UNSOLVED NC - Wilkes Co, Photo of Gagged Woman Tied To Chair, Circa 1970s or Early 80s

[MOTORUNNER]

I think it's hard to tell, to some she looks like she's smiling, but things are not always as they seem. At first look, the photo of Regina Kay Walter looked super fake to me. The gag in this picture looks too big to really do much good, but who knows if he's got something else stuffed in her mouth under there.
In my opinion I think she looks a lot like Amy Billig, but I know that possibility is slim to none.

I think the hair is more weird to me than anything else, what kind of funky keepsake is that? This might sound stupid as all get out, but when was locks of love introduced? Maybe he was planning on donating it but never did or forgot about it. When I worked in a salon sometimes people would bring us hair, if it were damaged or or too short we couldn't donate it. I remember a few times finding a random braid under a cabinet when cleaning lol

 

[Teche]

I can see the skinny braid possibly belonging to a guy, however, the 2 pigtails look like they came from the same person. The pigtails seem to be the same length, color, and thickness.

 

[Coffee56]

I keep thinking of Buckskin Doe with the 2 matching braids. I always thought hers looked odd. Like she didn't do them. She clearly still had hers but I find it reminds me still the same.

 

[Gardener1850]

I keep thinking of Buckskin Doe with the 2 matching braids. I always thought hers looked odd. Like she didn't do them. She clearly still had hers but I find it reminds me still the same.

IIRC, Buckskin JD's braids were redone by the ME or coroner for the photo of her.

 

[EuTuCroquet?]

She has said that she has reported him to the police on numerous occasions. Not for the slide, but for other things. And he has always gotten off the hook with the help of his parents who are influential in the community. She describes the police as "corrupt". Whether they are corrupt or not, I have no idea, but that is her perception, and the reason why she is reluctant to go to them with anything.

Maybe it's time for someone to take it to the FBI?


[emoji202]MOO

 

[nerosleuth]

I don't live in North Carolina but after looking at my road atlas, I see that Wilkes County, North Carolina is in the Northwestern part of North Carolina.

Wilkes County is in Northwest North Carolina. It is west of Interstate 77, north of Interstate 40, and it not far from the borders of Tennessee and Virginia. It is also in the mountains of North Carolina.

Now about the hair braids photo. This could be significant here. If you go west of Wilkes County, there is a college town in Boone, North Carolina. Appalachian State University is located in Boone.

And if my thinking is right, I believe there are mountain arts, crafts, and antique shops around the Boone area. The Blue Ridge Parkway is also near Boone and I believe the Appalachian Trail is also nearby.

The hair braids is significant on account that some women who are into the mountain arts, crafts, or heritage are known to wear their hair in braids.

 

[jccoa1999]

Maybe the police followed up on the leads..and maybe they didn't because apparently this lady has called them on many occasions, possibly during short "separations" out of spite to try and get him in trouble..then they maybe get back together for a bit and she "takes back" her stories about him, etc! And then maybe they break up again so she calls the police with yet another story... What I am getting at is... If she knows what a bad man he is and he has told her in the past about all the women he has hurt then why does she wait until they become separated until she all of a sudden starts caring about all these possible women that he's hurt.. does it not matter to her as long as she is with this guy!? Just my thoughts and opinion! Again, if the police have never seen this picture or this hair then if I were in possession of them I would definitely bring them in to be investigated! Or we can all just guess what is behind the lady in the picture! my opinion only

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[bsarlo]

this is a little bit fftopic:, but it is a similar case that came to my attention a couple of years ago.

Back in 2015, I was contacted by a woman who told me that she thought her ex-husband was involved in the 1982 disappearance of Angie Hamby of Wilksboro North Carolina. She said that when they had separated, he left a lot of items behind in their house that she thought suspicious. She sent me the items in the mail, and as I looked through the items I found this 35 millimeter slide of an unknown female bound to a chair and gagged.

She said that she recognized the background as being his apartment back in the 1970's.

The woman in the photo obviously is not Angie Hamby, and there are no missing woman who resemble this woman. but this photo was obviously either evidence of a crime against an unknown victim, or something created with her cooperation for his own amusement.

I immediately contacted the Wilkes County Sheriff, and told him about this woman's story. I emailed him this photo. The Sheriff detective said that was interesting because the woman's ex-husband contacted him about a month earlier, and said his ex wife was crazy and was going to make accusations against him. The detective had no idea who he was or what he was talking about - until I called.

That was over two years ago, and I don't know what they were ever able to learn about this guy's possible connection to Angie Hamby or this unknown woman.

But I was just looking at this photo again today, and figured it was time to show it to you all. This Port St. Joe thread seemed the best place to show it, as I don't think it warrants a dedicated thread.


EDIT TO ADD: I separated the comments pertaining to this photo into a separate thread. I didn't want to get too far off topic from the Port St. Joe photo.

Are you going to do anything about this with any LE, CarlK, or is this thread the extent of it?

 

[Bird of Paradise]

Carl said:

She said that she recognized the background as being his apartment back in the 1970's.

Did she mention where the apartment was? Any way we can find out the general area/streets/cross street?

 

[jccoa1999]

Any way we can find out if anyone involved is involved with a certain MC

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[jccoa1999]

Another thing, if this ex-wife has known this man for over 40 years and was married/lived with him for a long period of time, why wouldn't she of seen his hair braids before. Like if they were really his hair why would he hide them and why wouldn't she know about it! I can see a man saving his hair, I just don't see him hiding it with a picture of a gagged woman! And again she sent them to carl,I assume, because she thought the hair came from a woman that he possibly hurt! I wonder what made her change her mind about the hair as in saying it was her husband's hair! All of it doesn't make any sense at all! Of course it makes sense to me if they got back together! And if she's so concerned about all this then why doesn't someone that has her contact info invite her to this thread so maybe we can sort some of this out! At this point it's a dead end! No location,no names, nothing but a lot of nothing!

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[CarlK90245]

Are you going to do anything about this with any LE, CarlK, or is this thread the extent of it?

I already did, as I indicated. I don't know what they ever did as follow-up. They may have done something about it, or they might have done nothing. If this is all they have, it would be very easy for him to say he was just goofing off and doing bondage role-playing with an old girlfriend. Without anything additional, it may be that they don't have enough to charge him with anything. A questionable photo, some braided hair, and anecdotal hearsay from an ex wife don't get you there. But at least they know who he is and can consider this in the context of any other info that may come across their desk.

Also keep in mind that the ex-wife's issues were with the local city police. I went to the county Sheriff, so the "corruption" that she talks about is not relevant to the person I spoke with. The detective seemed very interested in what I was saying. I didn't get the impression that he was just humoring me. And since he didn't know this man or his family, he had no reason to run interference on his behalf..

 

[jccoa1999]

Carl did you call the sheriff or did you actually bring the items into the sheriff's office?

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[jccoa1999]

If the lady is missing at least the photo is out there online now so maybe someone will recognize her or even better she recognizes herself!

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[sunnynz]

I already did, as I indicated. I don't know what they ever did as follow-up. They may have done something about it, or they might have done nothing. If this is all they have, it would be very easy for him to say he was just goofing off and doing bondage role-playing with an old girlfriend. Without anything additional, it may be that they don't have enough to charge him with anything. A questionable photo, some braided hair, and anecdotal hearsay from an ex wife don't get you there. But at least they know who he is and can consider this in the context of any other info that may come across their desk.

Also keep in mind that the ex-wife's issues were with the local city police. I went to the county Sheriff, so the "corruption" that she talks about is not relevant to the person I spoke with. The detective seemed very interested in what I was saying. I didn't get the impression that he was just humoring me. And since he didn't know this man or his family, he had no reason to run interference on his behalf..

Thank you for all that you do!

 

[Gardener1850]

I already did, as I indicated. I don't know what they ever did as follow-up. They may have done something about it, or they might have done nothing. If this is all they have, it would be very easy for him to say he was just goofing off and doing bondage role-playing with an old girlfriend. Without anything additional, it may be that they don't have enough to charge him with anything. A questionable photo, some braided hair, and anecdotal hearsay from an ex wife don't get you there. But at least they know who he is and can consider this in the context of any other info that may come across their desk.

Also keep in mind that the ex-wife's issues were with the local city police. I went to the county Sheriff, so the "corruption" that she talks about is not relevant to the person I spoke with. The detective seemed very interested in what I was saying. I didn't get the impression that he was just humoring me. And since he didn't know this man or his family, he had no reason to run interference on his behalf..

Thank you, Carl! Not sure if you can answer, but do you believe the ex-wife is in any danger if ex-husband finds out about this thread? Or do you have some info leading you to believe it was safe to post here now (like one of them has passed away)? You don't have to elaborate, but I feel protective of the ex-wife and wonder if this thread should be moved downstairs. OR, if you feel it's safe, do you think members should be sharing this and trying to get it covered by the media? What should be our next step in trying to ID the woman in the photo?

 

[CarlK90245]

Thank you, Carl! Not sure if you can answer, but do you believe the ex-wife is in any danger if ex-husband finds out about this thread? Or do you have some info leading you to believe it was safe to post here now (like one of them has passed away)? You don't have to elaborate, but I feel protective of the ex-wife and wonder if this thread should be moved downstairs. OR, if you feel it's safe, do you think members should be sharing this and trying to get it covered by the media? What should be our next step in trying to ID the woman in the photo?

This started out intending just to be a passing comment on the Port St. Joe thread, but it took off. I don't believe that she would be in danger from him. They have been divorced for decades. But I do feel a little like I should have let her know before posting this. But having said that, I think it's no big deal that it is here, since I'm not mentioning anyone's name.

 

[CarlK90245]

Carl did you call the sheriff or did you actually bring the items into the sheriff's office?

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I'm in California. I called him on the telephone.

 

[Russian Blue]

I think Benson & Hedges were popular among the younger smokers in the early 80's. Not sure if that is helpful or not.

I am of that generation, that brand was considered cool if you were a menthol smoker. It was Marlboro or Winston lights second runners up for us. And in college we carried them in our pockets, chicks too.

 

[Gardener1850]

This started out intending just to be a passing comment on the Port St. Joe thread, but it took off. I don't believe that she would be in danger from him. They have been divorced for decades. But I do feel a little like I should have let her know before posting this. But having said that, I think it's no big deal that it is here, since I'm not mentioning anyone's name.

Thanks. Hope you know I'm not criticizing you for posting it, just concerned for the ex-wife that there may be repercussions for her. I'm equally concerned, however, that the woman in the photo may have been a victim.