TN TN - Disappearances in the Great Smokey Mountains

[Sleuthster]

Another person missing from Clingman's dome area Smoky Mountains is Christina Carter. It says she was missing from Alabama However but they found the mom's remains near Clingman's dome. http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/2528dfal.html

 

[zelmajane]

http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/m/melton_thelma.html

Here is the Charley project page.

Something I found interesting-
-Her husband didn't go on the hike, but was at the trailer when the hikers returned, he claimed she never returned



I find it very interesting that a check was cashed. That could have easily been stashed in her bra. Or given to someone else ahead of time. That leads me to believe she did not kill herself.

 

[zelmajane]

It is also possible that she is now dead.

There are four female Melton's born in 1923 in the SS death index.

All in the south.

Three Thelma's one Pauline.

 

[Kristin83]

I have that book and have too thought that Polly disappeared voluntarily, because of the factors that Bargle mentioned. They're just too coincidental.

If that is true, I hope she had a happy life. I just would never have the nerve to do that to my family & friends.

 

[PFF]

I remember reading about the finding of the MIA GI on Adak Island...did they finally ID Him?

 

[Bargle]

On to #2, Trenny Gibson. First a quote on the basics from Richard.

Trenny Lynn Gibson
Missing since October 8, 1976 from Great Smoky Mountains, Tennessee.
Classification: Endangered Missing

Vital Statistics
Date Of Birth: August 17, 1960
Age at Time of Disappearance: 16 years old
Height and Weight at Time of Disappearance: 5'3"; 115 lbs.
Distinguishing Characteristics: White female. Brown hair; green eyes.
Clothing: Gibson was last seen wearing blue jeans, a blue blouse, a blue and white striped sweater, blue Adidas shoes, and a star sapphire and diamond ring. She initially had no jacket with her, but during the hike borrowed a brown plaid jacket from a friend. She was wearing the jacket when she went missing.


Circumstances of Disappearance
Gibson accompanied 40 of her classmates from Bearden High School in Knoxville, Tennessee on a field trip to The Great Smoky Mountains National Park on October 8, 1976. The students were hiking to Andrews Bald on the trip and separated into small groups when they arrived at the trails. Gibson apparently hiked with several different sections of her classmates at different paces during the day. She was last seen at approximately 3:00 PM near Clingman's Dome.

Gibson disappeared without a trace and has not been seen again. Extensive searches of the park continued until the end of October 1976, but she was never located.

Investigators
If you have any information concerning this case, please contact:
Tennessee Bureau of Investigation 1-800-TBI-FIND

NCIC Number: M-008253504
Please refer to this number when contacting any agency with information regarding this case.

Further info:
Searchers found 3 cigarette butts and a beer can with beer fresh enough to still have an odor. The items were found close to where Trenny disappeared. Trenny didn't smoke. No students admitted to bringing beer to the park.

Trackings dogs were brought in. Several tracked Trenny's scent to a paved road about 1.6 miles from the Clingmans Dome parking area. On Sunday, the 10th, 3 more tracking dogs, working separately, tracked her scent to the same road.

Searchers found cigarette butts of the same type at that area as had been found on the trail.

The parents told of Kelvin Bowman making threats to kill Trenny prior to the field trip. Some students told the parents they had seen Bowman following the bus that day. Investigators checked and Bowman had been in school all day.

Robert Simpson, the student that spent the most time with Trenny on the hiking trail, told Trenny's younger sister the next day, "If Kelvin Bowman has Trenny, he will kill her. If he does not have her, I think she might have run off with some horny hitch-hiker.

According to some students, Trenny's comb was found in Robert Simpson's car. Trenny's mother says she never, ever parted with that comb. Simpson doesn't appear to have been questioned about it.

Reasons against her being a runaway:

She left more than $200 in her room.

The field trip destination wasn't announced until the students had boarded the bus. The teacher overseeing the field trip thought this made it impossible for the bus to have been followed.

She left her pocketbook with her ID and pocket money with her mother.

3 weeks before she disappeared, Trenny had injured her foot and was taking medication for it. She left the medicine at home.

Her older brother was on leave from the Navy the coming weekend and Trenny was looking forward to seeing him.

 

[Bargle]

On this one, sadly, I think it is most likely Trenny was kidnapped from the park and murdered, most likely by a stalker or stalkers. Different groups of dogs following her scent to the same place on the road and finding the same kind of cigarette butts at both the disappearance site and the road site. No evidence of her ever found in the park. No reason for her to have voluntarily vanished. Kidnapped and murdered.

I wonder if the cigarette butts are still in an evidence locker somewhere. They would be a good source for DNA testing if they haven't been lost or discarded.

 

[Angels_Not_Forgotten]

On this one, sadly, I think it is most likely Trenny was kidnapped from the park and murdered, most likely by a stalker or stalkers. Different groups of dogs following her scent to the same place on the road and finding the same kind of cigarette butts at both the disappearance site and the road site. No evidence of her ever found in the park. No reason for her to have voluntarily vanished. Kidnapped and murdered.

I wonder if the cigarette butts are still in an evidence locker somewhere. They would be a good source for DNA testing if they haven't been lost or discarded.

I was just thinking the same about the cigarette butts? Seems like it would have been done by now but you never know?

 

[Bargle]

OK, on to the Dennis Martin case. His group consisted of Dennis, his brother Douglas, his grandfather Anthony and his father William.

On Friday, June 13, 1969 the Martins camped at Russell Field. They met another family named Martin there, the other family wasn't related to them. That family also had 2 sons, Carter and Douglas. The second On Saturday, the 2 families hiked to Spence Field, about 2 &1/2 miles away. All 4 boys were near a hiking shelter when they decided to play a joke on the adults by sneaking up on them and surprising them. The boys went in different directions to hide and begin to sneak up on their parents. The 3 other boys snuck up in front of the adults, but Dennis, who was supposed to come up from behind them, didn't appear. Dennis was to come from behind because he was wearing a bright red shirt which would be easily seen. When Dennis hadn't shown up in a few minutes, the adults began to call for him and look for him. They broke into 2 groups. One went towards Anthony Creek, William went along the trail to Spence Field. Neither spotted Dennis.
Grandfather Anthony hiked to Cades Cove and reported Dennis missing. By the time Rangers were headed to Spence Field, it was getting dark and thunderstorms began, hampering searching. The Rangers searched all night, but found no sign or clue of Dennis. The storms dropped about 2 inches of rain in the area, causing streams and gullies to run high and fast. The low temperature was around 50 degrees. Dennis would be uncomfortable, but able to survive, the searchers said.
On June 29, after days of extensive searching, no clues had been found and the large scale search was called off.
There had been a false report of Dennis being found on the 3rd day, but that turned out to be a different boy.
3 Rangers intimately familiar with the area continued a limited search for 2 & 1/2 more months, but found nothing.
Ronald Lauter, a veteran woodsman, said there was sign of wild boar activity in the area. If Dennis had encountered an angry mother sow, there might not be much evidence left behind, according to Lauter.


This one strikes me as most likely either accident or an animal attack. I think Dennis either encountered a wild boar or bear or slipped and fell into the creek and was drowned. The heavy rains the night of his disappearance may well have washed away any clues as to what happened to him.

 

[Bargle]

Oh, one other thing. If anyone has a link to an article on the GI found on Adak Island, could you post it? I tried several different combinations of words in Google, but can't turn up anything on the story.

 

[BART71]

Hallo Bargle

I have just left you a kind of PM (visitorąs message) at your profile.
I will appreciate it if you reed it and reply to me.
I apologize other posters here - that this post has nothing in common with this thread.

 

[Richard]

Oh, one other thing. If anyone has a link to an article on the GI found on Adak Island, could you post it? I tried several different combinations of words in Google, but can't turn up anything on the story.

Are you referring to a World War II GI who wandered off, fell down a hole/cave and was found fifty some years later? I recall that very well and remember seeing an article about it in either the Washington Times or Washington Post several years ago.

As I recall, he was simply considered missing all those years and when found, he was in a deep hole where he had fallen. Next to him was his M1 rifle and a pile of fired shell casings. He had evidently fired all of his ammo trying to alert any possible rescuers.

Adak was one of the Alaskan islands taken by the Japanese in WW II and then taken back by Americans. There is stil a Naval Air Station on it today.

 

[Bargle]

Are you referring to a World War II GI who wandered off, fell down a hole/cave and was found fifty some years later? I recall that very well and remember seeing an article about it in either the Washington Times or Washington Post several years ago.

As I recall, he was simply considered missing all those years and when found, he was in a deep hole where he had fallen. Next to him was his M1 rifle and a pile of fired shell casings. He had evidently fired all of his ammo trying to alert any possible rescuers.

Adak was one of the Alaskan islands taken by the Japanese in WW II and then taken back by Americans. There is stil a Naval Air Station on it today.

Apparently so, you mentioned it back in post #5 in this thread. I was looking for a bit more detail on the story.

 

[JeannieC]

May 1982 Jay Charles Tooney of Mounds, Okla Disappeared in the Great Smokey Mountains.

Jay and four friends had visited the World's Fair in Knoxville, Tn. They left the World's fair and went to Clingman's Doom to go hiking. They walked a paved 1 mile trail. On the way back Jay said I'll meet you in the parking lot. He left the trail to take a shortcut and hasn't been seen since.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?i...g=1472,3713994&dq=thelma+pauline+melton&hl=en


Jay was a diabetic on insulin.

 

[JeannieC]

May 23, 1982 Jay Tooney was found in serious condition after being located sprawled near a creek. He was suffering from Hypothermia, exposure, and complications from missing his insulin.

Dogs were used to locate him.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?i...,8215548&dq=jay+charles+tooney+oklahoma&hl=en

 

[amber1]

any cases with people disappearing in the mountains interest me, especially trenny gibson and nyleen kay marshall. mountains are perfect hunting grounds for any predator. it' s isolated and easy to dispose of your crime. i dont think Trenny just got lost im sure she was taken. a group of school kids in the woods is sure to attract some sickos.

 

[wv171]

Glad they found Jay Tooney..Hope he did make a recovery from his wounds.


On the still unsloved cases I still put Human attacks as possible.

Some strange nut cases are walking around these days that really should be lock-up, but due to govt. cost cutting starting back in early 1980's these people are getting released at a alarming rate.. And mental hospitials being completely shut down..My self I don't understand govt. view of this action these people has commited countless crimes after being released into the general public..


I live in this mt. range on the WV-VA boarder and went many night out with local Search & Rescue in woods searching for lost Hikers to Lost Hunters it sure no fun.. Hopefully a Law will pass in emergancies we can bring our ATV's and Dirt Bikes into the search.. Night time carring lights, medical supplies, safe drinking water ect. it will wear you out during these searches.. I hope so anyway, I done it too many times on foot..I guess getting be a old man..


I work outside my whole life and believe me there are still Mt. Lions/ Panthers in these woods.. You don't see them too often mostly at night but they are out there. I seen way too many of them and no other cat going have a tail about as long as its body is that about 4 foot or longer not counting that very long tail.. It was Panther's I seen you can take my word on that.


I watch special on these Panthers on TV about State Of Cal. trouble Panther problem and they said most dangerous of these cats are the old or injuried Cat's because its hard for them to catch game and they do in some times been known to start attacking human's for food.. Panther's first go for the throat of there victim. Cut off the windpipe for a quick kill.. Plus there teeth been known to go into human skull..

The Panthers mainly hunt at night but day attacks has happened if they hungry enough..


Mine wise all up and down this mt. range they been Coal Mines and other mineral mines dug into the ground at the outcroping of Coal Seams for use as House Coal for heat and cooking starting clear back to 1st Settlers came into this region if not before and these mines are unmarked and some go very far underground.


Black Bear has been know to attack humans too mainly Sow protecting its young or old or injuried bear..


I highly recomend if you go hiking on these trail's carry Bear Repelant a couple cans of it. This help with any humans attacks too.. Its like Maze & Pepper Spray put together in pretty good safe can's you can trust if you needed them....


I can't tell you carry a pistol but pretty good idea .. I pass young pretty girl jogging few weeks back on US Govt. Land and I could see a outline of a pistol in I think they call them fanny packs but this one was worn on the front.. Nice person at least I didn't worry about her that much after we had few nice words and she took off jogging again and I went my way.


Happen to been reading this and hope if it saves 1 life it's worth my time.. Plus I hate to get called out at 10 or 11 O'clock at night to go on these search & rescue missions and sometimes not come home for days looking for lost people..

 

[southern_scout]

http://www.tennessean.com/article/2...ficials?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|FRONTPAGE|s

Blurb in the Nashville paper online about these cases. Glad to see they are still getting some media attention.

 

[KarlK]

According to this website, http://www.great.smoky.mountains.national-park.com/info.htm , the mountain lions were thought to be eradicated by hunters in the 20s. However, there have been reports that they are still around. There are bobcats. Would they attack humans during daylight? Aren't they known for their screams or do I have them confused with another cat?

As far as I know Quebec is the only place in North America east of the Rockies where there has been confirmed cougar (mountain lion) sightings since the 1920's, and those were quite recent. It doesn't make it absolutely impossible for a cougar to be present in the Smokies but it's extremely unlikely. Florida Panther is an extant smaller cougar subspecies but has never been seen outside south Florida and is not known to attack humans, it is very shy. Cougars are practically mute, they do not scream or growl but they can purr. Lynx rufus aka bobcat and the slightly larger Canada lynx aka wildcat both live in the Smokies but they are simply too small and too fearful of humans to attack them, especially during daylight hours. I do not know of any fatal lynx attack on a human, ever. They do hiss and growl though.

 

[CanManEh]

I am in Ontario and we hear of sightings all the time . All the links didn't work for me i guess the page has closed but if people were somewhat close you you can throw the mountian lion , cougar ,bob cat even a black bear none of them can kill in an instant and if he she or them were attacked you woulda been able to hear them scream. I would love to see a documentry on this case even pics and what wittnesses had said thicase sounds very interesting..