IN IN - Melinda Karen Creech, 13, Anderson, 4 Sept 1979

Kelly · #1 08-25-2004, 12:38 AM

Melinda Creech
Missing since September 4, 1979 from Anderson, Madison County, Indiana.
Classification: Endangered Runaway

Vital Statistics

Date Of Birth: September 21, 1963
Age at Time of Disappearance: 16 years old
Height and Weight at Time of Disappearance: N/A
Distinguishing Characteristics: Blonde hair; blue eyes. Possibly wavey hair.
Dentals: Available

Circumstances of Disappearance
Melinda Creech ran away from home several times. When she ran away from home in 1979 she was never seen again. At least not by her siblings who were led to believe, by their mother, that she had been found dead in New York. This was untrue according to documents found after the mothers death. Creech could use a different last name.

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

Madison County Sheriffs Office
Detective Callahan
765-646-9281

Family website: http://www.geocities.com/mindyscandle/index.html

Kelly Jolkowski
President and Founder,
Project Jason
www.projectjason.org

2sisters · #2 08-28-2004, 08:02 PM

Maybe if she ran away, Melinda went to one of the bigger cities in Indiana. Maybe if the family did searches there and put her story one the local news and newspapers (if they haven't) in places like Indianapolis, Lafayette, Fort Wayne, Evansville, or even Louisville, Ky and Chicago. they could get a lead. Maybe billboards on theiterstate would be an option. I'm sure they have done or thought of this, but I just thought I would throw it out there.

AuntieKaren · #3 08-29-2004, 01:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2sisters

Maybe if she ran away, Melinda went to one of the bigger cities in Indiana. Maybe if the family did searches there and put her story one the local news and newspapers (if they haven't) in places like Indianapolis, Lafayette, Fort Wayne, Evansville, or even Louisville, Ky and Chicago. they could get a lead. Maybe billboards on theiterstate would be an option. I'm sure they have done or thought of this, but I just thought I would throw it out there.

Problem is, she would be 40 now--probably looks nothing like she did at 16. Wow, what a long time to be missing. So sad.
Karen

WasBlind · #4 08-29-2004, 05:00 AM

http://www.doenetwork.us/cases/1297dfin.html

Interesting link for a "Melinda Creech" I found on yahoo, which states "Photos of worship banners designed and created by Melinda Creech."

http://www.seminext.com/synapse/phot...e=rrcreech.com

Might be somehow related to them.

All matches for Melinda Creech on yahoo are here

http://search.yahoo.com/search?p=%22...t&cop=mss&tab=

Prayers for this family. Thanks for the info, Kelly.

With HOPE, Lanie
Help For The Missing
HelpForTheMissing@yahoo.com

Kelly · #5 09-11-2004, 05:53 PM

http://www.wthr.com/Global/story.asp...7&nav=9TaiQckX

Anderson, September 6 - Fourteen-year-old Melinda Karen Creech disappeared September 4, 1979. Twenty-five years later her brother Daryl Creech of Oklahoma hopes to find her.

Melinda lived in Anderson, Indiana in the 2900 block of West Cross Street along with her siblings.

They say their mother assured them their lost sister passed away after a body turned up in New Jersey. But now there are lots of questions.

"What would cause a 14-year-old girl to disappear and never be seen or heard from again," asks Madison County Sheriff Terry Richwine

Years after their mother's death and a search through her personal belongings raised more questions.

Melinda's siblings found an unsent letter by Melinda to a possible boyfriend named Ricky Williams, an invitation someone gave Melinda to a party, her address book and the most shocking discovery,
a letter disclosing unmatched dental records indicating that the body found was not Melinda.

"That brings into question why she put that information out when she knew it was not true," said
Richwine.

Doe Network is an organization dedicated to heating up cold missing persons cases. They, just like Melinda's siblings, would like to know why Melinda's mother gave out false information about her death.

"Maybe she was afraid the other kids, her sisters and brothers might do everything they could to see that she got back home," said Julie Mearing of Doe Network.

After 25 years, the Creechs hope to find not only a missing sister, but answers as well..

emma l · #6 09-13-2004, 08:39 AM

Melindas poor family. I can think of another reason that Melindas mother might want people to give up and think she was dead. I hope I am wrong. Bless her.

WasBlind · #7 12-11-2004, 02:40 PM

Praying for Melinda.

With love and HOPE, Lanie

KT Can · #8 07-29-2005, 07:03 PM

Bumping for Melinda.....

Kelly, do you know if there have been any updates on Melinda's case? Has the family received any new leads? Did they get any response to the letters that they sent out? I think of Melinda often and hold out hope that this family can be reunited.

Kelly · #9 07-29-2005, 07:42 PM

I have not heard from Melinda's family in a very long time, even though I have emailed them. I wish I could tell you more. (sigh) Thanks for asking, though.

Kelly

dmvpenn · #10 07-30-2005, 01:49 PM

Oh My, what a strange twist for the family to find information that their mom put forth false information. Truth is stranger then fiction.

Prayers to the family for strengh as they search for the answers.

Kimberly1 · #11 10-21-2005, 10:19 PM

Emma I also thought of a reason Melindas mother would want people to believe she was dead. Maybe her mother didn't bother to show up at her court case and sometime later Melinda confronted her about it. Later a terrible fight took place and Melinda was killed. The mother convinced her family that Melinda was dead (Princess Doe) so they would not question her about Melindas whereabouts as they became older.

Paradise · #12 10-23-2005, 08:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kimberly1

Emma I also thought of a reason Melindas mother would want people to believe she was dead. Maybe her mother didn't bother to show up at her court case and sometime later Melinda confronted her about it. Later a terrible fight took place and Melinda was killed. The mother convinced her family that Melinda was dead (Princess Doe) so they would not question her about Melindas whereabouts as they became older.

I was also thinking this too as I read this thread. I wonder if her mother or someone close to her killed her, and her mother was just saying that her body was found to protect someone.

meggilyweggily · #13 10-24-2005, 01:09 AM

I can think of a more benign explanation: the mother simply wanted to forget about the whole experience.

pugsley · #14 10-24-2005, 12:16 PM

The family is trying to obtain DNA so they can do testing against a few Jane doe's. More info at her website, but a big CAUTION as there is an actual coroner photo of one of the Jane's.

http://www.geocities.com/mindyscandle/

hoping4truth · #15 06-14-2006, 04:28 PM

I saw this Jane Doe on the DOE network a while back. And when I was looking for something else today in regards to Franklin Floyd (Sharon Marshall thread) I came upon Melinda and immediately thought of her.

Jane Doe

Melinda Creech

I hope I'm wrong. Do any of you see a resemblance?

The only thing that bothers me is that this DOE was found 5 years after Melinda went missing.

Khavna · #16 06-15-2006, 05:25 PM

i see a resemblance the only thing is that the jane doe's estimated time of death is 3-6 weeks and was found in 1985(?) she went missing in 1979 thats 6 years not 6 weeks

hoping4truth · #17 06-15-2006, 06:45 PM

Yeah, I know.

The only reason I put it out there is because Melissa ran away from an abusive homelife. I put it here thinking it could be possible that she lived on her own for a while, and met a horrible fate, later. The Jane Doe was in the right age range for it to have been Melissa. If Melissa ran away and got involved with the wrong people, then this is possible. Especially since she was 6 wks pregnant.

Like I said, I hope I'm wrong. I'd rather her be alive and just contemplating contacting her family.

Khavna · #18 06-15-2006, 06:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hoping4truth

Yeah, I know.

The only reason I put it out there is because Melissa ran away from an abusive homelife. I put it here thinking it could be possible that she lived on her own for a while, and met a horrible fate, later. The Jane Doe was in the right age range for it to have been Melissa. If Melissa ran away and got involved with the wrong people, then this is possible. Especially since she was 6 wks pregnant.

Like I said, I hope I'm wrong. I'd rather her be alive and just contemplating contacting her family.

she was pregnant and only 14?! well, that could be a reason for her to runaway meaning that her parents did not know and she didn't want them to find out, then something tragic could have happened to her along the way of her running away. mind you when i looked at the two pictures they look very similar uncanny that is.

hoping4truth · #19 06-15-2006, 07:03 PM

Melinda wasn't pregnant. The Jane Doe was. Sorry for the confusion.

Khavna · #20 06-15-2006, 07:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hoping4truth

Melinda wasn't pregnant. The Jane Doe was. Sorry for the confusion.

Ahh o.k i see now

maybe melinda could have been pregnant? there is a possiblity that this Jane doe could be Melinda they look VERY similar. the only differences i see is when the jane doe was found the estimated time of death is way out, mind you it is a estimate but i don't believe it was a skeleton either, who knows Melinda went missing when she was 14 right, she might have went to another state as this Jane Doe was found in Tennesse with someone or by herself (or kidnapped) got pregnant then was murdered the age range of the jane doe is 15-17 years old not too far off from Melinda's age range. just a theory

Khavna · #21 06-15-2006, 07:32 PM

another note is you say thay melinda ran away from an abusive home,however it has her listed as lost,Injured,Missing and has not listed her as a runaway. i believe there is no evidence or her being a runaway. there have been so many children snatched from their own homes sadly, this could be the case with Melinda

laini · #22 06-16-2006, 12:00 AM

What about this Jane Doe?

www.doenetwork.us/cases/81ufar.html

hoping4truth · #23 06-16-2006, 01:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Khavna

another note is you say thay melinda ran away from an abusive home,however it has her listed as lost,Injured,Missing and has not listed her as a runaway. i believe there is no evidence or her being a runaway. there have been so many children snatched from their own homes sadly, this could be the case with Melinda

Earlier in this thread there was a post made by another member that has a link to the family's webpage (post 14).

On that web page, it says that Melissa ran away and that the youngest brother Caryl tried to convince her to stay:

"Until then I just try to stay very busy so I don’t worry about her all of the time. I have felt such a huge loss and void from never knowing what happened to her. The hardest hit was our younger brother Caryl (pronounced as Carl). He remembers watching her run down the road and him yelling, “Please don’t go!” He regrets not being able to stop her from running away. Even knowing she never wanted to see us again, would hurt much less than not knowing anything and it would release Caryl from his guilt of not being big enough, old enough, or strong enough to stop her. He still feels as if it was his fault in some way."

Khavna · #24 06-16-2006, 07:43 PM

could it be that them saying that she was a runaway a cover-up to the truth?

2sisters · #25 09-12-2006, 11:02 AM

http://community.cnhi.com/eve/forums/a/cfrm/f/181105623
this is an Anderson, IN community forum, maybe a post on there would generate some leads?