TN TN - Teresa 'Trenny' Lynn Gibson, 16, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, 8 Oct 1976

[Sillybilly]

Starbuck80 is now a verified case insider for Trenny's case.

Starbuck80 has been in contact with Trenny's family, and is the writer and researcher behind Trenny’s story on "Missing Maura Murray".

As a verified case insider, Starbuck80 is not required to provide links when they post information.

Members are welcome to ask Starbuck0 questions but please be polite and don't interrogate. Members are free to believe or not believe information posted, but if you do not believe, then just scroll on by.

Thank you to Starbuck80 for being here for Trenny.

 

[Ozoner]

@Starbuck80
Do you believe that Robert Simpson raped and murdered Trenny?

 

[Starbuck80]

@Starbuck80
Do you believe that Robert Simpson raped and murdered Trenny?

I believe that if he didn’t harm her, he knows who did/what happened to her. He knows too much to not have been there. Too much evidence points to him. In the early part of the investigation, he was always there with an explanation to any questions that arose. If he had ABSOLUTELY nothing to do with her disappearance, he’s one of the most unluckiest people on Earth.

He’s tasked with keeping an eye on Trenny by his best friend. Yet he lets he walk off alone. So he can track a bear, instead of walking back to the bus with a cute girl.

He ends up with her comb somehow. Fair enough. But he didn’t hide it, it was on the dash of his car. He made no mention that he had it to anyone, it was discovered there by Bob Gibson. He claims Trenny asked him to “ hold it for her”. Why wouldn’t he tell her family this fact, after she vanished? Too thin.

Trenny’s ring turns up in the possession of another student. Simpson is right there with another ready explanation as to how they came to own it. The explanation doesn’t make much sense and really, why does he care so much about the ring and who had it, after all, he kept her comb?

He came over to the Gibson residence in the days after Trenny disappeared and her family was in the Smokies searching for her. He was screening their phone calls, (and doing Lord knows what else) until another family member found out and they put a stop to it. The Gibsons has not asked Robert Simpson to screen any of their calls or to be at their house by himself.

Trenny’s grandma had Simpson at the Gibson residence one day and she questioned him as to his whereabouts when Trenny vanished. He shouted” I was tracking a bear!” and took off out of the room like a shot.

Simpson told Tina Gibson that if Trenny hadn’t run off with some horny hitchhiker, Kelvin Bowman must have taken her and killed her. Not a nice thing at all to say about your best friend’s missing sister, but to then implicate with certainty, another student in the crime.

These reasons only barely scratch the surface of why I think he knows FAR more than he was telling about what happened October 8, 1976.

 

[Ozoner]

I believe that if he didn’t harm her, he knows who did/what happened to her. He knows too much to not have been there. Too much evidence points to him. In the early part of the investigation, he was always there with an explanation to any questions that arose. If he had ABSOLUTELY nothing to do with her disappearance, he’s one of the most unluckiest people on Earth.

He’s tasked with keeping an eye on Trenny by his best friend. Yet he lets he walk off alone. So he can track a bear, instead of walking back to the bus with a cute girl.

He ends up with her comb somehow. Fair enough. But he didn’t hide it, it was on the dash of his car. He made no mention that he had it to anyone, it was discovered there by Bob Gibson. He claims Trenny asked him to “ hold it for her”. Why wouldn’t he tell her family this fact, after she vanished? Too thin.

Trenny’s ring turns up in the possession of another student. Simpson is right there with another ready explanation as to how they came to own it. The explanation doesn’t make much sense and really, why does he care so much about the ring and who had it, after all, he kept her comb?

He came over to the Gibson residence in the days after Trenny disappeared and her family was in the Smokies searching for her. He was screening their phone calls, (and doing Lord knows what else) until another family member found out and they put a stop to it. The Gibsons has not asked Robert Simpson to screen any of their calls or to be at their house by himself.

Trenny’s grandma had Simpson at the Gibson residence one day and she questioned him as to his whereabouts when Trenny vanished. He shouted” I was tracking a bear!” and took off out of the room like a shot.

Simpson told Tina Gibson that if Trenny hadn’t run off with some horny hitchhiker, Kelvin Bowman must have taken her and killed her. Not a nice thing at all to say about your best friend’s missing sister, but to then implicate with certainty, another student in the crime.

These reasons only barely scratch the surface of why I think he knows FAR more than he was telling about what happened October 8, 1976.

I think he killed her himself, but I don't know what he did with her body. Could he have gone back with a vehicle that night? How closely was he monitored that night?

 

[Starbuck80]

If he did, it would depend where her body was left /accessibility. The weather was bad that night, and the search was called off later for the night, due to rain, wind and cold. It resumed the following day, although it was hampered by fog and heavy frost.

Robert Simpson did know the Park and he did have a car of his own. In those days, there was privately owned property in the Park as well. I know that at one point during the search, he was staying in Gatlinburg and was sharing a room with Bob Gibson.

 

[UncoolNegated]

I wouldn't think that a 16 yr old kid on a school trip would bring along smokes and beer. On the other hand, what could possibly entice this young woman to walk 1.6 miles away from her classmates with some stranger?

A gun or knife pointed at her and a belief that he was serious about using it if she didn't follow his orders.

 

[UncoolNegated]

Do people think that the account of this disappearance that states that bloodhounds traced her steps for 1.6 miles is true? I can't find that information in journalism I read about this case.

 

[Starbuck80]

Do people think that the account of this disappearance that states that bloodhounds traced her steps for 1.6 miles is true? I can't find that information in journalism I read about this case.

Yes, it is true about the search dogs. Both German Shepherds and Bloodhounds were used to search for Trenny, and by different handlers. Her uncles came from Polk County and brought along their own dogs to help search. All the animals had the same results. This information can be found in the NPS search report.

 

[Ozoner]

Yes, it is true about the search dogs. Both German Shepherds and Bloodhounds were used to search for Trenny, and by different handlers. Her uncles came from Polk County and brought along their own dogs to help search. All the animals had the same results. This information can be found in the NPS search report.

I wish that they had used bloodhounds to trace Robert Simpson's footsteps as well.

 

[UncoolNegated]

Yes, it is true about the search dogs. Both German Shepherds and Bloodhounds were used to search for Trenny, and by different handlers. Her uncles came from Polk County and brought along their own dogs to help search. All the animals had the same results. This information can be found in the NPS search report.

Thanks. Well, I'm of the opinion that someone that a missing person that has their footsteps traces to a roadside location and no further got in a car. I'm thinking abduction at knifepoint or gunpoint by someone who was looking for a solo girl hiker, in this case someone that strayed from the flock.

 

[Ozoner]

Thanks. Well, I'm of the opinion that someone that a missing person that has their footsteps traces to a roadside location and no further got in a car. I'm thinking abduction at knifepoint or gunpoint by someone who was looking for a solo girl hiker, in this case someone that strayed from the flock.

Generally, I would agree, but Trenny was within earshot of quite a few classmates and apparently didn't scream or call for help.
Moreover, Robert Simpson's behavior is beyond suspicious. He may have conspired with Kelvin Bowman and/or Ronnie Joiner to abduct, rape, and kill Trenny. If Trenny was abducted at gunpoint or knifepoint and led to a car, it's likely that the one doing the leading was Robert Simpson, Kelvin Bowman, or Ronnie Joiner.
Trenny considered Simpson a friend, so he might have been able to lure her to a waiting car without needing to brandish a weapon.

 

[UncoolNegated]

Generally, I would agree, but Trenny was within earshot of quite a few classmates and apparently didn't scream or call for help.
Moreover, Robert Simpson's behavior is beyond suspicious. He may have conspired with Kelvin Bowman and/or Ronnie Joiner to abduct, rape, and kill Trenny. If Trenny was abducted at gunpoint or knifepoint and led to a car, it's likely that the one doing the leading was Robert Simpson, Kelvin Bowman, or Ronnie Joiner.
Trenny considered Simpson a friend, so he might have been able to lure her to a waiting car without needing to brandish a weapon.

The lack of screaming doesn't mean a thing. Many-many-many-many people have walked off with someone quietly because they thought that the person was serious about using the gun or knife that the person had.

 

[Ozoner]

The lack of screaming doesn't mean a thing. Many-many-many-many people have walked off with someone quietly because they thought that the person was serious about using the gun or knife that the person had.

You've addressed one minor comment from my post but you haven't addressed the most significant part: the suspicious behavior of Robert Simpson. Have you read the entire thread?
First of all, Trenny had a comb that she never let out of her sight, and Simpson had it in his possession after the murders. Not only that, but Trenny's jewelry ended up in the possession of another female classmate, which suggests that she was killed by someone within her circle of acquaintances from high school. Moreover, Simpson gave a bizarre story that he was "tracking a bear" when Trenny disappeared. Finally, Simpson insalled himself in the Gibson home without their permission and started screening their phone calls. All of those things point to his involvement.

 

[MimosaMornings]

It would be interesting to know whether she had a connection to Robert Simpson and/or Kelvin Bowman and/or Ronnie Joiner.

Are these three people still alive?

And why would the female classmate not return her jewelry to the family? If this classmate is deceased, who got it after her death? Or did it mysteriously disappear like Trenny?
So many questions.

 

[UncoolNegated]

You've addressed one minor comment from my post but you haven't addressed the most significant part: the suspicious behavior of Robert Simpson. Have you read the entire thread?
First of all, Trenny had a comb that she never let out of her sight, and Simpson had it in his possession after the murders. Not only that, but Trenny's jewelry ended up in the possession of another female classmate, which suggests that she was killed by someone within her circle of acquaintances from high school. Moreover, Simpson gave a bizarre story that he was "tracking a bear" when Trenny disappeared. Finally, Simpson insalled himself in the Gibson home without their permission and started screening their phone calls. All of those things point to his involvement.

I didn't address it because you're right, it's possible. What more needs to be said? You've highlighted a possibility. The part that was wrong was the belief that a kidnapping victim will always scream for help.

 

[Ozoner]

I didn't address it because you're right, it's possible. What more needs to be said? You've highlighted a possibility. The part that was wrong was the belief that a kidnapping victim will always scream for help.

Now you're misquoting me. I never said that a kidnapping victim would always scream for help. I mentioned that fact that she didn't as one point to consider.

 

[Ozoner]

Are these three people still alive?

And why would the female classmate not return her jewelry to the family? If this classmate is deceased, who got it after her death? Or did it mysteriously disappear like Trenny?
So many questions.

The female classmate is now deceased. She agreed to return the jewelry but never did so.

 

[Starbuck80]

You've addressed one minor comment from my post but you haven't addressed the most significant part: the suspicious behavior of Robert Simpson. Have you read the entire thread?
First of all, Trenny had a comb that she never let out of her sight, and Simpson had it in his possession after the murders. Not only that, but Trenny's jewelry ended up in the possession of another female classmate, which suggests that she was killed by someone within her circle of acquaintances from high school. Moreover, Simpson gave a bizarre story that he was "tracking a bear" when Trenny disappeared. Finally, Simpson insalled himself in the Gibson home without their permission and started screening their phone calls. All of those things point to his involvement.

You’ve all made excellent and valid points. Thank you for your comments and interest in Trenny’s case. I’d just like to interject one thing, if I may. Perhaps, just perhaps, there were no screams because Trenny knew her attacker, and in the beginning when she first stepped off trail, there was no need to be afraid. Once led deeper into the woods or father away from the others, it was then that things changed drastically for the worse.

 

[cadetcallie]

You’ve all made excellent and valid points. Thank you for your comments and interest in Trenny’s case. I’d just like to interject one thing, if I may. Perhaps, just perhaps, there were no screams because Trenny knew her attacker, and in the beginning when she first stepped off trail, there was no need to be afraid. Once led deeper into the woods or father away from the others, it was then that things changed drastically for the worse.

Hi again right now the theory that makes most sense to me is that Robert or another student got her to leave the trail innocently, under the guise of exploring or drinking/smoking. Or she may have seen someone she knew in the woods and went to see what they were doing. Once out of earshot and eyesight (not as far as one might think in the woods), he assaulted Trenny whether he intended to kill her or not. Maybe she fought back or threatened to tell. I doubt he had time to get her to the part of the road where her scent was found before the school bus left, but I have a feeling that is the place where her body was put into a car and removed from the park. I think he got lucky and she was not found overnight because the dogs and searchers were looking for a live person. The logistics of her body being removed are hard to work out. But we don’t know how far off the trail Trenny got, and her body could have been much closer to the road than the spot she went missing, which would make for easier retrieval. He kept her comb as a weird trophy/keepsake and gave the classmate her jewelry either to take suspicion off himself or perhaps as “hush money”. If he were completely innocent, he is the weirdest, nosiest, and most unhelpful witness alive. Also, the phone call screening is so fishy. Who was he expecting to call the house that the Gibson’s couldn’t talk to? Someone must know something.

 

[Starbuck80]

If he were completely innocent, he is the weirdest, nosiest, and most unhelpful witness alive

So true!