TX TX - Elizabeth Allen, 55, El Paso, 21 Jan 1980

Without answers: 3 decades later, family of missing woman continue the search
Posted: 05/24/2010 12:00:00 AM MDT

EL PASO -- Elizabeth Allen, mother, businesswoman, victim of foul play, vanished 30 years ago.

Now her friends and relatives, including her aging sister, hope to discover what happened to her before their own lives end.

Allen's family reported her missing on Jan. 21, 1980, one day after they last
saw or heard from her. She did not leave a note or tell anyone she was leaving town.

There was no trace of a struggle in her second-floor West Side apartment. Police in San Bernardino, Calif., found her white 1971 Ford Thunderbird Classic on Jan. 24, and called Allen's family after the car was towed the next day.
Police believe someone abducted Allen, 55, but no witnesses have come forward to confirm detectives' suspicions.

Allen's disappearance attracted publicity weeks later and again in 1983, when convicted serial killer Henry Lee Lucas confessed to murdering Allen.
However, El Paso police said, no proof exists to tie Lucas to Allen's disappearance.

http://www.elpasotimes.com/ci_15148021?source=most_viewed

Elizabeth's Charley Project page:

http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/a/allen_elizabeth_ann.html

Elizabeths Doenetwork page:

http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/1917dftx.html

The article that BeanE posted in the OP #1 gave a lot of information.

It has been my experience with the EP Times that not all of their articles are archived and available online. JFYI.

I'll try to save this article for file.

Snipped from the article BeanE provided us:

...Family friend Sharon Few said although El Paso and San Bernardino are connected by Interstate 10, the receipts document stops in Tucumcari, Albuquerque and Grants, N.M., and in northern Arizona.

Click to expand...

It is noted that Ms. Allen lived on the West side of El Paso. For those that aren't familiar with EP geography, the Franklin Mnt National Park runs directly through EP. Dividing the city into East and NE and the West side.

From the article we are told that Ms. Allen resided at the Fountain Plaza Apartments WestCity Court (West) EP. I do not see apartments by that name but there are condo's by that name on that road. I do not know if the Apartments were there and razed or if the Apartments became the Condo's so I am going to use that address as a general reference point.

4141 Westcity Court, El Paso, TX‎ (my starting point)

Then we see from the article that a CC receipt was found for from Tucumcari NM. (keep in mind that the border between TX and NM in that part of the country is within minutes)

From the starting point that was used above to Tucumcari NM is a 6 to 7 hour drive. One would have had to have taken (more than likely) I-10 to US 54-E and then onto I-40 into Tucumacari. It sounds complicated but it's fairly straight forward driving here. However, we drove a part of this route this spring and on the way to Tucumamcari you are driving through the Chihuahuan Desert and skirting the Lincoln National Forest area. (Traveling North East)

Receipt for Albuquerque was also found. (Albuquerque would be due west of Tucumari NM. Take I-40 West from Tucumari to Albuquerque).

Next Receipt (as listed in article) Grants NM. Stay on I-40 W and you will hit Grants from Albuquerque NM in about 76 or so miles.

You can take I-40 West until you hit CA. (it will take you through Northern AZ which some receipts were found to be from but not the exact town reported.

After plugging all of that into a map I had two thoughts.

1. Tucumari might have been a specific destination for the person that was driving this car. Why go that far east to backtrack through NM towards AZ and then on to CA? There might be a connection there for the person driving the car.

2. I'm going to assume that Ms. Allen was either abducted and removed or removed from EP by this car. As far as I can tell her remains weren't found in this area and have remained UID. However, the route from EP to any of the States above might have counties that have UID's.

I wonder if Ms. Allen is in Namus? This would be a case for our UID Sleuths that are familiar with those areas and the resources available.

The areas that were driven through are very remote compared to the East and SE and the Midwestern states of the USA. If you have not had the chance to travel through these areas you will be very surprised at the wide open spaces and the remoteness of the country-side. For reference---we have traveled on a road here quite often in Far West Texas, and it is a well traveled Interstate and there are warning signs every so often that tell you to make sure your car is well maintainanced and that you have water available. The reason? If you breakdown and are not found quickly, you can expire in the summer. JMHO. JFYI.

Yes, she is in NamUs.
https://www.findthemissing.org/cases/5623/

Bumping with her picture:

https://www.findthemissing.org/en/cases/5623/

TX – Elizabeth “Beth” Ann McDonald Allen, W/F, 55, El Paso, El Paso County, 1 Jan 1980

Elizabeth “Beth” Ann McDonald Allen



Last Seen: January 1st, 1980

Missing From: El Paso, El Paso County, Texas


Physical/Clothing/Medical
Race: White
Sex: Female
Age: 55 Years Old
DOB: 10/13/1924
Height: 5’3”-5’4” (63”-64”)
Weight: 105-125 lbs.
Hair: Red/Auburn
Eye Color: Green
Clothing:
Jewelry: Gold opal ring (Possibly square), silver watch
Characteristics/Medical/Scars: Reading glasses, pierced ears, scars; small pox vaccination on upper left arm
Transportation: 1971, White Ford T-Bird with “Suicide Doors”, Texas Plates
Fingerprint Status: Available
Dental Status: Available
DNA Status: Available

Circumstances:
Elizabeth disappeared from her 2nd Floor Fountain Plaza Apartment on West City Court on January 20, 1980. Elizabeth had spoken with her sister on the phone the morning of January 20th, between 10:30-11:00. It is possible Elizabeth may have had a breakfast date with an unidentified man whom had been her date a few nights before. LE did not find any signs of a struggle in her apartment.

Four days later January 24th, Elizabeth’s 1971 Fort T-Bird was found in San Bernardino, CA, gas station purchase receipts were found inside indicating stops in Tucumcari, Albuquerque and Grants, New Mexico and in northern Arizona (City or town not stated). The card used for the purchases was that of Elizabeth’s deceased husband.

In 1983 serial killer Henry Lee Lucas confessed to murdering Elizabeth however LE stated their was no proof that Lucas had murdered Elizabeth.

Interesting note the State of California stated that the last sighting of Elizabeth was in El Paso, TX when she crossed the Mexican border. Have not seen this comment any where else find it rather odd.

Elizabeth is not listed as a missing person on Texas DPS Clearinghouse website.


Investigating Agencies:
El Paso Police Department
911 N Raynor
El Paso, TX 79903
Tele: 915.564.7010
MP Case # 00-161011
Contact: Detective, Mike Aman # 1940

Information Sources:
NAMUS
MP Case # 5623: Missing Person Case
Case Manager: Michael Nance
Tele: 918.527.0080
E-Mail: Michael.Nance@unthsc.edu

The Charley Project
Elizabeth Ann Allen – The Charley Project

The Doe Network
MP Case # 1917DFTX - The Doe Network: Case File 1917DFTX

State of California, Department of Justice
Elizabeth Ann Allen

News Articles
05/24/10 – El Paso Times, Archives

Episode 117 Serial Killer Magazine states. Lucas reported body is is in Trans Mountain Rd area.

ISSUE 17 OF SERIAL KILLER MAGAZINE

• NamUs MP5623
• The Doe Network 1917DFTX
• Elizabeth Ann Allen – The Charley Project
• Elizabeth Allen
• https://oag.ca.gov/missing/person/elizabeth-ann-allen
• http://www.missingin.org/reg3115/elizabeth_ann_allen.htm

Details of Disappearance
Allen was last seen at her home in El Paso, Texas on January 20, 1980. She lived in a second-floor apartment at Fountain Plaza on the west side of the city; she was an assistant manager there and also managed three other apartment complexes.

Between 10:30 and 11:00 a.m., she spoke to her sister on the phone. She may have also had breakfast that day with an unidentified man who had been her date to an awards dinner a few nights before. She has never been heard from again. She left no note behind at home, and hadn't told her loved ones of any travel plans.

On January 24, Allen's white 1971 Ford Thunderbird with suicide doors and the Texas license plate number MNL-431 was found near San Bernardino, California. Photographs of a similar vehicle are posted with this case summary.

Some receipts were inside the vehicle, all of them for charges made to Allen's husband's credit card. He had died two years before. Whoever made the charges forged Allen's husband's signature. The receipts were for gas stations in New Mexico and northern Arizona.

Allen was born in Cleburne, Texas and had four sons. Three of her sons have died in the years following her disappearance; the surviving one lives in California. Her sister is also still alive and looking for her. Investigators believe Allen was abducted, but little evidence is available in her case.

Dentals: Available
Fingerprints: Available

2 Unidentified Person Exclusions
UP6259 04/22/1981 Lawrence OH
UP6796 11/18/1985 Alleghany VA

I also think that henry lee lucas abducted her, abused her, robbed her and murdered her .. what a terrible guy that lee lucas ..
rest in peace beth

Bumping