FL FL - Teresa Baggett, 13, Indiantown, 3 July 1976

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Exsister inlaw

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On Saturday, July 3, 1976, in the small town of Indiantown, Florida the town was geared up due to the fact that a big rodeo was in town. It was taking place at the Burt Reynolds Rodeo Bowl off Citrus Blvd. This would be the last time this rodeo would ever come to Indiantown. Rumor has it that it was because of the death of a 13 year old girl. A girl named Teresa Baggett.

The Martin County Sherriff’s Department stated on July 3, 1976 she was last seen leaving Rhine’s Market in a green truck with an older man. Some, even claim it was her father. The family still to this day holds to their statement that he did not kill her and leave her for dead by the spillway. Clifton Baggett, the father, lived and died under the shadow of a small town’s unofficial conviction for the murder of is daughter.

She was found July 6, 1976, 3 days after she went missing, by an unnamed grove worker. He found her partially floating/bloated body in a cannel on the property of Robinsons Grove off of Hwy 76. This was only 5-6 miles from her home . Teresa’s body was hardly recognizable because of the hot Florida sun and hungry animals. The marking around one half of Teresa’s neck suggested strangulation but the AUTOPSY REPORT STATED’ CAUSE OF DEATH- "UNKNOWN.’’ Teresa was laid to rest on July 10, 1976.

SlideShowPic633228638008125000.jpg


Cold Case or Cover-UP? Read more about the investigation at:
http://teresa-baggett.memory-of.com/tributes.aspx
 
The website noted above has a LOT of information regarding Teresa and was created by the family. Teresa was clearly loved and still is. Sadly, this case appears frozen. It appears the only person they put any pressure on was the father. The family does not believe it was him. Apparently the only way they got a "witness" statement was through hypnosis, which in itself is FAR from any kind of legitimate evidence. This was a small town. Someone HAS to still know what happened to this girl.

They actually had removed those who worked early on in this case, which asks the question why? The family clearly believes a cover-up was involved for whatever reason.

Even 42 years later, all they need is a KEY piece of evidence to change everything for this family.

Someone ALWAYS knows .....
 
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Palm Beach Post 7-20-76
 
Her sister did a petition years ago but it is now closed.

Sign the Petition

I want to bring PEACE to my family and JUSTICE to my sister. My sister Teresa Darlene Baggett went missing on July 3rd, 1976 on Saturday afternoon in Indiantown Florida. She had walked to the store for my mom to get zip lock bags and sewing needles for herself, she never returned home. She just turned 13 years old a few weeks before. Everyone was looking for her for days and nights, the whole town, that's just how our little town was. Then on July 7th her body was found just 7 miles out of town in a ditch in the orange groves 4 days later. The time Teresa went missing, we had a big Rodeo in town, people came from all over for this weekend event.
The Homicide team investigating this at the time, I and a lot of other people feel that not enough was done to find out what happened to someone so special to our family. As time went by some of the evidence that was collected had went missing (how could that be). Many, many years later as we (my siblings and I) got older we went and talked to MCSO about this. Of course because the lack of evidence it was hard to get any real answers. The last time we spoke to MCSO they said they had a person of interest who is now in Canada, who they will not bring back nor go and question him about it. How can someone be so neglective when it comes to a small child such as my sister. Then one day the detective on the case at the time of her murder, gave my mother a necklace of hers and it was the exact necklace she had on the day she disappeared, is that odd or what. Why would he have it? That is my question. I've heard so many stories about so many people that could have done this. If only we knew where they are now, we might get more answers.

My sister and our family deserve peace of mind and justice. She is the oldest girl out of four of us children. She still in our hearts and minds everyday, not a day goes by that we wonder what she could be like today. Teresa only had a short life, but we as family and friends are still here. Lets get the MCSO to reinvestigate to what could or did happen on that weekend. If there are any evidence left from the previous investigation with the technology we have today I'm sure someone could find something that may have been missed. There have been a lot of COLD CASES solved. Why not hers?
 
If someone has a subscription, maybe a clipping can be added to the thread. I'd be curious to see the composite sketch of the suspect. I was able to get some of the verbiage from the link and cleaned up some typos. It'd be good to have the original tho.

The Palm Beach Post from West Palm Beach, Florida on September 28, 1976 · Page 53

Description of Murder Suspect Released Officials Have Few Leads in Slaying of 13-Year-01d Girl By LINDA HARBISON Pest Staff Y.

INDIANTOWN - The Sheriffs Office yesterday released a description of a suspect in the slaying of 13-year-old Teresa Darlene Baggett. issuing an appeal for help in locating the man. The Baggett girl was found dead in an orange grove in July, and since then investigators have been pursuing the few leads they had in the girl's murder "We're at the point where we need a break and we hope someone will identify this suspect." Sgt. John Murphy said. "We need help on this.' The composite drawing made with the assistance of a witness is a likeness of the man believed to have been with the young girl on the afternoon she disappeared.

The suspect is about 6 feet tall, weighing between 160 and 190 pounds. He has short sandy hair and a ruddy complexion. When last seen, the suspect was wearing a cowboy hat and dark sunglasses. Murphy said his witness how the man driving a late-model green pickup truck on the day of the girl disappearance. She was seen last at a local supermarket July 3. Murphy said the description of the suspect was held back until all other leads in the case fell through. He declined t say whether the suspect is believed to be a local resident. "We have no identification on the man, just the description," he said. The sole witness in the case who apparently saw the Baggett girl with the suspect was hypnotized before describing the man for the drawing. Murphy said. He said the composite was made with the help of the Palm Beach Police Department. Persons with information are asked to contact the Sheriff's Office at 283-1300 or the substation at 597-2101. Composite Drawing
 
PayrollNerd said:
Her sister did a petition years ago but it is now closed.

Sign the Petition

I want to bring PEACE to my family and JUSTICE to my sister. My sister Teresa Darlene Baggett went missing on July 3rd, 1976 on Saturday afternoon in Indiantown Florida. She had walked to the store for my mom to get zip lock bags and sewing needles for herself, she never returned home. She just turned 13 years old a few weeks before. Everyone was looking for her for days and nights, the whole town, that's just how our little town was. Then on July 7th her body was found just 7 miles out of town in a ditch in the orange groves 4 days later. The time Teresa went missing, we had a big Rodeo in town, people came from all over for this weekend event.
The Homicide team investigating this at the time, I and a lot of other people feel that not enough was done to find out what happened to someone so special to our family. As time went by some of the evidence that was collected had went missing (how could that be). Many, many years later as we (my siblings and I) got older we went and talked to MCSO about this. Of course because the lack of evidence it was hard to get any real answers. The last time we spoke to MCSO they said they had a person of interest who is now in Canada, who they will not bring back nor go and question him about it. How can someone be so neglective when it comes to a small child such as my sister. Then one day the detective on the case at the time of her murder, gave my mother a necklace of hers and it was the exact necklace she had on the day she disappeared, is that odd or what. Why would he have it? That is my question. I've heard so many stories about so many people that could have done this. If only we knew where they are now, we might get more answers.

My sister and our family deserve peace of mind and justice. She is the oldest girl out of four of us children. She still in our hearts and minds everyday, not a day goes by that we wonder what she could be like today. Teresa only had a short life, but we as family and friends are still here. Lets get the MCSO to reinvestigate to what could or did happen on that weekend. If there are any evidence left from the previous investigation with the technology we have today I'm sure someone could find something that may have been missed. There have been a lot of COLD CASES solved. Why not hers?
Click to expand...
The necklace part is interesting. Why did he handle that evidence in that way?
 
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