Found Deceased GA - Kyle Clinkscales, 23, LaGrange, 27 Jan 1976 *car found in 2021*

[Julessleuther]

Do we know anything more about Kyles background? Did he ever live in Indiana or have family there that they may have visited, thus, the Indiana memories? Is/was Kyles family Catholic? Are they remotely related to the Powell family? I can try and research ancestry.com

I do not think they look alike, but am still intrigued by the possibility, as it does seem BK has alot of "southern style" culinary tastes.

 

[believe09]

The civilian tipster I spoke with regarding Kyle Clinkscales as a possible match was kind enough to photocopy a book written by Kyle's father regarding missing persons in the US and Kyle's case in particular. I am going to excerpt the book regarding the little bit of information on Kyle's background:

• Kyle's DOB was 10/2/53. He was born at St Marys in Montgomery AL.
• When he was two, the family relocated to Chicago, IL.
• When he was 5, the family relocated to the Philadelphia PA area.
• When he was 6, they moved to Atlanta, GA.
• When he was around 9, they moved to LaGrange, Ga and stayed there.
• Kyle was devoted to basketball for most of his life. He started to play when he was 9 and held tickets to attend a basketball game the weekend after he disappeared.
• Kyle spent 3 quarters at Auburn University and then transferred to LaGrange College in 1972.
• Kyle withdrew from college in 1975 and moved in to a trailer with the owner of a photography shop in La Grange. The owner eventually sold the shop and the trailer, and Kyle moved home.
• Kyle re-enrolled at Auburn in the fall.
• Kyle routinely skipped classes and had d's or incompletes for grades regardless of where he went to school.
• Kyle's father was an avid camper who established a group called Troup Travelers.

Please keep in mind that these statements are all being made by his father, so as far as I know they have not been independently verified.

 

[believe09]

Mr. Kyle tells me that GBI has RULED OUT the possible match. I am trying to get more information-was it based on DNA etc....

 

[believe09]

:waitasec:

Mr. Kyle does not know how the rule out was done.

 

[Julessleuther]

That is a shame. The Chicago connection made it even more intriguing. Thank you Believe for putting this out there and for your hard work.

Mr. Kyle tells me that GBI has RULED OUT the possible match. I am trying to get more information-was it based on DNA etc....

 

[believe09]

The GBI agent I spoke with told me that no formal rule out was made; neither was there any formal consideration given to the possibility. Kyle Clinkscales MtDNA is at the GBI crime lab. There are dental records for him as well-I cannot tell whether those have been lost over the years from having been sent from one agency to another. I believe Benjaman's MtDNA is being held at another facility....not the University of North Texas.


I had received an email from Nurse B indicating that Sheriff Nixon and the GBI crime lab were looking to make a DNA comparison between Kyle and BK-I wonder what happened???

So confusing, lol....

 

[Julessleuther]

What the heck? Do they do not even want to consider it? Maybe they have compelling evidence of Kyles death, so feel this is not a match?

The GBI agent I spoke with told me that no formal rule out was made; neither was there any formal consideration given to the possibility. Kyle Clinkscales MtDNA is at the GBI crime lab. There are dental records for him as well-I cannot tell whether those have been lost over the years from having been sent from one agency to another. I believe Benjaman's MtDNA is being held at another facility....not the University of North Texas.


I had received an email from Nurse B indicating that Sheriff Nixon and the GBI crime lab were looking to make a DNA comparison between Kyle and BK-I wonder what happened???

So confusing, lol....

 

[believe09]

What the heck? Do they do not even want to consider it? Maybe they have compelling evidence of Kyles death, so feel this is not a match?

You could be right Jules-but for sure they do not have a body. I am living in a dreamworld clearly where things are checked just so someone like me doesn't have any questions, lol!!!!!

 

[dreamweaver]

Well, a topsy turvy day in the world of dna match or not.

 

[believe09]

I am still trying to verify the grounds that ruled out this match-as soon as I get anything I will post it!

 

[Richard]

It has been several years since anyone has posted on this thread. The case is now 35 years old.

While police made some arrests in this case, to my knowledge, the victim's body has never been found. Does anyone have any updates?

 

[galateasca]

Bumping for Kyle...one of my pet cases when I was Georgia AD for Doe.

 

[information junkie]

Bumping-any new info?

 

[creepedout]

No confirmed connection yet, but skeletal remains were found in LaGrange.

https://www.websleuths.com/forums/s...letal-Remains-Found-on-Fulton-Street-Jan-2018

 

[U2forever]

http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/c/clinkscales_kyle.html

Kyle's father wrote a book about his disappearance called Kyle's Story: Friday Never Came. Copies are difficult to find, but I was able to get one. He said he thought Kyle had left of his own accord, but this was before all the stuff about the confession and stuff came out.

I hope to get a copy of the book in the near future. If the book was 10$ on Amazon I would get it, but it's not. It's not in a local library either. I am quite disappointed.

 

[jgarris]

I've sat on this for a minute, just because of the length of time between posts and where everything lies with this case. There are some "new" angles in this case that have been brought to my attention in the recent months. This is a firsthand account of my conversation with someone that I know in the town, that has been there through the duration of this, after I bring Kyle up in a conversation (this is all after I've listened to "Up & Vanished" and have taken a route to being interested in these type of cases);

According to my friend...the barrel that had Kyle in it that vanished from the lake - it has been moved numerous times by two specific people. First, it was moved from Ray's land by these people, then was moved around from place to place for numerous years. There is this theory that the barrel, weighed down with concrete, could only be moved via towing.

At the time all of this occurred, there was one towing company in town, with twin brothers running it. These twins were friends with Ray & Jones.

Over time, they stopped moving the barrel - as the investigation went cold & they got older and formed families. However, when the investigation picked back up several years ago, they jumped back in action to move it from the location that was specifically searched. Where it went from there...who knows.

The brothers were supposedly asked about all of this in December, by someone in town. Now...this is all speculation...but the business closed shortly after that conversation/confrontation, then shortly after that..one of the brothers committed suicide. That could all be a HUGE coincidence...or the person could have "known" that the secret was out & got away from it.

Obviously - most of that could be hearsay..but I would love to just figure out where Kyle is, so that his remaining family can safely put him away. However, I do have this theory (following the Watts case out in CO) that the barrel could be tucked up under this place of business, in one of the oil or gas tanks. I would love for a company to come in and scan up under street level - because I *think* there may be some answers to questions there.

 

[sleepysleuth]

Obviously - most of that could be hearsay..but I would love to just figure out where Kyle is, so that his remaining family can safely put him away. However, I do have this theory (following the Watts case out in CO) that the barrel could be tucked up under this place of business, in one of the oil or gas tanks. I would love for a company to come in and scan up under street level - because I *think* there may be some answers to questions there.

Hi @jgarris - I'm from LG and your comment inspired me to sign up on websleuths. I know the family you're speaking of, and thought the rumor you've heard was rather interesting. I do have a question - did you post this comment on reddit, or have you read it before? I've never heard the theory about that family, so it's just interesting to me that two people have posted similar stories regarding this, but perhaps they were both yours. The only information I can really add to this is that the gas station in question opened in the 1950's and the land is still owned by the same person it always has been owned by. The brothers only owned the business itself, so I don't believe it's very likely that Kyle's remains would be located on that property. But again, very interesting theory and one I'd love to hear more about.

I have been interested in this case since the late 90s, when I read Mr. Clinkscales' book "Kyle's Story: Friday Never Came". After reading the book, I just couldn't get Kyle out of my head. I went to the local newspaper and obsessively poured over the clippings and asked anyone who was willing to talk to me what their theories were. During those conversations, I heard everything from Kyle being killed for being homosexual, to him being killed in a drug deal gone wrong and buried under one of the hangers at the airport. The one theory that seemed the most prevalent among the people I spoke with was that Ray Hyde killed him, on his land, and crushed his car and shipped it out for scrap metal the very next day. I still think this is the most likely scenario, and that his body was in the oil barrel that has been relocated many times over. It's just a real shame that Ray Hyde died before he could be properly questioned again in the mid-2000's when they searched the lake.

I'd love to hear back from you!

 

[Savemecastiel]

Bumping.

 

[jgarris]

Hi @jgarris - I'm from LG and your comment inspired me to sign up on websleuths. I know the family you're speaking of, and thought the rumor you've heard was rather interesting. I do have a question - did you post this comment on reddit, or have you read it before? I've never heard the theory about that family, so it's just interesting to me that two people have posted similar stories regarding this, but perhaps they were both yours. The only information I can really add to this is that the gas station in question opened in the 1950's and the land is still owned by the same person it always has been owned by. The brothers only owned the business itself, so I don't believe it's very likely that Kyle's remains would be located on that property. But again, very interesting theory and one I'd love to hear more about.

I have been interested in this case since the late 90s, when I read Mr. Clinkscales' book "Kyle's Story: Friday Never Came". After reading the book, I just couldn't get Kyle out of my head. I went to the local newspaper and obsessively poured over the clippings and asked anyone who was willing to talk to me what their theories were. During those conversations, I heard everything from Kyle being killed for being homosexual, to him being killed in a drug deal gone wrong and buried under one of the hangers at the airport. The one theory that seemed the most prevalent among the people I spoke with was that Ray Hyde killed him, on his land, and crushed his car and shipped it out for scrap metal the very next day. I still think this is the most likely scenario, and that his body was in the oil barrel that has been relocated many times over. It's just a real shame that Ray Hyde died before he could be properly questioned again in the mid-2000's when they searched the lake.

I'd love to hear back from you!

@sleepysleuth I'm so sorry - just realized I had a notification sitting there. I realized a few days after posting this that the Reddit thread was there. (Not a frequent flier on Reddit - but it did come up when searching.) So, I didn't post it...but it was kind of tough to read an account very similar to what I have heard firsthand. I trust the source I got it from, but I don't necessarily know if they've been told the true story.

I know someone that worked at the Moose Club at the time, where I believe Kyle worked, if I'm not mistaken. They fall in line with the crushed car scenario + barrel - and that's what I've believed for...well...the whole time I've know about Kyle.

The odd specifics about the brother's in town and their known connections to the Sheriff at the time bother me. It could be nothing but a bunch of smoke...but it makes sense.

I'm with you. Ray held the keys to where Kyle is and it's really unfortunate that we never got those answers. I'd just love to finally put this to rest.

 

[MadMcGoo]

Name: Kyle Clinkscales
Yearbook Date: 1968
School: LaGrange High School
School Location: LaGrange, Georgia, USA


Name: Kyle Clinkscales
Yearbook Date: 1969
School: LaGrange High School
School Location: LaGrange, Georgia, USA


Name: Kyle Wade Clinkscales
Yearbook Date: 1971
School: LaGrange High School
School Location: LaGrange, Georgia, USA

Find A Grave - Kyle Wade Clinkscales