MO MO - Bonnie Huffman, 20, Delta, 3 July 1954

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More than 60 Years Later, Justice Still Elusive in Bonnie Huffman's Murder

Bonnie Huffman, a tall, 20-year-old brunette who had graduated valedictorian of her high school, spent the night out at the movies with a friend and the woman's husband in Delta, Missouri. The group later visited several dance halls in search of Bonnie's longtime boyfriend. The two had recently broken up, family members say.

Around midnight, Bonnie hopped into her grey 1938 Ford to drive the eight or so miles to the home she shared with her mother and half-brother, authorities said. At the time, Bonnie was teaching at a nearby one-room schoolhouse and was to soon start a job at the Missouri Utilities Company.

The following morning, her car was found abandoned along Highway N just outside the town of Delta.

It would be another two days before searchers would come across the grisly discovery of her body in a ditch about a mile away from where her vehicle was located. Bonnie's neck was broken, her jaw dislocated, and her skirt was torn. Her underwear was missing, authorities said. According to newspaper reports at the time, authorities first thought she had been raped, but an autopsy could not confirm or dismiss it.

Unsolved cases: Bonnie Huffman

He still believes that a 2004 letter sent from Florida contained such detailed description that it had to have come from someone who had been at the scene of the killing that night.

The writer recalled driving back from a dance that evening and seeing a car stopped at the curve of Route N about a half-mile from Delta.

"Back then, people would stop to help someone. I did," the person wrote.

When the writer pulled over, two men began hollering for that person to get out, and one tried to grab the driver and pull them out of the car, the letter said.

"Why I tried to help I will never know, because without the help from God I would have been killed," the person wrote.

While the men struggled to get into the car, the person managed to get the clutch in and shift, only to have the two assailants rush to their car and try to block the road.

The letter included a roughly drawn but accurate map of the area near where Huffman's body was found. Friedrich noted that it had been mailed to 40 S. Sprigg St., the address of the Cape Girardeau Police Department, where Huffman's body was taken after its discovery.

Most of what was it the letter was "right on the money," Friederich said, including the fact that there had been a dance nearby in Ancell that night.

'Someone got away with murder': Six decades later, identity of Bonnie Huffman's killer remains unknown

Hope fades for solving 1954 Delta, Mo. murder

Find a Grave


bonnie.jpg
 
The letter writer didn't sign it? Why? Why not contact police at the time? I'm skeptical.
 

This is interesting, from the article linked above "Hope Fades for Solving..."

http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/...cle_abbc16bb-e65c-5591-a357-9e5f55a76914.html

Friedrich was particularly interested in an American Legion magazine, dated just days before, found near Huffman's body. It carried the address of a man from St. Louis, who told police he was about 20 miles from Delta that weekend with his nephew. The man couldn't explain how his magazine ended up in Delta. Investigators later learned the nephew was a convicted rapist.

Seems a very unusual coincidence that an out of towner's magazine ended up with the young woman's body when he was in the area visiting for the weekend. And the nephew that was with him was a convicted rapist. The man may have brought the magazine along for something to read during the long drive (St. Louis is about a 2 1/2 hr drive today, probably longer back then) Could have easily fell out of the car when they were dumping her body in the ditch.

It would also fit in with the report from the person who came across the car and two dangerous men late that night.

Could be they followed her around and attacked her. What was the color of their car?

I wonder if, after her friends dropped her off, she went back to see if her boyfriend was at the bar by the bridge? Perhaps she was followed by some unsavory characters as she left.

Killers from out of town might explain why locals have had a difficult time coming up with tips.

Checking Newspapers.com (pay site), the Sikeston newspaper in June of 1956 reports the county judge called a grand jury hearing to discuss the testimony of a Roy Wilson Estes, age 35 from Delta. It appears he wasn't tried, but the article states he provided information in his interview that needed follow up.

https://www.newspapers.com/image/87247573/?terms=Bonnie+Huffman

This article from the StL Post Dispatch written the next day states there were tracks (it was a gravel road) from another car near hers. It appeared her car stopped while moving slowly. The other car had taken off at a high rate of speed.

https://www.newspapers.com/image/139741917/?terms=Bonnie+Huffman

Also, her glasses, purse and necklace were missing. Both earrings were found.

This article from the Sikeston Daily Standard says Roy Wilson Estes gave a "partial confession", but apparently wasn't arrested, per above. Prosecuting attorney was Steven Limbaugh (there are a lot of Limbaughs in that area, Rush is one of them).

https://www.newspapers.com/image/87246336/?terms=Bonnie+Huffman
 

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