TX TX - Lou Allen Goettsch, 21, Abilene, 31 Mar 1981

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Missing since March 31, 1981 from Abilene, Taylor County, Texas.
Classification: Endangered Missing

• Date Of Birth: September 26, 1959
• Age at Time of Disappearance: 21 years old
• Height and Weight at Time of Disappearance: 5'10; 150 pounds
• Distinguishing Characteristics: White male. Brown hair; brown eyes.
• Dentals: Available

Goettsch disappeared from Abilene, Texas on March 31, 1981. He was last seen in front of his residence.

Goettsch was in the process of renting an apartment. He drove his battered pickup truck to the apartment complex, parked in the tenant's lot and gave the manager a $350 check. He planned to move his possessions, all of which fit into the truck, later that day. He never did. He abandoned his vehicle and all of his belongings.

Goettsch's relatives did not call police for about 2 months after his disappearance. He did not touch his bank account with $1,079 or have contact with his Australian girlfriend.

Near 10 months after Goettsch's disappearance, a tip was received from an anonymous caller stating Roney Harper and another man allegedly had committed the murder and disposed of the body near a local lake. A drug deal gone bad.

Roney Harper placed a call to sheriff 's deputies in rural Walker County, Ga. Obviously drunk, the man confessed to murdering Goettsch in Abilene. His motive was that he thought Goettsch was an undercover narcotics agent. He said he shot he shot Goettsch four times, then kicked him repeatedly. He returned a remote, undeveloped field, the murder scene, but Harper either could not or would not locate the remains.

Roney Harper later recanted.



Doe Network - http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/262dmtx.html

NamUs - https://www.findthemissing.org/en/cases/8802/0/

Charley Project - http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/g/goettsch_lou.html

 

[KateB]

Lou's NamUs link has changed.

https://www.findthemissing.org/en/cases/23133/0/

 

[apearn]

Bumping for Lou

 

[Savemecastiel]

Bumping.

 

[MadMcGoo]

• 262DMTX - Lou Allen Goettsch
• The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) MP23133
• Lou Allen Goettsch – The Charley Project
• Lou Allen Goettsch

Lou Allen Goettsch


Case Classification: Endangered Missing
Missing Since: March 31, 1981
Location Last Seen: Abilene, Taylor County, Texas
Date of Birth: September 26, 1959
Age: 21 years old
Race: White
Gender: Male
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 150 lbs.
Hair Color: Brown
Eye Color: Brown
Clothing: Unknown

Dentals: Available
Fingerprints: Available
DNA: Available

Circumstances of Disappearance
Goettsch was last seen in front of his residence in Abilene, Texas on March 31, 1981. He has never been heard from again.

Early in 1981, Goettsch received a $3,000 worker's compensation check for an injury he sustained working in the oil fields. This was the most money he had ever had since completing his military servince in 1980. He opened a checking account, repaid some loans, lent $300 to a friend and rented an apartment.

Goettsch was supposed to move his belongings from his trailer into his new apartment on the day of his disappearance, but he never did. He left behind all of his possessions, including his pickup truck, and $1,079 in his bank account.

Goettsch led a transient lifestyle at the time of his disappearance. As a result, his family did not report his disappearance for two months. He had a girlfriend in Australia, but he has not contacted her since March 1981.

Goettsch was involved with drugs in 1981 and had previously been arrested on a marijuana charge. In 1993, Roney Harper, one of Goettsch's associates, walked into a police station in Walker County, Georgia while intoxicated and confessed to murdering Goettsch.

He said he shot and beat him to death because he believed Goettsch was working as an undercover narcotics agent. He said he had left the body in a remote field and had not buried or attempted to conceal it. Haney led police to the field, but a search turned up no sign of any human remains.

Haney was charged with murder, but recanted his confession afterwards. Authorities could not find any evidence to corroborate his statement, although they believe he had in fact killed Goettsch. The grand jury found insufficient evidence to indict Haney for the murder, and he was released.

Investigators stated they would charge Harper with murder again if Goettsch's body or other corroborating evidence was located. Harper's current whereabouts are unknown.

Goettsch's disappearance remains unsolved. Foul play is suspected due to the circumstances involved.

Investigating Agencies:
Agency Name: Abilene Police Department, Joshua Ward
Agency Phone Number: 325-673-8331
Agency Case Number: 81-000221 (89009108)

Agency Name: Texas Department of Public Safety, Missing Persons Clearinghouse
Agency Phone Number: (512) 424-5074
Agency Case Number: M8605003

NCIC Case Number: M070409717

 

[Atombudd]

You can read more about Lou Goettsch and Roney Harper's confession here
http://www.religionandprofessions.org/pdf/Weinberg1.pdf

 

[John/Jane Doe]

Lou Allen Goettsch – The Charley Project