WY WY - David Vernon Lovely, 19, Fort Bridger, 5 Aug 1985

[Caring1]

 

[chicchitammuottocifa]

On July 1st, 1981, the body of Lee G. Stowbridge, a transient traveling to Michigan, was found under the eastbound land of the I-80 at exit 107 (Pilot Butte). He was a homicide victim. This is about four miles from exit 111 (Airport/Baxter Road) and this case remains unsolved.

An article from the Casper Star-Tribune (August 2nd, 1981) indicates that it may have been a robbery. This case is probably not connected to David's, but further illustrates events that were occurring in the area.

Find A Grave Page for Lee
Wyoming DCI Cold Cases Page

View attachment 396769


Another unsolved homicide occurred on August 5th, 1978 at the A&D Saloon in Rock Springs. The victim, Robert Miller, was shot after a verbal altercation in the street. Witnesses stated that moments before the victim and the assailant had been getting along. It is possible he knew his killer.

Wyoming DCI cold case page for Robert

This is amazing, where did you find this article? I could find nothing on L.G. Strowbridge.
I manage his Find a Grave memorial

 

[Deleted member 287549]

I just recently heard about this old DVL MP case. Extremely sad, especially given that his family never found out what happened to him. Given that his abandoned motorcycle/belongings/money were found roughly 9 days after he vanished, IMHO I don't see robbery as being a motive here. I.e., if it were - his belongings would probably not have been found. It's especially notable that all?! of his $ was found with his belongings.

I have several ideas on what may have happened to him. Obviously, these are all IMHO only:

1) Based on what I read about his fragile health, he was not able to play sports/rough-house (due to the danger of being hit in the chest) or drink large amounts of alcohol safely. So, taking these two serious health issues into account, IMHO it is somewhat plausible that:

1) For some reason, someone punched him too hard in the chest. And, he was severely knocked unconscious or died as a result. The perpetrator(s), in a panic - disposed of the body. But, he?!/they took his motorcycle/belongings somewhere so they would be found by someone.

2) He was out drinking somewhere, and drank too much alcohol. Given that he was not able to safely drink a large amount, this was too much for his system & he died. If this is what occurred - maybe whoever he was with (since he wasn't used to drinking, I doubt he would have been drinking alone) panicked & disposed of the body. Note that even those without the health issues that DVL had can die of alcohol poisoning - if they drink too much. Off the top of my head, this is what most likely?! happened in the well-known Kurt Sova case (1981).

 

[Deleted member 287549]

Here's a third theory:

DVL was riding his motorcycle in an isolated area (not far from where it was found) and stopped because he was feeling tired/hot/sick/disoriented. He parked his bike & left his belongings behind. He then wandered off, and was not seen again.

The fact that no body was ever found is - unfortunately - not surprising. I.e., the part(s) of the U.S. that DVL was riding through seem very isolated/desolate/uninhabited. So, I can easily see someone disappearing in these areas - whether it was by the design of someone else, or by accident/misadventure.

I definitely do not believe that DVL willingly abandoned his family & his motorcycle/belongings/money.

I also don't believe that the guy who helped DVL repair his bike had anything to do with why he vanished. IMHO this is a red herring.

 

[Deleted member 287549]

Recently heard the Vanished podcast re: this case. Good interview(s) with DVL's family members (primarily his sisters). And, it's evident that he wouldn't just willingly vanish on his own/leave his family without contact like this.

And - after hearing the podcast & reading up on the case more - I tend to lean away from the possibility that he vanished as the result of either intentional foul play or getting hurt/dying as the result of an accident involving someone else.

I.e., since his motorcycle/belongings/money were found 'off the beaten path' in a somewhat remote area, it's obvious that if a person/persons (other than DVL) put them there - there would need to have been at least two people involved: One would need to have brought the motorcycle there - and then left the area with someone else who was also there. I.e., I don't see one person leaving the motorcycle there & then walking away (from this remote area) on foot. But, if someone else did this - why leave everything behind, including the money?!

So, I lean towards the possibility that DVL somehow ended up on that back-road on his own & then wandered off from his motorcycle/belongings/money. Very sad.

 

[acehard]

David told his cousin he was calling from Fort Bridger and that he was going to “grab a beer” and wait at the rest stop.

He said he was calling from Rock Springs, not Fort Bridger. If this true, he arrived at Rock Springs as per schedule and something happened there. Apparently he smoked pot but never drank alcohol because of some health condition. It's also strange why the aunt's son didn't speak of this for years. The police checked the phone booth records for Fort Bridger and confirmed the earlier call, but years later they can't verify the Rock Springs call. Which is a shame because that would have been the last contact and the investigation might have focused there.

 

[Caring1]

13 Unidentified Person Exclusions

 

[Caring1]

 

[spartanx]

I hope they find him one day... how sad and terrible for his mother and sister to be there and then he's gone...
if he was scared of the man who helped him fix his bike that's enough to assume it was a crime... it fits with the fact that he was scared first because of his good instincts and then he let himself be seduced and manipulated like predators do...
he was also vulnerable... the man could have punched him in the stomach and could have killed him because of his condition...
or maybe he just walked away like a 19 year old and slipped down a ravine... more than a week later is a long time when there's rain, streams and animals....but to be scared of a stranger and then poof? just like that? the police wasted a lot of time trying to figure out who should investigate him....
whatever it is
rest in peace