OK OK - Judith Elwell, 5, Oklahoma City, 6 July 1967

[Diane Redfern]

There were two private detectives who claimed they solved the case:

The first one appeared to be a detective who worked for Elwell family and said the suspect was a male nurse and that Judith body had been cremated in a nursing home, so I suppose he worked in a nursing home, not in a medical center or a hospital. He did not mention if he thought Brenda's murder is connected to Judy's disappearance or not.

The second detective said he had identified the author of both crimes... he pointed a troubled teenager who was eliminated as a suspect in 1967 and eventually abused his stepchildren.

Anyway, I can't see a clue indicating guilt. I know silence can protect a case... but many years have passed since they said "we have a suspect" and nothing has happened... maybe if they show the clues, they triggered someone's memory.

I've also found this: Brenda Lois White (1960-1967) - Find A Grave...
"Brenda had a loyal little friend who had a father that was involved in Brenda's death. This little friend, now a woman, has been telling what happened for a long time. Her father passed away, having stolen the lives of many before his passing in many different ways, never serving a day in jail for what he did."

Who is that friend? The only one I've heard about is Carol Alexander, but I haven't read anything like that connected to her.

 

[Richard]

Brenda Lois White
BIRTH 22 Nov 1960
DEATH Aug 1967 (aged 6)
Midwest City, Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, USA
BURIAL
Tecumseh Cemetery
Tecumseh, Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma, USA

LINK:
Brenda Lois White (1960-1967) - Find A Grave...

 

[bearfossils]

Bumping for Judith and Brenda. I think it’s incredibly likely that they both fell victim to the same local predator. There are way too many overlapping facts to chock up to mere coincidence, such as the abandoned homes, similar appearance and background, and of course, close proximity in both time and location. I think the forensic anthropologist’s insight about the dead cat found near Brenda’s grave is interesting. I’d add that shooting the cat might also speak to a more youthful offender – which might fall in line with the suspected teenager the second private investigator was keen on. Pure speculation on my part, though. Has either investigator who ‘solved’ the cases ever revealed their suspect, or updated us on the status of their investigations? I see one PI posted on here briefly mentioning no movement in his case; has anymore been shared? I find it sad there is no law enforcement investigator actively working on the cases. With the original case files lost or destroyed, I hope they at least composed new ones for both girls and tried to gather as much information as possible. That could just be wishful thinking, though.

Brenda had a loyal little friend who had a father that was involved in Brenda's death. This little friend, now a woman, has been telling what happened for a long time. Her father passed away, having stolen the lives of many before his passing in many different ways, never serving a day in jail for what he did. Brenda can't come back. We're just going to have to be good enough to make it to heaven to see her there.

This tidbit found in Brenda’s online memorial is intriguing too. Has anyone tried contacting the person who set that memorial up or wrote that entry? Is there any more information on the supposed “loyal little friend”? Could the predatory father of a friend be the “Tom” referred to in one of the earlier articles posted about the girls’ disappearance?

Rumors flew as neighbors accused one another. A man named "Tom” fell under suspicion because he'd served time for molesting children; in fact, his prison sentence was for entering a home illegally, and he was at work when Brenda vanished.

I hope there is movement on these cases soon. It’s never too late for justice.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Judith’s found shoe.

On the night of July 6th, 1967, some time before 9 pm, 5 year old Judith Ann Elwell was last seen at her home on the 1100 block of North Meta in Oklahoma City. Judith was 3’ 4” tall, 40 lbs with long black curly hair with dark brown eyes at the time of her disappearance. She was last seen wearing light green shorts, a blue and white striped pullover, and blue canvas sneakers. According to The Daily Oklahoman this search was “ one of the longest, most exhaustive and involving more persons than any other in several decades in Oklahoma City’s history.” It involved more than 300 searchers, covering over 10 square miles.

The day after the search started one of Judith’s shoes was found next to an abandoned house just half a block from her own home. A short length of braided rope was found under this shoe. No other evidence was ever recovered.

Judith’s brother, Mark Elwell stated he saw a suspicious vehicle, a big black car with a man driver, near their home 3 weeks before Judith went missing. Mark saw the same vehicle at their home on the night of the disappearance. Mark stated he believed his sister's abduction was planned. But Mark’s theory has not been substantiated.

Almost one month later on August 3rd, 5 year old Brenda Lee White disappeared from St. Patrick Drive, Midwest City. On November 19th, Brenda’s remains were located by two quail hunters, after one of the hunters stumbled across a human skull. The remains where found in a shallow grave outside an abandoned farmhouse 11 miles from Brenda’s own home.

Brenda’s homicide was never solved. It is possible Brenda’s killer is the same person who abducted Judith. Both girls where the same age and physically resembled each other. They disappeared from the same area, within the same time frame. The girls also had the same family background, and lived in similar neighborhoods. However, they did not know each other. But there is no hard evidence that the killer of Brenda was Judith’s abductor.

Sadly, both Judith’s parents are deceased, leaving her brother Mark her only surviving relative. Judith’s casefile has been misplaced or destroyed sometime after 1967, but her case remains open and unsolved.

If you have any information on this case please contact the Oklahoma City Police Department at (405)739-1312.

Information Source(s):

NamUs #MP14031

Judith Ann Elwell – The Charley Project

The Daily Oklahoman

Case | Judith A. Elwell (trackmissing.org)

Who Abducted Judith Ann Elwell, Brenda Lois White in 1967? ~ True Crime Diva

Judith Ann Elwell — Oklahoma Cold Cases

 

[whorton]

I am adding two items. . two pages of an article from July of 2013, in which private investigator Troy Thiessen had elucidated a suspect from Harrah. The suspect was never publically named.
I would like to attaching a copy of Brenda Whites Autopsy. It was publically released years ago. However I get an error that the uploaded file is too large for the server to process. (it is 8 printed pages and runs 3.1 MB as a .pdf file) ideas?

 

[doublestop]

This is the profile page of the manager of Brenda's memorial on Findagrave. This person names the alleged murderer. Member Profile: Keeper of the Dead - Find a Grave

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Article clipped from The Daily Oklahoman

Clipping found in The Daily Oklahoman published in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma on 7/28/2013.

www.newspapers.com

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Article clipped from The Daily Oklahoman

Clipping found in The Daily Oklahoman published in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma on 8/5/1967.

www.newspapers.com

 

[Palisades]

View attachment 500905

Article clipped from The Daily Oklahoman

Clipping found in The Daily Oklahoman published in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma on 7/28/2013.

www.newspapers.com

Who are the two Arizona girls, the Connecticut girl (Diane Toney, Dawn Cave, Mary Mount were all abducted in May 1969), and the Texas girl referenced in the article?