TX TX - DeBARDELEBEN, James Mitchell "Mike"
- Thread starter bessie
- Start date
n 1974, when I was 11 going on 12, I was walking home from my Catholic elementary school near Paterson, NJ (Passaic County), when a man in his 30-early 40s pulled up in a green MG Midget with old orange NY plates (YK23???).
I was wearing my school uniform when a man pulled up in the MG asking for directions. He was a brown-haired white man, mustached with short hair and glasses, wearing a business shirt and pants with a loosened tie. He asked me for directions to Paterson which I gave him. He told me to come closer and pointed at his erect penis. He asked me if I ever saw one and told me I should get into his car. Every fiber in me wanted to flee. He told me to get into his car. I refused and he badgered me and used adult "I-mean-it-or-else" voice but I said I lived nearby and pointed to a stranger's home a few doors away. I was frightened. He slowly followed me to the house as I walked shaking whole way because I did not know those people. I rang the doorbell. He watched me closely the whole time then sped away. I walked to the corner and saw him speed up the block but I heard him coming down the next block. His car was loud. I hid in bushes as he drove past the house slowly and then circled the block multiple times. I cried. I don't know how long he circled. I cried and prayed he did not see me. On his last sweep past, he shouted, "I know you're there!" He was so angry.
I stayed in those bushes for hours and arrived home late for dinner after taking a circuitous route through the woods. This has affected my entire life and career choice: a federal probation officer. I needed to find him. I still do. DeB looks a lot like him. I'd love to see him in profile. Then, I'd know. That and I need to know if he drove a MG.
Thanks!!
I was wearing my school uniform when a man pulled up in the MG asking for directions. He was a brown-haired white man, mustached with short hair and glasses, wearing a business shirt and pants with a loosened tie. He asked me for directions to Paterson which I gave him. He told me to come closer and pointed at his erect penis. He asked me if I ever saw one and told me I should get into his car. Every fiber in me wanted to flee. He told me to get into his car. I refused and he badgered me and used adult "I-mean-it-or-else" voice but I said I lived nearby and pointed to a stranger's home a few doors away. I was frightened. He slowly followed me to the house as I walked shaking whole way because I did not know those people. I rang the doorbell. He watched me closely the whole time then sped away. I walked to the corner and saw him speed up the block but I heard him coming down the next block. His car was loud. I hid in bushes as he drove past the house slowly and then circled the block multiple times. I cried. I don't know how long he circled. I cried and prayed he did not see me. On his last sweep past, he shouted, "I know you're there!" He was so angry.
I stayed in those bushes for hours and arrived home late for dinner after taking a circuitous route through the woods. This has affected my entire life and career choice: a federal probation officer. I needed to find him. I still do. DeB looks a lot like him. I'd love to see him in profile. Then, I'd know. That and I need to know if he drove a MG.
Thanks!!
Mountain Mama
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Sub - That is such a scary experience you recount. Thank you for being willing to share the story. Thank goodness he is dead now. He was very good at what he did. I too am nearly certain that I ran into him. You may want to read through the case of the Lyons sisters of Wheaton, MD. They disappeared somewhere between their home and the Wheaton Mall in spring of '75 iirc. Debardeleben was considered by many websleuthers as a POI, but after 40 years it came to light that the abductors were other perps that had connections to both MD & VA. The reason I recommend reading through the case is that there is much discussion about Debardeleben. You would learn a lot that could help you figure out if the man who tried to abduct you was him.
Sub - Would you still know his voice? I watched a new episode of "Hear No Evil" on the ID channel yesterday about Debardeleben. It's season 1, episode 5, "The Sound of Terror." It first aired 6/14/2017. They played portions of recordings of him with a victim. According to this wiki
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_DeBardeleben
that's the first time any of the audio recordings of his have been broadcast.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_DeBardeleben
that's the first time any of the audio recordings of his have been broadcast.
I stumbled the video last week and listened to it the other night. I choked. It was him. The voice brought me back to 1973 or 1974 and I'm sure it was him. I wish they'd released audio sooner and I wish the Secret Service would release the pictures of his victims. I am so glad I was not one.
For my case? I am not exactly sure but I think his attack on me was in the later fall or early spring. It was not cold but I was wearing some kind of jacket. While the details with him were hyper-focused, my memory of the time of year is vague. I do think I was past my 12th birthday which would make it in the fall. I am not sure of the month. I am happy to provide any details I can.
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