CO CO - Andy Joe Lepley, 18, Crow Junction, 30 May 1976

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Doe Network

Colorado Cold Case File

Charley Project

lepley_andy.jpg


Vital Statistics at Time of Disappearance
• Missing Since: May 30, 1976 from Colorado City, Colorado
• Classification: Endangered Missing
• Date of Birth: October 3, 1957
• Age: 18 years old
• Height and Weight: 5'9, 150 pounds
• Distinguishing Characteristics: Caucasian male. Brown hair. Lepley's right hand is scarred and deformed. He goes by his middle name, Joe, and his nickname is Taco. He has a coppery complexion.
• Clothing/Jewelry Description: A green Texaco t-shirt, a coat with the name "Joe" on it, blue jeans and lace-up hiking boots.


Details of Disappearance
Lepley was last seen at the Texaco station at Interstate 25 and Colorado 165 in Colorado City, Colorado on May 30, 1976. He had worked there part time for two years. Lepley picked up the keys from the manager and began his shift at 6:15 a.m. Only about fifteen minutes later, customers wanting to buy gas discovered the station was unattended. A short time after that, Lepley's manager and the police found Lepley's 1967 pickup truck in the station parking lot with the keys in the ignition. Inside the station, the manager's citizen band (CB) radio had its microphone ripped out and the cash register, which had contained between $50 and $100, was empty. Lepley has never been heard from again.

Authorities stated a middle-aged Caucasian male, with graying sandy-colored hair and blue eyes, about 5'11 tall and 175 pounds, was seen at the Texaco station between 6:30 and 7:30 the morning Lepley disappeared. The person drove a "flashy" two-door late model car, possibly a Pontiac Grand Prix, colored silver or white with maroon trim and a maroon landau top. He was pulling an unusual four- or five-foot-long, tarp-covered plywood trailer that may have been handmade. He may have been en route to Wyoming at the time. This individual is the prime suspect in Lepley's disappearance. He has never been identified.

Foul play is suspected in Lepley's case. He was a senior and honor student at Rye High School at the time of his disappearance, studying motorcycle mechanics in a vocational porgam, and went missing just days before graduation. He was a pole-vaulter, a football player and basketball player, and once had been president of his class. After his graduation, Lepley planned to spend the summer working for his father as a plumbing apprentice, then enlist in the Air Force and attend Adams State College.

Lepley's mother believe he was abducted after he surprised someone burgling the gas station. Although he disappeared during the daylight hours in a high-traffic area on Memorial Day Weekend, no one saw or heard anything suspicious. His case remains unsolved.


"Rye senior possibly kidnapped from gas station three days before graduation"

http://blogs.denverpost.com/coldcases/2012/06/02/rye-senior-disappears-gas-station-days-graduation/4309/

A Colorado college professor who lived in the same county came under suspicion, said Jeff Lepley, Joe’s older brother.

Four days before Joe disappeared the professor’s wife vanished. The professor remarried and his second wife died under suspicious circumstances. The remains of the professor’s first wife was found four years after she and Joe had disappeared. The man committed suicide.

Betty Lepley said law enforcement officials including a group of retired FBI agents and detectives who reviewed his case in 2005 believe the professor is somehow linked to the case.


Series on killer resurrects Lepley mystery - July 25, 1991
 
Probably not him, but possible date of death (4 to 5 years before discovery) and the relatively close proximity to Colorado City makes this John Doe interesting: https://identifyus.org/en/cases/9272

What makes it interesting is that it says 'one hand/arm missing' .....if someone has a deformed hand identification would be easy (or believed easy)...so may be removed to prevent identification?
just a thought.
 
What makes it interesting is that it says 'one hand/arm missing' .....if someone has a deformed hand identification would be easy (or believed easy)...so may be removed to prevent identification?
just a thought.

I suspect the hand deformity in the case of Andy Joe Lepley may not be skeletal and so may not show anyway in a skeletal John Doe. Why? It says he was a pole vaulter. Having vaulted at club level when younger I know how much you rely on both hands. It would be difficult to vault with a major skeletal issue, but a deformity due to, say, burns or other soft tissue injury may be less problematic. It would be useful to know the nature of the deformity.
 
Charley Project details updated: Andy Joe Lepley – The Charley Project

Details of Disappearance
Lepley was last seen at the Texaco station at Interstate 25 and Colorado 165 in Colorado City, Colorado on May 30, 1976. He had worked there part time for two years. Lepley picked up the keys from the manager and began his shift at 6:15 a.m.

Only about fifteen minutes later, customers wanting to buy gas discovered the station was unattended. A short time after that, Lepley's manager and the police found Lepley's 1967 pickup truck in the station parking lot with the keys in the ignition.

Inside the station, the manager's citizen band (CB) radio had its microphone ripped out and the cash register, which had contained between $50 and $100, was empty. Lepley has never been heard from again.

Authorities stated a middle-aged Caucasian male, with graying sandy-colored hair and blue eyes, about 5'11 tall and 175 pounds, was seen at the Texaco station between 6:30 and 7:30 the morning Lepley disappeared.

The person drove a "flashy" two-door late model car, possibly a Pontiac Grand Prix, colored silver or white with maroon trim and a maroon landau top. He was pulling an unusual four- or five-foot-long, tarp-covered plywood trailer that may have been handmade. He may have been en route to Wyoming at the time. This individual is the prime suspect in Lepley's disappearance. He has never been identified.

Foul play is suspected in Lepley's case. He was a senior and honor student at Rye High School at the time of his disappearance, studying motorcycle mechanics in a vocational program, and went missing just days before graduation. He was a pole-vaulter, a football player and basketball player, and once had been president of his class. After his graduation, Lepley planned to spend the summer working for his father as a plumbing apprentice, then enlist in the Air Force and attend Adams State College.

Charles Humphrey is a suspect in Lepley's disappearance. He was a college English professor in 1976. Charles is the prime suspect in the murders of his two wives: Lucila, who disappeared just days before Lepley did and whose body was found in 1981, and Bonnie, who was murdered in December 1979, several months after her divorce from Charles. He committed suicide before police could arrest him, and it's clear why he's a suspect in Lepley's case.

Lepley's mother believe he was abducted after he surprised someone burglarizing the gas station. Although he disappeared during the daylight hours in a high-traffic area on Memorial Day Weekend, no one saw or heard anything suspicious. His case remains unsolved.
 
In the information from Charley Project it says:
He committed suicide before police could arrest him, and it's clear why he's a suspect in Lepley's case.

How is this clear? What did I miss?
 
Saw this today on Reddit and submitted this one to Namus i think Joe was a John Wayne Gacy victim 6CA3448C-B32F-40B7-B877-4B475CEE4B7A.jpeg 4A423702-FA6D-4AFC-9DF7-9735FF1D72FF.jpeg
 
Andy's profile on NamUs:

Could someone post the official ruled-outs please?

How sad that his family never had answers.

Information from NamUs:
Circumstances of Disappearance
Andy was last seen on May 30th, 1976. He opened the Texaco station at the intersection of I-25 and HWY 165 in Crow Junction, Pueblo County, Colorado, where he had worked part time for two years.

He opened the station between 6:15 and 6:30 AM and took a newspaper to a restaurant adjoining the gas station where he joked with a waitress. He was last seen under a gas station canopy near the gas pumps at 6:45 AM. Shortly thereafter, customers wanting to buy gas discovered the station unattended.

The police were called, and a short time later, they and Andy's manager discovered his 1967 pickup truck parked in the Texaco's lot with the keys in the ignition.

Inside the gas station, the manager discovered his CB radio with it's microphone ripped out and all the cash (between $50-$100) from the register was missing. Although he disappeared in a high-traffic area in the daylight hours on Memorial day weekend,no one saw or heard anything suspicious.

In the days following his disappearance, volunteers, the Pueblo County Sheriff's Office, and the FBI conducted a widespread search both on foot, by horseback, on four-wheelers, and via
helicopter. Local psychics were tapped and even hypnotized two waitresses from the restaurant adjoining the Texaco, and they described a possible suspect.

He is described as a middle aged, white male with graying, sandy colored hair, blue eyes, and a medium complexion, and was about 5'11 and 175 lbs. He was seen leaving the Texaco at approximately 7:00 AM, and is said to have been driving a "flashy" two door, late
model car, possibly a Pontiac Grand Prix, silver or white in color with maroon trim and maroon top. He was towing what appeared to be a hand made plywood trailer, 4-5 feet long and covered with a tarp. He told the two women that he was en route to Wyoming and was waiting for the gas station to open. He has never been identified.

A Colorado college professor who lived in the same county has since come under suspicion. Four days before Joe disappeared the professor’s wife vanished. The professor remarried and his second wife died under suspicious circumstances. The remains of the professor’s first wife was found four years after she and Joe had disappeared. The man later committed suicide. Law enforcement officials, including a group of retired FBI agents, reviewed his case in 2005 believe the professor is somehow involved.

His mother, Betty Lepley, believes that her son caught whoever stole the money and when he went to call authorities he was attacked and then abducted...
 
Andy's profile on NamUs:

Could someone post the official ruled-outs please?

How sad that his family never had answers.

Information from NamUs:
Circumstances of Disappearance
Andy was last seen on May 30th, 1976. He opened the Texaco station at the intersection of I-25 and HWY 165 in Crow Junction, Pueblo County, Colorado, where he had worked part time for two years.

He opened the station between 6:15 and 6:30 AM and took a newspaper to a restaurant adjoining the gas station where he joked with a waitress. He was last seen under a gas station canopy near the gas pumps at 6:45 AM. Shortly thereafter, customers wanting to buy gas discovered the station unattended.

The police were called, and a short time later, they and Andy's manager discovered his 1967 pickup truck parked in the Texaco's lot with the keys in the ignition.

Inside the gas station, the manager discovered his CB radio with it's microphone ripped out and all the cash (between $50-$100) from the register was missing. Although he disappeared in a high-traffic area in the daylight hours on Memorial day weekend,no one saw or heard anything suspicious.

In the days following his disappearance, volunteers, the Pueblo County Sheriff's Office, and the FBI conducted a widespread search both on foot, by horseback, on four-wheelers, and via
helicopter. Local psychics were tapped and even hypnotized two waitresses from the restaurant adjoining the Texaco, and they described a possible suspect.

He is described as a middle aged, white male with graying, sandy colored hair, blue eyes, and a medium complexion, and was about 5'11 and 175 lbs. He was seen leaving the Texaco at approximately 7:00 AM, and is said to have been driving a "flashy" two door, late
model car, possibly a Pontiac Grand Prix, silver or white in color with maroon trim and maroon top. He was towing what appeared to be a hand made plywood trailer, 4-5 feet long and covered with a tarp. He told the two women that he was en route to Wyoming and was waiting for the gas station to open. He has never been identified.

A Colorado college professor who lived in the same county has since come under suspicion. Four days before Joe disappeared the professor’s wife vanished. The professor remarried and his second wife died under suspicious circumstances. The remains of the professor’s first wife was found four years after she and Joe had disappeared. The man later committed suicide. Law enforcement officials, including a group of retired FBI agents, reviewed his case in 2005 believe the professor is somehow involved.

His mother, Betty Lepley, believes that her son caught whoever stole the money and when he went to call authorities he was attacked and then abducted...
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I have the impression that this young man either got carried away by some situation that was really beneficial to him or as his mother says he was violently murdered when he found someone strange... he did not deserve to die anyway, a multifaceted boy full of life
rest in peace
 
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