CA CA - Linda Lovell, 25, & Stephen Packard, 18, Westport, 10 June 1974

[ohthatkatgirl]

Since Stephen and maybe Linda were into nature, could it be that they went to see Mount Tamalpais before/after Stinson beach? The two spots are 7.1 miles apart and are connected by a hiking trail

The Dipsea race was held at the end of August 1974, it's being held on the second Sunday of June wasn't set until 1983 so we can rule out Stephen and Linda being in the area for the race.

 

[Ozoner]

Since Stephen and maybe Linda were into nature, could it be that they went to see Mount Tamalpais before/after Stinson beach? The two spots are 7.1 miles apart and are connected by a hiking trail

The Dipsea race was held at the end of August 1974, it's being held on the second Sunday of June wasn't set until 1983 so we can rule out Stephen and Linda being in the area for the race.

Is the trail a dangerous one, i.e. one where two people could fall to their deaths and not be found? I've been on trails like that out west, but I don't recall encountering any terrain like that near the coast.

I'm still around 50/50 in terms of accidental drowning versus murder.

Can we look at some historical data and find out whether there were strong rip tides the day they disappeared?

 

[ohthatkatgirl]

Is the trail a dangerous one, i.e. one where two people could fall to their deaths and not be found? I've been on trails like that out west, but I don't recall encountering any terrain like that near the coast.

I'm still around 50/50 in terms of accidental drowning versus murder.

Can we look at some historical data and find out whether there were strong rip tides the day they disappeared?

A guide to the trail. http://www.norcalhiker.com/mt-tamalpais-via-the-steep-ravine-trail/

And a description https://www.meetup.com/Sea-Mountain-Hiking-Meetup/events/238191935/?_cookie-check=IG-9QiaHFVT5uCV-

http://www.marinij.com/article/NO/20160417/FEATURES/160419874

So the hike is described as strenuous, in the first guide the author nearly slips down a steep slope by not paying attention to the trail but whether two bodies and their belongings would be hidden from view is hard to say without the knowledge of someone who has hiked it.

If only we knew what Stephen had written to his mother about what they had been doing, and what their plans were eg: hiking, concerts etc.

I've attached an article on the Grateful Dead/Beach Boys concert, which was held on June 8th. (Daily Independent Journal, June 7th 1974.

 

[ohthatkatgirl]

Stephen's sister Cynthia's boyfriend was electrocuted on the 14th of June, 1974. The Central New Jersey Home News newspaper reported it had been declared accidental by local police on the 17th of June, 1974.

If Stephen and Linda left four days before the accident, as stated in an article, this means they left New Jersey on the 10th at around 10am. So unless they flew to California, it seems unlikely they sent postcards from Stinson beach on the 10th. Even flying, I wonder if they would have made it to Stinson on the 10th as even now it takes about 6 hours flight time from Newark to San Francisco.

If on the other hand they left four days after the accident, as another version of the above article by the same author claims, then obviously being in Stinson beach on the 10th is impossible.

 

[Coleraine]

I keep returning to the March 13, 1977 NY Times interview with Anne Locke Packard (https://www.nytimes.com/1977/03/13/...ekly-a-grieving-mother-finds-hope-in-art.html) because it seems to contain the most detail about the case, even if the departure date is questionable. I'm wondering if Stephen and Linda left from his home in NJ on Saturday, June 1st. Could it be as simple as a typographical error? They actually left on June 1, but in error it was noted as June 10, which was not a Saturday, but a Monday.

Also, Anne Packard says in the article that Stephen sent postcards every 3 days, but "after 3 weeks the postal cards stopped coming." It notes that the last card was mailed from Westport, CA and that's where the traveler's check was cashed. This article doesn't specify the postmark date, but I'm pretty sure the traveler's check was cashed on 6/20 according to other sources I've seen. If the last post card was also sent on June 20th in Westport, that would be just a day shy of 3 weeks if they left NJ on June 1st. That date would have given them time to hitchhike cross country.

I am curious, too, about their activities once they reached Stinson Beach. What kept them so occupied that it took 10 days to get from Stinson Beach, CA to Westport, CA, assuming that Stephen mailed the post card and cashed his own check in Westport? Obviously, there's no way of knowing that, but one wonders whom they met, or if there’s a possibility that they were traveling with others. I'm just so glad that this thread is active again. And grateful for the articles ohthatkatgirl is finding!

 

[Coleraine]

You mentioned in a previous post, ohthatkatgirl, that it might be helpful to compile a list of questions about this case in the event a relative or friend of Stephen's or Linda's comes to Websleuths. Great idea!

I think clarifying the timing of their departure from NJ and arrival in CA would be helpful. Also, do the relatives believe that Stephen and Linda made it to Westport, or do they suspect that someone else might have sent the post card and cashed the check. Planned activities once they began traveling up the coast. Areas that were searched by law enforcement after they were reported missing...specific reasons why law enforcement might have told Anne Packard that the couple was "presumed murdered"...I'm sure that there are a few more that will come to mind.

 

[ohthatkatgirl]

I keep returning to the March 13, 1977 NY Times interview with Anne Locke Packard (https://www.nytimes.com/1977/03/13/...ekly-a-grieving-mother-finds-hope-in-art.html) because it seems to contain the most detail about the case, even if the departure date is questionable. I'm wondering if Stephen and Linda left from his home in NJ on Saturday, June 1st. Could it be as simple as a typographical error? They actually left on June 1, but in error it was noted as June 10, which was not a Saturday, but a Monday.

Also, Anne Packard says in the article that Stephen sent postcards every 3 days, but "after 3 weeks the postal cards stopped coming." It notes that the last card was mailed from Westport, CA and that's where the traveler's check was cashed. This article doesn't specify the postmark date, but I'm pretty sure the traveler's check was cashed on 6/20 according to other sources I've seen. If the last post card was also sent on June 20th in Westport, that would be just a day shy of 3 weeks if they left NJ on June 1st. That date would have given them time to hitchhike cross country.

I am curious, too, about their activities once they reached Stinson Beach. What kept them so occupied that it took 10 days to get from Stinson Beach, CA to Westport, CA, assuming that Stephen mailed the post card and cashed his own check in Westport? Obviously, there's no way of knowing that, but one wonders whom they met, or if there’s a possibility that they were traveling with others. I'm just so glad that this thread is active again. And grateful for the articles ohthatkatgirl is finding!

I agree with you that the 10th seems to be an error, and that the 1st makes more sense. From my reading of the article I came to the conclusion that they hitchhiked across country to California from New Jersey, which fits in much better with the 1st as a departure date.

The ten day gap between Stinson and Westport is something I keep coming back too. Were they deliberately taking a break and just relaxing, maybe camping or hiking, or had they met people whom they were either travelling or staying with?

I'm glad I could find some articles, even if they are just providing background information. This case has stuck with me for awhile and I am glad to see others have an interest too as I usually become interested on little known cases with scant information.

 

[ohthatkatgirl]

You mentioned in a previous post, ohthatkatgirl, that it might be helpful to compile a list of questions about this case in the event a relative or friend of Stephen's or Linda's comes to Websleuths. Great idea!

I think clarifying the timing of their departure from NJ and arrival in CA would be helpful. Also, do the relatives believe that Stephen and Linda made it to Westport, or do they suspect that someone else might have sent the post card and cashed the check. Planned activities once they began traveling up the coast. Areas that were searched by law enforcement after they were reported missing...specific reasons why law enforcement might have told Anne Packard that the couple was "presumed murdered"...I'm sure that there are a few more that will come to mind.

It does make me wonder why law enforcement was assuming they were murdered. In the 70s, a couple hitchhiking would have been more likely to be written off as just losing contact with home, and being off on an adventure somewhere. I wonder if as the timing was so close to Barry Pinder's murder they decided it had to be linked to it. I also wonder why, since Barry's murder was covered in the newspapers, there was no mention of Stephen and Linda being missing and assumed to be murdered.

Definitely clarifying of their departure and arrival in CA would be a big help. We know they were planning to hike northwards, but knowing whether they had set plans, other than attending the World Expo, would be a big help as you indicated.

I'm also wondering what their plans were for after the trip. Was Stephen planning on going to college? What was Linda planning to do?

What had Linda been doing from the end of college to when she met Stephen?

How did they meet? What were their mutual interests?

Did they know people in California? Or mention in their postcards, people whom they had met on the trip?

In Stephen's last postcard, did he reference being in Westport or was Westport on the front of it? Or was it simply postmarked for Westport?

 

[ohthatkatgirl]

In the 1977 article, it states they were going to hike the Pacific Coast Trail from Mexico to Oregon. I'm assuming by that they meant the Pacific Crest Trail and a map of the trail can be found here - https://www.pcta.org/discover-the-trail/maps/

Did they go to Mexico?

If they did go to Mexico, did they follow the trail from Mexico to California?

Did they indicate in their phone calls or postcards, why they had detoured off the trail?

Were they actually hiking the trail or were they going a more coastal route?

I'm kinda pinning my hopes on Stephen and Linda being much better at communication on postcards than I am.

 

[ohthatkatgirl]

A couple of inches shorter than Stephen, but otherwise fairly consistent with his missing person profile. I'm not sure why he would be in Orange County in September '74 though.

https://identifyus.org/en/cases/7648
http://www.ocsd.org/divisions/fieldops/coroner/ud/john/7403389gr

 

[Gardener1850]

[h=1]Linda Lee Lovell[/h]

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Lovell, circa 1974

• Missing Since 06/01/1974
• Missing From Stinson Beach, California
• Classification Missing
• Date of Birth 11/23/1948 (69)
• Age 25 years old
• Height and Weight 5'4, 110 pounds
• Distinguishing Characteristics Caucasian female. Brown hair, hazel eyes. Lovell may wear eyeglasses.

[h=3]Details of Disappearance[/h] Lovell was last seen in Stinson Beach, California sometime in June 1974. She was hitchhiking along the California coast with a friend, Stephen Packard. They planned to eventually go to Seattle, Washington to visit the World's Fair, then return home to Missoula, Montana.

Packard called his family from Stinson Beach, California on June 10, 1974. On June 20, one of his traveler's checks was cashed at a store in Westport, California, about four hours north of Stinson Beach. This is the last sign of them; neither Packard nor Lovell have been seen or heard from again.

Santa Maria, California police are investigating Lovell and Packard's disappearances. Their cases remain unsolved.

http://charleyproject.org/case/linda-lee-lovell

https://www.findthemissing.org/en/cases/9136/

 

[Gardener1850]

[h=1]Stephen Locke Packard[/h]

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Packard, circa 1974

• Missing Since 06/01/1974
• Missing From Stinson Beach, California
• Classification Missing
• Date of Birth 06/06/1956 (61)
• Age 18 years old
• Height and Weight 6'3, 180 - 190 pounds
• Distinguishing Characteristics Caucasian male. Blond hair, brown eyes. Packard has previously broken his right hand.

[h=3]Details of Disappearance[/h] Packard was last seen in Stinson Beach, California sometime in June 1974. He was hitchhiking along the California coast with a friend, Linda Lovell. They planned to eventually go to Seattle, Washington to visit the World's Fair, then return home to Missoula, Montana.

Packard called his family from Stinson Beach, California on June 10, 1974. On June 20, one of his traveler's checks was cashed at a store in Westport, California, about four hours north of Stinson Beach. This is the last sign of them; neither Packard nor Lovell have been seen or heard from again.

Santa Maria, California police are investigating Lovell and Packard's disappearances. Their cases remain unsolved.

http://charleyproject.org/case/stephen-locke-packard

 

[Gardener1850]

Stephen's NAMUS: https://www.findthemissing.org/en/cases/14418/

Dental information / charting is available and entered

DNA Status: Initial inquiry underway

Fingerprint information is currently not available

 

[Susan packard]

Hello I'm a new member. My brother went missing while hitch hiking with his girlfriend in the summer of 1976 in Northern California. I understand there have been some posts on here concerning his case. I would like to be part of the discussion and correct some misinformation about his case.

 

[Teche]

Susan, thank you for joining WS.

 

[Betty P]

Hello I'm a new member. My brother went missing while hitch hiking with his girlfriend in the summer of 1976 in Northern California. I understand there have been some posts on here concerning his case. I would like to be part of the discussion and correct some misinformation about his case.

Welcome to Websleuths and thanks for joining, Susan. Many of us here have a special interest in finding out what happened to your brother. He seemed like such a wonderful young man and it's such a tragedy his promising young life was cut short. We look forward to hearing any information you can share.

 

[cherrymeg]

Welcome and thank you for joining. I can't imagine what your family has been through.

 

[cherrymeg]

Hello I'm a new member. My brother went missing while hitch hiking with his girlfriend in the summer of 1976 in Northern California. I understand there have been some posts on here concerning his case. I would like to be part of the discussion and correct some misinformation about his case.

It seems like there is confusion about where your brother was last seen. Also people question if he was the one to cash a travelers check in Westport CA. It seems like the other threads mention crimes that occurred to hitchhikers. Did they hitchhike from NJ to CA?

 

[Lilibet]

Welcome, Susan. Thank you for joining. I’m so sorry about your brother. I’ve alerted Burblestein to your presence since he’s been very involved in the threads and lives in Mendocino county. One thread is about just Stephen and the other about both Stephen and Linda. I’m sure we are all interested in hearing your information.

You will need to become “verified” by Websleuths admin as an “insider” so you can post information without providing links to MSM (mainstream media). Here’s how:

Verification Process for Professional or Insider Posters

 

[burblestein]

Hello, Susan, welcome aboard! The little as I could find on your brother's case is/was so ambiguous, I am sure I included some errors in the threads. I hope you will root them out. If we are going to resolve your brother's case, we need absolute proven accurate facts to work upon.

FYI, there are three functioning threads concerning your brother. Because I began their threads in uncertainty that they disappeared together, I gave Linda and Stephen each an independent thread, then established a joint thread. That way, if they are proven to have vanished together, the evidence can go on the joint thread. If they split up, then there is an individual thread to post upon. All three threads are in the 1970s Missing Persons subforum.

I haven't even been able to find out which of a half dozen police agencies is investigating the case--if any. And the little info I found through my research didn't answer my questions; instead it raised even more doubts. So please, Susan, do become a registered insider here, so I can ask you a zillion questions about Stephen and Linda.