MN MN - Barbara Paciotti, 20, Hibbing, 14 June 1969

PonderingThings

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http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/1805dfmn.html
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Barbara Jean Paciotti
Missing since June 14, 1969 from Hibbing, Minnesota
Classification: Endangered Missing

Vital Statistics

* Age at Time of Disappearance: 20 years old
* Height and Weight at Time of Disappearance: 4'11"; 98 lbs.
* Distinguishing Characteristics: White female. Dark brown hair; brown eyes.
* Clothing: She was wearing a rust-colored jacket over a red plaid dress, a pair of loafers and rings of jade and topaz when last seen.

************************************************
http://www.hibbingmn.com/dailytribune/index.php?sect_rank=1&story_id=207696

Unraveling a mystery
Kelly Grinsteinner
The Daily Tribune
Monday, December 12th, 2005

HIBBING — Local law enforcement authorities have released more information relative to the disappearance of Barbara Jean Paciotti in 1969, including naming their prime suspect.

Former Hibbing resident Jeffrey Dolinich, 62, of Coon Rapids, Minn., has been formally identified as the last person to see Paciotti alive on the night of June 14, 1969.

“As of now, we have no other suspects,” said Hibbing Police Chief Barbara Mitchell. “He was cooperating with law enforcement but has since retained an attorney.”

The Hibbing Police Department announced late Thursday that it has resumed its investigation into the disappearance of the 20-year-old Hibbingite. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Department have also been assisting in the case.

Mitchell, along with lead investigator Dale Wright, said Friday that the case file has long been under review. But why now?

“We felt there was more that we could do,” said Wright. “We had more leads and more people to talk to. We mainly tried to talk to different parties to see what they recall of that time period.”

Investigation teams were deployed earlier this week to follow up the leads and conduct interviews. Among those questioned were family members and friends of Dolinich, his employer and co-workers, among others. Surviving members of the Paciotti family also have been involved.

“We felt there was more that could be done with this case as far as investigation materials and new kinds of investigative technologies, such as DNA testing,” said Mitchell. “We are hopeful that with the evidence was have in the case and these types of new technologies, we can bring this case to a close.”

Paciotti and Dolinich were said to be dating at the time. She was last seen in downtown near Sammy’s Pizza (now the Mane Salon), where a close friend watched her get into a 1964 Oldsmobile being driven by Dolinich.

Paciotti was residing in Minneapolis at the time but in town visiting her parents, Betty and Fabian Paciotti, for the weekend visit and in celebration of Father’s Day. She had been working as a secretary for an investment firm for about a year.

According to earlier newspaper articles, Paciotti had planned to meet with a former boyfriend that Friday evening. While driving around with her close friend, the pair came across Dolinich in the downtown area and bypassed him.

Hours later, Dolinich walked up to their vehicle while paused at a downtown stoplight and began talking with Paciotti. She went with Dolinich just after midnight and was never seen again.

Later that day, officers of the Minneapolis Police Department were called by Dolinich’s family members to check on his welfare. He was living in an apartment in Minneapolis and had returned some time that day.

Dolinich was located by law enforcement a few blocks from his apartment shortly thereafter. According to reports, a short chase ensued. Dolinich was soon apprehended and returned with officers to his apartment.

While being questioned, Dolinich told officers that he and Paciotti took a ride around 1:30 a.m. He said they had an argument, which prompted him to exit the car. A specified location of the stop was not given.

Dolinich went on to tell officers that he recalled hitting Paciotti once, and that he was sure she was dead. He remembers waking up in Mora, Minn., but not where he left Paciotti.
 
Hi PonderingThings,

Please be careful about posting an entire article from a news paper, due to copyright laws. Post a portion of the article and post the link to the story. ;)

This is a very interesting case. Someone must have come forward with new info. I love it when the old cases start getting new attention.

Thanks for posting all these interesting cases.

Welcome to Web Sleuths. :dance: Glad to have you here. :D
 
Yaya said:
Hi PonderingThings,

Please be careful about posting an entire article from a news paper, due to copyright laws. Post a portion of the article and post the link to the story. ;)

This is a very interesting case. Someone must have come forward with new info. I love it when the old cases start getting new attention.

Thanks for posting all these interesting cases.

Welcome to Web Sleuths. :dance: Glad to have you here. :D
Thank you for the Welcome Yaya. I do understand about the copyright laws... but I am referencing the source. The problem with newspaper stories is they don't "live long" on the net... usually its only about 14 days then the information disappears. There are sometimes opportunities to salvage some of the information, but not always.

If I'm not mistaken copyright laws do allow the posting of such information for "reference uses". Since the news articles are not being published on this forum for resale, it would be difficult to claim infringement. That is my understanding of the laws, the forum rules may differ.
 
Barbara Jean Paciotti
Missing since June 14, 1969 from Hibbing, Louis County, Minnesota
Classification: Endangered Missing

Vital Statistics

Age at Time of Disappearance: 20 years old
Height and Weight at Time of Disappearance: 4'11"; 98 lbs.
Distinguishing Characteristics: White female. Dark brown hair; brown eyes.
Clothing: She was wearing a rust-colored jacket over a red plaid dress, a pair of loafers and rings of jade and topaz when last seen.

Circumstances of Disappearance

Paciotti was last seen in downtown near Sammy’s Pizza (now the Mane Salon), where a close friend watched her get into a 1964 Oldsmobile being driven by a suspect she had been dating.

Paciotti was residing in Minneapolis at the time but in town visiting her parents, for the weekend visit and in celebration of Father’s Day. She had been working as a secretary for an investment firm for about a year.

Later that day, officers of the Minneapolis Police Department were called by the suspect's family members to check on his welfare. He was living in an apartment in Minneapolis and had returned some time that day. He was located by law enforcement a few blocks from his apartment shortly thereafter. According to reports, a short chase ensued. The suspect was soon apprehended and returned with officers to his apartment.

While being questioned, the suspect told officers that he and Paciotti took a ride around 1:30 a.m. He said they had an argument, which prompted him to exit the car. A specified location of the stop was not given. The suspect went on to tell officers that he recalled hitting Paciotti once, and that he was sure she was dead. He remembers waking up in Mora, Minnesota, but not where he left Paciotti.

Officers noticed muddied clothing and shoes lying on the apartment floor. Mud and grass covered a pair of pants that the suspect claimed he had been wearing earlier that morning.

The suspect's vehicle, which belonged to his father, was searched. Officers located a purse with one of its straps detached. Inside the purse, they found Paciotti’s identification. The suspect was not arrested at the time.

A day later, the Minneapolis Homicide Unit received word from family members that the suspect had penned a suicide note. Family also told officers they had spoken to him about Paciotti and what may have occurred, adding that he did not remember much. He was admitted to a hospital for observation. A search warrant was executed by Minneapolis officers on June 19, 1969. The suspect's roommate informed them that the muddied pants and shoes in question were taken by the suspect's mother. The shoes were located some time after but the pants never were. Officers attempted to question the suspect about his involvement with Paciotti on June 20, 1969, but were unsuccessful.

At the same time, several massive ground searches were mobilized in the Hibbing area, but raised no leads. Three reports were received via phone that a vehicle was seen on Highway 73 with its headlights on in the early hours of the morning on June 14. The reports place the vehicle about one mile south of the Maple Hill overpass. It is unknown whether the vehicle was occupied at the time. Paciotti was never found. The case was eventually suspended.

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

Hibbing Police Department
Investigator Dale Wright
263-3601

Email: police@ci.hibbing.mn.us

Source Information:
The Daily Tribune
The Doe Network: Case File 1805DFMN

LINK:

http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/1805dfmn.html
 
http://unsolveditn.blogspot.com/2009/08/cold-case-spotlight-barbara-paciotti.html

August 7, 2009 (in case the actual MSM link is broken in future, this person has a wonderful blog. A lot of the text can be seen at link above, but not all)

Included in link above is a MSM link which is:

http://www.myfoxtwincities.com/dpp/news/minnesota/Cold_Case_Barbara_Paciotti_Hibbing_Aug_3_2009
Video available. dated august 3, 2009. Brother Greg (only surviving family member gives interview).

Around 1:45 am on June 14, 1969, the 20-year-old was driving around downtown Hibbing with a friend when she was approached by her boyfriend Jeffrey Dolinich.

Police say Dolinich is the only suspect they’ve ever had.

Her purse was found in Dolinich's car. Donlinich wrote a letter the next day and said something terrible happened but he couldn't remember what it was. He admitted to having hit Barbara.

With no confession and no body they could never charge him back then.
 
http://unsolveditn.blogspot.com/2009/08/cold-case-spotlight-barbara-paciotti.html

August 7, 2009 (in case the actual MSM link is broken in future, this person has a wonderful blog. A lot of the text can be seen at link above, but not all)

Included in link above is a MSM link which is:

http://www.myfoxtwincities.com/dpp/news/minnesota/Cold_Case_Barbara_Paciotti_Hibbing_Aug_3_2009
Video available. dated august 3, 2009. Brother Greg (only surviving family member gives interview).


Her purse was found in Dolinich's car. Donlinich wrote a letter the next day and said something terrible happened but he couldn't remember what it was. He admitted to having hit Barbara.

With no confession and no body they could never charge him back then.

What is the status of Jeffrey Dolinich at this time? Has he ever changed his alibi over the years?

Satch
 
Barbara Jean Paciotti, 20, Missing since June 14, 1969 from Hibbing, MN

Barbara Jean Paciotti
Missing since June 14, 1969 from Hibbing, St. Louis County, Minnesota
Classification: Endangered Missing

Vital Statistics

Date Of Birth: March 11, 1949
Age at Time of Disappearance: 20 years old
Height and Weight at Time of Disappearance: 4'11"; 98 lbs.
Distinguishing Characteristics: White female. Dark brown hair; brown eyes.
Clothing: She was wearing a rust-colored jacket over a red plaid dress, a pair of loafers and rings of jade and topaz when last seen.
Dentals: Available (Charting).
DNA: Available.

Circumstances of Disappearance

Paciotti was last seen in downtown near Sammy’s Pizza (now the Mane Salon), where a close friend watched her get into a 1964 Oldsmobile being driven by a suspect she had been dating.Paciotti was residing in Minneapolis at the time but in town visiting her parents, for the weekend visit and in celebration of Father’s Day. She had been working as a secretary for an investment firm for about a year. Later that day, officers of the Minneapolis Police Department were called by the suspect's family members to check on his welfare. He was living in an apartment in Minneapolis and had returned some time that day. He was located by law enforcement a few blocks from his apartment shortly thereafter. According to reports, a short chase ensued. The suspect was soon apprehended and returned with officers to his apartment.

While being questioned, the suspect told officers that he and Paciotti took a ride around 01:30 a.m. He said they had an argument, which prompted him to exit the car. A specified location of the stop was not given. The suspect went on to tell officers that he recalled hitting Paciotti once, and that he was sure she was dead. He remembers waking up in Mora, Minnesota, but not where he left Paciotti.

Officers noticed muddied clothing and shoes lying on the apartment floor. Mud and grass covered a pair of pants that the suspect claimed he had been wearing earlier that morning. The suspect's vehicle, which belonged to his father, was searched. Officers located a purse with one of its straps detached. Inside the purse, they found Paciotti’s identification. The suspect was not arrested at the time.

A day later, the Minneapolis Homicide Unit received word from family members that the suspect had penned a suicide note. Family also told officers they had spoken to him about Paciotti and what may have occurred, adding that he did not remember much. He was admitted to a hospital for observation. A search warrant was executed by Minneapolis officers on June 19, 1969.

The suspect's roommate informed them that the muddied pants and shoes in question were taken by the suspect's mother. The shoes were located some time after but the pants never were. Officers attempted to question the suspect about his involvement with Paciotti on June 20, 1969, but were unsuccessful. At the same time, several massive ground searches were mobilized in the Hibbing area, but raised no leads.

Three reports were received via phone that a vehicle was seen on Highway 73 with its headlights on in the early hours of the morning on June 14. The reports place the vehicle about one mile south of the Maple Hill overpass. It is unknown whether the vehicle was occupied at the time. Paciotti was never found. The case was eventually suspended.

Investigators

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

Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Cold Case Unit
1-877-996-6222

Email: bca.coldcase@state.mn.us

or

Hibbing Police Department
Investigator Dale Wright
263-3601

Email: police@ci.hibbing.mn.us

Source Information:

The Daily Tribune
NamUs MP #11036
Charley Project
The Doe Network: Case File 1805DFMN

LINK:

http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/1805dfmn.html
 
Dolinich approached the car and asked Paciotti if she would come with him so he could speak with her. The two were seen leaving in a 1964 green Oldsmobile; it was the last she was seen alive. On June 14, Dolinich was questioned by police, and he said he had been out drinking on June 13. He acknowledged leaving Hibbing with Barbara, that the two had argued, he struck her and he thought she was dead. Police found Barbara’s purse inside Dolinich’s vehicle. The suspect also wrote a letter addressed one day after she disappeared. In the letter he writes “something terrible happened to which I have no recall”.


http://www.rewardstv.net/tag/barbara-paciotti/
 
I don't understand why Dolinich wasn't charged with her murder. He was the last one to see her alive. Admitted he hit her, wrote a suicide note and said something terrible had happened that night then checked himself into a psychiatric hospital.

There was physical evidence. Her purse in his car, his clothes with grass stain, and mud on his shoes. His mother cleaned everything up after the police saw it and before they returned with a search warrant.

Unbelievable!
 
Paciotti was last seen in the early morning hours of June 14, 1969, in the downtown Hibbing area.

The 20-year-old Hibbing native was visiting her parents, Betty and Fabian Paciotti, in Hibbing for a weekend visit and celebration of Father’s Day. She had been residing in Minneapolis, where she had worked as a secretary for an investment firm for about a year.

http://www.hibbingmn.com/news/local/article_887ba81c-d55f-11e2-b55a-0019bb2963f4.html
 
"$50,000 Reward Offered in 1969 Hibbing Cold Case"

http://kstp.com/article/stories/s3824276.shtml

Paciotti was 20 and lived in Minneapolis at the time. She returned to Hibbing to visit for Father's Day; she and a friend were driving about 1:45 a.m. June 14 after a night out when they ran into her former boyfriend, Jeff Dolinich.

Dolinich and Paciotti left in a 1964 green Oldsmobile, and she was never seen again. Dolinich told police the two argued and that he hit her, but he had no memory of where she was. His pants were covered in grass and mud. Dolinich told police he awoke in Mora on the morning of June 14.

barbarapaciotti.jpg
 
Seems like Jeffrey Dolinich has skated along free for over 45 years. Is he still living? If so, he would now be in his early 70's.

Kind of hard to believe that Barbara would have left her purse behind. The fact that it was found still in the vehicle and had a broken strap (from a tussle between Dolinich and her, perhaps?) says quite a bit along with the condition of Dolinich's clothing from the night in question, him running from officers and later admitting striking Barbara at least once.

Interesting that Dolinich's mother took his clothing from the apartment. Seems as though that would at least be worth a charge of tampering with evidence against her.
 
Seems like Jeffrey Dolinich has skated along free for over 45 years. Is he still living? If so, he would now be in his early 70's.

Kind of hard to believe that Barbara would have left her purse behind. The fact that it was found still in the vehicle and had a broken strap (from a tussle between Dolinich and her, perhaps?) says quite a bit along with the condition of Dolinich's clothing from the night in question, him running from officers and later admitting striking Barbara at least once.

Interesting that Dolinich's mother took his clothing from the apartment. Seems as though that would at least be worth a charge of tampering with evidence against her.

Interesting that Dolinich's family called police to check up on him, that he ran and had vague memories of what happened the night before and no idea how he got to where he woke up...seems he had mental and emotional problems and may have been an alcoholic, not stable
 
yes agree...strong circumstantial evidence and no other real suspect at all...seems like they bungled this one back then
 
I would hope this case belongs with either state or federal LE, rather than the Hibbing police. Why? Steve Dolinich, the nephew of Jeffrey Dolinich, is an investigator with Hibbing police. I would not suggest Steve Dolinich is anything but honest, but justice needs to be seen to be done - and that includes making sure any potential conflicts of interest are avoided.
 
I was a young lad of 7 years when this occurred in my home town of Hibbing, MN. This was a really big deal in the summer of 1969. It remains to this day as probably the town's greatest mystery of all time.
After nearly 49 years, few people younger than me remember the incident.
If there is anybody left out there with any information about this case, please reach out.
I am trying to determine exact times that the suspects vehicle was reported on the side of highway 73 south of Hibbing, MN on the morning of June 14th, 1969.
It's never too late.
 

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