NY NY - Sheryl Tillinghast, 17, Wassaic, 24 Sept 1973

New Posts

In the absence of a random find I suspect the only way forward in this case may be with the family of the abusive boyfriend who was charged with assaulting her. His name has been published in a blog by someone who appears to be a sister of Sheryl, but (in another blog) another sister has commented that whilst they have the name, the boyfriend died in the 90s. This only leaves his remaining family as possible sources of information (either to clear him or point in a direction). There do seem to be family still living in the general area (the name is not common, although not very rare).

I am assuming I should not give the name of the boyfriend here as it does not seem to appear in MSM, although I presume it could be confirmed in court records from 1973.
 
Sheryl Ann Tillinghast
sheryl_ann_tillinghast_1.jpg
sheryl_ann_tillinghast_2.jpg
sheryl_ann_tillinghast_3.jpg
sheryl_ann_tillinghast_5.jpg
sheryl_ann_tillinghast_6.jpg

Sheryl, age 17, circa 1973; Age-progression to age 60 (circa 2016)

  • Missing Since 09/24/1973
  • Missing From Wassaic, New York
  • Classification Endangered Missing
  • Sex Female
  • Race White
  • Date of Birth 04/16/1956 (66)
  • Age 17 years old
  • Height and Weight 5'3, 140 pounds
  • Distinguishing Characteristics Caucasian female. Brown hair, brown eyes.
Details of Disappearance

Sheryl was last seen in Wassaic, New York on September 24, 1973. She was employed in the laundry room at Wassaic State School for Mental Defectives at the time. Sheryl is from Phelps, New York and had originally been sent to a reform school after pleading guilty to a marijuana possession charge. After that school burned down, she was sent to the Wassaic State School.

She didn't want to leave after she graduated due to problems within her family, including verbal and physical abuse. However, she maintained regular contact with her loved ones at home. Prior to her disappearance, Sheryl told her family she was going to visit home for her mother's birthday. She told her older sister she'd gotten a car, and the two of them planned to move to California together.

When Sheryl didn't arrive home as scheduled, her mother called Wassaic State School and was informed Sheryl didn't want to come home. Her mother believed Sheryl had left on her own, didn't report her missing and made very little effort to find her. It wasn't until 1998, 25 years later, that the rest of the family realized no missing persons report had been filed.

Sheryl left behind all her belongings, including two paychecks worth $150 in total. There hasn't been any activity on her Social Security number, bank records or Department of Motor Vehicles records, any indication that she's been married, any sightings, or any other sign of her since 1973.

Her mother died in 1996, but siblings are still searching for her. Foul play is suspected in Sheryl's disappearance, which remains unsolved.

Investigating Agency
  • New York State Police 585-398-4100
Source Information
 

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

By bringing people, information, forensic science and technology together, NamUs helps resolve cases.
www.namus.gov
Maybe?


Is there a way to know more about Myron Harrell?
His father died in 1955: Clipping from Poughkeepsie Journal - Newspapers.com
He was a fourth grader in 1960, that means he was 23yo when Sheryl vanished; he was an adult Clipping from Poughkeepsie Journal - Newspapers.com

I've been unable to locate anything else about him... but he had a trial for assault (against Sheryl) on October...
 
Last edited:
Diane Redfern said:

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

By bringing people, information, forensic science and technology together, NamUs helps resolve cases.
www.namus.gov
Maybe?


Is there a way to know more about Myron Harrell?
His father died in 1955: Clipping from Poughkeepsie Journal - Newspapers.com
He was a fourth grader in 1960, that means he was 23yo when Sheryl vanished; he was an adult Clipping from Poughkeepsie Journal - Newspapers.com

I've been unable to locate anything else about him... but he had a trial for assault (against Sheryl) on October...
Click to expand...
ruled out on NamUs
 
Exclusions for Sheryl Tillinghast:
UP9236
UP10796
Susan Poole
Joyce Meyer Sommers
UP8419
UP5556
UP2607
UP6629
UP8579
UP12683
Haydee Rodriguez
UP6796
Veronica Wiederhold
Christy Floyd
UP1458
UP8493
Louise Peterson
UP8821
Mary Silvani
UP2512
UP6249
Deanna Criswell
 
Possible Matches:

April 2, 1978 - NamUs #UP11774 - East Islip, New York

(no picture available)

Bio Group: White
Estimated Age: 18-22
Height: 5'3"
Weight: Cannot Estimate
Hair: "Long light brown hair found ajacent to the skull"
Physical features: found with reddish purple material (polish?)
Clothing: Shoe; clog style, right, womans: measuring: 11" in length (top) and 10.5" (bottom) by 3.5" in broadest width (bottom) by 4.5" (top); brown leathery belt.
Circumstances: Found by man walking on beach in a shallow grave
Distance: ~2hrs (Wassaic to East Islip), ~6hrs (Phelps to East Islip)

October 29, 1981 - NamUs #UP4611 - Iola, Texas
1667543592275.png
Bio Group: White
Estimated Age: 13-19 Years
Height: 5'3" (estimated)
Weight: 110lbs (estimated)
Hair Color: Red/Dark Auburn
Estimated year of death: 1976-1981 - "Estimated date of death could be as much as 5 years prior to 1981. "
Physical Features: Right handed, healed fracture on ribs, breastbone, and toe area, extensive dental work (13 fillings), no evidence of childbirth.
Accessories: Gold coin ring with 1904 engraved on it, a white towel, pink panties, and a mechanics drop cloth.
Circumstances: Henry Lee Lucas confessed to the victim's murder, claiming that she introduced herself as "Cheryl" and he picked her up in Durham, North Carolina.
Distance: ~9hrs (Durham, NC and Wassaic, NY), ~10 hrs (Durham, NC to Phelps, NY)

Picture of the ring:
1667543062796.png

Mentioned Sheryl in another thread:

UP's websleuths artice.

July 31, 1988 - #UP2607 - Irondequoit, New York

1667544856431.png1667544820855.png1667544779637.png1667544690131.png

Bio Group: White
Estimated Age: 14-23 Years
Height: 5'2" (estimated)
Weight: Cannot estimate
Hair Color: Unknown
Estimated year of death: Anytime before 1988 (?)
Physical Features: None mentioned.
Accessories: 4 white buttons.
Circumstances: Remains discovered by young boy who was digging at the rear of his property
Distance: ~5hrs (Wassaic to Irondequoit), ~40 mins (Phelps to Irondequoit)

September 26, 2021 - UP85157 - Portland, New York

(no picture available)

Bio Group: Uncertain
Estimated Age: 15-30 Years
Height: 4' 11"-5' 7", Estimated
Weight: Cannot Estimate
Hair Color: Unknown
Eye Color: Unknown
Estimated year of death: Unknown
Physical Features: None mentioned.
Clothing/Accessories: Shirt
Circumstances: On 9/26/21 a citizen was on the Rails to Trails system in the Town of Portland. The citizen stated that she was near the trail head off of Woleben Road when she located what appeared to be a human skull in the woods near the trail. Members of the Sheriff's Office went to the scene and confirmed that the skull was human. There were other skeletal remains with the skull. It appears that this set of remains may have been there for decades. A second set of human remains was located in the same area. Those remains have been identified and are estimated to be several months old.
Distance: ~6hrs 30 mins (Wassaic to Portland), ~2hrs 30 mins (Phelps to Portland)

#UP15863 is also worth mentioning due to PMI (estimated to have died late 1973), but I don't think this is her.

Visually Irondequoit Jane Doe looks the most like Sheryl to me, but it is an older reconstruction so it may not be the most accurate.
 

Attachments

  • 1667543054769.png
    1667543054769.png
    347 KB · Views: 1

<<Just before her disappearance, Sheryl had written to a judge requesting that a case worker go to her former home to check up on her younger siblings. There is no indication that she ran way; she reportedly left behind her possessions and two paychecks, which totalled more than $150.

One potential suspect is an older man that Sheryl worked with at the laundry whose family members were administrators at the school. In August of 1973, Sheryl had called police to have the man arrested after he allegedly assaulted her. He was arraigned, but a relative posted his bail. By the time a court date had been set up - October 1973 - Sheryl had already disappeared.

Sheryl's siblings thought that their mother had reported Sheryl missing, but it turns out that no one had filed a missing person report. Sheryl's missing person report was filed on November 2, 1998. Her sister, Laura Hinckley, continues to search for her older sister with the help of New York investigators.>>


Dec 21, 2016 great article about Sheryl and her sister
www.mpnnow.com

'I still hold out hope that there will be a miracle'

Sheryl Tillinghast was 17 when she disappeared without a trace in September 1973
www.mpnnow.com
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

DNASolves

Who is Escambia County John Doe (1989)?

Members online

... and 114 more.
Total: 4,041 (members: 115, guests: 3,926)

Online statistics

Members online
115
Guests online
3,926
Total visitors
4,041
Totals may include hidden visitors.

Forum statistics

Threads
592,559
Messages
17,971,000
Members
228,809
Latest member
SashaBN1
Back
Top