SC-Dail Dinwiddie

[carolina]

for dail...we miss you more everday.

http://www.angelfire.com/mi3/mpccn/dinwiddie.html

[WasBlind]

carolina, thanks for posting Dail.

More information on this beautiful girl who is missing since from Columbia, SC since September 24, 1992.

Vital Statistics at Time of Disappearance

Missing Since: September 24, 1992 from Columbia, South Carolina
Classification: Endangered Missing
Date Of Birth: April 12, 1969
Age: 23 years old
Height and Weight: 5'0; 96 pounds
Distinguishing Characteristics: Light brown hair with blonde highlights, brown eyes. Dinwiddie has pierced ears. She has facial dimples. One finger on each of Dinwiddie's hands is disabled.
NCIC Number: M-592497101

Details of Disappearance
Dinwiddie attended concert of the band U2 in Columbia, South Carolina with friends on September 23, 1992. The concert ended at approximately 11:15 p.m.; Dinwiddie and her group then stopped at Jungle Jim's, a nightclub in the Five Points' area of Columbia. Dinwiddie was last seen at approximately 1:30 AM on September 24 by an employee at the club. Her friends lost track of her at the club and assumed she had a ride home; they left at approximately 1:00 a.m. Dinwiddie apparently spoke to the bouncer for 15 minutes before walking out the door between 1:15 and 1:30 a.m. Dinwiddie was last seen walking north on Harden Street. She has never been seen again. She was wearing a long-sleeved olive green shirt, a bright blue LL Bean jacket tied around her waist, jeans and new white running shoes or brown boots at the time of her disappearance.
Dinwiddie was missed at 6:15 a.m. when her father saw that the lights and radio were on in her room and her bed had not been slept in. He called all of her friends and none of them knew her whereabouts, so he reported her missing at 8:30 a.m. The Columbia police treated Dinwiddie's disappearance as a kidnapping, since everyone who knew her said it would be very uncharacteristic of her to leave without warning. She is described as a cautious person who did not like to be out alone.
Investigators are probing the possibility that Reinaldo Javier Rivera was involved in Dinwiddie's disappearance. Rivera was charged with the murders of four Georgia women in 2000. Photos of Rivera are posted below this case summary. He was a resident of Columbia and a student at the University Of South Carolina in 1992, which was located near the Five Points area where Dinwiddie was last seen. Investigators are also looking into the possibility that Rivera was involved in the 1999 South Carolina disappearance of Paula Merchant. Authorities are uncertain if Rivera is connected to either Dinwiddie or Merchant's cases and no charges have been filed against him in connection with their cases. Interviews with him on the subject have not been fruitful. Rivera pleaded not guilty to the Georgia murders in July 2001. His trial date has not been established. He plans to use a defense of mental illness.
Dinwiddie's case remains open and unsolved. She is an graduate of Randolph-Macon Women's College, where she majored in art history. She was planning on enrolling at the University of South Carolina for graduate school at the time of her disappearance.

http://www.angelfire.com/mi3/mpccn/dinwiddie.html

Investigating Agency
If you have any information concerning this case, please contact:
Columbia Police Department
803-233-8474

[WasBlind]

Dail's page at the National Center for Missing Adults

http://www.theyaremissed.org/ncma/gallery/ncmaprofile_all.php?A200300354W

Dail's page at Rino Kids

http://www.rinokids.com/Adults/Dinwiddie/index.html

All matches on yahoo

http://search.yahoo.com/search?p=%22Dail+Dinwiddie%22&ei=UTF-8&fr=FP-tab-web-t&cop=mss&tab=

With HOPE, Lanie
Help For The Missing
HelpForTheMissing@yahoo.com

[AuntieKaren]

Wow--14 years missing and this is the first I've ever heard of her. This is very sad...poor girl.
Karen

[AuntieKaren]

for dail...we miss you more everday.

http://www.angelfire.com/mi3/mpccn/dinwiddie.html

Carolina--
I don't mean to be nosy, but do you know Dail?
Karen

[WasBlind]

Prayers for Dail and all who miss and love her, for answers and soon.

With HOPE, Lanie
Help For The Missing
HelpForTheMissing@yahoo.com

[WasBlind]

Prayers for Dail.

With HOPE, Lanie

[carolina]

karen - no i was not living in columbia yet when dail disappeared and unfortunately never got the opportunity to meet her. She did babysit for several of my friends who talk about her often.

if something good arises from every situation i believe that since dail's disappearance, women are more careful when going out in the five points area. when i lived there with my roommates i was told about what happened to her and girls/women never walk anywhere by themselves even if it is only two blocks. friends are always willing to leave what they are doing and offer them a ride.

i drive the walk dail would have taken that night almost every day and it is impossible not to wonder what happened to her. i pray that her family receives some long awaited answers soon.

[AuntieKaren]

Dail certainly is a beautiful girl. I hope someday her family finds out what happened to her.
Karen

[carolina]

i heard about this on the radio this morning...i really hope this new lead will bring dail's family and friends the answers they have been waiting too long for!



http://www.thestate.com/mld/thestate/news/local/10113424.htm

[lisag]

Wow.. It would be really nice to have some solid information after all these years. I really hope this "lead" is gets them closer to finding her.

[Jenn]

I wonder what the new lead is??

[carolina]

i don't know! i was hoping that they had mabe found something of hers, or something concrete, but this article from saturday doesnt make it sound that way:

Columbia Police Captain Steve Conley says an out of state law enforcement agency contacted the Columbia Police Department last month and told them someone had contacted them about the case.

Conley says Columbia Police are in the process of getting that individual to come to South Carolina for an interview.

http://www.wistv.com/Global/story.asp?S=2530942&nav=0RaPSq3v


do any of y'all know of somebody in your state who is facing charges that might have something to gain by coming clean about their past?

[carolina]

i feel so terrbile for dail's family that this tip didnt hold the answers they so desperately deserve. how terribly disappointing. everyone was really hoping this would be it.

http://www.thestate.com/mld/thestate/news/local/10308759.htm

[lisag]

That's too bad. I was hoping they would get some answers.

[carolina]

hey! our local news channel wis has recfently starting doinfg a feature called "the news you chose" where preople go on line and vote for a story they would like to see covered in depth. this week, due to some recent ones solved, an option is "solving cold cases".

if y'all have some time, before monday i think, go to www.wistv.com (http://www.wistv.com) and vote . it is on the main page and towards the bottom on the left.

maybe we can get dail some attention again! she deserves it.

[carolina]

bumping for dail!

[bulletgirl2002]

I did read that Riveria said he had nothing to do with her disappearance. And since he was in a "confessing" mood that might be true.

[JerseyGirl]

I did read that Riveria said he had nothing to do with her disappearance. And since he was in a "confessing" mood that might be true.
In pretrial hearings, Rivera has admitted he raped and killed four young women beginning in 1999 in the Augusta, Ga., area. His attorney is defending him on the grounds of mental illness.

Around the time of Dail's disappearance, the now 38-year-old Rivera lived in Columbia and was a student at USC. Investigators interviewed Rivera but could find no link. Rivera had left a suicide note listing his victims, Chambers says, and denied any involvement with Dinwiddie (or Paula Merchant).

GreenvilleOnline.com - For parents of missing daughter, time passes but hope remains (http://greenvilleonline.com/news/2003/03/23/200303233381.htm)

[JerseyGirl]

The article I linked above is very thorough and has a lot of nice background information about Dail:



Dail was a quiet figure, easily liked.

"She had a type of charisma that made people want to be around her," he says...

She had a sweet coating; she slept with her teddy bear, always, on into college. But underneath, others who knew her say, was a feisty spirit tempered with a sharp ability to judge character...

GreenvilleOnline.com - For parents of missing daughter, time passes but hope remains (http://greenvilleonline.com/news/2003/03/23/200303233381.htm)

[carolina]

In pretrial hearings, Rivera has admitted he raped and killed four young women beginning in 1999 in the Augusta, Ga., area. His attorney is defending him on the grounds of mental illness.

Around the time of Dail's disappearance, the now 38-year-old Rivera lived in Columbia and was a student at USC. Investigators interviewed Rivera but could find no link. Rivera had left a suicide note listing his victims, Chambers says, and denied any involvement with Dinwiddie (or Paula Merchant).

GreenvilleOnline.com - For parents of missing daughter, time passes but hope remains (http://greenvilleonline.com/news/2003/03/23/200303233381.htm)
the way dail would have probably walked from jungles's to her parents house is scary to think about. especially if she shortcutted off the main roads. i tried to take a shortcut after leaving a tanning be in 5 points and i almost started crying in my car i was so freaked out. there is definately a rough neighborhood behind 5 points.

[JerseyGirl]

i tried to take a shortcut after leaving a tanning be in 5 points and i almost started crying in my car i was so freaked out.
How awful! Imagine actually being able to walk or drive anywhere you want to, day or night, without fear of sexual assault or death? I don't even want to think about this poor girl taking that walk by herself if you were so frightened just driving there. Of course, that was ten years ago but the literature out there definitely makes it sound as if it wasn't a safe area back then either.

[CuriousAnne]

I was a senior at the University of South Carolina when Dail disappeared. It was the night of the U2 concert. I had tickets, but had to miss it b/c I forgot I had a test the next day and had to study. I would have been at Jungle Jims that night...

[JerseyGirl]

I was a senior at the University of South Carolina when Dail disappeared. It was the night of the U2 concert. I had tickets, but had to miss it b/c I forgot I had a test the next day and had to study. I would have been at Jungle Jims that night...
Wow, that's really bizarre.

BTW, have you ever seen U2? It's almost impossible to get tickets now so I'd be kicking myself if I gave up the chance so that I could study! :)

[CuriousAnne]

Nope, I've never seen U2. :(

I could see the stadium from my dorm room window, and could hear the concert as well...studying was definately difficult!

[carolina]

last night on our local evening news (WIS) the story viewers voted to learn more about was midlands missing people.

they did a nice story on shelton sanders who has been missing since 2001.

here is his link:http://www.wistv.com/Global/story.asp?S=3382468

it also gave all of dail's information and showed lots of pictures of her and her family.

dail is missed so much in our community and it is long past time for someone to come forward!

[JerseyGirl]

dail is missed so much in our community and it is long past time for someone to come forward!
It's so great that her story was on again. I think that's so important. Maybe by showing her story every so often, someone will eventually call LE with some information.

[carolina]

almost another year has gone by but we have not forgotten about you dail!

prayers dail will come home soon as she is very very much missed.

[carolina]

we haven't stopped missing you dail!! and we haven't forgotten.

[PonderingThings]

An excellent article about the case from 2003. It gives a lot of background and mentions that the family of this beautiful girl won't give up!

http://greenvilleonline.com/news/2003/03/23/200303233381.htm

[carolina]

merry christmas dail.

[carolina]

bumping for dail. it's been too long!!

[lilsister]

Another bump for Dail. I have an unconfirmed source that may know something about this case. He was at USC and knew her informally. I'll let you know if he has any info regarding the case...it may be nothing so I don't want to get anyone's hopes up. God Bless Dail and her family.

[carolina]

lilsister - this article states somethign about a new lead also. thank goodness they also have her dna on file now to rule out possibilities. hopefully we will get some long awaited answers soon! 14 years of not knowing is just unacceptable!

http://www.thestate.com/mld/thestate/14785838.htm

[lilsister]

I am still working on this lead. I cannot imagine what her family is going through!It may be nothing but I hope we get something//////////Bumping for Dail! God Bless her family!

[Bobbisangel]

That poor family. I can't even imagine what their lives are like with their daughter missing for that many years. She was such a little thing. Someone just have just grabbed her up as she headed home. When friends go out together they should make a pact to stay together. I wonder how they expected Dail to get home without a vehicle? I wish she had called a cab or her dad. We just never think that something so horrible could happen to us.

I don't understand how LE could get Dail's DNA from someone that they might happen to arrest or did I misunderstand that? I can understand if they find a body and then match the DNA but how would her DNA still be on someone after all of these years?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Here is what the article says.....


Or if police make an arrest and gather DNA evidence, they can run it through the database to see if it is a match to Dinwiddie.

[JrZyChris]

Just a bump for Dail. Tonight, crimerant.com had a guest blog from a college friend of Dail, if you care to take a look.
http://www.crimerant.com/?p=213

[inquiringmindz]

Prayers for Dail's family, friends, and all who love and miss her.

[s_finch]

Bumping for Dail and her family. Anyone on here from the SC area who would like to discuss this case? Does anyone know if LE is open with it's information, for example did any POI ever take lie detector tests or where there never any POI? I wonder about the bouncer who saw her last. And since we know she was usually a very careful person, I wonder if it's possible someone in LE is the perp--saw her walking alone at night in 5 points and offered her a ride. I truly don't think Rivera is the perp in this case. I've thought of writing to Rivera, who is on death row in GA, to see if he'd offer up any information IF he in fact is involved. Since he is on death row and has confessed to the murders in GA, why wouldn't he tell about Dail IF he was the perp.

There was a $50,000 reward (may still be in place, I don't know) in this case. You'd think with that kind of money offered someone would have talked.

Don't want to skip over Paula Merchant and her disappearance in 1999. Although their disappearanced occurred 7 years apart, LE still wonders if Rivera was the perp in both cases. We do know Rivera was killing in SC in 1999, but did he start as early as 1992? If so, there are other victims.

[monkalup]

I'm in SC. This case has always haunted me....

[s_finch]

I'm in SC. This case has always haunted me....

Monk, do you have any thoughts on the case you'd like to share?

[Jesstexas]

Does it strike anyone besides me as odd that she talked to the bouncer for 15 minutes and then he watched her walk off down the road by herself? Why didn't she ask him to call her a cab? Why didn't he insist on calling her a cab? Isn't that a doorman/bouncer's job? One of those articles said that she didn't like to walk alone at night. So why would she?

I want to know more about the bouncer. I wonder what he says they talked about for 15 minutes.

[s_finch]

Does it strike anyone besides me as odd that she talked to the bouncer for 15 minutes and then he watched her walk off down the road by herself? Why didn't she ask him to call her a cab? Why didn't he insist on calling her a cab? Isn't that a doorman/bouncer's job? One of those articles said that she didn't like to walk alone at night. So why would she?

I want to know more about the bouncer. I wonder what he says they talked about for 15 minutes.

I've always wondered if the bouncer was given a polygraph, surely he was. Not many such details were ever released on this case. 5 points would have been crowded that night after the U2 concert and I find it hard to believe Dail would have chosen to walk home.

[reportertype]

I agree, unless she went walking off to look for her friends or someone she knew for a ride.

[Aphra]

This case has always haunted me too. I wish they could solve it.

One thing I've wondered: did they ever discuss what Dail's state was at the time of her disappearance? Because I've always thought that maybe she tried to walk home--and although Five Points isn't too far (maybe a mile) from where she lived, the area between Five Points and her home was really sketchy, to say the least. Since she WAS at a bar--if she was tipsy, maybe walking home didn't seem like such a bad idea, but something bad happened on the way home. That's been my theory--that, or she took a ride from someone she shouldn't have who couldn't be linked back to Jungle Jim's.

It's so sad. I can't even imagine how her parents feel, after all these years.

[Salem]

I know it is a stretch here, but has anyone considered how similiar the MO in this case is to the Wisconsin cases, particularly Kellie Nolan's and the other young lady (sorry, I have to go look up her name)? At the bar, gets separated from friends, never see her again.......

I also realize there is a large gap in the timeline, but still.........

Salem

[Salem]

Diedre Harm is the other young woman from Wisconsin. She also went to the bar, separated from friends and had not been seen again.

[s_finch]

This case has always haunted me too. I wish they could solve it.

One thing I've wondered: did they ever discuss what Dail's state was at the time of her disappearance? Because I've always thought that maybe she tried to walk home--and although Five Points isn't too far (maybe a mile) from where she lived, the area between Five Points and her home was really sketchy, to say the least. Since she WAS at a bar--if she was tipsy, maybe walking home didn't seem like such a bad idea, but something bad happened on the way home. That's been my theory--that, or she took a ride from someone she shouldn't have who couldn't be linked back to Jungle Jim's.

It's so sad. I can't even imagine how her parents feel, after all these years.

But was she walking in the direction of home or the other bar where she was going to look for her friends? Did she ever make it to the other bar? I assume not since no one ever reported seeing her there. I've been to 5 points more than once but not sure how far it is between the two bars. I tend to think either she accepted a ride from someone she knew or someone grabbed her as she was walking and being as petite as she was, she would have been an easy mark. And surely whoever did this didn't do it just this once. How rare would that be?

[Aphra]

The article said she was heading north on Harden Street, which would have been toward her home (according to Google Earth). I don't ever remember hearing anything about her being at a second bar, or heading toward one.

[LisainWV]

I find the bouncer angle a little odd. Here's why....

I would think that you would only talk to a bouncer for 15 minutes if you already knew him. I can see exchanging pleasantries with a stranger if he was nice-looking, instigated a conversation, but to talk for 15 minutes??

So, if she knew him and he knew her, why didn't he get her a safe ride home?

If she didn't know him, what did they talk about for 15 minutes?

And, wonder what time he left the bar?

Wonder if LE has checked on him lately?

Anyone have an idea of a name?

Where did the friends end up after leaving this bar? Straight home, to another bar...? What do they have to say? I've done my share of partying and we never left a member of our party without finding out what was going on or if they had another ride...

[s_finch]

I find the bouncer angle a little odd. Here's why....

I would think that you would only talk to a bouncer for 15 minutes if you already knew him. I can see exchanging pleasantries with a stranger if he was nice-looking, instigated a conversation, but to talk for 15 minutes??

So, if she knew him and he knew her, why didn't he get her a safe ride home?

If she didn't know him, what did they talk about for 15 minutes?

And, wonder what time he left the bar?

Wonder if LE has checked on him lately?

Anyone have an idea of a name?

Where did the friends end up after leaving this bar? Straight home, to another bar...? What do they have to say? I've done my share of partying and we never left a member of our party without finding out what was going on or if they had another ride...

All excellent questions! Was there anyone to corroborate the bouncer's story?

[comfort80]

Dinwiddie was missed at 6:15 a.m. when her father saw that the lights and radio were on in her room and her bed had not been slept in.
who leaves the lights and radio on in their room before going to a concert?
doesn't this sound weird?
did she actually make it all the way home, then something happened?

[wtsn5]

who leaves the lights and radio on in their room before going to a concert?
doesn't this sound weird?
did she actually make it all the way home, then something happened?


I don't find this odd at all.

IMO she left the light on when she left that night (I assume the light was a light by here bed), her alarm clock went off in the morning by way of radio to wake her for school or a job.

When I lived at home at that age I did that whenever I went out.

[comfort80]

i understand now, i read it to mean the lights were on and the radio was/had been blaring as if someone was listening to it. i didnt know it was a clock radio.
thanx for the clarification- it helped.

[Aphra]

I was checking into the Doe Network recently, and found this possiblity of a match:

http://doenetwork.org/cases/530ufky.html

The height is a little off, but not by much--and it sounds like they only found part of the skeleton anyway so I'm not sure how they could make a precise measurement. It's hard to tell from the photos if the nose is the same, but you know, it kind of looks like it to me. Any thoughts?

Edited to add: I know it looks like it's probably a much older woman but it may have something to do with that hairstyle depicted on the UID.

[Hope4Lost]

I think that Dail's eyes are wider set than the sculpture. Also, her mouth is much larger.

[Salem]

They have dentals on Dail, it would be fairly easy to check. I would call it in. I have to agree that Dail's eyes appear to be further apart, but this is a reconsruction and often, they are not exact. I think there is similarity along the jaw line and in the chin. Time frame is about right.

Aphra - I'd call it in and see if they can't just run the dentals. Good Find!

Salem

[Aphra]

I've never called anything like this in before. I'm sort of chicken! How do you do that? If someone else wants to call it in, that's okay--actually I'd prefer it--and you can have full credit.

[Masterj]

Aphra - I emailed the contact (Emily) the information on Dail, but did not take credit for the discovery. I will let everyone know if I hear anything back.

Dail's case was what first drew me to websleuths. She disappeared a couple of weeks before I visited USC during my senior year of high school. Her case has become so personal to me. I saw her face everywhere - on billboards, in the bookstore, on telephone poles and in the newspaper. I became so haunted by Dail and wonder about her often.

[Aphra]

Thanks, masterj, for calling it in. (You and I must be around the same age; I was also a senior in high school when Dail went missing.)

If it is her (probably about a .001% chance!), then it's even more mysterious. How on earth would she have ended up in Kentucky?

[Salem]

Masterj - thank you for helping with this! :blowkiss:

With reconstructions, about the only thing, in my opinion, you can try to match up are bone lines, so often the reconstruction can be very different from what the person actually looked like.

Aphra - it would not be impossible for Dail to have gotten to Kentucky. How it happened, I have no idea, but she has not been found locally, so extending the area where she may be would be logical, I think.

I think sometimes we forget just how mobile our society is, and while generally our lost are found close to home, that is not always the case. Recently a California missing woman was located in Illonios (sp?).

I wonder if any of the suspects had ties to Kentucky? I am not real up to date on this case. What do you think Masterj - any chance the suspect(s) has Kentucky ties? or is there a military base close by?

Hmmmmmmmm,

Salem

[Aphra]

Salem, as far I know, there aren't any suspects, except for that Rivera guy, and I think that lead's been tapped out.

As far as a military base--did you mean is there one close to Columbia or where the Jane Doe was found? Because Fort Jackson is just a few miles away from Five Points. Don't know about KY.

[Salem]

I meant close to where the Doe was found. I think I am mixing this case up with another one where the missing young lady had a boyfriend in the military. I'll have to go back through the threads and refresh my memory.

Sorry for the confusion,

Salem

[SeekingJana]

It is said on every site that she has a disabled finger on each hand. Did she have polydactaly, meaning that she had an extra digit on her hands? If not, what was wrong with her hands and was it something that was visible to the naked eye?

I am asking because the KY Jane Doe has post- crime info that indicates her hands were either used defensively, were cut, or maybe ( my thoughts) were mutilated. If Dail had a distinctive SOMETHING to do with her hands, and if this is her, it could make sense.

I want her crime solved. BTW, the questioning of how her body could be found in KY bothers me.. Not aimed at any specific poster, OK? But I think we are short-sighted if we eliminate ANY possibility based on location alone.

I can see how any missing person could end up dead far from their last known sighting. Killers have dumping grounds, maybe they prefer to prowl for victims in an area where they used to live or visit and are comfortable, maybe they are a long-distance trucker or biker. There are as many reasons why Dail's body could be found far from SC as there are unsolved murders.
If we are going to help solve one murder, we have to keep all options open until they are eliminated.
Thank you,
Maria

[Aphra]

it's ok, Seeking Jana, I shouldn't have said that about how she would have ended up in Kentucky. I totally see how it's a possibility. And the match possibility has been called in to the ME, so we'll see what happens. I bet she may have already been ruled out as the KY Jane Doe, personally. (Although Doe was found in 2005 and Dail's DNA wasn't submitted to the database until 2006, according to those articles someone posted above...so maybe they missed it.) I'm not sure what's up with her hands, though.

At any rate, I truly hope for a resolution to this case. Her family deserves answers.

[Aphra]

bumping for Dail. Masterj, have you heard anything back from the ME?

[s_finch]

There never were any suspects in Dails case except Rivera and he hasn't claimed this one. It truly is as if Dail vanished that night. Remember U2 was in down for a concert at USC and 5 points was really hopping afterwards. Very possible that someone not from SC (trucker, salesperson) was in Cola on business, abducted Dail after the concert and dumped her body miles or states away.

[Masterj]

bumping for Dail. Masterj, have you heard anything back from the ME?

I never heard anything back at all. I wonder if the contact info for the ME's office is up to date. I think someone should follow up with a call.

[Aphra]

I wonder if we might have more luck working on this from the other side--ie, submitting the info to the Columbia police. They would be more likely to respond either way, I'd think.

[Masterj]

I wonder if we might have more luck working on this from the other side--ie, submitting the info to the Columbia police. They would be more likely to respond either way, I'd think.

That is a very good point.

[s_finch]

Dail's case haunts me. I have several questions and wonder if any of you know the answers.

1) Did anyone related to this case take a poly and if so what were the results?

2) Was the home ever inspected as a crime scene (not accusing family, she could have been abducted out of the home after she arrived)

3) Were the dogs ever brought in to search her trail in 5 points?

Thanks in advance,

[s_finch]

Bumping for Dail....

[Aphra]

I did an overlay of the Kentucky Jane Doe and Dail:

http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn123/Aphra75/530UFKY.jpg

Here's the info on the KY Jane Doe again:

http://doenetwork.org/cases/530ufky.html

I've had no luck with any LE agencies, but I did not submit this match to the Doe Network. Maybe that would help. Should I?

[Reannan]

Dail's case haunts me. I have several questions and wonder if any of you know the answers.

1) Did anyone related to this case take a poly and if so what were the results?

2) Was the home ever inspected as a crime scene (not accusing family, she could have been abducted out of the home after she arrived)

3) Were the dogs ever brought in to search her trail in 5 points?

Thanks in advance,

Those are all really good questions. The answers should be available too. Do we know if this case is still being worked as a cold case by LE in Colubmia? I am really close to Columbia and would be willing to schedule a meeting with any detective working the case and compare notes with what we have here. S Finch, aren't you in SC too? Where are you located - I am near Aiken in North Augusta, SC.

[monkalup]

Those are all really good questions. The answers should be available too. Do we know if this case is still being worked as a cold case by LE in Colubmia? I am really close to Columbia and would be willing to schedule a meeting with any detective working the case and compare notes with what we have here. S Finch, aren't you in SC too? Where are you located - I am near Aiken in North Augusta, SC.

I'm about an hour from Columbia...go there a lot! give me a shout if you set something up!

[s_finch]

Hi Monk and Reannan,

I'm an hour from Columbia in Barnwell County. I've read that the detective who worked this case for so long, Harold Chamber, was willing to talk with anyone that had questions and worked the case until his death. Sadly at that point I wasn't into sleuthing. I don't know what the status is now with the case but someone in LE should, IMHO, be willing to meet and discuss with us. I wonder also if we could file for an Freedom of Information Act. Here's SC's link to their law on FOIA http://www.scattorneygeneral.org/newsroom/pdf/foia.pdf
and below is snippet of what it says regarding LE cases:


Records of law enforcement and public safety agencies not otherwise available by state and federal law that were
compiled in the process of detecting and investigating crime if the disclosure of the information would harm the agency by:
(A) disclosing identity of informants not otherwise known;
(B) the premature release of information to be used in a prospective law enforcement action;
(C) disclosing investigatory techniques not otherwise known outside the government;
(D) by endangering the life, health, or property of any person; or
(E) disclosing any contents of intercepted wire, oral, or electronic communications not otherwise disclosed
during a trial.

So, should we file an FOIA or just go to Columbia and see what they will provide?

One thing I don't want to do is upset the family so I'd like to proceed delicately. I've read Dail has a younger brother and wish we would be interested in talking. Here's where I found out about him (if it is him, I'm always skeptical until something is confirmed) http://www.crimerant.com/?p=213 scroll down to the bottom to read.

I have bookmarked all info about Dail I've been able to find on the net (it's not much) but if you want the links I'll share them.

[s_finch]

I did an overlay of the Kentucky Jane Doe and Dail:

http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn123/Aphra75/530UFKY.jpg

Here's the info on the KY Jane Doe again:

http://doenetwork.org/cases/530ufky.html

I've had no luck with any LE agencies, but I did not submit this match to the Doe Network. Maybe that would help. Should I?

Aphra, I'm no good at looking at overlays-----tell me what you see.

Thanks! and thanks for doing the overlay!!!!

[s_finch]

Hi all,

I e-mailed the contact for Doe Case File 530UFKY about the possibility of her being Dail and get a reply that Dail has already been eliminated. Well, at least we know they're working on the various cases.

[Aphra]

You guys, I work in downtown Columbia. What do you need me to do? I used to work at The State so I know a bit about FOIA and how you proceed in getting information released. (not a LOT, but I'm familiar with it somewhat.) Could we perhaps e-mail the detective in charge of the case, introduce ourselves, and ask for any information that's allowed to be released to the public?

ETA: I know at The State we had a letter written by a lawyer that outlined what we wanted and why we were alllowed to have it under FOIA. And I'm glad the KY Jane Doe isn't Dail, although it would've been nice to have this case resolved.
And I know this sounds nearly impossible but--is there even a ghost of a chance that Dail may be alive? I know we hear a lot about sex rings now but back then I don't remember it being talked about that much. The circumstances would not preclude this possibility, I don't think.

[Reannan]

Wow, this is amazing that we have this many of us WS's so close by!! I definitely think it would be worthwhile to email the detective, introduce ourselves, and maybe even ask if we could get about 15 minutes of his time. I would definitely be willing to make the one hour trip to Columbia from here in North Augusta to just ask him where the case sits, explain what we do, and just see if there is anything else we can learn. For me, personally, I think one of the biggest questions I would like to know more about is the bouncer who spoke with her and who is officially the last person to see her alive. What is he doing today??

[clemsongrad]

This is my first post, but I have been a lurker since the Tiffany Sauers case. I live in Augusta, Ga., but I was born and raised in Aiken. It really is amazing how many people from our area are on this website. I have been haunted by Dail's disappearance. I used to make road trips to visit my friends at USC, and I remember that area very well. It is hard to believe that this case hasn't been solved after all of these years.

[s_finch]

Aphra, I doubt Dail is still alive because I read on one of the sites that she had asthma very bad and took shots several times a week and always had her inhaler with her and used it daily. I would think just a day or two without medicine, especially during a big stressor, would have been more than her body could handle, but that's jmo. Of course I would love for Dail to be alive but if she isn't, then I'd life for the Dinwiddie family (and us) to have answers and closure.

I definitely would be glad to drive to Cola to meet with the detective. I don't mind contacting him (whoever he is) and seeing about meeting, unless one of you would rather do it.

If we should meet with a detective we would need to get a list together of questions and be organized.

Also, my gut feeling is that whoever did this has probably (statics show) committed similar crimes before or after Dail. I've been looking at similar cases in the southeast trying to find a pattern.

I'm going to look more at the MO of Rivera, I don't think he's ever been totally eliminated. I've even thought of writing him in prison just to see if I could get anything out of him IF he is the perp in this case.

Also, please remember Paula Merchant disappeared without a trace from Cola in 1999.

AND I found this which has me puzzled http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=4015733&blogID=132731397 If you scroll down it says about Dail "she ain't the only girl that never made it home from 5pts." Any of you have a myspace account and can contact this poster and ask her what she knows about other missing girls from 5pts????

Sorry to keep adding so much, but I went to the myspace site of Willie, the guy who made the above one for Dail, and it's creepy---he's from Columbia, lives in Chicago now, is really into music and obviously drugs. I don't know, Dail doesn't seem like someone who he would have hung out with so why does he have a myspace page on her? Weird. And, on his myspace page of her it's just a picture, not a mention at all that she is missing. Again, weird. If he were someone concerned for her wouldn't he have mentioned that she is missing?
Let me know what y'all think. Here's the link to his myspace http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=4015733

AND Willie writes in another myspace account that "There is no place more beautiful in the world than Edisto Avenue, Columbia, SC in Spring. Waccamaw is a close second."
Edisto Avenue runs parallel to Harden Street which is where Dail was last seen and Waccamaw is between them. Both of these roads end not far from 5 pts.

[Aphra]

See, though, I think that whoever did this to Dail was someone she knows, perhaps someone she was at the concert with and trusted. Maybe it was a male, and he wanted more than she wanted to give, and tragedy ensued. She was so tiny, it would be so easy to overpower her.

I really think her friends may know more than they're telling. (Who leaves a true friend somewhere without asking if she needs a ride home?) Sure, there are skeevy guys at the bars in Five Points, but Dail was in a crowd. I think it was someone in her extended circle. So I'd really like to know how thoroughly they investigated her friends, co-workers, former co-workers, etc., and ESPECIALLY how thoroughly they investigated everyone she was at the concert with that night. Did she pay for the ticket? Did someone else pay for it, perhaps, and then maybe feel "entitled" to something? Who knows. But I'm pretty sure of one thing: somebody's not telling the whole story.

[s_finch]

See, though, I think that whoever did this to Dail was someone she knows, perhaps someone she was at the concert with and trusted. Maybe it was a male, and he wanted more than she wanted to give, and tragedy ensued. She was so tiny, it would be so easy to overpower her.

I really think her friends may know more than they're telling. (Who leaves a true friend somewhere without asking if she needs a ride home?) Sure, there are skeevy guys at the bars in Five Points, but Dail was in a crowd. I think it was someone in her extended circle. So I'd really like to know how thoroughly they investigated her friends, co-workers, former co-workers, etc., and ESPECIALLY how thoroughly they investigated everyone she was at the concert with that night. Did she pay for the ticket? Did someone else pay for it, perhaps, and then maybe feel "entitled" to something? Who knows. But I'm pretty sure of one thing: somebody's not telling the whole story.

Good point about who paid for the ticket.

There is a theory in sleuthing that if more than two people "know" something, one of them will eventually spill the beans.....for example, one may tell out of fear that another one tells first and gets some amount of limited immunity.

I don't believe more than two people know what happened and really I think only the perp knows. Dail was small, would have been very easy to grab and overpower. I guess the only four possibilities are:
1) she accepted a ride from someone she knew and thought she could trust,
2) she was abducted by someone driving by
3) an accident occurred and rather than report it the other party disposed of her
4) she attempted to walk home and was abducted on the way ( the last is the most doubtful theory in my opinion).

[Aphra]

I've been reading the Richland County Sheriff's website, and apparently you can put in a request for a police report. I don't know if this means accident report (like for insurance purposes), or an investigation report, but it doesn't specifically say "accident" so I'm not sure.

ETA: I forgot it would be the Columbia PD, not the Richland County Sheriff, who'd be handling this. Off to see what the Columbia PD says.

[s_finch]

Hi Aphra,


Let me know what you find out!

Thanks!

[Aphra]

It doesn't look like we're going to be able to get a copy of the police report:
************************************************** **
(snipped from the Columbia PD website)
Obtaining copies of police reports
For a copy of a police report you filed, you must visit the Records Unit in person with a picture ID and $3 to cover the administrative costs. The more information you can give to a Records Unit employee -- including your name, the location of the crime, and the nature of the crime – the easier it will be to find your record.
Generally, you cannot have a copy of a police report for a crime reported by someone else, as this might compromise the privacy of the victim and witnesses.
************************************************** ****************************

[s_finch]

Thanks Aphra! We'll have to keep digging.

[Reannan]

This is my first post, but I have been a lurker since the Tiffany Sauers case. I live in Augusta, Ga., but I was born and raised in Aiken. It really is amazing how many people from our area are on this website. I have been haunted by Dail's disappearance. I used to make road trips to visit my friends at USC, and I remember that area very well. It is hard to believe that this case hasn't been solved after all of these years.

Welcome Clemsongrad! I also live in the Augusta area, and I grew up in Clemson. Small world, huh?

[Aphra]

I wasn't going to post this, but...

http://forensicastrology.blogspot.com

She did a reading on Dail.

ETA: if these kinds of readings aren't allowed here let me know...I'll delete it.

[gaia227]

I saw this too this morning and kept debating if I should post it or not.

[s_finch]

Wow. Lots of info to ponder there.

I admit I am skeptical of such readings and respectfully wonder about cases where forensic astrology has been valuable in solving a case.

I'm going to read through it again.

Thanks!

[clemsongrad]

Thank you for the welcome, Reannan. I know that you enjoyed growing up in Clemson. Clemson is a beautiful place and a great place to go to school. Back to the topic, I hope that Dail's case will be solved one day soon so that her family can have some closure.

[Masterj]

Just a quick update that I finally received a response to my email:

Dear Masterj

Several months ago you sent this inquiry. I had a 2005 note in my files that a comparison had already been made and there was no possibility of a match. After your inquiry I tracked down the original communications to confirm my note, and this is not a match.

Thanks, anyway, and sorry for the delay.

Emily

From: Masterj
Sent: Wednesday, May 28, 2008 5:41 PM
To: Craig, Emily (Justice)
Subject: Agency Case Number: FA-2005-41 NCIC Number: U-280016921
Importance: High




Agency Case Number: FA-2005-41


NCIC Number:
U-280016921



Dear Emily,

I am writing to you in regard to the case listed above, a Jane Doe found in Shively, Kentucky on July 22, 2005. I belong to an online forum called Websleuths and one of our posters thought this unidentified Jane Doe might be Dail Dinwiddy who disappeared from Columbia, SC on 9-24-1992. A link to her information is included below. The poster noted that the noses are very similar and the height was close enough in range to be considered. Do you know if Dail has been ruled out as Jane Doe? Dail’s case is very dear to me as she disappeared from SC right before I started looking at SC colleges. I remember seeing her missing posters everywhere and years later, her case drew me to www.websleuths.com (http://www.websleuths.com/).

http://www.theyaremissed.org/ncma/gallery/ncmaprofile_all.php?A200300354W (http://www.theyaremissed.org/ncma/gallery/ncmaprofile_all.php?A200300354W)

Thank you very much for your time,

Sincerely,
Masterj

[Aphra]

I have to admit that I'm a bit skeptical of this particular *scenario*, not of forensic astrology itself or this woman's talents as a forensic astrologer. (Yeah, I know astrology isn't for everyone but I'm personally interested in it.)

On the other hand, it's been brought up here more than once that the bouncer at the club may have known more than he was letting on. I *wish* that there was some way to get the police report and find out whether they investigated the backgrounds of the people working at the club. Also, the fact that she mentioned something about Dail not being far from home...well, a lot of us here know that those neighborhoods around Dail's house are just scary and overgrown and it probably wouldn't be very difficult to hide someone in one of those houses even if there *were* people canvassing the neighborhood during the first days of Dail's disappearance.

It seems like this would be a fairly easy thing to unravel if we had some names of people who worked at the club that night and whether we could tie them to someone who owned a house in that particular neighborhood--and whether that person had an applicable criminal record. Even then it wouldn't directly lead us to Dail.

I just don't know what to do with this info. Nothing, I guess.

[Elphaba]

I'm by no means in to the stuff, but I don't see why there would be an issue on posting forensic astrology stuff... one of our members is doing charts for the Caylee case, so it should be fine here.

Welcome Clemsongrad... I was born and raised in the CSRA... was just down there in June to watch my daughter graduate.

[Elphaba]

Oh, I forgot what I was intending to post: on that site it says that Dail's father found her radio and light on, but the bed unmade, the next morning. To me that sounds like she may have made it home turning the radio on once in her room, then stepped back out for what could have been a quick moment, but something happened. (unless she was known for leaving stuff on in her room, thus the radio and light was on the whole time she was at the U2 concert... so them being found on may mean nothing)

[Reannan]

I think she left the light on when she left for the concert, and I believe the radio was one because it was an alarm radio. My daughter's, and my own radio come on every morning, unless I tell it not to.

[Masterj]

I think she left the light on when she left for the concert, and I believe the radio was one because it was an alarm radio. My daughter's, and my own radio come on every morning, unless I tell it not to.

I totally agree.

[s_finch]

16 years ago today Dail went missing. Prayers for her family and friends.

[s_finch]

Wanted to post/store this here before it disappears and also want to state that I have no reason to believe or disbelieve the poster Donnieatlex, I'm just copying and pasting for info.

This is from a comment/blog on wltx.com and the remarks are in response to this article

http://www.wltx.com/news/story.aspx?storyid=66559&catid=2
"Human Remains Found in Calhoun County"

poster ThatsBS wrote wondering if these remains could be Dail and said

I wonder about Dail too. I have wondered if the cops ever checked the old tunnel system that runs underneath Five Points for her. Her mom does a good job of keeping her story in the news every so often. I wish they'd find out what happened to her so that her parents could have some closure.

this is a reply further down the blog from Donnieatlex


Donnieatlex wrote

"Dale Dinwiddie is dead. They know who killed her. He is also the prime suspect in the kidnapping and murder of the Marchant girl. He lives in Rosewood and made a living for most of his life working as a professional informant for Richland, Lexington and Horry County narcotics. I am afraid they will never bring charges against him. He was my brother's best friend."

Then after someone questioned the above Donnieatlex replied with

Wont print his name, but I have spoken with local law and the FBI. My brother is dead now, and we never could convince him to tell what he knew. I beat him so badly over this that I was originally charged with attempted murder. They dropped the charges as soon as they found out what it was about. The suspect flees when he sees me or my vehicle, but I dont intend to do anything to him. My brother did state flat out that he knew for a fact that this guy did it. I said the only way you could know for sure was if you saw it. He said he knew for sure. My sisters and I immediately went to police. My brother was brought in and the matter has been followed as far as it can go. I am sure they are not looking at anyone else but this creep as a suspect. Everyone in Rosewood and Olympia, that grew up with us knows about this. He rarely leaves his moms home on Wando.

[s_finch]

OK, I did a mapquest on the info about Wando Street in Columbia, SC and from Jungle Jim's on Harden street to the 700 block of Wando St. (the block I chose because it is in the middle of the length of Wando) , it is a drive time of 6 minutes and estimated to be 2.06 miles. Course, it could be shorter depending on where on Wando you were going.

[itsjustmecherri]

What a horrible and sad thing. And whats even worse is the family has no real closure. I will pray for this family. I will also pray that the person responsible comes forward.

[s_finch]

Bumping for Dail

[s_finch]

Wishing and praying for closure in this case. Dail's family and friends deserve that much.

[s_finch]

Bumping for Dail

[birgitta_ice]

I hope this case is going to get a closure, I don´t have a good feeling about this case, I don´t think she´s alive but I truly hope she´s going to be found, my prayers are for her and her loved once.


http://chatarea.com/psychicsearchformissingchildrenandadults


psychic search for missing children and adults

[s_finch]

Thank you Brigitta. I never met Dail and don't know her family or friends, but I clearly remember when I heard about her case. I live about 50 miles from where this happened and the missing posters and pictures of her posted all over SC made a deep impression on me and her disappearance haunts me. I think Dail's disappearance was the first time that I realized that at the hands of evil, others really can just vanish. It's still hard to believe how many people this happens to on a regular basis.

[Proud Country Gal]

Praying new info on Dail's case.
I had just moved to Sumter SC a couple of months before Dail went missing. I have always wondered what happened to her.

[s_finch]

Sorry to keep adding so much, but I went to the myspace site of Willie, the guy who made the above one for Dail, and it's creepy---he's from Columbia, lives in Chicago now, is really into music and obviously drugs.


It's too late to edit the above but need to add that Willie is listed as living in Chicago, SC not Chicago, IL also, he's changed alot of what was on his myspace and it truly looks less like someone into drugs and I shouldn't be judging anyway.