The Last Letter
By: Nicole Henley
Tags: Lost, Mystery, True Crime, Crime, Arizona

The Last Letter

A year after receiving their last letter from her, Diane Webb’s family randomly receive another one, just not from her.

At 18-years old, a pregnant and engaged Diane Webb stays behind in California with her soon-to-be husband, while the rest of her family move to Arizona. Although apart, Diane keeps in contact with her family through letters for months, until she doesn’t. Some time goes by before they finally get another, albeit not from her.

Born on April 20, 1942, Diane lived with her parents and siblings in San Bernardino, California until 1959. In March of that same year, Diane’s family moved to Dolan Springs, Arizona while she remained in California with her boyfriend, 16-year old Bennie Milton Webb.

On at least one occasion, Diane visited her family in Arizona, staying for a week. She told her parents she was pregnant and intended to marry Bennie, who was in the Phoenix, Arizona area by then. Although Diane’s father disapproved of both the pregnancy and relationship, her mother and younger brother traveled to Indio, California for her wedding, marking the last time her family saw her.

Following her wedding, for the next several months, Diane wrote letters home. The last one she wrote was mailed on August 22, 1959, her younger sister’s birthday, and included some crocheted handkerchiefs as a gift. This letter would be last her family had received from her.

Sometime in late 1960, over a year after last hearing from her, Diane’s family received a letter from Bennie. In his letter, he indicated that he thought she was with them in Dolan Springs, to which her parents promptly wrote back asking what had happened. Bennie responded on January 5, 1961, saying that he had not seen or heard from Diane in a very long time. The last time he saw her, he had given her $100 and put her on a bus to return to her family.

After seeing her off, Diane later wrote him one letter, informing him that she had had a miscarriage. Bennie also suggested that Diane’s parents contact a female friend of hers in California, whom he thought might have information on her whereabouts.

Sometime after her disappearance, Diane’s father went to Bennie’s hometown of Truth or Consequences, New Mexico to see if he could learn anything about the situation; Bennie’s brother was chief of police at the time. He allegedly threatened Diane’s father, making him leave town.

As recent as 2016, Bennie is still alive but has refused to cooperate with the police or take a polygraph. Although he also said he doesn’t recall ever marrying Diane, a copy of their marriage certificate does exist.

In August 1961, either Diane herself or someone else used her name while visiting a dentist’s office in California, this being the last possible sighting of her.

Several years later, in November 1967, the skeletal remains of a young girl were found at the Catalina Mountains in southern Arizona. Investigators initially believed they were Diane’s and tried to give them to Diane’s family. The cause of death was ruled as suicide. Diane’s mother did not think her daughter would have taken her life and did not believe that the remains were hers, of which both her parents refused to accept. In 2013, the bones were exhumed, and DNA tested. The results came back confirming the remains as not Diane’s.

If Diane is still alive, she would be 77-years old. She was between 5'2–5'4 tall, and 110–120 pounds. She had brown hair and brown/gray eyes.

Diane’s parents have since passed away, but her siblings continue to search for her. Her case remains unsolved.