Georgia Weckler

**Georgia Jean Weckler** was a young girl who vanished in 1947. She is believed to have been abducted.

## Case

### Disappearance

Georgia was last seen at her home in rural Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin at approximately 3.30 p.m. on May 1, 1947. Georgia and her siblings would typically ride their bicycles to school but that morning the ground was muddy so their father drove them in instead. Georgia, who finished school half an hour before her older brother and sister, caught a ride home with a neighbour who was collecting their own child from school.

The neighbour dropped Georgia at the entrance of the half-mile long driveway leading to her house. She said that she might go into the woods to pick flowers for her May Day basket before walking the rest of the way home. Georgia was familiar with the woods so if this was the case the possibility of her getting lost is considered slim. She then collected some letters from her family's mailbox and began walking up the driveway. She has not been seen or heard from since. The mail seems to have vanished along with Georgia.

Witnesses reported seeing a black or dark coloured, four door, 1936 Ford Sedan with a grey plastic spotlight in the area that Georgia vanished from. It was being driven by a 20-25 year old blond man. The vehicle vanished around the same time as Georgia did and deep tire tracks were later found on the road, suggesting someone had pulled out quickly. There were also sightings of a young girl struggling and pleading with a man in a similar car in Fort Atkinson shortly afterwards. While the girl resembled Georgia she has never been confirmed to have actually been her.

Georgia's mother wasn't initially concerned when she didn't return home as she assumed Georgia was with her father. It was only when Georgia's father returned home at 6:00 p.m. without her that it became apparent something was amiss.

### Possible suspects

In Autumn of 1947 Bunford Sennett, a convicted rapist and murderer who was serving a life sentence in prison, confessed to Georgia's murder. He claimed that, with the help of an unknown companion, he had kidnapped Georgia for ransom. However, he accidentally killed her by overdosing her on sleeping pills. He said he then disposed of her remains in the Blue River near the town of Blue River, Wisconsin. The river was searched but nothing was found. Some ashes which were found near a former hideout of Sennett's were also tested but no clues came from this.

Sennett was never charged in relation to Georgia's case and he died in prison in 2008. He recanted his confession and went on to maintain his innocence in Georgia's disappearance. Police are unsure if he was actually involved or not. Other individuals, one of whom was a convicted murderer in Nebraska, also confessed to abducting Georgia. However, most of later recanted and none of them were ever proven to be involved.

Serial killer Edward "Ed" Theodore Gein is also considered to be a possible suspect in Georgia's disappearance. He was arrested in 1957, ten years after Georgia vanished, in Plainfield, Wisconsin for the murder of a female Tavern keeper. Gein owned a black 1937 Ford but he did not match the description of the man who is believed to have abducted Georgia. Georgia also did not match his typical victim type who were middle aged woman.

Georgia's case remains unsolved.

## Characteristics

* Light brown or blonde hair.
* Brown eyes.
* She had a growth on one heel.

## Clothing and accessories

* A light blue T-shirt.
* A pink buttoned sweater.
* A faded blue skirt with a red moons or flower pattern.
* Blue jeans.
* A brown flowered scarf or headscarf.
* Brown moccasin-type shoes with reddish composition soles.

## Sources

* Georgia Weckler at the *Charley Project*
* Georgia Weckler at *NamUs*
* Georgia Weckler at the *Doe Network*
* Wisconsin Department of Justice