Identified! Mystery couple murdered in South Carolina, 1976 - Pamela Buckley & James Freund #10

[Triss]

James and Pam were killed on this day 47 years ago. May their souls rest in peace.

 

[faithx]

A demo tape for Pam's group Sunlending was sold at auction this past September.

DENNIS HOPPER | KRIS KRISTOFFERSON SUNLENDING DEMO TAPE AND DOCUMENTS

A c. 1970 demo tape reel (7.5 ips) for the Minnesota-based folk trio, Sunlending, containing original songs and one cover: "Me and Bobby McGee."

www.julienslive.com

Description:

"A c. 1970 demo tape reel (7.5 ips) for the Minnesota-based folk trio, Sunlending, containing original songs and one cover: "Me and Bobby McGee."

Includes a manila envelope labeled "Sunlending," a short note from Daly to "Bob" (likely Bob Rafelson), expressing interest in meeting Kristofferson while the band was in Taos, as well as a typewritten track list and lyric sheets for "Pamela," "Rain Blows Down," "Girl with No Eyes," and "Tuesday Monday."

This configuration of the band toured but appears to have never released an album, two of the members (Anthony Matthews and Pamela Buckley) passing away at the young ages of 32 and 24, respectively, in 1975 and 1976. Matthews died in a hanggliding accident outside of Steamboat Springs, Colorado, while Buckley was recently identified as a longstanding shooting victim Jane Doe in Sumter County, South Carolina.

11 x 8.5 inches

PROVENANCE Property from the Life and Career of Dennis Hopper"

 

[Triss]

A demo tape for Pam's group Sunlending was sold at auction this past September.

DENNIS HOPPER | KRIS KRISTOFFERSON SUNLENDING DEMO TAPE AND DOCUMENTS

A c. 1970 demo tape reel (7.5 ips) for the Minnesota-based folk trio, Sunlending, containing original songs and one cover: "Me and Bobby McGee."

www.julienslive.com

Description:

"A c. 1970 demo tape reel (7.5 ips) for the Minnesota-based folk trio, Sunlending, containing original songs and one cover: "Me and Bobby McGee."

Includes a manila envelope labeled "Sunlending," a short note from Daly to "Bob" (likely Bob Rafelson), expressing interest in meeting Kristofferson while the band was in Taos, as well as a typewritten track list and lyric sheets for "Pamela," "Rain Blows Down," "Girl with No Eyes," and "Tuesday Monday."

This configuration of the band toured but appears to have never released an album, two of the members (Anthony Matthews and Pamela Buckley) passing away at the young ages of 32 and 24, respectively, in 1975 and 1976. Matthews died in a hanggliding accident outside of Steamboat Springs, Colorado, while Buckley was recently identified as a longstanding shooting victim Jane Doe in Sumter County, South Carolina.

11 x 8.5 inches

PROVENANCE Property from the Life and Career of Dennis Hopper"

What an amazing find!

 

[worm]

What an amazing find!

I'd love to hear that.

 

[Magnum P.E.]

I was passing through South Carolina and made a short detour to pay my respects to the (former) Sumter County Does.
The church is located at a rural intersection. It is peaceful here. The small cemetery is behind the church, and the graves are easy to find, against a chain link fence that separates the cemetery from a baseball field.
Pamela has a marker with her name in addition to her “Unknown” marker, but James still has only his “Unknown” horizontal marker. He was an Army veteran, I wonder if a veteran’s group or the VA would spring for a proper marker?
Others must visit frequently. Someone had left an inexpensive plastic necklace and cross on Pamela’s gravestone. A red ribbon was left also.
My thoughts as I stood there? “If you could only talk to me….” But even if they could talk, they likely didn’t know the person who killed them.
LE usually has a good idea who has done something like this, but knowing it and proving it in a court of law are two different things. I suppose the perp is beyond earthly justice by now anyway.
Thanks to all the Websleuths who worked on this case.

 

[Magnum P.E.]

Pamela

 

[Magnum P.E.]

James

 

[worm]

I hate that about James grave and yes, He deserves better. The music clef on her stone is nice.

 

[Magnum P.E.]

I hate that about James grave and yes, He deserves better. The music clef on her stone is nice.

The VA will provide a free marker to any qualified veteran. There is a form to be downloaded and filled out. I think discharge papers or some proof of service must be provided.
We don’t know the relationship that James had with his family at the time of his death, there may be reasons that they didn’t put a marker on his grave. Or maybe they just don’t know about the VA providing a marker. Please, nobody try to contact them, it is not for us to do.
If the church had been open, I would have asked the pastor if the church was in contact with James’s family, and if they knew they could get a marker from the VA. I may drop the pastor a note later.

 

[Sweetluv]

Thanks for sharing Magnum P.E. !
This is one of the cases that really stuck with me.

 

[worm]

Thanks for sharing Magnum P.E. !
This is one of the cases that really stuck with me.

Same here.

 

[Magnum P.E.]

I don’t know if I posted this before, but I was shocked to find that after following this case for years that I had three degrees of separation from Pamela Buckley. I know someone who was in a band with someone else (since deceased) who toured with Pamela and Sunlender. Never had that happen with any other case on this site. Odd.

 

[worm]

I don’t know if I posted this before, but I was shocked to find that after following this case for years that I had three degrees of separation from Pamela Buckley. I know someone who was in a band with someone else (since deceased) who toured with Pamela and Sunlender. Never had that happen with any other case on this site. Odd.

I don’t get how Pam and that band don’t get attention. Even in regional areas the local music scene will often get preserved.

 

[Betty P]

Thanks, @Magnum P.E. That was very nice of you to stop by the cemetery. It would be great if we could find a way to get a military grave marker for James. I wonder if any of his old Army buddies are still around? Might be worthwhile to look up Jame's information about his unit, etc. and see if they have any reunion groups, etc.

 

[Triss]

I hate that about James grave and yes, He deserves better. The music clef on her stone is nice.

He does deserve better, but I'm not really surprised he didn't get a new gravestone. He was an only child and his parents died a long time before he was identified. <modsnip> He doesn't really have anyone who could give him a new gravestone, but I hope the military will step up, so he can rest under his real name.

 

[meanmaryjean]

Honestly the military marker is metal, very small, and is easily overgrown as it lays flat on the ground. (My late FIL has one)
The stone marker he currently has is much nicer. I wonder if a skilled person could.somehow.modify it?

 

[Magnum P.E.]

Honestly the military marker is metal, very small, and is easily overgrown as it lays flat on the ground. (My late FIL has one)
The stone marker he currently has is much nicer. I wonder if a skilled person could.somehow.modify it?

There are two versions of the military marker, and two forms to fill out depending on which you prefer. There is a flat marker and an upright one.

 

[Magnum P.E.]

I don’t get how Pam and that band don’t get attention. Even in regional areas the local music scene will often get preserved.

I think that they were folk in the time when folk had done its thing and was out of style. Nowadays they might have found a home at festivals and on alternative and college stations. Been in that boat myself.

 

[Ladybythesea]

Thanks for sharing Magnum P.E. !
This is one of the cases that really stuck with me.

I'm originally from that area and this case haunted me for a long time!

 

[branmuffin]

Honestly the military marker is metal, very small, and is easily overgrown as it lays flat on the ground. (My late FIL has one)
The stone marker he currently has is much nicer. I wonder if a skilled person could.somehow.modify it?

The area on the stone marker that has 'unknown' etched in it could be brought down to an oval and a ceramic inset similar to those you see on gravestones with images of the deceased. Instead of an image it could just be James' name.

Ceramic Photos & Signs

www.rocmemorials.com