PA PA - Ilonka Cann, 22, Huntington Mills, 26 May 1970

[Gardener1850]

Investigators renew effort to find missing woman

HUNTINGTON TWP. - State police think somebody knows something that could help them solve a 1970 cold case regarding the disappearance of a Huntington Twp. woman.

Investigators have launched a renewed effort to find out what happened to Ilonka Cann, 22.

Cann vanished one day in May 1970, leaving behind a 15-month-old son and her husband. She was believed to be pregnant at the time.

“We realize this disappearance was some time ago, however, we believe that there are those in our community that have knowledge or are unaware they have have some information related to Ilonka’s disappearance,” state police at Shickshinny wrote in a press release.

 

[folieadeuxnola]

State police seek public’s help in cracking cold case

State police think someone local may know something that could help them solve a 1970 cold case regarding the disappearance of a Huntington Twp. woman.

Investigators have launched a renewed effort to find out what happened to Ilonka Cann, 22.

Cann vanished one day in May 1970, leaving behind a 15-month-old son and her husband. She was believed to be pregnant at the time.

“We realize this disappearance was some time ago; however, we believe that there are those in our community that have knowledge or are unaware they have some information related to Ilonka’s disappearance,” state police at Shickshinny wrote in a news release.

 

[ChuckMaureen]

Renewed efforts to find woman missing since 1970

State police said a renewed investigative effort has been undertaken into the facts and circumstances surrounding Cann’s disappearance. New information has been developed regarding the investigation but state police has not released what they recently learned.

Renewed efforts to find woman missing since 1970 | Times Leader

New information... but not revealed.

 

[ctaylor]

There is an interesting piece at Standard-Speaker from Hazleton, Pennsylvania on January 6, 1971 · Page 30 where the Hazleton newspaper seems to be reporting an attack on Charles Cann (Ilonka's husband) by her father Clinton Harless, who has arrived in town to find the truth. Unfortunately I do not have a subscription to newspapers so can only get the general thrust from the OCR text. If anyone has a sub and can access the page there may be more information.

I managed to find a different article about that incident. It's been clipped by someone, so no subscription needed to view it. The attack was not actually on Ilonka's husband. It was an attack on her husband's father (Ilonka's father-in-law), also called Charles Cann. It took place in September 197o. Ilonka's father and a man called Paul Allen were charged with assault and battery. Article here - Clipping from Wilkes-Barre Times Leader, The Evening News - Newspapers.com

 

[madamx]

Bumping

 

[Satch]

Charlie Project has more information about the case. Is Charles still alive?

Ilonka Cann – The Charley Project

Satch

 

[StarrChance]

No doubt her family thought who was responsible <modsnip: replace screenshot of article with clipping>

1971

Article clipped from Standard-Speaker

Clipping found in Standard-Speaker published in Hazleton, Pennsylvania on 1/6/1971.

www.newspapers.com

 

[fred&edna]

I've always wondered about her son... he was so young when his mother disappeared.

 

[SurrealisticSlumbers]

The link to the website on her case is now dead. Website appears to have either expired or was taken down by the domain owner.

 

[ctaylor]

Nothing new, but found a 2001 article from the Citizens Voice. It does mention here that Ilonka was 3 months pregnant at the time she disappeared. Article is here -

 

[fred&edna]

I wonder if the property where she lived has been searched.

 

[CCJD]

I wonder if the property where she lived has been searched.

<modsnip: removed screenshot of article>

1 Jun 2018, A5 - Citizens' Voice at Newspapers.com

 

[SurrealisticSlumbers]

The property was allegedly searched top-to-bottom at the time, but who knows... something could have been missed. If something sinister did happen to her, it's possible that there was a primary crime scene elsewhere, and that after the initial search, they never searched the property again and the body was later buried on the property. Sounds like from that newspaper clipping, the relationship with the husband was potentially volatile, or at the very least, things were not looking good.

 

[MarSzych]

State police, DA conducting search in Luzerne County​

Authorities say the search by state police off Cann Road in Huntington Township is related to a decades-old missing persons case.

State police, DA conducting search in Luzerne County

Authorities say the search by state police off Cann Road in Huntington Township is related to a decades-old missing persons case.

www.wnep.com

 

[Punk1311]

I'm very interested. I'm a local to this around and have seen Charles III multiple times a year. Hopefully something comes if this

 

[fred&edna]

State police, DA conducting search in Luzerne County​

Authorities say the search by state police off Cann Road in Huntington Township is related to a decades-old missing persons case.

State police, DA conducting search in Luzerne County

Authorities say the search by state police off Cann Road in Huntington Township is related to a decades-old missing persons case.

www.wnep.com

I could be wrong but from the photo in the news link I get the impression LE is looking in a specific area. I wonder if they received a new bit of information??

 

[imstilla.grandma]

State police and the Luzerne County district attorney’s office are involved in the search of several ponds that are being drained in hopes of finding a woman who disappeared 52 years ago. 22-year old Llonka Cann, was reported missing by her husband, Charles Cann, a Berwick School teacher at the time who said he arrived home from work to find his wife missing and their 15-month old son alone and crying.

Authorities searched the family farm and surrounding areas — including bringing in a scuba team to scour a pond on the property — but found no sign of the woman, who was reportedly pregnant at the time. Officials are only saying they are conducting the search and following up on a decades-old missing person case. The search is the next step in a long investigation and all information related to the search is under seal. Authorities add if today's activity results in any information which can or should be made available to the public it will be released.

Search underway in Luzerne County cold case

State police and the Luzerne County district attorney’s office are involved in the search of several ponds that are being drained in hopes of finding a woman who disappeared 52 years ago. 22-year old Llonka Cann, was reported missing by her…

www.audacy.com

The pregnant mother vanished on May 26 of 1970. Sources close to the case say her husband returned home that day to find their 15-month-old baby alone and crying, there was no sign of Ilonka.

Despite numerous searches by police over the last six decades, no sign of Cann was ever found.

Harless said this new search is giving the family hope.

“You know when I heard about it I was just hopeful so hoping that it means something that’s there going to be some kind of result that you know maybe my sister that we’ll know what happened to her,” Harless said.

Eyewitness News reporter Andy Mehalshick asked Harless if she knows what might have happened.

“Of course, there’s been speculation but it’s speculation,” Harless explained.

She said her sister was a loving person and deserves justice.

“She was kind probably that’s the first and foremost. She was thoughtful, she tried to make everybody around here feel comfortable. She loved little animals she would taken the baby animals home nurture them. She would expand that to people times ten,” Harless concluded.

Investigators have not officially confirmed this search is part of the Cann disappearance.

Officials only said the search is part of a decades-long missing person investigation.

Luzerne County District Attorney Sam Sanguedolce released a statement saying the search warrant affidavit has been sealed by the court. That paperwork, once it is unsealed, should provide some insight as to why investigators are searching that property near Shickshinny.

Family hopes for closure in 52-year-old cold case

HUNTINGTON TOWNSHIP, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU)— Police continued to search a rural Luzerne County property on Wednesday in connection to a missing person case that is more than 50 years old. Eyewi…

www.pahomepage.com

 

[John/Jane Doe]

Ilonka Cann – The Charley Project

 

[imstilla.grandma]

That search is taking place in the area of Cann Road near the intersection of Waterton Road. The area has been sealed off by police. Eyewitness News saw a marked state police vehicle securing the area as well as other unmarked police vehicles coming and going from that area.

Eyewitness News reporter Andy Mehalshick spoke with Cann’s sister several years ago at an event at Wilkes University that was the focus of missing persons.

“It’s always on your mind. You go on live a life and it could be a good life but I always miss her,” said Anita Harless, Ilonka Cann’s sister.

“The state police and our office are conducting a search of a rural property in Huntington Mills, followng up on a decades-old missing persons case. This search is the next step in a long investigation. All information related to the search is under seal. So do not expect to have further comment in the near future. If today’s activity results in any information which can or should be made available to the public, we will notify everyone in the media so it can be released. Otherwise, we cannot comment further on the investigation.”

A RELEASE FROM THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE

Troopers search for woman who went missing 52 years ago

HUNTINGTON MILLS, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU)— There are breaking developments in the case of a Luzerne County woman who went missing 52 years ago. State police and county detectives are searching a…

www.pahomepage.com

 

[samsmom]

Gray Hughes discusses

Time stamp 7:10 on his clock upper right