Identified! Mystery couple murdered in South Carolina, 1976 - Pamela Buckley & James P Freund #8

[branmuffin]

Found this information that might apply to persons of interest

"In December of 1976, a truck driver named George Lonnie Henry from Wadesboro, NC was stopped in SC for driving under the influence. He had in his possession a stolen gun with a scratched-off serial number that was ultimately determined through ballistics to be the murder weapon. Subsequent interviews and polygraphs yielded mixed results as to whether or not he was the one responsible for their murders. According to George Henry's statement he was a few hours away at the bed-side of his ailing wife at a NC hospital. The chain of custody of the gun remains a mystery as well. George Henry claims that his brother, Jim Henry had given it to him as a gift. "

https://sumtermysterycouple.com/

So, a few months after the murders LE found the weapon they believed was used to kill the couple in the possession of a NC truck driver. It sounds plausible, the couple was traveling and encountered someone who robbed and killed them, then dumped their bodies away from the crime scene. I've always wondered whether they were hitchhiking, considering Jim was wearing white jeans/slacks - not something a guy would wear outdoors, on the highway and in bad weather. He could have pulled a gun on them at a truck stop parking lot or rest area, taken them away to rape the young woman, then robbed them.

Wouldn't the post mortem identify whether the girl had been raped?

 

[Spindlebrook]

Will surviving family members be receiving the victims’ jewelery and watch?

 

[AkitasAreLovely]

When it really came home to me just how much sleuthing missing persons and UID's is a niche interest was the other day, when Othram said they'd never heard of this particular case. It kind of blew my mind.

It may seem to be a niche interest but I've found such a passionate community since I joined a few months ago. When such a case like this gets solved, even partially, makes me reflect on all the hours people have spent through the decades. There's a bittersweet feeling, but still a happy feeling in the end.

 

[superunknown]

The families of these victims have been very much on my mind all afternoon. I hope they'll be Ok. This is a LOT to wrap your head around.

James had a daughter with his wife. She is very much alive. Her mother lives with her in Lancaster, where she works as a real estate agent.

 

[musicaljoke]

<modsnip: Quoted post was removed>

I'm so happy to know that these two have their names back after so many years. But it is disturbing to know that both had been reported missing.

 

[Betty P]

Wouldn't the post mortem identify whether the girl had been raped?

Perhaps, but not always. It's not always obvious with some rapists, its not always the first place they look. It can be on other items of the victim's clothing, IYKWIM. I doubt coroners even did rape kits back in the 70's.

Slightly OT, I also found another reference to Jim Freund being a fan of fast cars. In the Lancaster newspaper in 1963, there's a brief mention of him getting a ticket for "reckless driving", probably racing, etc. as guys did with their cars back then.

His interest in racing, his military training in auto repair, etc. indicate he could have been a guy who liked to drive a fast, snazzy car. This could have been a carjacking of sorts. The trucker who had the gun they were killed with and/or the trucker's brother may have seen Jim driving a sporty car, with an attractive girlfriend and decided to rob them.

I hope they can find out what kind of car he was driving then.

27 May 1963, 32 - Lancaster New Era at Newspapers.com

 

[Lexiintoronto]

Re the Talladega racing t shirt that Jim was wearing, I found a short article about his military training. After enlisting, he had received training at an Army school to learn automotive repair. He may have been a mechanic during his time in the Army, so was interested in race cars.

4 Feb 1965, 11 - Intelligencer Journal at Newspapers.com

That’s an interesting find. I couldn’t access the whole page—why was that information in a newspaper?

 

[Sweetluv]

RIP Pamela and James.
We have waited for this moment for a long time now.
Sigh of relief...

 

[mzp]

This song has been haunting me all day, but I dont think this is Pam. You can find the We Five band page on Wikipedia (We Five - Wikipedia) and although the woman in the picture looks a lot like Pamela (their teeth strike me as very different, however) the page says that the woman/ lead singer is Beverly Bivens (Beverly Bivens - Wikipedia -- still alive but was born the same year as Pam, weirdly). Both pages cite how their You Were on My Mind remix was a huge hit. I guess the band also made a comeback in 2009, so it of course couldn't have been Pam.

 

[rosesfromangels]

Well wow, just wow!

 

[Betty P]

That’s an interesting find. I couldn’t access the whole page—why was that information in a newspaper?

Its the kind of local news story that small town newspapers used to run, especially after WWII. I think even the military PR offices would send stories to servicemen's local newspapers to report on some new trainings, promotions or medals the local guys received. Probably a good recruiting tactic. Used to see it in our local paper, too.

ETA: Here's another notice of a ticket in 1969 for "driving too fast for conditions".

9 May 1969, 2 - Intelligencer Journal at Newspapers.com

His Dad's obituary in 1966 states that James was serving in the Army in Germany.

7 Nov 1966, 2 - Intelligencer Journal at Newspapers.com

His dad was an auto salesman. He and his dad liked cars.

 

[wmm85]

This song has been haunting me all day, but I dont think this is Pam. You can find the We Five band page on Wikipedia (We Five - Wikipedia) and although the woman in the picture looks a lot like Pamela (their teeth strike me as very different, however) the page says that the woman/ lead singer is Beverly Bivens (Beverly Bivens - Wikipedia -- still alive but was born the same year as Pam, weirdly). Both pages cite how their You Were on My Mind remix was a huge hit. I guess the band also made a comeback in 2009, so it of course couldn't have been Pam.

Pam wasn’t a member of We Five. She was in a band called “Sunlending” who were an opening act for We Five in 1971.

 

[wary]

Its the kind of local news story that small town newspapers used to run, especially after WWII. I think even the military PR offices would send stories to servicemen's local newspapers to report on some new trainings, promotions or medals the local guys received. Probably a good recruiting tactic. Used to see it in our local paper, too.

ETA: Here's another notice of a ticket in 1969 for "driving too fast for conditions".

9 May 1969, 2 - Intelligencer Journal at Newspapers.com

His Dad's obituary in 1966 states that James was serving in the Army in Germany.

7 Nov 1966, 2 - Intelligencer Journal at Newspapers.com

His dad was an auto salesman. He and his dad liked cars.

Do we know what he did for a living?

 

[Laughing]

I remember a lot of army files were lost in a fire once, don't ask me when right now..I can't recall immediately...but that might have been the/a problem.

Late to the party, sorry if this is a repeat. Yes, indeed, huge fire, July 12, 1973:

Archives Recalls Fire That Claimed Millions of Military Personnel Files

 

[Vern]

Hah! So if we operate under the assumption that this is "our" Jim, he totally made up that name, Jacques and gave some *advertiser censored* and bull story to the campground guy about being from Canada and having a father who was a doctor who disapproved of his son's life choices. Yeah, he was definitely either a jokester or deliberately trying to conceal his identity while on the road.

Or, it was simply another couple seen at the campground.

If it were indeed Pamela and Jim, then we need to also answer as to where their gear and other clothing - along with their identification/wallet/purse etc went to.

 

[Feme98]

Or, it was simply another couple seen at the campground.

If it were indeed Pamela and Jim, then we need to also answer as to where their gear and other clothing - along with their identification/wallet/purse etc went to.

It’s possible that if it was indeed a carjacking, then their belongings went with their killer.

Maybe this person dispose of it shortly after the murder, it’s possible that it was burned.

 

[AliceInPain]

Pamela Buckley and James Freud, did you know them or meet them, asking for anyone who did to get in contact...

 

[AliceInPain]

This new guy doesn't sound very motivated... Just another cold case to him. jmo.

 

[wary]

Or, it was simply another couple seen at the campground.

If it were indeed Pamela and Jim, then we need to also answer as to where their gear and other clothing - along with their identification/wallet/purse etc went to.

I think that their possessions went with the murderer, either way.

If they had a car, I think that the murderer was in their car, and drove off with it—grabbed Pamela’s purse, if she had it on her arm, and did a fast search for James’ wallet. And the rest of their possessions would have remained in the car, until they were thrown away.

And the same thing would be true if they were hitchhiking. They’d put all their gear in the murderer’s car, it’d all stay there, and eventually be thrown away.

 

[AliceInPain]

He says both were reported missing at the time.