FL FL - Peggy Byars-Baisden, 23, Highland City, 2 April 1965

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Thank you for sharing the stories and your personal perspective othermother! Its so much more helpful to have first hand knowledge of a situation or suspect in order to come up with viable solutions to a case. Hopefully some information will come forward to finally resolve these cases!
 
Bumping case up. It has been 47 years since Peggy went missing.
 
Methinks the cases of Peggy and Margaret would be prime material for such TV shows as "Cold Case Files" or iDs "Disappeared." There are too many coincidences for the two cases not to be connected in some way.
 
Vivette said:
Did the police ever link these cases?
Click to expand...

Yes, the did.

I personally don't believe there is a connection. One is a woman killed by a mean husband, the other probably a stranger abduction.

I didn't understand the obsession with "both cars being made in 1959". Driving a 6 year old car, or an 11 year old car is in no way unusual, plenty of women in that community must have had one.
 
Peggy Wynell Byars-Baisden
  • peggy_wynell_byars-baisden_1.jpg
Byars-Baisden, circa 1965

  • Missing Since 04/02/1965
  • Missing From Highland City, Florida
  • Classification Endangered Missing
  • Date of Birth 07/01/1941 (77)
  • Age 23 years old
  • Height and Weight 5'4, 120 pounds
  • Distinguishing Characteristics Caucasian female. Brown hair, blue eyes.
Details of Disappearance
Byars-Baisden departed from her residence on Third Street and Central Avenue in Highland City, Florida between 6:00 and 7:00 p.m. on April 2, 1965. She was headed to the now-defunct Chatterbox Bar, which was located near the Polk County Parkway/southbound Highway 98 intersection near Eaton Park.

Byars-Baisden was driving her light green two-door 1959 Chevrolet coupe with the Florida license plate number 5W-21118. A witness saw Byars-Baisden in the establishment's parking lot sometime during the evening hours. She was accompanied by an unidentified Caucasian male, who appeared to be assisting Byars-Baisden with her car's mechanical problems.

Byars-Baisden has never been heard from again. Her car disappeared with her and has never been located. Her family reported her missing that same day. Investigators continue to search for her but they have never had a suspect in her disappearance.

She was divorced with two young children when she vanished, and made a living as a waitress. Byars-Baisden's loved ones say she had no enemies and it would be uncharacteristic of her to abandon her children, who moved in with her sister and brother-in-law after her disappearance.

Some have suggested that Byars-Baisden's disappearance is related to the disappearance of Mary Cook, who vanished from Highland City in November 1970 and was never found. Both Cook and Byars-Baisden are the mothers of two children each, both were in their twenties, and they resided on the same street. However, investigators do not think the two women knew each other and have not been able to link their disappearances.

Foul play is suspected in Byars-Baisden's case; she is considered to be missing under suspicious circumstances.

Peggy Wynell Byars-Baisden – The Charley Project
 
PByers-Baisden.jpg


Peggy Wynell Byars-Baisden
Missing since April 2, 1965 from Highland City, Polk County, Florida.
Classification: Involuntary


Vital Statistics
    • Date Of Birth: July 1, 1941
    • Age at Time of Disappearance: 23 years old
    • Height and Weight at Time of Disappearance: 5'4; 120 pounds
    • Distinguishing Characteristics: White female. Brown hair; blue eyes
    • Marks, Scars: Previous broken finger, broken collar bones, broken back, broken right ankle and broken jaw.
    • DNA: Available

Circumstances of Disappearance

Byars-Baisden left her home in Highland City, FL between 18:00 - 19:00 on April 2, 1965. She was headed to The Chatterbox Bar, which was located where the Polk County Parkway intersects with Highway 98 south near Eaton Park.

Byars-Baisden was driving a 1959 light green two-door Chevrolet coupe with Florida license plates number 5W-21118. A witness observed Byars-Baisden in The Chatterbox Bar's parking lot with an unidentified Caucasian male. Her car was apparently having mechanical problems and the man was assisting her.

Byars-Baisden's vehicle was never found. Her family reported her missing the day after she was seen.
Byars-Baisden was divorced with two children when she disappeared. She worked as a waitress while raising her children. Foul play is suspected.

Investigators

If you have any information concerning this case, please contact:
Polk County Sheriff's Office
863-533-0344
or
800-226-0344

You may remain anonymous when submitting information.

Agency Case Number: 1996-41205

NCIC Number: M-807362264
Please refer to this number when contacting any agency with information regarding this case.

Source Information:
Polk County Sheriff's Office
The Ledger
FDLE
The Doe Network: Case File 84DFFL
 

1959 Chevrolet Coupe

Click on photo to enlarge and see more views.
 
Just read thru this thread. I'm undecided if the two cases are connected. Between the mines and bodies of water, it would take a lifetime of searching to find a car.

There is a reddit thread on this and the Cook case but I don't think it is a permitted source.
 
Peggy Wynell Byars-Baisden
peggy_wynell_byars-baisden_1.jpg

Byars-Baisden, circa 1965

  • Missing Since 04/02/1965
  • Missing From Highland City, Florida
  • Classification Endangered Missing
  • Sex Female
  • Race White
  • Date of Birth 07/01/1941 (79)
  • Age 23 years old
  • Height and Weight 5'4, 120 pounds
  • Distinguishing Characteristics Caucasian female. Brown hair, blue eyes.
Details of Disappearance

Byars-Baisden departed from her residence on Third Street and Central Avenue in Highland City, Florida between 6:00 and 7:00 p.m. on April 2, 1965. She was headed to the now-defunct Chatterbox Bar, which was located near the Polk County Parkway/southbound Highway 98 intersection near Eaton Park.

Byars-Baisden was driving her light green two-door 1959 Chevrolet coupe with the Florida license plate number 5W-21118. A witness saw Byars-Baisden in the establishment's parking lot sometime during the evening hours. She was accompanied by an unidentified Caucasian male, who appeared to be assisting Byars-Baisden with her car's mechanical problems.

Byars-Baisden has never been heard from again. Her car disappeared with her and has never been located. Her family reported her missing that same day. Investigators continue to search for her but they have never had a suspect in her disappearance.

She was divorced with two young children when she vanished, and made a living as a waitress. Byars-Baisden's loved ones say she had no enemies and it would be uncharacteristic of her to abandon her children, who moved in with her sister and brother-in-law after her disappearance.

Some have suggested that Byars-Baisden's disappearance is related to the disappearance of Mary Cook, who vanished from Highland City in November 1970 and was never found. Both Cook and Byars-Baisden are the mothers of two children each, both were in their twenties, and they resided on the same street. However, investigators do not think the two women knew each other and have not been able to link their disappearances.

Foul play is suspected in Byars-Baisden's case; she is considered to be missing under suspicious circumstances.
Investigating Agency
  • Polk County Sheriff's Office
  • 863-533-0344
  • 800-226-0344
Source Information
 
Does anyone know if Peggy was submitted as a possibility for Thonotosassa Jane Doe (partial skull found in 1975)? Mary Margaret Cook is listed as a rule-out for those remains, but I don't see Peggy on the NamUs list yet.

Thonotosassa is not too far from Lakeland and is even closer to Plant City, where she might have been employed at the time.

Follow-up question: Is there any indication of Peggy's dental health at the time of disappearance?
 
othermother said:
If not for my friends here, (one particular friend), these past years would have been almost impossible emotionally.

I still believe that Earl is responsible for both Peggy and Margaret.

The current Detective is Dusty Kendrick and he can be reached at 863-534-6379 should anyone have any information.

Best Wishes to all,
M
Click to expand...
Since you met Earl Cook. Could you describe his height and weight.
How he was dressed.
What size pants did he wear in your opinion?
Was he a fat man? Skinny etc. Would be good to get a description of his height weight and build.
Thank you.
 
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