flyer with all her info on it run in that ad time too. She asked the theater owner and she generously said she would air it but also waived the fee one would normally have to pay for it too! It started running this last Friday night. I think it might run in the theater in Burney (the neighboring town) too. It is owned by the same person. Next thing we are doing is getting banners/signs made to hang around town. Some local businesses have already agreed to let them be hung outside. After that I think we will work on getting bumper stickers made. Those can be given out at local businesses or wherever. We have other ideas too, but taking it one step at a time. So far the community is enthusiastic about these ideas and are offering to help out with what they can. I guess they feel just as helpless as we do and having this new push has given them new hope too. My Mom has benefited the most from this I think. This is the best she has sounded in months. Doing something is better than doing nothing. Thank you for asking about us and I hope you and everyone else here has a wonderful holiday season. Thank you all again for your support!

 

[Auntie Cipation]

Hi @Hanyuu . If I recall, there was some concern that she might have gotten into a vehicle and then been driven out of her immediate town?

I am several towns east of Fall River Mills but still in the general region. I do not think I've seen Lyn's photo posted around town, or perhaps only initially when she first went missing.

In Modoc County, neither the Sheriff's Office nor the local newspaper has been particularly proactive in keeping names/photos in front of the public (there are people missing from much closer to their offices whose names and faces are not regularly shown), but I'm fairly certain they would each do updates if prompted.

I've also recently learned of community-centered facebook pages that are like a digital bulletin board. There are probably several in the surrounding towns. Your family could repost her photo every so often and I'm sure lots of eyes see those pages. I don't even have Facebook but I still look at the public pages I can see, just to see what's happening.

I definitely keep Lyn's face in my mind and wish she is found soon and can reunite with her family!

 

[Hanyuu]

Hi @Hanyuu . If I recall, there was some concern that she might have gotten into a vehicle and then been driven out of her immediate town?

I am several towns east of Fall River Mills but still in the general region. I do not think I've seen Lyn's photo posted around town, or perhaps only initially when she first went missing.

In Modoc County, neither the Sheriff's Office nor the local newspaper has been particularly proactive in keeping names/photos in front of the public (there are people missing from much closer to their offices whose names and faces are not regularly shown), but I'm fairly certain they would each do updates if prompted.

I've also recently learned of community-centered facebook pages that are like a digital bulletin board. There are probably several in the surrounding towns. Your family could repost her photo every so often and I'm sure lots of eyes see those pages. I don't even have Facebook but I still look at the public pages I can see, just to see what's happening.

I definitely keep Lyn's face in my mind and wish she is found soon and can reunite with her family!

Well what we do know is that her scent stopped at the highway. So it is possible she could have gotten into the car with someone she most likely trusted, I don't think she would have gotten into a complete stranger's car, at least willingly. But then there is the issue with the dog. Where did the dog go? Where did it come from? Anyway, my point is we are not ruling anything out. There are too many theories on what could have happened.
Your Sheriff's Office sounds a lot like the Shasta County Sheriff's Office. The local paper in Fall River, the Mountain Echo, has had her picture on the front page for months off and on now. We are thankful they do that even still.
I am not sure how much her picture has been posted elsewhere online. She does have her own facebook for Find Lyn Palmer. I know there are people who have shared her photo as far south as Reno, NV. and as far north as Washington State. I will pass on your advice though to my Mom!

 

[Tripod]

I'm sure being proactive is helping your mom, especially during these extra tough times during the holidays. Those are all great steps to be taking! I especially like the movie theater airing, and will pray some tips will come in.
I think of your aunt often and try to brainstorm, but as you've said, it's really tough to find stones to turn over. It sure is a mystery as to where the dog went, and where it came back from. No one in the area ever reported seeing the dog after Lyn disappeared, I think I recall.
Thinking of you and yours this Christmas!

 

[Hanyuu]

I'm sure being proactive is helping your mom, especially during these extra tough times during the holidays. Those are all great steps to be taking! I especially like the movie theater airing, and will pray some tips will come in.
I think of your aunt often and try to brainstorm, but as you've said, it's really tough to find stones to turn over. It sure is a mystery as to where the dog went, and where it came back from. No one in the area ever reported seeing the dog after Lyn disappeared, I think I recall.
Thinking of you and yours this Christmas!

I am disheartened to hear that some of the family thinks we are wasting our time and money with banners and bumperstickers. I am not sure how some people think it is ok to accept this without any answers. Realistically, I know nothing will probably come of all this. But I and my mom both feel we still need to try. I do feel she is most likely not alive anymore, but I still want her case to have closure. And we want closure too.
I feel the dog was with her or ran off or someone had the dog. Those are my three ideas regarding Lucy's whereabouts. No one saw her until 4 days after Lyn's disappearance.
Thank you again for your thoughts.

 

[Steelslady]

I am disheartened to hear that some of the family thinks we are wasting our time and money with banners and bumperstickers. I am not sure how some people think it is ok to accept this without any answers. Realistically, I know nothing will probably come of all this. But I and my mom both feel we still need to try. I do feel she is most likely not alive anymore, but I still want her case to have closure. And we want closure too.
I feel the dog was with her or ran off or someone had the dog. Those are my three ideas regarding Lucy's whereabouts. No one saw her until 4 days after Lyn's disappearance.
Thank you again for your thoughts.

You are not wasting time! Please don't stop, your aunt needs family like you to do this for her, because she quite clearly can't do this on her own!

I hate to ask this, but, has LE thought that possibly something sinister might have happened to her? I find it odd that Lucy came back four days later, yet your aunt hasn't been found or heard from since she went missing. If she did get in the car with someone, it would, in my opinion, have been someone she knew and trusted- I can't picture someone her age just getting in a stranger's car, especially without the dog?

I wonder if anyone saw Lucy running around during those four days that she and your aunt were missing? Maybe put up Lucy's photo on the town page- it might jog someone's memory of seeing a dog run across a street or walking a neighborhood, going through someone's garbage for food, etc.

She also could have fallen somewhere and hurt her head, got disoriented and maybe took a ride from someone that appeared to try and help her. I am sure LE has checked all local hospitals, but what about homeless shelters not only in town, but surrounding towns? It is rare, but if she hit her head and suffered memory loss, she might not know who she is or where she lives and is too afraid to tell anyone that she can't remember anything.

My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. I praise you and your Mom for all that you are doing, keep on searching for her- you never know, she could be alive somewhere!

 

[Hanyuu]

You are not wasting time! Please don't stop, your aunt needs family like you to do this for her, because she quite clearly can't do this on her own!

I hate to ask this, but, has LE thought that possibly something sinister might have happened to her? I find it odd that Lucy came back four days later, yet your aunt hasn't been found or heard from since she went missing. If she did get in the car with someone, it would, in my opinion, have been someone she knew and trusted- I can't picture someone her age just getting in a stranger's car, especially without the dog?

I wonder if anyone saw Lucy running around during those four days that she and your aunt were missing? Maybe put up Lucy's photo on the town page- it might jog someone's memory of seeing a dog run across a street or walking a neighborhood, going through someone's garbage for food, etc.

She also could have fallen somewhere and hurt her head, got disoriented and maybe took a ride from someone that appeared to try and help her. I am sure LE has checked all local hospitals, but what about homeless shelters not only in town, but surrounding towns? It is rare, but if she hit her head and suffered memory loss, she might not know who she is or where she lives and is too afraid to tell anyone that she can't remember anything.

My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. I praise you and your Mom for all that you are doing, keep on searching for her- you never know, she could be alive somewhere!

Rest assured we are not giving up. I think everyone deals with loss differently and that could be the reason some people have the attitude that they do.
As far as something sinister happening, I don't believe the police think foul play was involved. Personally, I am leaning more toward the sinister side of things. But I am open to any theory at this point too. I agree with you that if she did get in a car with someone, it would be someone she trusted.
As far as we know, no one saw the dog while she was gone. That does not mean someone didn't have her, it just means no one has come forth stating they saw her or had her for the brief time she was missing.
Missing fliers were posted in the homeless shelter in Redding,Ca. Actually the person who gave consent to them being posted there was familiar with Lyn too. I am not sure too many other neighboring towns are big enough to even have homeless shelters. Burney is small, McArthur is small, and Fall River Mills is small.
My Mom is doing most the work, since she lives up there. I am her sounding board and I suggest things. The community is ready to help too, as soon as we have something to need help with. I am grateful for that.

 

[AzPistonsGirl]

Yep, never give up. Answers might take months, years, decades even, but they will come, I believe. Your work is not in vain and who cares what anyone else thinks. I think it's odd that family thinks you're wasting your time, etc.

Sorta O/T - I am not at all suggesting this here but since we so often work on missing people's cases on WS, I often wonder about folks who meet secret romantic interests online... does anyone decide to secretly leave their current relationships and sneak away, maybe to another state, or country even? Just leave everything and start a new life? But then at some point, someone would recognize the missing person I guess... But there are a couple of men who have gone missing this year that I wonder if this may be part of what happened...

 

[Hanyuu]

Yep, never give up. Answers might take months, years, decades even, but they will come, I believe. Your work is not in vain and who cares what anyone else thinks. I think it's odd that family thinks you're wasting your time, etc.

Sorta O/T - I am not at all suggesting this here but since we so often work on missing people's cases on WS, I often wonder about folks who meet secret romantic interests online... does anyone decide to secretly leave their current relationships and sneak away, maybe to another state, or country even? Just leave everything and start a new life? But then at some point, someone would recognize the missing person I guess... But there are a couple of men who have gone missing this year that I wonder if this may be part of what happened...

I think for some it is more a matter of "she is gone that's it, it's over. She isn't coming back and nothing you do is going to change that." I think some people have given up all hope. That is my take on it. Doesn't make their hurt go away, they are just trying to deal with it in their own way.
As far as a secret meeting goes, I don't believe she had anyone on the side, but when she first went missing we did wonder if she just dropped everything and left. But there is no way she would be able to survive on her own without her social security. There were no big transfers of funds (that I am aware of) from her bank account. And she loved her sons and grandkids, I don't think she would just up and leave them.

 

[AzPistonsGirl]

Please know I was not at all suggesting that here, but in hindsight, it is good you considered it nonetheless of course.

I can't fathom not wanting to find her, even if I imagined she was "gone"... but you are absolutely correct, everyone grieves differently. And, there is no one size fits all.

Please take good care of yourself and remember we are here for new ideas or a soft shoulder.

 

[Hanyuu]

Please know I was not at all suggesting that here, but in hindsight, it is good you considered it nonetheless of course.

I can't fathom not wanting to find her, even if I imagined she was "gone"... but you are absolutely correct, everyone grieves differently. And, there is no one size fits all.

Please take good care of yourself and remember we are here for new ideas or a soft shoulder.

No worries! I knew what you meant completely! We have considered so many things over the past months. Many different scenarios have played out in my head. Thank you for your well wishes. I am always touched that complete strangers started this thread and have followed this story. It is sad but amazing how common it is for someone to missing. I feel like it one of those things that happens a lot but is not always talked about.

 

[MntnHiker]

I just recently found this thread, so my apologies if this stuff has been hashed out already or asked, but just thinking through things:

-If the scent stopped at a road and the thought was she might have gotten in a vehicle--is this road one that is well-travelled? Would it be common or unusual for someone (perhaps someone she knows) to be randomly driving this road at this time of afternoon/evening?

-Did anyone else besides her husband know she was going to be walking the dog at this location at this time?

-Did she have any acquaintances who have shown interest in her (romantically speaking) in the past or had any grudges they held against her?

MOO the circumstances sound suspicious, though of course, other things may have happened as well. As you said she would only (willingly) get in the car with someone she knew, I was trying to run through possibilities of why someone she knew may want to do her harm. Of course (and I apologize for having to say this) there is the option she was taken forcefully by a stranger, either at gunpoint or some other weapon or sheer surprise/force. I hate to bring that up and put those thoughts out there, but IMO it could be a possibility. If that was the case and the dog was left behind, it does seem unusual it took four days for the dog to go home. Unless the dog was also taken in a car and the person let it go after a period of time and it found its way back to her house.

Just hoping that no matter what happened, your family gets answers soon and that the outcome is positive and she is safe.

 

[Hanyuu]

I just recently found this thread, so my apologies if this stuff has been hashed out already or asked, but just thinking through things:

-If the scent stopped at a road and the thought was she might have gotten in a vehicle--is this road one that is well-travelled? Would it be common or unusual for someone (perhaps someone she knows) to be randomly driving this road at this time of afternoon/evening?

-Did anyone else besides her husband know she was going to be walking the dog at this location at this time?

-Did she have any acquaintances who have shown interest in her (romantically speaking) in the past or had any grudges they held against her?

MOO the circumstances sound suspicious, though of course, other things may have happened as well. As you said she would only (willingly) get in the car with someone she knew, I was trying to run through possibilities of why someone she knew may want to do her harm. Of course (and I apologize for having to say this) there is the option she was taken forcefully by a stranger, either at gunpoint or some other weapon or sheer surprise/force. I hate to bring that up and put those thoughts out there, but IMO it could be a possibility. If that was the case and the dog was left behind, it does seem unusual it took four days for the dog to go home. Unless the dog was also taken in a car and the person let it go after a period of time and it found its way back to her house.

Just hoping that no matter what happened, your family gets answers soon and that the outcome is positive and she is safe.

I think it is a fairly well travelled road yes. I would say it would be common for her to know someone randomly driving by. It is a small town, I think she knew a lot of people and a lot of people knew her. I believe her husband was the only one who knew she was going for a walk. It is hard to say if someone maybe had an interest in her romantically, she encountered many people in a day when she was volunteering at the hospice thrift store. She could have gotten to know people there. That was something that had crossed my mind too! I really feel like the dog is key here. It always comes back to the dog. As far as grudges, I am not aware of any.
Honestly, I have thought of all those scenarios that you have mentioned and then some. I really hope we find out what happened, but I would really like her found so my family can get some closure at least. I can only speak for my mom, and she is so haunted by this. I don't know if the rest of the family understands that, how hard it hits the people left behind who have to live in that town. Thank you for your wishes they are appreciated.

 

[Tripod]

I haven't checked in here for quite a long time- too long! I've been thinking of Lauralyn, you and your mom, Hanyuu.
I imagine you and your mom could use some encouragement right about now ( and always, of course!). As our wonderful fellow WS'ers here have said- we're here to listen and help if there's anything at all we can do.
Bump for Lyn !

 

[Hanyuu]

I haven't checked in here for quite a long time- too long! I've been thinking of Lauralyn, you and your mom, Hanyuu.
I imagine you and your mom could use some encouragement right about now ( and always, of course!). As our wonderful fellow WS'ers here have said- we're here to listen and help if there's anything at all we can do.
Bump for Lyn !

Hi and thank you for checking back in. I still have nothing new to report. My Mom hung up 6 banners she had made around Fall River Mills and had 100 bumper stickers made that were left at the hospice thrift store (the one Lyn volunteered at) free for anyone to take. In April her sons are planning a "celebration of life" for her, close to the time of her birthday (and not too far away from the time she went missing). I will be going up to attend that. I appreciate everyone's thoughts, I think the family is running out of steam at this point. I think this celebration that is being planned so basically the family can sort of say goodbye and come to terms that she is just gone. It's not what I want to tell everyone, but I think that is basically it now. Thank you so much again to everyone for your support here. I will, of course, keep you all posted if I get any new information.

 

[Tripod]

Hi and thank you for checking back in. I still have nothing new to report. My Mom hung up 6 banners she had made around Fall River Mills and had 100 bumper stickers made that were left at the hospice thrift store (the one Lyn volunteered at) free for anyone to take. In April her sons are planning a "celebration of life" for her, close to the time of her birthday (and not too far away from the time she went missing). I will be going up to attend that. I appreciate everyone's thoughts, I think the family is running out of steam at this point. I think this celebration that is being planned so basically the family can sort of say goodbye and come to terms that she is just gone. It's not what I want to tell everyone, but I think that is basically it now. Thank you so much again to everyone for your support here. I will, of course, keep you all posted if I get any new information.

I feel for you, I really do. I can't imagine how hard it is to NOT run out of steam, especially when you probably feel like a one-man band. It isn't that other family/friends don't love or care about Lyn, because I am sure they do. If there are simply no leads at all and no new info coming in, what do you do? Hopefully your mom will be able to touch base with the police every now and then, and a local news article update can be put out in that area as well. We'll be here, Hanyuu.