After watching several “disappeared” episodes, I felt compelled to try and solve a missing persons case myself. I started in my own state of SC and trolled around looking for cases that seemed solvable, which led me to this case. I believe, like so many others, that this couple had to have a family that was missing them and there was enough pieces of the puzzle to at least identify this couple. IT IS SOLVABLE!!!
I first started by eliminating missing people from 1976, and essentially eliminated all but a handful of missing persons. I kept coming back to Michael and Cordelia Mcminn, a couple from Portland, Oregon who went missing in May of 1976. Information about their disappearance wasn’t posted on missing person websites until 2008. At first glance, it seemed to be a “lost at sea” tale, but after doing some more investigating, there seems like something else was going on. They were spotted within 25 miles of their port of destination and LE has confirmed spottings in Canadian waters just north of the border as late as July. After doing some research about Michael and Cordelia Mcminn’s disappearance, it became clear (at least from news articles) that drug smuggling seemed to be a central theme in their disappearance. It was speculated that couple was high jacked and murdered by drug smugglers. On the other hand, in another news article, that references the Mcminn’s disappearance, the DEA indicates that high jacking of boats by drug smugglers for the purpose of smuggling drugs was not common, due to the fact that drug smuggling operations aren’t interested stealing boats, since they have plenty of money to buy boats and drug smugglers like to remain low key. Also, their boat was only a 25’ trimaran, not an expensive boat. Moreover, their boat was installed with an automatic radio beacon that would have been activated in the event that boat was sinking that the search parties would have easily located. Could the Mcminn’s been involved with drug smuggling themselves and were purposefully eluding authorities?
That being said, I also believe drug smuggling is at the center of the Sumter case. I think these are not drifters or hitchhikers as some people have suggested. I believe, for many reasons, foremost because they were to have been staying at the KOA, indicating they most likely had a vehicle or a camper. Also because of a news article which I have not seen any discussion about. A news article about a mechanic in York, Nebraska (where there is a Grant’s truck stop) who said he recognized John Doe and he had done repairs on their vehicle. He also stated that he remembered the license plate had either OREGON, or Washington plates. The most direct route from Portland or Vancouver region to SC goes through York, NE……….Hmmmm….
At this time in the drug smuggling history, camper vans were the vehicle of choice for the distribution of drugs(LE believes the tire tracks were from a van). Could Jane and John Doe have been smuggling drugs? According to David Batson, the guy at the KOA who shot pool with John Doe stated the couple was driving back and forth to Florida via I-95(The largest drug cable in the US). John Doe also stated “I was disowned for being a teacher rather than doctor…. like his father….and being from Canada” as one person described it…… “It sounds like something out of a Victorian novel”. This was a fabricated story to explain his North Eastern accent and why they are so far from home and are available to travel so much. If they are drug smugglers on the run, it would sound like a very likely story. The fact that the couple had been to Florida the year before, based on the ’75 IMSA shirt John Doe was wearing, also lends itself to this theory. The whole thing stinks of drug smuggling. Ultimately, I think Jane and John doe were executed for being a liability to the drug smuggling organization. I have also interviewed someone else that said they saw them at the campground.
During my investigation, I also saw that Reannan had contacted Michael’s brother.
I have also contacted the brother and it is his position, as it was then, that he doesn’t believe that this is his brother and sister in law based on looking at photos. I think there are several reasons that can explain why he was unable to make an identification. Primarily, because it would be tough to identify anyone with so many varying composites and crummy photos, and also because of the enormous amount of time that has passed.
When I look at these photos, especially Carl’s composites, I see the same people. Thanks Carl for such fantastic composites! Also, I believe you can see a mole on Cordelia’s cheek. Michael Mcminn had a piece of metal pierce his shoulder in a motorcycle collision with a street sweeper rear view mirror which would explain the scars on his shoulder. Cordelia has blue/green eyes. All physical characteristics match: height, weight, hair color, eye color. I have been in contact with both families and they are willing to submit to DNA testing. This process will begin soon and I will keep the community updated with the progress.
I apologize for the length of the post, as I am new to websleuths. I have read every post on websleuths on this case. I think there has been some amazing investigating taking place on websleuths, by far the most in depth discussion of this case. I have conducted several interviews and have way more to post, but I will keep it short for now. I think the IMSA connection is the missing connection as some people have alluded to.
I think more compelling than anything else, is this that this explains why two families never went looking for their family members. They haven’t been looking for them, because they thought they were already deceased!
