Post by Scumhunter on Sept 9, 2015 7:57:20 GMT -5
(Above photo credit: Crasstalk.com. Age-enhanced photos can be found on missingkids.com searching for each girl)
Julie Moseley, Mary Rachel Trlica, and Lisa Wilson were three young girls whose mysterious disappearance from a Fort Worth, Texas shopping male has baffled investigators for over 40 years. The case was a web-exclusive on AMW's old website. Below is the AMW archive description of the case:
Fort Worth Cops Look To Crack Cold Case
On Dec. 23, 1974, three girls from Fort Worth, Texas, headed out to do some last-minute Christmas shopping. Police say that’s the last time Julie Moseley, Mary Rachel Trlica and Lisa Wilson were seen.
Officials say the girls were last seen picking up a pair of jeans from the Army Navy store before heading to the Seminary South Shopping Center. After the girls didn’t return home for dinner as they had promised, their concerned parents notified the police.
The parents of the three girls went out searching for them but were only able to locate 17-year-old Mary Rachel’s car at the Sears parking lot with all of the Christmas presents still inside.
According to investigators, the only items missing from the car were three $50 bonds previously located in the glove compartment.
Authorities initially believed they were dealing with a missing children’s case. Then things took a bizarre turn.
The next day, Mary Rachel’s family received a letter in the mail addressed to her husband, Tommy. The letter informed him that the three were going to Houston and would be back in a week. It also accurately stated the last location of Mary Rachel’s car.
But investigators believe someone else wrote the letter. Cops tell AMW they had the handwriting analyzed in an attempt to match it to Mary Rachel’s, but the results were inconclusive.
Another clue: Authorities state the letter was addressed to Thomas, something they find peculiar because his wife always called him Tommy. Cops also say the envelope had no return address -- only the name Rachel scrawled in the upper left hand corner.
More puzzling still was the fact that Mary Rachel’s name appeared to be misspelled, according to cops. Investigators say it seems as if the person initially muffed the spelling and then went back to change it.
Multiple Tips Lead Police Nowhere
A week passed by, and there was still no sign of Mary Rachel, Lisa or Julie. Investigators gathered up several leads as they switched gears to an abduction case.
Police tell AMW that some witnesses from that night saw the girls calmly seated in the back of a mall security guard’s truck. Cops say another woman once told law enforcement the kids were rushed into a pick-up truck by an unidentified male.
Officials say they investigated yet another lead after a witness saw a Hispanic man forcing a girl in to a van. The witness told police that as he went to get help, a second girl burst forth through the back doors of the van, only to be chased down by another man.
As the years passed, the trail went cold. Investigators say they didn’t have any clues taking them beyond the parking lot where Mary Rachel’s car was found.
The families say they endured several prank phone calls. Psychics came forward with the locations of bodies. Skeletal remains were recovered and examined, but no match was made.
Then, one day, Ray Anne Moseley allegedly received a phone call her daughter Julie.
Police say the voice on the other line said “mama” twice, and then began to say something else before the phone cut off.
But investigators say anytime they thought a lead was promising, it fizzled. With clues in short supply and police struggling to put pieces of the puzzle together, the families searched for other sources to help bring their girls home. The families hired a private investigator who worked the case for several years before committing suicide.
Rusty Arnold, Mary Rachel’s younger brother, was just 11 years old when the girls disappeared. To this day, he tirelessly carries on the search and has built a Web site devoted to binging them back home. Rusty has also written and recorded songs in memory of his sister and her two friends.
Despite the efforts of law enforcement and family members, police still need people to come forward with information to help them crack this case.
Police believe the girls probably left the mall with someone they trusted and likely ran in to some sort of foul play afterward.
Thoughts? One thing that hasn't changed is each girl's families resolve to solve this case no matter how cold it gets- they've set up a website and have said they wouldn't give up in an interview last December. As far as any theories go, anyone's guess is as good as mine. This is a frustrating case that will hopefully be solved one day.
Admin Note #1: According to missingkids.org, Anyone having information should contact 1-800-THE-LOST or the Fort Worth Police Department (Texas) at 1-817-335-4222
Admin Note #2: If you have any news-related updates on this case, please contact us here: amwfans.com/thread/1662/website-contact-form
www.charleyproject.org/cases/m/moseley_julie.html
www.missingkids.com/poster/NCMC/815024/1
www.missingtrio.com/TRIO/index.aspx
dfw.cbslocal.com/2014/12/23/3-fort-worth-families-remain-hopeful-about-40-year-cold-case/
