Angeles National Forest is "right there" in terms of Montrose, and Angeles Forest is a location used by multiple SKs, including Alcala and Terry Rasmussen, and Mack Ray Edwards-- among others, so I'm wondering if this is an SK. I can't tell if this is just near Angeles or actually in it, but it's close enough where this is something to consider. And the outfit and age range are really, really channeling Bundy, too, who said he had a California victim (so I'd assume at least one) Am wondering on this woman:
Cindy Lee Mellin
Her hair looks like it has various shades running through. It looks like it might be on the slightly kinky side perhaps. I can't definitely tell from the images, but it looks like there
may be a slight gap between her teeth. 19yo missing from Ventura CA, January 20, 1970. She was working at a department store (think located in a mall), and employees couldn't bring purses in if they worked there, so employee personal items had to be in a separate I think see-through bag. On her way home, she evidently had car trouble, and someone passed her on a roadway and saw a man helping her change her tire, and she has never been seen since, and her father found the car still with the jack left there. Her clothes do not match, but-- she worked at a department store. People who work at department stores often get discounts, so a woman this age may buy clothes at that store somewhat often if she works there. And she sees all the new outfits coming in, too. And if she's in a mall, she also has time to check out other stores. So her father says she'd never go with anyone willingly she didn't know, But this person was already helping her with the vehicle, whoever he was. What if at some point he said he wanted to take a break and he'd take her for a bite to eat, and she feels like she kind of has to say yes under these circumstances. Perhaps her clothing has become dirty with the tire and such, and maybe his as well. Maybe they stop somewhere so they can change clothing because she would have the extra clothing, by chance. And then, he at some point in the evening murders her. Alternatively, these other clothing items she had may still have been in the separate bag and he just threw them out at the site where the remains were located. There are surely a lot of "ifs" involved here, but the one thing that makes me include this listing is oddly the department store aspect. This victim was someone who was able to get some very nice clothes, and it's an hour or so from Ventura to Montrose CA.
But am largely agreeing with posters on here that this might be a runaway situation, or someone forced into circumstances through threats of force by someone she knew.
Joan Mary Bieter? St. Paul MN, had fight with father & told brother she would not return home. July 1968, I see in this image possibly "black" and "auburn" hair, maybe brown as well, but not kinky. If she started hitchhiking and had a poor diet for some time, her hair may have become tacky and/or frizzy. I'm guessing she took clothing with her from home.
Don't know on the gap with teeth, cannot locate images showing her teeth. She's wearing a watch in this image, but so are millions of other people across the US at this time, so that's not much help.
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Alice Marie Reeves, possibly? Gap in teeth, hair that is black, looks a like it may be a little on kinky side:
Missing since end of May 1967 Mamou Louisiana. 19yo 5'7" 140lbs. She brought daughter to a babysitter and never returned.,
Previously in sex work but trying to get out of it to become hairdresser. Very uncharacteristic of her to leave in these circumstances. Live-in boyfriend, Joffrey Bertrand, was pimp with a criminal record and a history of of domestic violence. He's now deceased, he is suspected of killing her.