In honor of Halloween I decided to look at some interesting cases that have puzzled local police and college campuses across the country. These are just a few. While this article is meant to be interesting, I would also like for it to be a precautionary for when you do venture out on the weekends. All of these stories have a lot of information on them, so if they interest you and you want more information, it can be found.
- Paula Jean Welden
Paula was an 18-year-old in her second year of school at Bennington College in Vermont. After working at the dining hall, she told her roommate that she was going hiking. After asking other friends to go and getting no responses she set out alone. She was seen by several witnesses and her last known sighting was approximately at 4 p.m. that day. The last person to see her was a man on the trail, who she stopped to ask how far the trail went. Paula did not return that night or go to class and was then reported missing by her roommate. After searching the entire trail, police found no trace of her. During a five year period, from 1945 to 1950 four other people went missing in the same area. Only one body was found and the other four have yet to be discovered.
- Jack Davis Jr.
Jack Davis a 20-year-old in his second year at the Indiana University of Pennsylvania, went out partying with his fraternity brothers and was never seen alive again. He was found five days later at the bottom of a stairway in Weyandt Hall. An initial autopsy said that while intoxicated, Jack fell down the stairs and choked to death on his vomit. However, Jack’s family refused to believe this and hired their own forensic pathologist. It was suspicious that Jack was not discovered for five days considering there was a classroom overlooking the stairway. There had also been heavy rainfall, but Jack was completely dry. So what really happened to Jack Davis Jr? 30 years later and the truth has still not been revealed.
- Lynne Schulze
Lynne had just turned 18 and was a freshman at Middlebury College in Vermont. She and friends were headed to a final exam when Lynne turned back to get her favorite pen. Her friends went on and Lynne was never seen again. A search of her room showed that her personal identification was still there. Police initially thought she ran away because she had mentioned wanting to fake her death and start over. Her friends did not think this was the case because she had studied to take the final, so it did not make sense for her to leave. There have been supposed sightings but nothing is confirmed. Lynne has been missing for 46 years.
- Kristin Smart
Kristen was a freshman at Cal Poly State University and after going to a party with friends she became heavily intoxicated. At 2 a.m. two of her friends and another student named Paul Flores helped her home. Halfway there Paul told the two girls he would take her the rest of the way. Kristen never made it home. When questioned by police Paul said they got to her street and he let her walk the rest of the way alone. A police dog tracked Kristen’s scent back to a mattress at Paul’s place. Paul dropped out of Cal Poly State and refused to answer any more questions. Kristen’s disappearance still remains unsolved.
- Trent DiGiuro
Trent was a football player at the University of Kentucky. While at his home on Woodland Avenue, Trent and friends were out on the front porch celebrating his 21st birthday. No one was ready for the unexpected turn the night would take. A single and fatal shot rang out striking Trent. Police arrived and questioned all the surrounding houses, except for one. This would prove to be a devastating flaw made by the police department. In 2007 Shane Ragland was convicted of second degree manslaughter. He was sentenced to 30 years, but that ruling was overturned and Ragland was released on time already served.
Photos By: Jon Flobrant, Ludde Lorentz, Victoria Heath, Michael Discenza, Andrew Pons