Police have never revealed her name. Authorities said it was not clear what prompted the call from Whited, who was jailed for the killing with bail set at $15,000. A quarter century since she vanished without a trace in a mystery that became one of the most talked-about missing person cases in Alabama history. She was the kindest person you've ever met," she said. Karen McPherson, now 60, is. It taught me a lot about how to be a friend, and I never stop thinking about the people who took time off from their jobs, time off from school to search and cry with us.". According to the newspaper's account, the girlfriend "heard a pop" and turned to see Jowers on the ground near his car, roughly 40-50 feet away. Jamol Horton actually helped do the foundation for my house and some of my friends homes, Mitchell said, He also coached my son in little league football.. if (!document.MAX_used) document.MAX_used = ','; The source material for author Beth Lowrys 2016 true crime book Who Killed These Girls?, the yogurt shop murders continue to haunt the citizens of the Lone Star State. Thats why law enforcement across Jasper County is asking for the communitys help. He has lost so much financially, emotionally, everything. All rights reserved (About Us). And it bothers me that my kids have to read stuff like that.". "He'd never met her, but he loved her.". An excavator scooped out the bottom of the pool but found nothing. On December 19, 1959, the entire Walker family was out running errands. Walker County Missing & Unsolved Deaths(Surrounding Areas)-Group Discussion For two days, police and citizen volunteers searched the area for the missing workers. HARDEEVILLE, Sc. Kubiszyn, previously told AL.com McPhersons role in the disappearance has always been understated. "So we never heard her voice, because the tape had malfunctioned.". These cases stem from various situations, and circumstances, but all have one thing in common: people's loved ones have yet to be found. "This case affected our community," District Attorney Bill Adair said, noting hundreds of people carried out searches and held prayer vigils. Inside the yogurt shop were the bodies of four young women13-year-old Amy Ayers, 17-year-old Eliza Thomas, 17-year-old Jennifer Harbison, and her 15-year-old sister Sarah. That book claimed, in part, that agents had the authority to search Bland's home without a warrant. When Lawson Sr. arrived at the site, however, there were about five police cars there totally unconnected to the kidnapping case, purely a coincidence. //]]>-->, Copyright 2023, Cleveland Newspapers, Inc., operating as the Daily Mountain Eagle. Kubiszyn was on a business trip in Cincinnati. All three of the victims worked in the microfilm industry. "People were drawn to her in life, and people are drawn to this story, because of her innate kindness and innate beauty. ", "What has been taken from me personally is immeasurable," said Carrie's sister, Margaret Smith Kubiszyn. Karen McPherson, left, is serving a life sentence in the 1991 disappearance of Walker County lawyer Carrie Lawson, whose body has never been found. Upon further investigation, the employee found $500 missing, along with four other employees. Those with information into this or any other cases are asked to call VCU at (205) 464-8690, the Tuscaloosa Police Department at (205) 349-2121, or CrimeStoppers at (205) 752-STOP (7867). Authorities got a major break when Bland was identified as a suspect.