CA CA - Edith Bonham, 77, Monrovia, 8 Oct 1979

[Gardener1850]

Edith Irene Bonham
Los Angeles County, California
77 year old white female

Height (inches)	62.0
Weight (pounds)	100.0

Hair: Gray or Partially Gray
Eyes: Brown; Glasses.

Pierced Ears
Full dentures with lower right tooth missing.

She was last seen in Monrovia, California on October 8, 1979.


https://www.findthemissing.org/en/cases/24712/

 

[ohthatkatgirl]

Some more information regarding Edith's disappearance and police usage of a clairvoyant.

 

[CastlesBurning]

Bumping for Edith...it's now been 41 years.

 

[Tx2akgrown]

Some more information regarding Edith's disappearance and police usage of a clairvoyant.

Where were you able to find this

 

[Tx2akgrown]

Looking for help or information for my best friends great grandma Edith Irene Bonham 77 Monrovia CA 1979 missing still along with her 1970 green chevy nova. I am all open to any advice or help cuz the detective that actually communicated with us has now retired and can not get any response from the new one. Thanks in advance

 

[WingsOverTX]

Looking for help or information for my best friends great grandma Edith Irene Bonham 77 Monrovia CA 1979 missing still along with her 1970 green chevy nova. I am all open to any advice or help cuz the detective that actually communicated with us has now retired and can not get any response from the new one. Thanks in advance

Welcome to Websleuths! You may want to become a Verified Insider (VI) so you can share what you know without prefacing it as your opinion. If your best friend is able to participate, he/she could also join the thread, perhaps? If you need info about becoming a VI, you can use the report option to ask a moderator for help.

It's a wonderful thing you are doing and I hope the great contributors here are able to help you solve the mystery of what happened to Edith.

She happens to be born the same year as my paternal grandmother, so that caught my eye!

I am curious about the following:
+ Her maiden name & her ex-husband's name.

+ Are her sons still living? Were they her only children? What are their names?

+ Because of the LA Times story shared here, I am wondering if her sons, grandchildren, neighbors, friends, etc., talked to the media? Maybe there are other stories with clues?

Is there a police file with any info or research that can be shared here? From other cases posted at WS, comparison with NAMUS records of unidentified bodies (UIDs) can help. DNA can also help with the search of UIDs.

I have no particular expertise except general research skills. But I hope this forum can help you find Edith.

MOO

 

[WingsOverTX]

Screenshot from CA Dept of Justice website.

Edith Irene Bonham

oag.ca.gov

 

[WingsOverTX]

The Doe Network: Case File 742DFCA

 

[Tx2akgrown]

Welcome to Websleuths! You may want to become a Verified Insider (VI) so you can share what you know without prefacing it as your opinion. If your best friend is able to participate, he/she could also join the thread, perhaps? If you need info about becoming a VI, you can use the report option to ask a moderator for help.

It's a wonderful thing you are doing and I hope the great contributors here are able to help you solve the mystery of what happened to Edith.

She happens to be born the same year as my paternal grandmother, so that caught my eye!

I am curious about the following:
+ Her maiden name & her ex-husband's name.

+ Are her sons still living? Were they her only children? What are their names?

+ Because of the LA Times story shared here, I am wondering if her sons, grandchildren, neighbors, friends, etc., talked to the media? Maybe there are other stories with clues?

Is there a police file with any info or research that can be shared here? From other cases posted at WS, comparison with NAMUS records of unidentified bodies (UIDs) can help. DNA can also help with the search of UIDs.

I have no particular expertise except general research skills. But I hope this forum can help you find Edith.

MOO

i will start out with thanks for ur advice and most def your help. my own research has been minimal cuz california does not make it easy lol. Maiden name is Bosler, she married Clarence Cockrell whom passed and then she married Eugene C Bonham and they divorced in 69. Her son Raymond passed in 93 and Maurice(my friends grandpa) passed 2yrs ago. i have also spent time looking for other similar cases and unidentified but its tough cuz Maurice's wife Doris is the only person we know living that knew Edith but recently found someone on ancestry but my friend is hesitant to contact them being they do not know one another. Doris has been helpful tho with confirming things for me Monrovia Police Dept case #79-17683 the detective that actually contacted me back is now retired and the new one on the case is Jose Pacheco 626-256-8043. I have tons of random information im just not sure what to do with. we live in texas and seems like everyone else in family she knew lived or lives in california. so far the only living person i have found that knew edith was raymonds adopted daughter Marshelia Sue Cockrell and i think she lives at the address her father had last when he passed which was glendale ca. i also have articles that i have not had time to search yet other than dates and names of newspaper it was in, would those be helpful? i do know that before Maurice passed dna was collected and sent to monrovia police dept since he was the last living blood relative.

 

[Tx2akgrown]

Welcome to Websleuths! You may want to become a Verified Insider (VI) so you can share what you know without prefacing it as your opinion. If your best friend is able to participate, he/she could also join the thread, perhaps? If you need info about becoming a VI, you can use the report option to ask a moderator for help.

It's a wonderful thing you are doing and I hope the great contributors here are able to help you solve the mystery of what happened to Edith.

She happens to be born the same year as my paternal grandmother, so that caught my eye!

I am curious about the following:
+ Her maiden name & her ex-husband's name.

+ Are her sons still living? Were they her only children? What are their names?

+ Because of the LA Times story shared here, I am wondering if her sons, grandchildren, neighbors, friends, etc., talked to the media? Maybe there are other stories with clues?

Is there a police file with any info or research that can be shared here? From other cases posted at WS, comparison with NAMUS records of unidentified bodies (UIDs) can help. DNA can also help with the search of UIDs.

I have no particular expertise except general research skills. But I hope this forum can help you find Edith.

MOO

Edith Irene Bonham – The Charley Project

 

[WingsOverTX]

i will start out with thanks for ur advice and most def your help. my own research has been minimal cuz california does not make it easy lol. Maiden name is Bosler, she married Clarence Cockrell whom passed and then she married Eugene C Bonham and they divorced in 69. Her son Raymond passed in 93 and Maurice(my friends grandpa) passed 2yrs ago. i have also spent time looking for other similar cases and unidentified but its tough cuz Maurice's wife Doris is the only person we know living that knew Edith but recently found someone on ancestry but my friend is hesitant to contact them being they do not know one another. Doris has been helpful tho with confirming things for me Monrovia Police Dept case #79-17683 the detective that actually contacted me back is now retired and the new one on the case is Jose Pacheco 626-256-8043. I have tons of random information im just not sure what to do with. we live in texas and seems like everyone else in family she knew lived or lives in california. so far the only living person i have found that knew edith was raymonds adopted daughter Marshelia Sue Cockrell and i think she lives at the address her father had last when he passed which was glendale ca. i also have articles that i have not had time to search yet other than dates and names of newspaper it was in, would those be helpful? i do know that before Maurice passed dna was collected and sent to monrovia police dept since he was the last living blood relative.

I have summarized the great details you have provided about her family & DNA.

EDITH IRENE BONHAM

Maiden name: Bosler

Married: Clarence Cockrell whom passed and then married Eugene C Bonham and they divorced in 1969

Son: Raymond Cockrell passed in 1993; adopted daughter Marshelia Sue Cockrell and i think she lives at the address her father had last when he passed which was Glendale, Ca.

Son: Maurice Cockrell was my friends grandpa & passed in 2021; his wife Doris is the only person we know living that knew Edith (has been helpful with confirming things for me)

DNA: before her son Maurice passed DNA was collected and sent to monrovia police dept since he was the last living blood relative.

 

[Tx2akgrown]

I have summarized the great details you have provided about her family & DNA.

EDITH IRENE BONHAM

Maiden name: Bosler

Married: Clarence Cockrell whom passed and then married Eugene C Bonham and they divorced in 1969

Son: Raymond Cockrell passed in 1993; adopted daughter Marshelia Sue Cockrell and i think she lives at the address her father had last when he passed which was Glendale, Ca.

Son: Maurice Cockrell was my friends grandpa & passed in 2021; his wife Doris is the only person we know living that knew Edith (has been helpful with confirming things for me)

DNA: before her son Maurice passed DNA was collected and sent to monrovia police dept since he was the last living blood relative.

i have more if needed

 

[Sillybilly]

For members wishing to apply for approval as a Verified case insider, please read why Websleuths has such a policy in place, and how to apply by visiting Verification Process for Professional or Insider Posters .

It is a very quick and simple process that takes about 2 days max for it to be reviewed and a decision made, and once Verified, the Verified case insider (VI) may then post about their knowledge of the case without having to provide links to what they state as fact. (If a member is not Verified, they must provide links to all information they state as fact.)

 

[Sillybilly]

Tx2akgrown has been verified as a friend of Bonham family members. As a VI, they do not have to provide links to what they state as fact about this case. In all other respects, VIs are held to the same Terms of Service as all other members.

Please treat Tx2akgrown with respect at all times. Do not bicker with them or challenge them. Members may ask questions but if the VI is not able to answer them for whatever reason, don't press them for more info.

It's been such a very long time that Edith has been missing without resolution for family members. Thank you to everyone for being here to discuss this Edith's case.

 

[WingsOverTX]

Potential match found in 1981. Age description is off but other details match. Maybe worth a call to the Mountain View PD?

Do you recognize any of these Bay Area John and Jane Does?

In the last 50 years hundreds of unidentified bodies have been found in the Bay Area....

www.sfgate.com

 

[Tx2akgrown]

Potential match found in 1981. Age description is off but other details match. Maybe worth a call to the Mountain View PD?

View attachment 345840

Do you recognize any of these Bay Area John and Jane Does?

In the last 50 years hundreds of unidentified bodies have been found in the Bay Area....

www.sfgate.com

I have actually gone back and looked at this exact one several times and they now have a newer version of it. I have a pic of Edith and sure seems like the features are very close....dont u think?

 

[WingsOverTX]

I have actually gone back and looked at this exact one several times and they now have a newer version of it. I have a pic of Edith and sure seems like the features are very close....dont u think?

Wow. The similarity is pretty amazing. Are you planning to contact the Mountainview police?

If so, please share what you find out here. It would be incredible to have some closure after so many years although the "why" is still concerning.

Best wishes.

 

[meanmaryjean]

When an older person goes missing with their vehicle (esp. one of limited means/ no known enemies, etc.) - you always have to consider water.

It seems like every week Adventures with a Purpose or some other group is finding the long-missing in bodies of water - many of which you might not expect could conceal a vehicle for a long time.

Just a thought.

 

[LouLou74]

The DOE wore a full upper denture and a partial lower one; all remaining teeth had fillings.

Edith had full dentures with lower right tooth missing.

??

 

[WingsOverTX]

The DOE wore a full upper denture and a partial lower one; all remaining teeth had fillings.

Edith had full dentures with lower right tooth missing.

??

The estimated age of the deceased is also not a match to Edith, who was 77 when she disappeared.

A rule out on this one is easy. The PD that has the records can be contacted. If confirmed it is definitely not Edith, the search continues.

Personally, I am intrigued by the reconstruction being so similar to the family OP's photo and the limited details of the Jane Doe that are a partial match.

Location where the skull was found is far from La Habra, her potential last location not too far from Monrovia, where she lived. So who knows?

I am not that familiar with researching UIDs. Some folks here at WS who are more active in that type of research could help in terms of finding potential matches.

Maybe @Springrain?

MOO