CA CA - Claire Christie, 24, Humboldt County, 30 March 1977

MysticJynx

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Claire Louise Christie maiden name Williams, Wife of Ernest Samuel Christie Jr.
Birth July 16 1952
Married Ernie July 1970
Missing since March 30 1977.
Circumstances: Lost at Sea. Was on her husband Ernie's fishing boat the "FAME L" when it capsized at the mouth of Humboldt Bay, Humboldt Co. California. She was 24 years old at the time of her disappearance.
There are no online pages depicting Claire Case. Not even the California State Site has her listed as a missing person.They also don't seem to have issued a death certificate either. She is not found in the SS death index online.
I have added the two stories found in the Times-Standard Eureka, California

http://www.websleuths.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=53744&d=1401556047
http://www.websleuths.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=53743&d=1401556047

Knowing the stories now about Sandy Turpin and Ernie that came to light in 2010, I have to wonder if Claire was even on that boat. Is it possible the sinking of the boat had two purposes. One to cover up her murder that didn't happen on that boat but out in the woods near their home. It gives Claire a reason to be missing without shedding light onto him. And second I would assume he collected some kind of insurance also for the boat.


With the help of Still Seeking, we have been trying to get more information on Claire, in order to get her details added to the national database NamUs.

I am hoping that starting a thread for Claire Christie will draw attention to anyone with information about her. All details are needed From Height, Weight, Eye and Hair Color, A picture would be great. If she was seen on that boat, what was she wearing. If she has dental records, fingerprints, or DNA that can be cross referenced to unidentified persons?


Even though Claire has been presumed dead, She is still MISSING! The circumstances surrounding her husband Ernest Samuel Christie JR that came out in April 2010, Make me think it wasn't just a simple accident causing his boat to capsize. Accident or purposely flipped? Articles say they searched most of the sinking boat and Ernest was the only one pulled from the waters. The only place divers were unable to search was the Engine Room. Authorities back then didn't think that she would have been in there. How about now knowing some of his history and the stories of how he treated women. Maybe Authorities should open her cold case with new eyes, question witnesses that may not have been able or willing to talk while he was alive.

Ernest Samuel Christie Jr, is the accused murderer of Lasandra Turpin also 24 in 1988. Lasandra went missing in late March early April 1988. 11 years from the day Claire went missing. Ms. Turpin was ALSO 24 years old at the time. Is this a pattern or coincidence?
NOTE: most papers reporting about Lasandra report her as 27 and Lysandra. Lasandra's public Birth Record https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/VLJB-HJ2
Story from the Eureka Local paper about Ernest, Lasandra and other Women he abused that got away. Comments posted on this news story have been rather interesting and mention how Claire is still missing.
http://www.times-standard.com/ci_14842961

Unfortunately Ernie wont ever have to answer to any of his crimes, now that he is dead. But I don't think that should be reason not to look at him as a suspect in other missing women and unsolved cases in Northern California where he was known to live and work. Especially that of his wife Claire. 1977-2006 is a long time for Ernie to be active in capturing, torturing, and murdering women. The fact that he was said to have told the girl on the boat that did escape that he was going to kill her, is a sign that he has killed others not just Sandy.




This is my first started thread, I hope I am doing it right.
 
After Claire Christie went missing there were two other mentions of her in the 1977 newspapers. Mind you this is where they also end online and some years between here and there are also not posted online.

The first a notice to change Ernie's Boat the BEN-RAY to CLAIRELOUISE. http://www.websleuths.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=57331&d=1408647493

Second in November of 1977 A Library was dedicated to her. http://www.websleuths.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=57332&d=1408647560

A mention of Claire then came in Ernest S Christie Jr's 2006 Obituary http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/times-standard/obituary.aspx?n=ernest-samuel-christie&pid=17182877

And her name on the Fisherman's Memorial in Humboldt Co. CA. http://findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cg...=all&GSdyrel=all&GSob=n&GRid=66225111&df=all&
Seems none of the names on this memorial are listed as missing/lost/injured as I would have expected. I really do not understand that. Is someone lost at sea not considered missing? What if they washed up on another beach. Dead or Alive. Alive with no memory of who they are. I mean maybe it's a slim chance, But in my opinion anything is possible and stranger things have happened.

The reason I would like to see Claire on these MP's sites is because the circumstances surrounding her being "LOST AT SEA" is now a matter of Lost or Murdered? With what seems like no concrete evidence she was even on that boat, makes me wonder if the boat was a ploy to draw searches away from his land when she went "MISSING".

So lets look at Ernest Christie Jr and see what we can come up with. And ask ourselves if Claire's status should be changed to Missing Foul play Suspected instead of simply lost at sea. Lets find out the truth about what really happened to this young mother 37 years ago.
 
I have been researching Ernest Christie JR as a suspect in not just Claire's Case but a few other young women that went missing over the years.

1959 - Ernest S. Christie Jr graduates the 8th grade http://www.websleuths.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=57305&d=1408646218

1962 - Ernest S. Christie Jr graduates from Eureka High School (seems he graduates a year early) http://www.websleuths.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=57306&d=1408646265

1963 - Ernie gets arrested for traffic offense, Open bottle of wine in his car, he blames the hitch hikers he picked up. First article http://www.websleuths.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=57307&d=1408646367 2nd article http://www.websleuths.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=57308&d=1408646394

1964 - Ernie and 3 friends are picked up for Grand Theft Auto. The Grand Theft was dropped but Auto theft was to be heard in August never did find the outcome of this case tho. Articles are as follows. 1. http://www.websleuths.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=57308&d=1408646394 2. http://www.websleuths.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=57310&d=1408646606 3. http://www.websleuths.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=57311&d=1408646673 4. http://www.websleuths.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=57312&d=1408646728

1964 - Nov, A public notice about being responsible for only his Debt. http://www.websleuths.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=57313&d=1408646753

1964 - Dec, A picture of his car he flipped. http://www.websleuths.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=57335&d=1408651597

1965-67 Missing years

1968 - The Drugs begin to show up in the papers.
Jan 1968, 1. http://www.websleuths.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=57314&d=1408646848 2a. http://www.websleuths.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=57315&d=1408646876 2b. http://www.websleuths.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=57316&d=1408646891 3. http://www.websleuths.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=57317&d=1408646966
Feb 1968, 4.http://www.websleuths.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=57318&d=1408646998 5. http://www.websleuths.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=57319&d=1408647024
Apr 1968, 6. http://www.websleuths.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=57321&d=1408647092
June 1968, 7. http://www.websleuths.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=57322&d=1408647185
Aug 1968, Friend is convicted for Jan bust. http://www.websleuths.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=57323&d=1408647231
Sept. 1968, 8. http://www.websleuths.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=57324&d=1408647253
Oct. 1968, 9. http://www.websleuths.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=57325&d=1408647280

1969 - There was a family reunion that year at Blue Lake, CA but no other info on Ernie is found

1970 - Marries Claire Louise Williams 10. http://www.websleuths.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=57326&d=1408647305

1971-1975 Not much that was found through key word searches

1976 - May, Assault and Battery http://www.websleuths.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=57327&d=1408647331 have to wonder what other crimes listed this day of similar were committed by him but not caught.
Sept, There is a picture of his son on the boat named FAME L in a swing.
Oct, Found Guilty Probation for 2 years for illegal logging. http://www.websleuths.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=57328&d=1408647374

1977 - March 30 Wife Claire Goes missing of his sunken boat the FAME L 1. http://www.websleuths.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=57330&d=1408647479 2 http://www.websleuths.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=57329&d=1408647479
May he Changes his boat from the BEN-RAY to CLAIRELOUISE. http://www.websleuths.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=57331&d=1408647493
Nov, Library Dedication for his wife http://www.websleuths.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=57332&d=1408647560

1978-1983. What was going on for these years is unknown. rumors say he did Jail time but haven't been able to access any of those records. Not even on Instant Checkmate.

1984 - Ernie's father Ernest Samuel Christie Sr dies in February 1984

1985 - 87 Possible that the incident with "Peppermint Patty" and the Redwood Tree happen during this time. Unable to confirm.

1988 - April 8 1988 Sandy is reported missing after a week of no contact, by family. Decides to keep Sandy Turpin as a Hostage, Beats and abuses her and ultimately kills her in what is said of June of that year. This will not come to light until Feb-Apr 2010.

1989-2006 Ernest may have ran a logging business with his son for 10 years during this time as stated in his Obituary. http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/times-standard/obituary.aspx?n=ernest-samuel-christie&pid=17182877

1988-2001 Women missing

1988 JUNE 7, Penelope Jo Milbourn 24 Eureka, CA. https://www.findthemissing.org/en/cases/8341/0/

1993 AUGUST 1, Rosemma Mendenhall 47 Eureka, CA. https://www.findthemissing.org/en/cases/8381/0/

1993 AUGUST 9, Kristi Krebs 22 Fort Bragg, CA. https://www.findthemissing.org/en/cases/1268/0/

1993 SEP 1, Hannah Rowell 28 Eureka, CA. https://www.findthemissing.org/en/cases/8370/0/

1993 SEP 13, Jennifer Marie Wilmer, Hawkins Bar, CA. Trinity Co. https://www.findthemissing.org/en/cases/12190/0/ She had recently moved from Arcata, CA for to The unincorporated town in Trinity.

1995 APR 22, Robin Denise Appel Herring 35, Weaverville, Trinity Co. CA http://doenetwork.org/cases/1361dfca.html

1997 Nov 25, Karen Marie Mitchell 16, Eureka, CA. https://www.findthemissing.org/en/cases/6411/0/

1998 April 12, Charlene Rosser 28, Eureka, CA. Body found in 2003 Identified 2012 http://www.times-standard.com/ci_20749146/missing-womans-remains-positively-identified

2001 Oct 28, Katie Wantz 21, Eureka. CA. https://www.findthemissing.org/en/cases/8382/0/

2010 - Information is given to Humboldt Co. Sheriff's Department about Ms. Turpin's 1988 Disappearance and Murder. As well as two other stories of women that almost met the same fate.
http://www.times-standard.com/ci_14842961, http://www.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/04/09/california.body.found/ What little of her remains and piece of cloth were what identified her 22 years later.

2011 - On the Case with Paula Zahn does an episode Sins of A Father on the ID discovery channel. The story of Lysandra Turpin. Really wish this could be seen online all they offer is a small clip on youtube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GAS3fYpTX0 http://www.imdb.com/find?q=sins+of+a+father+on+the+case+with+paula+zahn&s=all

2012 - Very Bad Men does an episode called Haunted about Lysandra Turpin. This one I did see, however I cannot find it online either now. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2353188/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
 
http://www.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/04/09/california.body.found/

Snipped from article
Using a description provided by Christie, sheriff's personnel located the stump and found a carpet, plastic jugs, a hypodermic syringe and clothing there, Philp said Thursday.

I assume there would be some sort of DNA on the things listed above from that tree that could be tested for DNA? Not just for Patty's but maybe other women's DNA too? Is it possible that he kept others in that tree prior or after Patty escaped? My opinion says yes. Maybe not so much after she escaped, but prior to. The fact that it was not cleaned out tho 22 years later, makes me think he used it again after. After he felt secure Patty didn't and wouldn't go to the police, he'd be ballsy enough to use it again. If I was held in a tree I would probably try everything to get out on my own. Including trying to climb up the tree until i bled. Were there any fingernail markings or blood that may have occurred? He supposedly beat her severely, I'd think there would be some kind of DNA in and around the tree stump and its contents. Question is did authorities think to do so? If not where is that stuff now? DNA may result in pointing Ernest to other missing women from the area that's fate was more like Sandy's.
 
Very impressive research Mystic and you did a wonderful job on the timeline.

I find the way many of the things were handled as quite suspicious.
 
Hey MysticJynx, Thank you for organizing the whole list! I thought there were a lot but I had no idea about a few of the women. If it is not too much trouble, would you please add the four women who were murdered in northern california in 1975/1976:

Janet Lee Bowman, 19, Blue Lake, CA 30 Sept 1975
Karen Frances Fisher, 21, Trinidad, CA, Jan 1976
Sherrie Lynn Smith, Miranda, CA May 1976
Victoria Lynn Schneider, 19, Eureka, CA 30 June 1976

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/2181387/victoria_schnieder_murdered_janet/

I just started a thread for Karen Frances Fisher, 21, Trinidad, CA, Jan 1976 There is not a lot known about how she met with foul play. In general that area has had quite a few perpetrators of crimes against women ala Christie, Ford, and Durst - that could be analyzed. I also wonder if the Santa Rosa murders were connected to the humboldt ones, or if that person(s) was only regional in that area.

A thread devoted to Humboldt County disappearances/murders thread is another idea that could be cool.

Thanks again for the comprehensive list you gathered!
 
I can not longer add to the post above. So you adding a comment is great. Others can see them then. I noticed your clipping is something that I had clipped when I was searching Christie. There are more clips I believe I will add them to your thread if I can find it. If I remember correctly they never found the murderer of these young ladies.
 
Does your research indicate if the 80 acres of family-owned property in Fieldbrook, CA was ever searched? If it wasn't it could hold more bodies (besides Lysandra's). It would be good to know what all Ernie was up to. I'm sure he wasn't just twiddling his thumbs through his years of murder and kidnapping. Perhaps families could get some answers to what happened to young ladies like Jade who disappeared in the area over the years.
 
Hey MysticJynx, Thank you for organizing the whole list! I thought there were a lot but I had no idea about a few of the women. If it is not too much trouble, would you please add the four women who were murdered in northern california in 1975/1976:

Janet Lee Bowman, 19, Blue Lake, CA 30 Sept 1975
Karen Frances Fisher, 21, Trinidad, CA, Jan 1976
Sherrie Lynn Smith, Miranda, CA May 1976
Victoria Lynn Schneider, 19, Eureka, CA 30 June 1976

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/2181387/victoria_schnieder_murdered_janet/

I just started a thread for Karen Frances Fisher, 21, Trinidad, CA, Jan 1976 There is not a lot known about how she met with foul play. In general that area has had quite a few perpetrators of crimes against women ala Christie, Ford, and Durst - that could be analyzed. I also wonder if the Santa Rosa murders were connected to the humboldt ones, or if that person(s) was only regional in that area.

A thread devoted to Humboldt County disappearances/murders thread is another idea that could be cool.

Thanks again for the comprehensive list you gathered!
BBM

I agree about a thread for Humboldt County disappearances/murders. Even a "no discussion" thread with links to individual threads would be useful. It's tragic that there are so many.

I would add Mary Stuart and her two daughters to the Christie list. They disappeared in December 1977. Although her husband (now deceased) was the prime suspect, it's now thought that others may have been involved.

http://www.websleuths.com/forums/sh...annie-23-mo-amp-Jessie-2-Honeydew-10-Dec-1977

I don't think Sherrie Lynn Smith needs to be added to the Christie list. It's very likely she was murdered by a Southern Humboldt local near Myers Flat (Fruitland Ridge). John Annabel (convicted of a murder in Mendocino county) is the likeliest suspect, as is another guy named RS. Some believe JA is guilty of several murders. I lived on Fruitland Ridge at the time, not far from Annabel and RS, and the linked account of Sherrie's murder names many people I knew of or knew personally. RS burgled our house in 1977. Very creepy people.

OT--Links about John Annabel, for those interested.

http://www.northcoastjournal.com/092399/news0923.html#anchor288461

Book about Annabel (Chapter about Sherrie--pages 12-36 available. Warning: graphic autopsy description):

https://books.google.com/books?id=WE-bBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA9&source=gbs_toc_r&cad=3#v=onepage&q&f=false
 
Your insight is interesting and helpful, Lilibet. I notice in the article you link for the North Coast Journal there was also the homicide of June Lawson, perhaps in 1999?

According to the article: "Meanwhile, authorities are looking into a new case that appears to be a homicide of a white female. The woman identified as June Lawson, 19, of Redway, was found at Holbrook Grove State Park north of Redway on Redwood Drive at 9 a.m. Sunday, the sheriff's department announced."
 
Your insight is interesting and helpful, Lilibet. I notice in the article you link for the North Coast Journal there was also the homicide of June Lawson, perhaps in 1999?

According to the article: "Meanwhile, authorities are looking into a new case that appears to be a homicide of a white female. The woman identified as June Lawson, 19, of Redway, was found at Holbrook Grove State Park north of Redway on Redwood Drive at 9 a.m. Sunday, the sheriff's department announced."

Thanks. :) I noticed June Lawson too and couldn't find anything else about her. I haven't done too much digging yet. A quick Google search added nothing.

I'm not sure if Annabel would have been involved since he didn't live there at the time, but anything is possible. And of course, Christie is a possibility. He would have been in his early 50's at the time, so who knows.

I'm keeping a close eye on the two women who went missing in Jan-Feb 2014, Sheila Franks and Danielle Bertolini. They were both last seen by the same man, who hasn't been officially named as a POI or suspect. The families have named him but not MSM. He's in his early 40's, and if he did murder Sheila and Danielle, they may not be the first IMO.

http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?238365-CA-Sheila-Franks-37-Fortuna-2-Feb-2014

http://www.websleuths.com/forums/sh...ielle-Bertolini-Brooks-23-Fortuna-29-Jan-2014
 
Thanks. :) I noticed June Lawson too and couldn't find anything else about her. I haven't done too much digging yet. A quick Google search added nothing.

I'm not sure if Annabel would have been involved since he didn't live there at the time, but anything is possible. And of course, Christie is a possibility. He would have been in his early 50's at the time, so who knows.

I'm keeping a close eye on the two women who went missing in Jan-Feb 2014, Sheila Franks and Danielle Bertolini. They were both last seen by the same man, who hasn't been officially named as a POI or suspect. The families have named him but not MSM. He's in his early 40's, and if he did murder Sheila and Danielle, they may not be the first IMO.

http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?238365-CA-Sheila-Franks-37-Fortuna-2-Feb-2014

http://www.websleuths.com/forums/sh...ielle-Bertolini-Brooks-23-Fortuna-29-Jan-2014

I have been following Sheila and Danielle, and have seen photos of the POI. Scary stuff for sure. I pray that justice is served.

Another unsavory we need to add to the list of predators running around that area is Robert Durst.
 
I have been following Sheila and Danielle, and have seen photos of the POI. Scary stuff for sure. I pray that justice is served.

Another unsavory we need to add to the list of predators running around that area is Robert Durst.
BBM

Yes, Robert Durst for sure. It's creepy to think that he and Christie were both in the area at the same time. I wonder if they ever met. :eek:

Credit card records place Durst in Eureka, California on November 25, 1997, the day Karen Mitchell vanished.[SUP][20][/SUP][SUP][90][/SUP][SUP][91][/SUP]Mitchell may have volunteered in a homeless shelter that Durst frequented;[SUP][90][/SUP] Durst, dressed in women's clothing, had visited the Eureka shoe store owned by Mitchell's aunt.[SUP][20][/SUP][SUP][85][/SUP][SUP][90][/SUP][SUP][91][/SUP] Mitchell was last seen walking to work from her aunt's store and possibly speaking to someone in a stopped car;[SUP][90][/SUP][SUP][91][/SUP] a witness sketch of Mitchell's presumed abductor resembles Durst.[SUP][85]

[/SUP]
At the time of Susan Berman's murder in Los Angeles, Durst had just sold a home in Trinidad, California,[SUP][37][/SUP][SUP][90][/SUP] but maintained an office in Eureka while renting in nearby Big Lagoon.[SUP][114]
[/SUP]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Durst


OT ETA: I notice that I have misspelled John Annibel's name as Annabel in previous posts. :doh: I don't want to make a new post so I'm correcting it here.
 
Thanks for posting the facts surrounding Karen Mitchell's disappearance. I think it all points to Robert, most especially the connection between himself and her aunt's shoe store. Easily he would have met her and easily he could have watched her in the small town of Eureka. I am guessing she was never found. I don't think she fits Christie's style. I would say the three women hitchhikers in the 76-77 period would be more likely to be women Christie picked up. Particularly Victoria Lynn Schneider, who as we know disappeared while hitching a ride from Eureka, CA to Samoa, CA on June 30, 1976. Obviously Christie was in the area. Lilibet, do you know if Robert Durst was known to be in that part of CA at that same time period?
 
Thanks for posting the facts surrounding Karen Mitchell's disappearance. I think it all points to Robert, most especially the connection between himself and her aunt's shoe store. Easily he would have met her and easily he could have watched her in the small town of Eureka. I am guessing she was never found. I don't think she fits Christie's style. I would say the three women hitchhikers in the 76-77 period would be more likely to be women Christie picked up. Particularly Victoria Lynn Schneider, who as we know disappeared while hitching a ride from Eureka, CA to Samoa, CA on June 30, 1976. Obviously Christie was in the area. Lilibet, do you know if Robert Durst was known to be in that part of CA at that same time period?
BBM

I don't know too much about Durst other than what Google tells me. :) I think he's off the hook for the 1970's cases. It appears that he was mostly on the east coast during the 70's, in Vermont and NYC. He returned to NY in 1969 after dropping out of a doctoral program at UCLA and later worked in his father's real estate development business starting in 1973 after running a health food store in Vermont. He was still in NYC when his wife disappeared in 1982.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Durst
 
Thanks for the help, there is a lot to keep track of and a lot to know. I will take a look over in Charlene's thread to see what you posted.

I have been especially bothered by the disappearance of Christine Walters in 2009. Here is the link: http://www.websleuths.com/forums/sh...ristine-Lindsey-Walters-23-Arcata-14-Nov-2008
IMO there is something very odd about that investigation. I feel strongly that Christine didn't want to go to Arcata, CA to pick up her ID. I know that Christine is a bit off-topic from Claire Christie, because Ernest Christie Jr was already deceased by the time that Christine Walters vanished. The connection is Eureka, CA which unfortunately has a lot of unsolved cases involving women vanishing or being found dead. I would like to say thanks to those of you who have brought these cases to the limelight at least as far as websleuths goes, and giving a voice to these ladies who are unable to tell their stories.
 

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