Tinicum Marsh Murders - early 1970s, Chester, PA

[Unknownlady]

Anyone out there remember reading about the murder of girls related to the Warlock Motorcycle Gang in the early 1970s? I read a feature article about this some time ago - not sure what magazine. I think this may be related to Beth Doe, but I have not been able to find ANY information about these old Tinicum cases.

History - Several bodies were discovered in the Tinicum Marshes in the early 1970s and related to the Warlock Motercycle Gang which was prevalent in Chester Co., PA during the early 1970s.

The Doe Network Case File 169UFPA

[Richard]

Here is a link to the Doenetwork case that you reference in your post:

http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/169ufpa.html

Her case is discussed in some depth here in Websleuths Cold Cases under the title Cabron County Jane Doe. I do not recall any connections mentioned between her murder and the Warlock Motorcycle gang, however.

[Richard]

I found two cases in the Websleuths Cold Case files which make reference to the Warlock Motorcycle gang and missing persons in Pennsylvania. Here are the threads:


Barbara Rowan, 14 Murdered August 1984 Bensalem, PA - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community

Ranee Gregor, missing 21 October 1977 from Robinson twp, PA - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community

[Unknownlady]

Richard,

I have been researching Beth Doe for some time. I am researching possible connections in PA, 1976 time period.

I was wondering if her death might be related to numerous Warlock related deaths of young girls that occured in the early 1970s. These girls' bodies were found in the Tinicum Marshes, Delaware Co., PA. I have been unable to find any reference material about these crimes, but I remember reading about this as a young girl myself. It was a feature article in one of the big mags like Newsweek, or National Georgraphic....

I was also wondering about the Pennsylvania Johnson Gang in the ealy 1970s - a movie was made about his gang: "At Close Range" with Sean Penn, Chistpher Walken. I cannot find anything but small posts about this gang.

Also, Fred Banks - a mass killer from Wilkes Barre, PA during this time. He had a harem of girls/woman at the time and went on a murder rampage.

Thanks for the posts - I will investigate them.

[Richard]

Stacey,


Check out the featured case of the missing Lyon Sisters. Katherine and Sheila Lyon went missing on 25 March 1975 from Wheaton, Maryland.

That featured case has some threads about possible suspects who were operating in Maryland and nearby states around that time. Also, there are cases posted which could be related or linked to either the Lyon case or eachother, and several of these are in Pennsylvania.

I have never seen any references specifically the the Marsh Murders in the Lyon threads, but I have seen references to them in the other two links that I posted previously.

[Richard]

Here is a link to the Websleuths Cold case about murdered nun Robin Elam:

Cold case - murdered nun Robin Elam - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community


This thread contains some possibly linked cases which occurred in the mid 1970's In Pennsylvania.

[Boyz_Mum]

Here is the link to another WS thread with Tinicum Marsh mentioned.

Ranee Gregor, missing 21 October 1977 from Robinson twp, PA - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community

This is about Ranee Gregor (Richard mentioned earlier on this thread). If you've already read it, sorry for the repeat.

[Boyz_Mum]

Link to article about the movie "Lovely Bones" (snipped for the portion relating to Tinucum Marsh.)


http://www.delcotimes.com/articles/2009/08/06/entertainment/doc4a7ad89cb91d2733089064.txt

In an eerie coincidence, MacDade Mall was a known hang out for two young Delaware County women who disappeared five months apart in 1975 and whose bodies, both with broken jaws and skulls shattered by bullets, turned up later that year in nearby Tinicum Marsh. Law enforcement authorities have long speculated that Debra Jean Delozier, 20, of Collingdale and Denise Marie Seamen, 17, of Colwyn died because of their resistance to rape by members of the Warlocks motorcycle gang. Their murders remain unsolved.

[Boyz_Mum]

http://www.pennsylvaniamissing.com/carboncountybethdoe.html

Link to a page devoted to Beth Doe.

[Fukiyama]

Whom do we contact here at WS about setting up a forum to dump all these similar cases of girls gone missing and murdered in PA during the 70s? We have a lot of different threads that cross over quite a bit.

[Richard]

Whom do we contact here at WS about setting up a forum to dump all these similar cases of girls gone missing and murdered in PA during the 70s? We have a lot of different threads that cross over quite a bit.

From what I have seen, Featured Cases are usually given their own topic area after a very large number of posts, and discussion make the topic a "hot" one. You could suggest such a featured case or topic to the Website owner.

[Boyz_Mum]

StaceyK, I think I'm probably pulling up all information you've run across before and I'm not finding anything that's really centered on the motorcycle gang in relation to the Tinicum Marsh Murders. I wish I could be more help.

[StealthTheory]

Are you talking about the Warlocks? I'm from that area and that's the motorcycle gang that's active around there and STILL active.

[Unknownlady]

Yes - The Warlocks. Do you remember in the early-mid 70s, they had a house in Folcroft or Ridley TWP. that young peeps went to for crazy parties? The house had a name - I can't remember it anymore. But, girls started missing and they found some bodies in the Tinicum Marsh. I grew up in another part of Pennsylvania, but I remember hearing about these parties. Thank goodness I never attended.

I'm thinking about a possible connection between these parties and Beth Doe - it's a stretch, but who knows?

[Unknownlady]

Richard - I cannot find the threat about the LYON sisters - can you help me out?

[StealthTheory]

I wasn't around then(I was born in 81), but I can ask around. Someone was telling me about a book about the Warlocks and I'll see if I can get it. I'm from Upper Darby actually, and I know a lot of the local bars have some Warlock history to them.
I remember even that we never messed with certain kids because they had family members in the Warlocks.

[Boyz_Mum]

Thread for the Lyon sisters:

http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6560&highlight=Lyon

(It looks like there is a forum or subforum for this case, if you go to the page I linked, you can acess the forum from there. I hope that helps.)

[Richard]

Richard - I cannot find the threat about the LYON sisters - can you help me out?


There was a thread on the missing Lyon Sisters here in Cold Cases, origionally. Because it was so popular and there were so many postings to it, the site administrator moved it to the Featured Cases section of Websleuths.

When you sign on to Websleuths and go to Forums, look for the Featured Cases and it is the last one on that area.

[Unknownlady]

Richard - I found it.

I had to take a deep breath after reading this.

[Spurser]

I'm thinking about a possible connection between these parties and Beth Doe - it's a stretch, but who knows?

I doubt if she would have been at one of the parties if she was in the later stage of pregnancy. I wondered if she was murdered because of the baby. Perhaps her married lover? Someone did not want her recognized (her nose and ears were cut off). I'm glad people are interested in helping find out who she is/was. It's a sad, sad case.

[scriptgirl]

Wow! I am from this area of PA and never heard of the Warlocks, but I am familiar with the Johnsons. I grew up in the town they terrorized and my uncle went to school with Robin, Bruce's gf. To this day, they have no idea where that girl is buried. And even though Bruce is in witness protection, it is common knowledge where he is living.

Anyway, are the warlocks still active? Why did they end up becoming a mainstay in that area? How many girls were killed?

[StealthTheory]

Scriptgirl -

The Warlocks are still around. Sadly, some of my childhood friends are now members.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warlocks_Motorcycle_Club

[scriptgirl]

Thanks for the Wiki link. Odd that they don't mention the Chester kiillings