MI MI - Joanne Garr, 30, Dearborn Heights, Nov 1971

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Joanne Gladys Garr, 30, Missing since November 1971 from Dearborn Heights, MI

Joanne Gladys Garr
Missing since November 1971 from Dearborn Heights, Wayne County, Michigan
Classification: Missing

Vital Statistics

Date Of Birth: December 1, 1940
Age at Time of Disappearance: 30 years old
Height and Weight at Time of Disappearance: 5'3-5'4"; 110-130 lbs.
Distinguishing Characteristics: White female. Red, medium length hair; blue eyes. Freckles.
AKA: Joan

Circumstances of Disappearance

Joanne Garr was last seen at her northwest Detroit home.

At the time Garr had been married for less than a year to her second husband, and had two children. The husband stated that Joanne returned to their home after an estrangement in late 1971, packed her bags and said she would leave permanently.

She failed to appear at appointments over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, and last reported to work the day before Thanksgiving. Her car was found abandoned.

Police were notified on December 31, 1971 by Joanne's mother after she had been unable to reach her.

Investigators
If you have any information concerning this case, please contact:

Michigan State Police
248-584-5774

Agency Case Number: 21-4659-10

Source Information:
Namus
The Doe Network: Case File 2960DFMI

LINK:

http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/2960dfmi.html
 
Last Thanksgiving marked 40 years since Joanne went missing.
 
Joanne's case on Charlie Project:

http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/g/garr_joanne.html

Based on this information,

I think Joanne's second husband, Philip, was abusive. Note the conflicting answers that he gives. Joanne may have fled an abusive marriage. It would be interesting to find out if Philip took a polygraph. I think he is hiding something. Bruises on a woman's face and body by accident? And seemingly repeatedly? (It says witnessed by other people, and that her Mother "feared for her daughter's safety.") Those were "accidents" as well? Can't buy that, no way.

Satch
 
Philip said he "couldn't remember" the exact date that he last saw Joanne...anyone think that's a little weird? This is the man's wife, supposedly coming to pack up and leave the marriage permanently! You would imagine that sort of thing would be emblazoned on a person's mind.
 
https://www.findthemissing.org/en/cases/7708/15
attachment.php

 

Attachments

  • img347_1.jpg
    img347_1.jpg
    28.8 KB · Views: 131
Police Report

(Redacted portions are personal notes that included confidential info)
 

Attachments

  • img341_redacted.pdf
    1.5 MB · Views: 44
Letter from DPD (dated 08/24/1972) advising they were closing Joanne's case file.
(Redacted portions contained personal notes revealing confidential info)
 

Attachments

  • LE letter closing file.pdf
    2 MB · Views: 22
What's the husband been up to since?

I don't know but, like you, I'm very curious.

Someone very close to Joanne (NOT her husband) contacted us hoping to find answers after all these years. The docs and personal photos were provided to us by that person. I know we have at least one more to share - an old news article. We're working on enhancing it so it's easier to read.
 
This case is over 45 years old. Hopefully some answers will be forthcoming.
 
''Human remains were found in a 1937 Dodge found west of the Greenfield bridge in
the Rouge River. The river was being drained at the time of the discovery. 1957
licence plates were found with the vehicle."

The distance between Dearborn Heights and Greenfield Bridge is around seven miles, and the vehicle was recovered around a year after Joanne disappeared.

https://www.identifyus.org/en/cases/12106
 
I'm putting together an episode of my podcast which will feature this case. I am wondering if you'd ask the individual who provided you with the documents whether they might speak to me, either on background or on a recording for the episode itself. They can get a sense of what I do by searching iTunes for True Crime Review or looking at truecrimereview.net.

I've honestly never done an interview before for this podcast, but thought it worth trying considering the age of the case. If you're not comfortable asking them, or they're not comfortable contacting me, I totally understand. I'll still do my absolute best to tell Joanne's story and get the info out there.
 
Thanks for pointing this out.

Clothing and Accessories tab includes the note "Male shoe was found"

Doesn't mean remains can't be a female, shoe could belong to a companion or perpetrator, but raises some doubt.
 
In answer to the question 'what became of the husband'? He moved to Tucson at some point. Ancestry shows he became a naturalised US citizen in Michigan in 1965, changing his name from Philip Selim Garboushian to Philip Garr. In 1992 he was living in Tucson, with the identification confirmed by the same birthdate of 22 September 1925 (although the marriage certificate says 1926). He died in Arizona on 25 May 1997. An article from the Tucson Daily Citizen at https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/23784544/ shows him in Tucson in 1975 and gives his occupation as a chef.
 

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