It has been many decades since my sister was murdered-and over the years I have been told by many people what they think. I was told by mother that she did leave late from my mothers home (unlike her) she did not have a full tank of gas, but she wasn't going that far. She was to met a man she had met at work to discuss a car. Late at night? She went and must not have stayed very long as her car was found out of gas--near an off ramp by a gas station--no one saw anything. Motorists saw nothing. She was here one day-gone off the face of the earth. Any other questions? Not a day goes by, I miss her deeply.
Not a ful tank but surely not clos to empty either? Was the salesman actually near as your Mum thought? And howfar from her car wa the body... and how far was this from the car salesman? Like Bottled Brunette I'm suspicious of the car salesman as it sounds like maybe he targeted her if he met her at work but wsn't someone she knew. 1) why make the appointment at night 2) maybe he or a crime partner siphoned her gas so she would run out (a long shot but if conniving possible) 3) Maybe he then followed her pretending to stumble upon her as thats why she trusted him and locked her car door before departing (which implies no force wa used to remove her). I'd want to find out what quality of person this car salesman became. Another thought is how long wa the body in Riverside, why wasn't it found sooner or is it very remote? Did the others killed after breakdowns turn up anywhere near, and also stripped? Did they also have no broken bones? Whoever did this (if you are reading) must be a complete and inadequate coward to pick on a five foot kid. Nothing clever about that or about getting away with it, it just makes you a loser whatever station you have.
I did not know or ever met the car salesman, my sister was a very attractive lady and this person 'offered' her a car deal--my sister made several mistakes that night, first she trusted a man she hardly new-who knows what happened when she arrived for the car deal--she was not at his place long, as the time line goes--so she shows up at his place and they did not agree on anything, so she leaves and six months later she is found by hikers in a ravine, my mothers pain was to extensive to explain, one day my sister was alive, the next dead. You do not say goodbye to her, I could not cope with her being missing and not knowing what happened to her. It ruined many parts of my life-but I got to have children, even though I was scared of what could happen to them, I did not want to go through what my mother did, and the anger in me was horrible--still her killer has never been caught, and it's been 35 years!! Her case is still open but closure, that is just a word.
Its probably little consolation but I am 100% sure karma has got the murderer, people who do these things have a lot of darkness inside and because he got away with it, that darkness will not have been worked on and it will have turned inward on himself and eaten any contentment in his life away. Hate and fury turns inwards when outlets aren't available and this guy clearly had a lot to victimise a stranger, hopefully there has been no more windows of opportunity for him to act out. Hes likely tripped up and in the institutional system somewhere. There could be a breakthrough, just letting it be known someone still needs answers is opening the door.
I am grateful that the hikers found my sisters remains, what of the other victims that have not been recovered? what a nightmare, what inner strength they must have not to go crazy, I saw my mother and had to listen to her for the six months my sister was missing, it was a very dark time in my life. The person or persons responsible will answer for what actions they did, and I know I will see my sister again in a better place, but it is so tragic. Some one had to have seen something, maybe they did not realize what was going on, but unless my sister went with this killer willing, I can not understand why no struggle was evident. Was she drinking at with the car salesman? I think that is possible, only he would know, the hour of night she went to see him, I think it is strongly possible. So was her judgement impared? If the gas station and call box were not used, seems like someone was 'just passing by, at the right time' or someone followed her after tampering with her car? She was dumped in Riverside, and I think the killer knew of the remote area where she was dumped--where was she killed?
That is a good question. With the amount of abductions done around that time on the freeway with girls with car problems, it makes one wonder if perhaps somehow Mona's car was tampered with, and she was followed until the car conked out. I cannot imagine the impact it had upon your Mother and your family. Death is never easy to handle, and I imagine that murder and not knowing is even worse.
My only other recurring thought is one I suppose many would discount out of hand. A cop was the last to see her wasn't he. Could there have been a serial in the police if this murder was part of a trend, as cops would have a lot of opportunity nd people not resist them, a pity no forensics were done on the cops car. How did the cop who saw her describe her, any alcohol would have been noticed surely? Its all very suspicious though. If it were my sister I'd prolly request files and try to gather some info on the nature of the salesman and of the cop. I doubt witnesses would have seen anything as if she went willingly nothing would stick in the mind of someone fleetingly driving by thinking of what that night held for them at journeys end. I'm not really observant unless something stands out as aberrant. Has the case been aired on any unsolved murder programs in recent times - thats proly the biggest hope as loyalties to the killer eg by ex partners etc may now be broken. Someone has to know but people don't come forward years later without emotional appeals. These things go to the back of minds.
You raise a good point :thumb:, Too Late. I never thought about the cop angle, but it makes sense. I have read many a story and seen many a tv show about cops killing women and getting away with it for years. I'm sorry, but I forget, did this take place in California? If so, do the homicide detectives think that one of these rogue cops might of been involved in the abduction/killing of your sister? What about that awful Henry Lee Lucas-do they think he might of been involved by any chance? This is a very interesting case, but I am sorry for your loss.
