TN TN - Teresa 'Trenny' Lynn Gibson, 16, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, 8 Oct 1976

[Andreee]

Wow, interesting and new information provided by Trenny's mom. I just started following Nick Kyle recently on his site, and I find him to be a very detailed and thorough researcher. Sometimes he goes to the places he is talking about re. missing persons also. I wonder if the guy who was walking with Trenny at the field trip is still alive. And yes, it is shocking to hear what her mother has to say.

P.S. I watched the last bit of the video and the guy walking with Trenny is deceased.

 

[T rex]

The Trenny Gibson Disappearance May Have Just Been Solved: New Evidence.​

On Nick Kyle's latest 'The Missing Enigma' podcast, he speaks one-on-one with Trenny Gibson's mother, Hope (Gibson) Vaughn. From her firsthand interview, the actual never heard before facts on her daughter's case are shockingly revealed while longtime falsehoods and rumors are put to rest.

One thing about this case, I believe a dogs nose over EVERYTHING that has been said. If Trenny had continued off the trail and the dogs had lost her scent in the wilderness I would say she got lost but the dogs tracked her to the road.
When I look at a map and I look at the timeline one thing becomes apparent to me. When RS was headed back up, towards the end of the trail, whether he was unaware OR aware of it, Trenny was right on his heels. I don't see anyway around it.

I've always believed that Trenny planned to run away that day in the park and I always wondered if RS was involved, could he have been running reconnaissance for her? So now I could use this potential new evidence of the coat and some guy being there that wasn't on the trip to fit right into that theory, but I won't because I don't know if this is the same coat and people inject themselves into cases all the time, usually for attention. I will say that I think it is absolutley absurd to suggest that the timeline allows for what the people in this podcast are theorizing and it's even more absurd to suggest that RS skirted along the trail across difficult and sometimes treacherous terrain to somehow get in front of Trenny. There's so much wrong with this podcast that I don't even have time to cover it all. I still believe Trenny either ran away or got lost but all of this is just my opinion and of course everyone else is free to believe what they want.

 

[Andreee]

I've always believed that Trenny planned to run away that day in the park and I always wondered if RS was involved, could he have been running reconnaissance for her? So now I could use this potential new evidence of the coat and some guy being there that wasn't on the trip to fit right into that theory, but I won't because I don't know if this is the same coat and people inject themselves into cases all the time, usually for attention. I will say that I think it is absolutley absurd to suggest that the timeline allows for what the people in this podcast are theorizing and it's even more absurd to suggest that RS skirted along the trail across difficult and sometimes treacherous terrain to somehow get in front of Trenny. There's so much wrong with this podcast that I don't even have time to cover it all. I still believe Trenny either ran away or got lost but all of this is just my opinion and of course everyone else is free to believe what they want.

I do not believe Tranny ran away. I do think the scenario talked about in that video and agreed with by Trenny' s mom is valid. There was only one coat IMO as why have, let alone take two identical coats, absurd. That is significant plus the comb and other things mentioned. Or she got lost possibly. JMO.

 

[Kodiak]

I wonder if the guy who was walking with Trenny at the field trip is still alive.

No. The individual is now deceased and passed in 2022.

 

[Kodiak]

I do not believe Tranny ran away. I do think the scenario talked about in that video and agreed with by Trenny' s mom is valid. There was only one coat IMO as why have, let alone take two identical coats, absurd. That is significant plus the comb and other things mentioned. Or she got lost possibly. JMO.

When it comes to this case, anything is possible. There are times when I think Trenny might have been harmed or murdered on that field trip. But yet, there are some instances where I get the impression that she left on her own accord, not to say that she was a "runway," because that had a somewhat glamorous context with kids and teens back in the 70s as I knew dozens of young kids and teens at the time who always declared, "I'm running away," like they just claimed the prize out of a Cracker Jack box. And some did run away, but eventually returned home over time.

For reasons I cannot say why, I get the impression at times that Trenny may have been placed into the Federal Witness Protection Program that very day. Perhaps for some reason, she might have seen or heard something (long before the day of the field trip) and might not have even realized it. I know, it sounds far-fetched, even at times when a case truly is stranger than fiction. And the Ron Tammen Jr. case is no different. He went missing in 1953, the same year MKULTRA kicks into gear, and now, it's possible from potential evidence coming to light, he may have left under a new identity.with the help of clandestine government assistance to became part of the MKULTRA program.

I also think it's quite possible when Trenny was last seen peering off the trail, she may have witnessed a drug deal taking place and by her inserting her presence into that situation, the deal went awry. And she could have been led by force out of the park once all the other students returned to the bus in the parking lot.

With all that said, one has to realize that there were park locales inaccessible that day. The paved walkway leading to Clingmans Dome was closed to the public. And one of the dog searchers who also helped with the Dennis Martin case a decade earlier in the park, stated on a news channel several years ago that Trenny's scent lingered under the pillar column of Clingmans Dome, like she had been standing there a long time with all the visitors coming and going to the lookout, passing right past her, and that she just eventually walked out from underneath the pillar and stepped out and onto the Appalachian Trail. If that was the case, then Trenny missed her earlier trail turnoff that led back to the parking and the awaiting school bus. It even echoes this in her National Park Services Report (which can be misleading with redacted info and the odd timeline of events).

And just like T rex wondered "if RS was involved, could he have been running reconnaissance for her?" That also could be a possibility because his late father was a notable and powerful District Attorney... and his jurisdiction at the time... included the entire region of the Smoky Mountains National Park.

 

[Kodiak]

P.S. I watched the last bit of the video and the guy walking with Trenny is deceased.

Ah, my bad. I somehow missed this post. Never mind my post to you. (#344)

 

[Betty P]

I've always believed that Trenny planned to run away that day in the park and I always wondered if RS was involved, could he have been running reconnaissance for her? So now I could use this potential new evidence of the coat and some guy being there that wasn't on the trip to fit right into that theory, but I won't because I don't know if this is the same coat and people inject themselves into cases all the time, usually for attention. I will say that I think it is absolutley absurd to suggest that the timeline allows for what the people in this podcast are theorizing and it's even more absurd to suggest that RS skirted along the trail across difficult and sometimes treacherous terrain to somehow get in front of Trenny. There's so much wrong with this podcast that I don't even have time to cover it all. I still believe Trenny either ran away or got lost but all of this is just my opinion and of course everyone else is free to believe what they want.

This video is an hour and a half long. Is there anything new or factual in this video? I'm not inclined to watch these anymore. They never have anything new, at least nothing that's factual. Just people making money from the death of this poor girl.

 

[T rex]

This video is an hour and a half long. Is there anything new or factual in this video? I'm not inclined to watch these anymore. They never have anything new, at least nothing that's factual. Just people making money from the death of this poor girl.

Their are no new verifiable facts. Just the same old singular source we have always had and some guy trying to sale a book. They're now saying that the coat RS was wearing during the search is the same one that he lent to Trenny. And they are now saying that he had scratches on the inside of his legs (why are we just now hearing of this?). Oh yea, we are now suppose to drop the whole jewelry thing. I assume because some of the people that it revolves around are not dead yet and can still speak for themselves. And then there's the stuff that they omitted, like Trenny had a job. This opens up all kinds of possibilities but they only covered things that can be fit into their theory and as far as I'm concerned their theory just about defies the laws of physics and every other time they open their mouth they contradict something they just said. If any student on this trip harmed Trenny that day (and I don't think they did) it would have had to happen much earlier in the day and several people would have knowledge of it. I don't see how it could have happened the way these people expect us to believe it happened. Now most of this is just my opinion but I'm going to state this as a fact, the accusations these people have made against RS are baseless and unfounded.

 

[T rex]

I do not believe Tranny ran away. I do think the scenario talked about in that video and agreed with by Trenny' s mom is valid. There was only one coat IMO as why have, let alone take two identical coats, absurd. That is significant plus the comb and other things mentioned. Or she got lost possibly. JMO.

He didn't take two coats, he returned home and wore a coat back to search for his friend in frigid temperatures. We don't know that the coats were identical or even similar. But I do agree with you on one thing, all of this should be put in the same category as the comb and if you have read my other posts here then you know how I feel about that one.

 

[Betty P]

Their are no new verifiable facts. Just the same old singular source we have always had and some guy trying to sale a book. They're now saying that the coat RS was wearing during the search is the same one that he lent to Trenny. And they are now saying that he had scratches on the inside of his legs (why are we just now hearing of this?). Oh yea, we are now suppose to drop the whole jewelry thing. I assume because some of the people that it revolves around are not dead yet and can still speak for themselves. And then there's the stuff that they omitted, like Trenny had a job. This opens up all kinds of possibilities but they only covered things that can be fit into their theory and as far as I'm concerned their theory just about defies the laws of physics and every other time they open their mouth they contradict something they just said. If any student on this trip harmed Trenny that day (and I don't think they did) it would have had to happen much earlier in the day and several people would have knowledge of it. I don't see how it could have happened the way these people expect us to believe it happened. Now most of this is just my opinion but I'm going to state this as a fact, the accusations these people have made against RS are baseless and unfounded.

thank you so much for the summary. i really appreciate it. I feel badly for the victims and their families when people spend years weaving various stories about their disappearance.

Having a close relative who disappeared mysteriously many years ago, the best thing you can do is gather all the evidence you can find, do all the research you can. Use it to reach the most logical, likely conclusion, then accept that.

 

[Andreee]

He didn't take two coats, he returned home and wore a coat back to search for his friend in frigid temperatures. We don't know that the coats were identical or even similar. But I do agree with you on one thing, all of this should be put in the same category as the comb and if you have read my other posts here then you know how I feel about that one.

I have not heard that he went all the way home to retrieve another coat, only to come back and join the search later. I have only heard that he was wearing the same coat shown in the photo of the search (right after they noticed Trenny was missing) that he had lent Trenny earlier. The one her mom saw her wearing courtesy of her friend at the school pre tour. I And it is not a fact that accusations made against RS are baseless, it is your opinion. At any rate, I'm still open minded about this case, not that it matters lol.

 

[Kodiak]

Nearly a half century later, I really do hope the FBI officially releases Trenny's FBI files (un-redacted). Her mother deserves that right. And we, too... the ones who still care about Trenny.

 

[IAmNobodyToAnybody]

P.S. I watched the last bit of the video and the guy walking with Trenny is deceased.

Posting this several places in hopes of getting someone's attention: It has always bothered me that if they had hidden Trenny's body, she would have begun to smell in just a few days. I heard an episode (I don't know which) where Laura Riste mentioned that one of the boys, who helped look for Trenny that day, insisted that Trenny disappeared from the washroom. It was also in the washroom where the ring supposedly went into someone else's possession. I wondered about this because a lot of state parks have what they call vault toilets; a nice term for an outhouse., so I checked and sure enough. Did you know that the washroom at Clingman's Dome is 3 vault toilets to this day, built in 1930's? I have used many a vault toilet in state parks; they are very deep to accommodate many users, with about a 3-4 ft space between toilet seat and the surface of the liquid waste. They could have thrown her in the toilet after killing her, or incapacitating her, and no one would have ever found her. It also would have masked the smell of a decomposing body, and the bacteria would have hastened decomposition. Once these vault toilets reach capacity, large trucks come in with large diameter hoses and vacuum out the contents. They would never know if they vacuumed up a body that was no longer intact. Maybe that is why she has never been found.

 

[IAmNobodyToAnybody]

Posting this several places in hopes of getting someone's attention: It has always bothered me that if they had hidden Trenny's body, she would have begun to smell in just a few days. I heard an episode (I don't know which) where Laura Riste mentioned that one of the boys, who helped look for Trenny that day, insisted that Trenny disappeared from the washroom. It was also in the washroom where the ring supposedly went into someone else's possession. I wondered about this because a lot of state parks have what they call vault toilets; a nice term for an outhouse., so I checked and sure enough. Did you know that the washroom at Clingman's Dome is 3 vault toilets to this day, built in 1930's? I have used many a vault toilet in state parks; they are very deep to accommodate many users, with about a 3-4 ft space between toilet seat and the surface of the liquid waste. They could have thrown her in the toilet after killing her, or incapacitating her, and no one would have ever found her. It also would have masked the smell of a decomposing body, and the bacteria would have hastened decomposition. Once these vault toilets reach capacity, large trucks come in with large diameter hoses and vacuum out the contents. They would never know if they vacuumed up a body that was no longer intact. Maybe that is why she has never been found.

Also, since there is no running water, how could Trenny have been "washing her hands?" Was there water there in 1976?

Guide to the Kuwohi/Clingmans Dome Trail in the Smoky Mountains - Trails That Rock

Places like the Clingmans Dome Trail are popular with visitors, but they can bring trash and other issues. We all must do our part to keep our parks clean and

trailsthatrock.com

What if it all took place in the bathroom?

 

[IAmNobodyToAnybody]

Posting this several places in hopes of getting someone's attention: It has always bothered me that if they had hidden Trenny's body, she would have begun to smell in just a few days. I heard an episode (I don't know which) where Laura Riste mentioned that one of the boys, who helped look for Trenny that day, insisted that Trenny disappeared from the washroom. It was also in the washroom where the ring supposedly went into someone else's possession. I wondered about this because a lot of state parks have what they call vault toilets; a nice term for an outhouse., so I checked and sure enough. Did you know that the washroom at Clingman's Dome is 3 vault toilets to this day, built in 1930's? I have used many a vault toilet in state parks; they are very deep to accommodate many users, with about a 3-4 ft space between toilet seat and the surface of the liquid waste. They could have thrown her in the toilet after killing her, or incapacitating her, and no one would have ever found her. It also would have masked the smell of a decomposing body, and the bacteria would have hastened decomposition. Once these vault toilets reach capacity, large trucks come in with large diameter hoses and vacuum out the contents. They would never know if they vacuumed up a body that was no longer intact. Maybe that is why she has never been found.

Ok, after further reading, I see that the vault toilets are fairly new and facilities relocated from original location on the tower trail to where they are now. The vault toilets replaced flush toilets. I am trying to research and find when the flush toilets were put in (my grandparents didn't have indoor plumbing until the mid-60's.) I can't imagine the CCC putting in flush toilets in the 30's being so far away (at least 20 miles) from the nearest municipal sewage system. If there were flush toilets in 1976, they would have needed septic tanks to receive the waste. Septic tanks usually have lids, and again, must be vacuumed out periodically. I just don't think they could have hidden her body on land. The smell after a few days is horrendous and somebody/some dog would have noticed. Still researching; thanks for letting me vent.

 

[IAmNobodyToAnybody]

Ok, after further reading, I see that the vault toilets are fairly new and facilities relocated from original location on the tower trail to where they are now. The vault toilets replaced flush toilets. I am trying to research and find when the flush toilets were put in (my grandparents didn't have indoor plumbing until the mid-60's.) I can't imagine the CCC putting in flush toilets in the 30's being so far away (at least 20 miles) from the nearest municipal sewage system. If there were flush toilets in 1976, they would have needed septic tanks to receive the waste. Septic tanks usually have lids, and again, must be vacuumed out periodically. I just don't think they could have hidden her body on land. The smell after a few days is horrendous and somebody/some dog would have noticed. Still researching; thanks for letting me vent.

And let me just add: I grew up in the woods of the 70's south, when people still used hunting dogs, and I grew up playing in the woods my whole life. I can say that those dogs would have been able to track something dead of large size, even if they weren't trained cadaver dogs. Their smell ability is far above a humans. Plus, and I know this will sound crazy to city people, anything dead would have attracted buzzards within just a few hours, and one would have been able to see a flock of buzzards circling in the sky over the area where her body was located. I've seen them do it more times than I can count. They won't leave the area until there is nothing left to scavage. Anybody with woods experience, who was up there searching for her, would have known this, so I'm assuming they did not see this, or they would have immediately known the general vicinity of her body. Either she was no longer in that park, or she was in a hole, or submerged. This case bothers me. I am a few years younger than Trenny. I pray for the remainder of her family and that she can be found.