WY WY/OK - Royal Russell Long, 1970s and 1980s

[Schiellj]

I'm sorry you've been carrying this for so long. I hope you're able to find some answers.

Thanks for your kind words. I wasn't born when Barb went missing and I'm a distant relative so I never met her. Her siblings still search for answers. Hopefully we can find some.

 

[jjBelt]

What about Misty Donna Copsey and Christina Lee White? I know could be a long shot but most carnivals travel the whole United States like a circus would so why wouldn't it make sense if he had also stopped in Washington.

Christina Lee White

Missing Age: 12 Years
Nickname/Alias: Chrissy
Height: 5' 4" (64 Inches)
Weight: 135 lbs
Race / Ethnicity: White / Caucasian

Date of Last Contact: April 28, 1979
Location: Asotin, Washington
Circumstances of Disappearance: Christina was last seen at the Asotin County Fairgrounds on April 28, 1979. She was riding a 10-speed Schwinn bicycle that has also never been located.

Hair Color: Brown
Piercing
Each of Christina's ears are pierced twice.


Misty D. Copsey

Missing Ag:e14 Years
Height: 5' 8" (68 Inches)
Weight: 120 lbs
Race / Ethnicity: White / Caucasian

Date of Last Contact: September 17, 1992
Location: Tacoma, Washington
County: Pierce County
Circumstances of Disappearance:Misty was last seen in the evening, walking home from the Puyallup Fairgrounds. Misty missed her bus home and has not been seen since.

Hair Color: Blond/Strawberry
Scar/mark: Misty has a mole under her right eye and a scar under her right knee.

 

[Hoopsticks]

What about Misty Donna Copsey and Christina Lee White? I know could be a long shot but most carnivals travel the whole United States like a circus would so why wouldn't it make sense if he had also stopped in Washington.

Christina Lee White

Missing Age: 12 Years
Nickname/Alias: Chrissy
Height: 5' 4" (64 Inches)
Weight: 135 lbs
Race / Ethnicity: White / Caucasian

Date of Last Contact: April 28, 1979
Location: Asotin, Washington
Circumstances of Disappearance: Christina was last seen at the Asotin County Fairgrounds on April 28, 1979. She was riding a 10-speed Schwinn bicycle that has also never been located.

Hair Color: Brown
Piercing
Each of Christina's ears are pierced twice.


Misty D. Copsey

Missing Ag:e14 Years
Height: 5' 8" (68 Inches)
Weight: 120 lbs
Race / Ethnicity: White / Caucasian

Date of Last Contact: September 17, 1992
Location: Tacoma, Washington
County: Pierce County
Circumstances of Disappearance:Misty was last seen in the evening, walking home from the Puyallup Fairgrounds. Misty missed her bus home and has not been seen since.

Hair Color: Blond/Strawberry
Scar/mark: Misty has a mole under her right eye and a scar under her right knee.

Long was in prison when Copsey disappeared. I always kinda leaned hard toward Ridgway possibly being involved with her disappearance, but couldn't say I throw a whole lot of weight into that. If I recall correctly, clothing of Copsey's was found in relatively close proximity to the remains of two other murdered women along an isolated stretch of road. Her remains weren't found, but I specifically remember reading an article where clothing of hers, specifically her pants, were identified by her mother. The circumstances suggest a common offender between the three. I don't have the exact details, but can probably find them with a bit of a search.

Christina White, though? That's an interesting one. However, we're talking potential serial offenders in the Pacific Northwest in the late seventies(ow do you even start narrowing it down?). It definitely fits Long's established MO and preferred victimology.

 

[dotr]

Just now learned of this SK as he was referenced by a poster on this thread as a possible suspect in this double murder.

NM - NM - Patty Pritz, 14, & Mattie Restine, 13, Carlsbad, 11 Aug 1961 - #2

I'm on here, but can't spend as much time as I would like. I just major surgery and going to have another soon. I will try to be on here later this month . Thank you all for caring about Mattie and Patty. Take care and get well soon!

www.websleuths.com

 

[Raychilay]

I have often wondered if anyone has considered him a possible suspect in Barb Cotton's disappearance from Williston in 1981.

I really think that would be a long shot since he always abducted and killed in pairs! Hopefully we can find answers for Barb!

 

[Schiellj]

I've always felt like there's so much we don't know about him and in my research I haven't found anything that suggests that he never strayed from his MO. The cases that he is known/believed to be responsible for are double cases. I'm not willing to write him off. I find it hard to believe that he'd pass up every opportunity just because a potential victim was alone.

 

[Vital Forces]

It is possible, but by no means certain, that he murdered Carolyn Eaton aka Valentine Sally. She was seen with a truck driver wearing a cowboy hat in Arizona in the early morning hours of February 4, 1982 and was presumably murdered by him soon after. Long was active in that general area of the country and is not known to have committed any other crimes at that time.

Edit: This was already suggested by another in February 2021.

 

[Mysteries1974]

I really think that would be a long shot since he always abducted and killed in pairs! Hopefully we can find answers for Barb!

Not always. He’s suspected of killing Deborah Rae Meyer and Jayleen Banker in August 1974 in Rawlins, Wyoming. Deborah was kidnapped while she was walking to a local movie theater and she was alone. Jayleen was taken after she was separated from friends at the carnival/rodeo that was happening. Both girls were alone and are suspected victims of Long.

 

[Shoopersleuth]

Is this the same girl? WY - WY - Lynn Dianne Olson, 16, Green River Lakes, 28 June 1963

Lynn Olson disappeared mysteriously from her grandparents ranch. Her clothing was found but no trace of her. She would not fit the profile for a serial. But it is an interesting mystery

 

[Bit of hope]

Lynn Olson disappeared mysteriously from her grandparents ranch. Her clothing was found but no trace of her. She would not fit the profile for a serial. But it is an interesting mystery

I agree on not fitting in SK profile. On the first page of this thread she was mentioned as a possible victim and I was clearing up what girl we were talking about, linking her thread. It's indeed a very particular story. I don't see how it would fit in with SK R.R. Long.

 

[ceejay72]

Not always. He’s suspected of killing Deborah Rae Meyer and Jayleen Banker in August 1974 in Rawlins, Wyoming. Deborah was kidnapped while she was walking to a local movie theater and she was alone. Jayleen was taken after she was separated from friends at the carnival/rodeo that was happening. Both girls were alone and are suspected victims of Long.

You really can't say he always abducted in pairs, as that hasn't been proven. There was Deborah Meyer 15 and then a young girl of 9 that disappeared singly, one from the little britches rodeo and one just walking in town and he was there, and he is suspected in those cases as he is in Carlene Brown and Christy Gross from that same place, in Rawlins, WY He was considered an opportunistic killer, and that made him unpredictable.

 

[Shoopersleuth]

According to RRL, an incarcerated soon to be deathrow inmate. I dont know if this points to them being alive or not at this point, but it may point to RRL having been involved with at least one other person. It is possible they were alive but whatever may have supported that notion is most likely lost. And if so, it may explain some of the inconsistencies in these cases of pairs of missing girls. Why capture two victims in every case? It doesnt make sense if you’re one person.

He didn't take two everytime, however the known time he did my theory is that two girls going to work for him at the fairs would have been easier to lure away than one girl who may have gotten frightened. Once they were alone with him he could use one to keep the other under control. Once he killed one, he only had the other to manage.

 

[Mysteries1974]

He didn't take two everytime, however the known time he did my theory is that two girls going to work for him at the fairs would have been easier to lure away than one girl who may have gotten frightened. Once they were alone with him he could use one to keep the other under control. Once he killed one, he only had the other to manage.

My post was basically summarizing what I’ve read and gathered about Long over the years. He’s suspected of abducting Carlene Brown and Christy Gross in 1974. He’s also suspected of killing Cinda Pallett and Charlotte Kinsey in 1981. He then abducted Sharon Baldeagle and her friend Sandi in 1984. Three of the cases he’s suspected/linked to involved two girls being taken at the same time. Some might disagree, but personally I think it’s fair to say he targeted pairs and single victims alike.

 

[Shoopersleuth]

My post was basically summarizing what I’ve read and gathered about Long over the years. He’s suspected of abducting Carlene Brown and Christy Gross in 1974. He’s also suspected of killing Cinda Pallett and Charlotte Kinsey in 1981. He then abducted Sharon Baldeagle and her friend Sandi in 1984. Three of the cases he’s suspected/linked to involved two girls being taken at the same time. Some might disagree, but personally I think it’s fair to say he targeted pairs and single victims alike.

I agree, he also took Deborah Meyer and Jaylene Banker from Rawlins that summer in 1974. As possibly more in Oklahoma, California and Wyoming. Last count I read was suspecting between 20 to as many as 40 over 4 or 5 states.

 

[Earth]

If we knew the carnival routes then it would make things much easier. It's the same problem with truckers; if we knew the routes it would be easier to name possible victims.

 

[Mysteries1974]

If we knew the carnival routes then it would make things much easier. It's the same problem with truckers; if we knew the routes it would be easier to name possible victims.

Long went cross country so we might never know who he’s truly responsible for but I will put the list of them below so we can keep track:

Proven:

Sharon Baldeagle and Sandi (09/18/1984) Eagle Butte, South Dakota

Presumed:

Cinda Pallett and Charlotte Kinsey (09/25/1981) Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Suspected:

Carlene Brown and Christy Gross (07/04/1974) Rawlins, Wyoming

Deborah Rae Meyer (08/04/1974) Rawlins, Wyoming

Jayleen Dawn Banker (08/23/1974) Rawlins, Wyoming

Possible:

Carolyn Celeste Eaton (12/25/1981) Bellefontaine Neighbors, Missouri