MO MO - Dixie Forrester, 30, Springfield, 11 June 1971

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1703702171414.png

Image from article on June 28, 1971

Dixie May Forrester

Greene County, Missouri
30 year old white female

Height: 65 inches
Weight 112 lbs
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Hazel
Subject had upper and lower false teeth.

Dixie dropped her daughter off for babysitting at a cousin's house in Springfield, MO on 07-11-71. Later that evening Dixie's vehicle was located abandoned near the intersection of Atlantic St and Missouri Ave in Springfield, MO. Dixie has not been seen since that date.


<MOD NOTE: Several original links throughout the thread were broken and have been edited to include the current link (when available) and images as of December 27, 2023>
 
Last edited by a moderator:
1703702268354.pngImage from article on June 28, 1971

Dixie May Forrester

Greene County, Missouri
30 year old white female

Height: 65 inches
Weight 112 lbs
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Hazel
Subject had upper and lower false teeth.

Dixie dropped her daughter off for babysitting at a cousin's house in Springfield, MO on 07-11-71. Later that evening Dixie's vehicle was located abandoned near the intersection of Atlantic St and Missouri Ave in Springfield, MO. Dixie has not been seen since that date.


Here is a link to an article about her case in the Springfield News Leader

Article clipped from Springfield Leader and Press

Apologies, I'm still trying to find a way to share these articles here for those who don't subscribe to Newspapers.com. Any suggestions are appreciated.

Police arrested a man about a week later in connection with her disappearance. His name had been mentioned to them by several people, including her father. An officer responding to a disturbance call had also gotten information about her disappearance from one of the persons involved.

She was a clerk in a local liquor store before she disappeared. A man named West Thoman was arrested and questioned.

Her father was the one who contacted police and is taking care of her daughter. No word of what came of Mr. Thoman's arrest.

Another article 09 Oct 1971

https://www.newspapers.com/image/310879972/?terms=Dixie+Forrester

Just the same details on the man's arrest and interrogation. Dixie's car was found near his apartment.


Article from 16 Jun 1971

https://www.newspapers.com/image/305630466/?terms=Dixie+Forrester

Article describes how Dixie's father is still searching for her. No new information.


28 Jun 1971

https://www.newspapers.com/image/305645251/?terms=Dixie+Forrester

Another article with the photo posted at NAMUS with her father asking for help in finding her. He says he is taking care of her 6 yo daughter Michel, who is sick.

Dixie drove a 1955 Chevy station wagon. Her father says at the time she disappeared, she was wearing her hair in a "short cut".

That's all I could find. No word as to whether the man they arrested was tried for the crime. Sad story, it sounds like he may have been involved but local police couldn't get enough evidence. From the wording in one of the articles, it sounds like there may have been more than one person involved in her disappearance.
 
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West Thoman is the street in Springfield where the suspect was arrested rather than his name. Apparently the man arrested was her ex husband. This information comes from https://charleyross.wordpress.com/2015/11/27/flashback-friday-dixie-forrester/ . Dixie was actually married twice; firstly to William (Bill) Turner and secondly to Edward Chummingham (who was the father of her son). The husbands come from a family tree on Ancestry but I am pretty sure the name of the 2nd husband is Cunningham, as this shows on the Social Security index record for her death. Unfortunately I cannot find anything else on Cunningham. I cannot find whether she was married at the time of her death, but I would guess that the ex referred to being arrested would be Edward Cunningham since the first marriage must have ended some years previously. She was actually 31 when she went missing (her DoB is 10 August 1939, this from Ancestry).
 
West Thoman is the street in Springfield where the suspect was arrested rather than his name. Apparently the man arrested was her ex husband. This information comes from https://charleyross.wordpress.com/2015/11/27/flashback-friday-dixie-forrester/ . Dixie was actually married twice; firstly to William (Bill) Turner and secondly to Edward Chummingham (who was the father of her son). The husbands come from a family tree on Ancestry but I am pretty sure the name of the 2nd husband is Cunningham, as this shows on the Social Security index record for her death. Unfortunately I cannot find anything else on Cunningham. I cannot find whether she was married at the time of her death, but I would guess that the ex referred to being arrested would be Edward Cunningham since the first marriage must have ended some years previously. She was actually 31 when she went missing (her DoB is 10 August 1939, this from Ancestry).

Thanks very much for your correction and digging up info on her previous marriages! I made a transcription error, sometimes its difficult reading the print on those old newspaper stories. So now we need to check out Edward Cunningham. Wonder if he had any kind of criminal record? Wonder if they brought him in for questioning and he gave them an alibi for that night. So many cold cases are solved just by going back and rechecking people's alibis.

Also, does it seem odd that the news or LE didn't mention the name of the ex husband who apparently was a major suspect?
 
Current NAMUS link (without redirect): The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

Original
 
I think there's a mistake about the disappearance date: Charley Project says it was on 11th of July, but most of the newspapers say her father reported the disappearance on 11th of June.
Is there any info about why Dixie was going to meet with her ex husband? Maybe to talk about child support?
 
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Some information from social security applications and claims index, note 1970 name listed Dixie Turner

Name: Dixie May Forrester[Dixie May Cunningham][Dixie Turner][Dixie Forrester]
Gender: Female
Birth Date: 10 Aug 1939
Birth Place: Springfield, Missouri
Death Date: Jun 1971
Father: Alphis L Forrester
Mother: Cloma V Player
SSN: 496427474
Notes: Mar 1956: Name listed as DIXIE MAY FORRESTER; Feb 1960: Name listed as DIXIE MAY CUNNINGHAM; Nov 1970: Name listed as DIXIE TURNER; 31 Dec 1987: Name listed as DIXIE FORRESTER
 
Could you provide a link to the Missing Persons Facebook page? Thanks!

Nevermind, I see it in your post above. Thank you!

If the person who posted the information is the son of the man who killed Dixie, his frustration is somewhat understandable. He claims to have reached out to local LE. He was a young kid when he claims to have witnessed her death. Hopefully his story can be verified. If his story is accurate, it would have been a traumatic experience.

I wonder if any local reporters would be interested in looking into the story?
 
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