Case 72-0173: Suspicious Things…
Aside from my normal habits of stalking Joyce’s ex-roommate, I do spend some time looking into other files and people.
Today, I had the privilege of speaking with the coroner in Whitman County.
Annie Pillers is an incredibly forthcoming person and actually provided some new details to investigate.
In 1971 the coroner position was unfilled in Whitman County.
The prosecuting attorney at the time would have taken over the job duties as coroner. I
was also advised to check out the Washington State archives office in Cheney for Whitman County cases. They have an online system to look into.
I spent a majority of today looking for names in an envelope called “notes.”
There are several papers, binders, photos, and general documents in her cold case file and today I chose to examine the folders.
I found an interesting transcription of a call that was answered at 10:40 AM on 4-26-1972. This call took place ten days after Joyce’s body was found.
I would like to look further into this call and information.
The received call from Kay Garriron reports that Kay last saw Joyce July 18, 1971 in CUB talking to “Saule''?
On this day, Kay reports that Joyce walked into the library with her and expressed she had been having problems with one guy. Joyce explained how she missed her boyfriend, David, who was living in Africa.
It is unclear what man the next line in the call is referencing but Kay states “...Stated man had written to her and told her that he was going to come see her sometime that summer.”
I have read countless documents of people sharing Joyce’s problem or concern she had with one unknown guy.
This document is the first I have found that truly held some detail.
Further in this random assortment of documents and notes, I found reference to a letter from her ex-roommate requesting rent from Joyce’s family before she was declared dead.
NOTE: I have been asked to withhold names for privacy sake as this case is still an open investigation.
Below is the transcribed letter written to the LePage family:
8/11/71
Dear Mr. LePage,
I really don't know where to start. Joyce and I had been friends for quite a while. I was over visiting her in Orton hall one day when I told her that I was going to be in Pullman this summer and that I was going to be subleasing an apartment from a mutual friend of ours. She said that she was going to be going to summer school, so I jokingly asked her if she wanted to be my roommate. She said she didn't know. About a week later, I ran into her and David and she said that she and Jan Elle were going to be living with the meditation people next fall, and that she would like to live with me this summer so as to save a little money. I remind you, David was with her. That is what kind of friends we were, and how we remained all of this summer. She came and went as she pleased, as did I. I would go to work at 7:00, return at 5:00, made dinner, and then leave at 7:00 for band practice. Joyce went to class somewhere around 8:00, so she was always asleep when I left. We ate dinner at the same time, in fact, that was about the only time we even really talked. Usually that time was only about an hour at the most. I’d help her with chemistry and sometimes we’d give each other a thumbnail sketch of what our plans were for the next few days, just so someone knew what was going on. The week before she disappeared, she seldom ate dinner even here. She slept in Stevens hall, had lunch in the apartment, then went somewhere for the afternoon and she was usually going out to eat. With who, I never knew. In fact, that week we had the least amount of communications of all summer.
I don't know where she could be. The last I saw her was at 6:00 on Thursday night when she went to her skydiving lesson. The last she was seen was at 11:30 on Friday morning, so the last thing I knew was that she had planned to go to the atomic cup race in Pasco and that was it. I wish I knew more, but I don't .
The investigator has probably filled you in on everything that he knows, which is everything I know. I’ve spent about 6 hours with him so far, and there is nothing more that I can think og. Every time I think of something, he chases it down, but so far every try has come to a sickening dead end.
I realize that you are probably pretty busy now, so I don't know when you will be able to pick up her possessions. I have packed up everything she had in the apartment, so whenever you want to pick it up, it shouldn't take too much time. I might add that while I did this, I looked for possible clues, but there wasn't a thing that could lead anywhere. I had hoped that there might have been, but there wasn't. There is some stuff here that is Jan Elle’s and also some of Jan Manly’s stuff. It can be left here and I can give it to them when they come back to school this fall. This consists of 2 stereos, a fan, a pillow and a sheet, some posters, and some strange pieces of furniture. If you could get here before Saturday, but after that I will be gone. Her stuff is in the closet by the door and in the boxes by the door and in her suitcase. I left her dressers hanging up. There is one other problem. She and I were going to split the cost of the apartment. I was going to pay for the first month (June), she would pay for July, and the guy we were subleasing from was going to pay for August. Well, I have paid for the phone for the two months (including a couple of her long distant phone calls), and the water, and the rent. All of this has thrown me close to $90.00 in the hole from what I had planned to spend. Any of this that you could make up would be greatly appreciated because I am living on a bit of a tight schedule, and so $90.00 is quite a large sum of money.
I’m sorry I couldn't turn her up anywhere, I tried as much as I could, but there have been no breaks coming our way. I wish she would turn up somewhere.
Sincerely,
[REDACTED]
P.S. You can have the loud lady let you in. She’s in the apartment facing the street, #6, I believe. The check can be left on the table and I can pick it up next fall. I really wish she would surprise me and walk in sometime soon. I think about half of the world would be overjoyed to see her.
Following up the case file on May 4th, 1972, Joyce’s remains were positively identified by the FBI.
I did find a potential sheet of paper that I am unclear if it lists the items found at the crime scene.
It lists:
a zippered shirt
one 9 ½ size shoe
Nylon Leopard Sleeveless blouse,
BABOVICH (red stamp)
white underpants with opened legs
white nylon mesh top
38-40 D Cup bra
The note finally lists Sheriff Coley, from Lincoln County, to contact.