MO MO - Tammy Rothganger, 15, Eldon, 16 May 1984

PonderingThings

Former member
Joined
Dec 17, 2005
Messages
1,752
Reaction score
210
More photos at link:
http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/1381dfmo.html

TRothganger.jpg
TRothganger3.jpg


Tammy Sue Rothganger
Missing since May 16, 1984 from Eldon, Miller county, Missouri.
Classification: Non Family Abduction

Vital Statistics

* Date Of Birth: August 10, 1968
* Age at Time of Disappearance: 15 years old
* Height and Weight at Time of Disappearance:5'7" (170 cm); 140 lbs (64 kg)
* Distinguishing Characteristics: White female. Sandy blonde/brown hair; brown eyes.
* Marks, Scars, Tattoos: Scar on left arm, several small moles on cheeks and chin. Tattoo of "R" on her left arm.

Circumstances of Disappearance
Rothganger left for school, which was across the street from her home in Eldon, MO on May 16, 1984. She was never seen again. Her mother was dating a man who is now serving a life sentence in Kansas for murder. He is a suspect in this case.
 
The Doe Network has posted a news article about one of their potential matches. The authorities are currently doing a DNA test to check against the remains found. One of the Doe Network members suggested the match.

Interestingly enough the family is participating in the DNA test, but remains firmly convinced its not her. They believe they know who is responsible.

The whole article is extremely interesting and can be found here:

http://www.doenetwork.us/media/news91.html

********************

The Jane Doe they are referring to is:
http://www.doenetwork.us/cases/446ufmo.html

446UFMO.jpg
TRothganger3.jpg
TRothganger.jpg
446UFMO1.jpg

Jane Doe on left and right, Tammy in center (2)

Unidentified Female

* The victim was discovered on April 18, 1985 in Clay County, Missouri
* Estimated Date of Death: from April 1, 1983

Vital Statistics

* Estimated age: 18 - 22 years old
* Approximate Height and Weight: 5'2"-5'6".
* Distinguishing Characteristics: Race undertermined: she may be white, bi-racial, or black. Brown hair.
* Dentals: Available. Several unattended cavities, degree of decay on both sides of right upper incisors would have been visible, enamal hypoplasias (possibly from high fever).
* DNA: Available

446UFMO2.jpg

Hair comb

Case History
The victim was located on April 18, 1985 in a field in the vicinity of Highway 210, approximately 11 miles east of Missouri City, Missouri. Cause of death has not been determined.


Possible match?

1. There is a strong resemblence between the photos of Tammy, and the reconstruction of Jane Doe.
2. Tammy went missing in May 1984 - Jane Doe is estimated to have died in April of 1983. THIS IS A BIG DISCREPANCY. Jane Doe was found in April of 1985, perhaps the estimate is wrong and she died only a year before being found?
3. Tammy was 15 when she went missing. Jane Doe is estimated to be 18-22. This is a bit off but a 3 yr margin is not unheard of.
4. Tammy was listed as 5'7". Jane Doe is estimated to be 5'2"-5'6". An inch taller than the estimated height, but not unheard of.
5. Both are white, with brown hair.
6. Tammy disappeared from Eldon, Missouri and Jane Doe was found near Missouri City, Missouri. According to Google maps its 159 mi (about 3 hours 28 mins). Its within distance and time to dump a body that far away... but if you go here
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&saddr=eldon,+missouri&daddr=missouri+city,+missouri&btnG=Search&ll=39.219487,-93.834229&spn=1.872487,3.746338
you'll see that's its an odd route as its heading TOWARDS a big city, before veering off into rural again... it would be an odd choice...

My hat is tipped to Tracy Sherwood, the Missouri Director for the DOE Network for submitting the potential match. In my opinion is more of a long shot than many matches we have discussed on this site. I do understand the family's opinion that it isn't Tammy.

Will be interesting to learn the outcome!
 
Did the Jane Doe in Clay county MO ever bring up any conclusive DNA results either way in this case? I have been searching the web for a few days trying to find if the results where ever published on any connection. Can't find anything. Doe Network still has the case as unsolved, but it appears that particular information has not been updated since the original possibility was made. The results should be available by now. I noticed the findingtammy.com web site her family supposedly set up is no longer in existence, so I'm assuming maybe this case is now solved...?? Has the incarcerated Martin Priest ever admitted to abducting/murdering her?

If anyone can point me to more published information I would greatly appreciate it.
 
Sent the following letter to the Eldon Police Dept. and RaVae Edwards. I am haunted by this case. I can't stop thinking about it.


RE: NCIC Number: M-973906317
Investigators reopen case of Eldon teen missing since 1984

January 7, 2006
News Tribune
by RaVae Edwards


It's a case that's had investigators baffled and family members without closure for almost 22 years…<snip>




Hello,

My name is **** **** and I stumbled upon this missing person/abduction case on accident several days ago while surfing the net for something unrelated. I have been searching for any information regarding this case since. There is minimal information available.

The above referenced article is the last bit of information I can find. Was this case ever solved? Were the human remains found in Clay Co MO (near Liberty, MO) those of Tammy Rothganger? Did Martin Priest (mother’s ex-boyfriend/convict) ever confess? I’ve found the findingtammy.com web site that apparently had more information has been removed. (I never viewed it, just noticed that there are several links to it on other sites, and it’s not valid) If the remains found in Clay Co ARE those of Tammy’s, and Martin Priest maintains innocence, I might have a possible lead. PLEASE… if there is any new information on this case can you forward any link, or information? Thank you.

 
I finally received a response today from my inquiry to the Eldon Police. A man from the FBI called me today and said the remains found in Clay Co, that where thought to maybe be those of Tammy's proved Negative on the DNA test. He could not give any further information because further investigation is being done. Well...guess my crime solving hunches are not all that sharp.

I still can't shake the feeling I'm on to something, but a match would have been pretty good evidence. :confused:

iW
 
rothganger_tammy.jpg
rothganger_tammy_ap.jpg

Missing Since: May 16, 1984 from Eldon, Missouri
Classification: Non-Family Abduction
Date of Birth: August 10, 1968
Age: 15 years old
Height and Weight: 5'7, 135 - 140 pounds
Distinguishing Characteristics: Caucasian female. Sandy blonde to brown hair, brown eyes. Rothganger has a tattoo of the letter "R" on her left arm, and also a scar on her left arm. She has several moles on her cheeks and chin.
Clothing/Jewelry Description: Unknown, but she usually wears a leather wristband and a necklace with an arrowhead pendant.

Details of Disappearance

Rothganger was last seen at Eldon High School at approximately 7:45 a.m. on May 16, 1984. The school is just across the street from her home in Eldon, Missouri. She was last seen getting into a blue Plymouth in front of the school building. She never attended classes that day and has never been heard from again. Her family reported her missing that afternoon.


At the time of Rothganger's disappearance, her mother was dating Martin Priest. A photograph of him is posted below this case summary. Priest lived with Rothganger and her mother in May 1984. He is now serving a life sentence in a Kansas state prison for an unrelated murder; he robbed and shot a 15-year-old girl in 1984. Priest is the prime suspect in Rothganger's disappearance, but he has never been charged in connection with her case. Foul play is suspected in Rothganger's case, which remains unsolved.

Investigating Agency
If you have any information concerning this case, please contact:
Eldon Police Department
573-392-5611

Charley Project
NCMEC
 
a brief mention
http://newstribune.com/articles/2009/01/07...al01waiting.txt

Gruesome discovery stirs up emotions for mothers of missing
By Ra'Vae Edwards redwards@newstribune.com
Published: Wednesday, January 7, 2009 3:19 PM CST

Three Mid-Missouri moms are sitting on the edge of their seats. Their intense emotions are reactions to recent news of human remains found near a creek on the outskirts of Eldon.

The Miller County Sheriff's Department verified the remains are human but, according to Sheriff Bill Abbott, the gender and age still must be determined by the Boone County Medical Examiner. Until then, Abbott is not releasing any further information.

Since hearing of the discovery, Deanna Roberts said hours seem like days as she waits for any information that might bring her closure. Roberts' daughter, 25-year-old Brandi Mathews, has been missing since September 2006.

“One minute I will be okay and the next minute I am in tears,” she said. “It's a torture that no parent should have to deal with. I really can't explain it.”

Peggy Florence and Marianne Asher-Chapman, both mothers of missing daughters, have been in contact with law enforcement, and each other, all hoping for some closure.

“It's a very hard thing to describe,” Asher-Chapman said. “It's like you want (closure) for the other moms who you have grown very close to, but you want it for yourself at the same time.”

Roberts, Florence and Asher-Chapman have grown close and offer emotional support while each is going through a similar situation.

“I know it sounds like a broken record, but having a glimmer of hope is something we all learn to hang on to,” Florence said.

Meanwhile, Eldon Police Chief Rodney Fair said investigators are not looking into the case of an Eldon teen who has been missing for nearly 25 years.

Tammy Rothganger went missing May 16, 1984, at the age of 15. Since her disappearance, family members have continued to search for her and vow never to give up.
 
thanks for the update.

I grew up in Springfield, MO and had two good friends who lived in Eldon, MO. I used to drive up and visit them often. I have always been interested in this case and Jasmin Haslag who also disappeared from Eldon.
 
<snip>

Tammy Rothganger, Eldon, 25 years missing

Tammy Rothganger disappeared May 16, 1984. She was 15 then, today she would be 41 years old.

No one has seen or heard from Tammy in 25 years. She was last seen walking to Eldon High School from her house across the street.

I asked former Eldon Chief of Police Bob Hurtubise, who was the last person to Tammy alive?

"That we can confirm, definitely was Marty Priest," says Hurtubise.

Marty or Martin Priest was Tammy's mother's live-in boyfriend.

He is now serving a life sentence for killing a woman in Kansas.

Marty tells investigators that when he saw Tammy did not go into the high schol doors, he pulled his car up along the sidewalk to see where she was going.

"He told us he was going to take her to Rock Island Park, that that's where she was going," says Hurtubise.

"But you all can't confirm that she ever made it to the park?" I asked.

"Never," says Hurtubise.

Investigators checked with Tammy's friends at school to see if any of them had plans to skip class and meet Tammy at Rock Island Park, a popular hang out then.

But no one did.

And after investigators learned more about Marty Priest's background, their hopes of ever finding Tammy alive dwindled quickly.

Just a few years before Tammy disappeared, Marty Priest was convicted of murder.

A jury said he was guilty of killing a girl whose mother he was dating.

But on an appeal, the Missouri Supreme Court threw out Priest's conviction, saying there was too little evidence to find him guilty

Investigators from Eldon have traveled several times to the Kansas prison where Marty Priest is housed.

They've offered him a deal: say where Tammy is and you won't face prosecution.

But Marty Priest still won't talk.

"So you really don't think there's probably any chance that Tammy's alive out there?" I asked.

"Never," says Hurtubise. "No."


This also talks about Kristina Bishop who disappeared in MO.
 
Tammy Sue Rothganger, 15, Missing since May 16, 1984 from Eldon, MO

--------------------

Tammy Sue Rothganger
Missing since May 16, 1984 from Eldon, Miller county, Missouri.
Classification: Non Family Abduction

Vital Statistics


Date Of Birth: August 10, 1968
Age at Time of Disappearance: 15 years old
Height and Weight at Time of Disappearance:5'7" (170 cm); 140 lbs (64 kg)
Distinguishing Characteristics: White female. Sandy blonde / brown hair; brown eyes.
Marks, Scars, Tattoos: Scar on left arm, several small moles on cheeks and chin. Tattoo of "R" on her left arm.
Clothing: Sweatshirt, Nike shoes, arrowhead necklace on a chain.
DNA: Available
Dentals: Available

Circumstances of Disappearance

Rothganger left for school, which was across the street from her home in Eldon, MO on May 16, 1984.

She was last seen getting into a blue Plymouth at about 7:45 that morning in front of the Eldon High School building. She was never seen again.

Her mother was dating a man who is now serving a life sentence in Kansas for murder. He is a suspect in this case.

Investigators
If you have any information concerning this case, please contact:

Eldon Police Department
573-392-4511/5411

Agency Case Number: 120986599

NCMEC Number: NCMC601885

NCIC Number: M-973906317

Please refer to this number when contacting any agency with information regarding this case.

Source Information:

NamUs
Finding Tammy
NCMEC
The Doe Network: Case File 1381DFMO

LINK:

http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/1381dfmo.html
 
Interesting that she was classified as non-family abduction back then. Most missing children were classified as runaway unless there was a witness or a ransom note to the kidnapping. They now confirm they knew it was Marty who picked her up, I wonder how long they had that information.
Poor mother and family. I hope they can get answers at some point.
 
In an unexpected development on Tuesday, convicted murderer Martin Priest was charged with Tammy's murder by Miller County Prosecuting Attorney Ben Winfrey. Priest is currently serving a life sentence in Kansas for a separate murder.

According to the probable cause statement, a third person that was allegedly in Priest’s car during the incident recently came forward with key information that led to the charges so many years after the murder occurred.

Rothganger’s remains have not yet been recovered.

http://www.lakenewsonline.com/article/20160105/NEWS/160109676
 
Here's more information on Martin Priest:

Investigating suspected serial killer Marty Priest

The last time anyone saw Tammy Sue Rothganger was in the spring of 1984 in her hometown of Eldon.

She was a high school sophomore.

While her body has never been found, a convicted killer now stands charged with her death.

But could this man be responsible for the horrific deaths of four others?

Is he a serial killer?

Who is Marty Priest and why was he in mid-Missouri?

Danny Bardezbain learned of the Rothganger case while investigating Martin Priest's background for the Bayliff, Mayhugh, and Cheely murders.

While in Eldon, Bardezbain spoke with Tammy's mother multiple times.

"She showed me and gave me a copy of a journal she had kept regarding Tammy's disappearance, a 60-page journal with all of the stuff Marty had said and done, all of her thoughts and ideas about Tammy's disappearance," Bardezbain said. "One of the things he told her was that she had run away but she was in Kansas City because she had broken up with him, the mother had broken up with Marty. She said he told her that Tammy would come back home if she would get back with him."

Suspected serial killer's alleged victim's family speaks out

'You never give up': A look inside the investigation of the 31-year-old disappearance of Tammy Rothganger
 
Convicted killer tied to Mid-Missouri murder denied parole in Kansas

http://www.abc17news.com/news/convicted-killer-tied-to-midmissouri-murder-denied-parole-in-kansas/40950856

Martin Priest, a convicted killer tied to a Mid-Missouri murder case, has been denied parole for a murder in Kansas.

In January, the Miller County Prosecutor's Office charged Priest with the 1984 rape and murder of Tammy Rothganger, who was 15.

Priest went before the Kansas Department of Corrections parole board on July 12 seeking earlier release for killing William Mayhugh in Wichita. His request was denied.

Kansas Department of Corrections spokesman Adam Pfannenstiel could not say what day the board made the decision, but said the group cited the seriousness of Priest's crime and his unwillingness to

accept responsibility for it.

Online court records show no updates in his Missouri murder case since January 25, when the Attorney General's Office entered into it.
 
A Lake-Area Teen Was Murdered 34 Years Ago. Her Alleged Killer Is Now Facing Charges
Martin Dean Priest is finally in a Miller County Jail, facing a murder charge from a teen who was killed in 1984. Priest was arraigned in Miller County Court on Wednesday, Aug. 14, where he filed for a change of venue. The case has now been moved to Laclede County.

In May of 2018, Priest filed a 180 Day Writ that limits the timeframe for a legal proceeding to 180 days. Priest also filed a request for a speedy trial.
 

Members online

Online statistics

Members online
191
Guests online
1,650
Total visitors
1,841

Forum statistics

Threads
589,960
Messages
17,928,352
Members
228,020
Latest member
DazzelleShafer
Back
Top