MA MA - Wanda Medeiros Reine, 25, East Falmouth, 12 March 1971

[TheArtfulDetective]

Wanda Medeiros Reine​

Case Classification: Endangered Missing/Suspected Homicide
Missing Since: March 12, 1971
Location Last Seen: East Falmouth, Barnstable County, Massachusetts

Description:​

• Date of Birth: circa 1946
• Age: 25
• Race: White/Caucasian
• Gender: Female
• Height: Unknown
• Weight: Unknown
• Hair Color: Brown
• Eye Color: Brown
• Nickname/Alias: Unknown
• Distinguishing Marks/Features: May wear eyeglasses
• Clothing & Personal Items: Possibly eyeglasses
• Identifiers: Unknown

Circumstances of Disappearance:
Wanda was last seen in East Falmouth, Massachusetts on March 12, 1971. Her husband, Melvin J. Reine Sr., claimed he dropped her off at the bus station so she could go visit a cousin in Wareham, Massachusetts. Wanda has never been heard from again and Melvin did not report her missing for five days. Friends and family were skeptical that she would run away, leaving behind her two young sons.

Wanda's husband Melvin had a history of encounters with local law enforcement over the years. Paul Alwardt, a 17-year-old employee of Melvin's, disappeared shortly before he was to testify against Melvin in an arson case. He is still missing. That same year, John Busby, a police officer who had had run-ins with the Reine family, was shot twice in the face while on his way to work. He survived. Melvin was a suspect in Busby's shooting, but there was insufficient evidence to charge him at the time.

Melvin was declared legally incompetent and in 2001, he was committed to Taunton State Hospital after threatening to shoot a woman. He was diagnosed with Pick's Disease, a form of dementia characterized by personality changes, poor judgement, forgetfulness, social ineptitude. He died in November 2013, at the age of 74.

Melvin is the prime suspect in Wanda's case, as well as Paul Alwardt's. Investigators stated that Melvin's account of Wanda's disappearance "didn't check out" and they do not believe Wanda ever got on the bus the day she went missing. Authorities dug up several locations looking for Wanda's remains, including the Reine residence at 657 East Falmouth Highway, but no evidence was located. Wanda remains missing and is presumed deceased, but no one has ever been charged in her case.

Investigators:

• Falmouth Police Department: (508) 457-2527
  Reference Case#: Not available

NamUs Case Number: Not listed
NCIC Case Number: Not available

Wanda Medeiros Reine – The Charley Project
1956DFMA - Wanda Medeiros Reine

 

[heartanium]

For mapping purposes - 657 E Falmouth Hwy, East Falmouth, MA. The county is Barnstable County, same county Lady of the Dunes was found at. Their house seemed quite close to the water, so assuming her husband did something to her maybe he put her in the ocean...

 

[heartanium]

Some possible UP's

UP58263 - Taunton, MA (Aug 1984) - found 47 miles away.
Unsure, Uncertain
Only identifying marker is they were found wearing wool stockings, which may match with her date of disappearance. Not sure about how the weather is in MA during March, but I assume it's quite cold. Very little known about this UP otherwise.

These three UP's washed up ashore from 2019-2021. Not 100% sure but I think the latter two remains are of the same person, they were found only 4 miles apart.

UP58873 - Westport, MA (May 2019) - found 58 miles away.
Unsure, Uncertain
Singular bone found on surf line, marine growth present

UP77229 - Dartmouth, MA (January 11, 2021) - found 45 miles away.
Unsure, Uncertain
Isolated bone found on shoreline during high tide.

UP77373 - New Bedford, Massachusetts (January 22, 2021) - found 43 miles away.
Unsure, Uncertain
Seen in water on bottom by a person in a fishing boat, partial skeletal remains.

 

[Caring1]

Wanda’s NamUs was modified today. No visible changes and no exclusions.

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

By bringing people, information, forensic science and technology together, NamUs helps resolve cases.

www.namus.gov

 

[alb1on]

The article at Falmouth’s ‘Inconvenient Legend’: Melvin Reine Dies - Cape Cod Wave gives a lot more detail about the husband - and the rest of the family. His second wife was murdered in 2005 in the midst of a trust dispute with the sons of his first marriage and it seems probable one of the sons was behind it. Melvin Sr owned a waste disposal business with the towns trash contract - so getting rid of bodies and evidence would have been easy. I recommend reading the article, which is a sort of obituary, and being amazed at the back story to this case.

 

[Pennysmom1]

Wanda Jeanne Medeiros Reine (1946-1971) - Find a...

First wife of Melvin J. The Fox Reine, Sr. DISAPPEARED IN 1971, NEVER HEARD FROM AGAIN. Believed to have been murdered. On March 12, 1971, Wanda Reine rode off with her husband and was never seen again. Melvin didn't report her missing for five days, and promised his children that their mother...

www.findagrave.com

 

[Pennysmom1]

Live to Tell: A family's year in hiding

The Busby family's harrowing ordeal

www.cbsnews.com

1956DFMA - Wanda Jean Reine

Distinguishing Marks/Features: Wears glasses; scar behind right ear; 5" scar on right foot; Portuguese descent

Identifiers​

Dentals: Unknown
Fingerprints: Unknown
DNA: Unknown

<<Police searched for Wanda, digging up a patio and garage floor at her husband's 657 East Falmouth Highway home, but never found her body.

At the time of her disappearance, Melvin Reine told police he drove his wife to the Falmouth bus station to take a trip. Wanda was never heard from again, nor was her body found ever found.>>