NC NC - Elizabeth Turvey Brown, 57, Kitty Hawk, 21 Feb 1977

http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/1450dfnc.html

Elizabeth Turvey Brown
Missing since February 21, 1977 from Kitty Hawk, Dare County, North Carolina.
Classification: Endangered Missing



Vital Statistics

• Date Of Birth: April 4, 1923
• Age at Time of Disappearance: 57 years old
• Height and Weight at Time of Disappearance: 5'8"; 165 lbs.
• Distinguishing Characteristics: Auburn hair; hazel eyes.
• Medical Information: Diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. Under treatment at time of disappearance. She was fully functioning and her illness was not obvious.
• Dentals/fingerprints: Not available

Circumstances of Disappearance
Mrs. Brown was last seen February 21, 1977. Her red/white/blue 1976 Ltd. Edition Vega was found near Kitty Hawk Fishing Pier, NC in a parking lot near (then) Southern Shores Hotel. The keys were in the ignition, her purse, glasses and coat were still inside the vehicle which was found unlocked. Her place of residence was Rocky Mt. NC.”
Neither Rocky Mt. nor Manteo Police departments can locate previous reports. A New Jersey (daughter's then residence) Missing Persons Detective advised she was entered in NCIC as endangered in 1989, but the entry can't be located.

The Lucas and Toole task force also investigated on this case about 1989. They could not "recall" killing her, but from what I've read--I don't put a lot of faith in their confessions or lack of them. They did kill two females in Hurtford and Edgcombe at about the same time. My research indicated they killed young, old, male, female, etc.

I did locate the original Rocky Mt. PD report in 2006 in old family papers and sent it to Rocky Mt. They did note foul play was suspected. The Manteo report was an abandoned vehicle report. The authorities there told my sister, she asked for directions to Va.Beach and got gas. She had a girl friend of many years living in Virginia Beach.
Doesn't seem unusual to have a tiff with the husband and go see a girlfriend. She used to leave. She just always came back. It is referenced in the RMPD report that she "did not buy a bus ticket." At that time, there was only one place in 8 miles open. That was the last place she was seen.

Was the husband ever suspected? Dealing with a schizophrenic must be very taxing, God knows what long-term effect this situation can have on a spouse.

The husband was suspected by the family, but he was never investigated by police nor the car examined! He was an alcoholic and recovering from cancer treatment of 1976 (throat cancer), but he eventually succumbed to the disease a few years later. He continued to deny any involvement. He thinks she just got fed up with him initially; he didn't understand why she contact family. She used to get mad and leave, but always came back or called family.

Although husbands are usually investigated first, he could not have known he would be that lucky. I question now if he would have been physically and/or mentally capable at that time. Before he died, he became a born-again Christian, quit drinking and remarried. I don't rule him out; but I don't necessarily pin her disappearance on him, either. I think he was certainly indirectly responsible.

Ironically, the neighbor was a police sargeant of the RMPD. He supposedly poked around unofficially and found nothing. He was also the person contacted by the husband to make the initial report in Rocky Mount and thereafter his contact for DUI's (until the officer got tired of calls).

"Betty" Brown was a fully functioning adult and had worked at the Edgecome Mental Health Center to 1974 as an executive secretary. Her prior employers included NASA in FL. Her symptoms were mild and her paranoia was exclusive to family issues (re: VA guardianship act to protect her children and husbands fidelity/infidelity). You had to know her very well to realize there was a problem. She quit working in 1974 because she became a grandmother for the first time. She appeared articulate, intelligent and stylish. But when upset, she might be too focused (like being angry) and not as aware of her surroundings as she maybe should be...

Did she know anyone in Kitty Hawk?

From Rocky Mt. to Kitty Hawk is not the fastest way to VA Beach!

We initially thought she might be going to see a long-time friend of hers that lives in Virginia Beach. Kitty Hawk was where she and my father (first husband) were married, so that's a sentimental place to her. But other than the car being found, that's all we have now. I have new cases# and we do have DNA in the Presidential Data Base. My question is then, do all states (especially North Carolina) participate in that? Although our best guess is that she was in NC, it's possible she went or was taken anywhere. Her residence was in Rocky Mt. at the time. I'm not that familiar with the area. We did obtain a map of the area at the time. There didn't seem to be too many ways on and off then.

I contacted the Coroner's office since the initial report I found had that Mother's information would be held there. They said they had nothing on her. There was also a notation about checking in Virginia with a PIN for unidentified females, but there is no further information if it was followed up or not in the Rocky Mt. report.

mcherie said:

We initially thought she might be going to see a long-time friend of hers that lives in Virginia Beach. Kitty Hawk was where she and my father (first husband) were married, so that's a sentimental place to her. But other than the car being found, that's all we have now. I have new cases# and we do have DNA in the Presidential Data Base. My question is then, do all states (especially North Carolina) participate in that? Although our best guess is that she was in NC, it's possible she went or was taken anywhere. Her residence was in Rocky Mt. at the time. I'm not that familiar with the area. We did obtain a map of the area at the time. There didn't seem to be too many ways on and off then.

I contacted the Coroner's office since the initial report I found had that Mother's information would be held there. They said they had nothing on her. There was also a notation about checking in Virginia with a PIN for unidentified females, but there is no further information if it was followed up or not in the Rocky Mt. report.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the info. It's always been a special place to me too. Actually, I just got back.

I first went to OBX as a kid in the early 80's. If you go there now, it would be hard to imagine how different it was then. MUCH less built up.

At first I didn't understand why it said last seen in Kitty Hawk but you said the report about her car was from Manteo. It seems that Kitty Hawk wasn't actually incorporated until 1981 though, so that makes more sense. The Dare County seat is in Manteo and the local sheriff would probably have been responsible for the unincorporated areas. There weren't too many ways in/out then, and that is still true now.

Do you know where she stopped to ask for directions?

Elizabeth Turvey Brown

• Missing Since 02/21/1977
• Missing From Kitty Hawk, North Carolina
• Classification Endangered Missing
• Sex Female
• Race White
• Date of Birth 04/04/1923 (96)
• Age 53 years old
• Height and Weight 5'8, 165 pounds
• Medical Conditions Elizabeth was under treatment for paranoid schizophrenia at the time of her disappearance, but she was fully functional and her illness was not readily apparent.
• Distinguishing Characteristics Caucasian female. Brown hair, hazel eyes. Elizabeth's nickname is Betty.

Details of Disappearance
Elizabeth was last seen in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina on February 21, 1977, when she stopped to ask for directions to Virginia Beach, Virginia. She had just left her husband, Lee Brown, and planned to go stay with a friend in Virginia. She never arrived there and has never been heard from again.

Elizabeth's red, white and blue 1976 Chevrolet Vega was later found unlocked and abandoned in the parking lot of the Southern Shores Hotel, near the Kitty Hawk Fishing Pier. Her purse, hat and coat were inside the vehicle and the keys were in the ignition.

Lee is considered a possible suspect in his wife's disappearance. He waited a week to report her missing, and he was apparently drunk when he identified her car. Months after Elizabeth disappeared, Lee moved to Florida. He is now deceased. The couple's daughter stated she didn't think Lee was involved in Elizabeth's case, because he was recovering from surgery when she went missing.

Few details are available in Brown's case, but foul play is suspected. She resided on Pelham Road in Rocky Mount, North Carolina in 1977.

Elizabeth Turvey Brown – The Charley Project

Fighting Crime News and Who's Wanted

Bumping for Elizabeth as we approach the 45th anniversary...