Opinion ID: 2639471
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Disappearance of Debbie Galston

Text: Debbie disappeared on August 8, 1984. On October 27, 1984, Thomas Whisenhunt was deer hunting in the area of Baltic Ridge Road and North South Road. About a quarter-mile from the intersection of North South Road and Baltic Ridge Road and about 150 feet off the road, Whisenhunt found the remains of a young girl. The body was about 10 feet from an oil spot and looked as if it had been dragged. No other items were found at the location. Through dental records, including X-rays, it was determined that the remains were those of Debbie. The pathologist was unable to determine the cause of death because the decomposition of the mummified remains destroyed all such evidence. The pathologist further stated that she was unable to find trauma to any of the bones. Brenda Hartman worked with defendant at the El Dorado Convalescent Hospital. She believed that he was a judgmental person who would label young women as loose. In the middle of July of 1984, defendant offered Hartman a ride home after her car had broken down. On the way, defendant drove to the foster home to pick up Darlene. Hartman stated that Debbie was sitting on an open windowsill and said, Darlene, better watch out, Mike has a girl in the car, and he's going out on you again. Darlene came outside and called Debbie a bitch. Hartman testified that defendant told Darlene, Well, you don't have to worry about her much longer. Joanna testified that several days before Debbie's disappearance, while inside the foster home, Darlene and Debbie were having an ongoing argument about defendant. When the argument moved outside, Joanna followed Darlene and Debbie because defendant was there. Joanna testified that defendant told Debbie, I'm going to get you. Joanna further stated that after June 12, the date Denise disappeared, Debbie became afraid of defendant. Whenever he was around, she would leave. As Joanna explained, Wherever he was at, we were not there. Shawn Philpott also testified that Debbie was afraid of defendant. He stated that he had been acquainted with Debbie and had struck up a friendship with her in the weeks prior to her disappearance. On one occasion, while driving with Debbie in his truck, they saw defendant driving towards them from the opposite direction and Debbie tucked down below the front dash until defendant passed. On a second occasion, Debbie was with Philpott in front of The Oz when defendant approached in an automobile and Debbie, said Philpott, pushed me in front of her and then she proceeded to walk behind the rest of the crowd of people. On a third occasion, by the Bell Tower, defendant approached in his car and Debbie, said Philpott, tucked behind me. On August 8, 1984, while at a birthday party for Larry Vorce at Benham Park that Debbie attended, Michael Nuss saw defendant's car drive by the park. The driver drove by real slow looking through the park. All Nuss could see was that the window was down, the driver was a male with short hair and the car was traveling five miles an hour, or slower. No one else was in the car. Nuss thought the time was about 8:00 or 8:30 p.m. Nuss had seen defendant's car earlier in the day at the AM-PM Mini-Market, when they were getting ready for the party. About 8:30 p.m., Debbie mentioned to Vorce that she had to leave the party as she had to be back at the foster home by 9:00 p.m. Debbie asked Keith B., Katrina M., and a third person, identified only as Logan, to walk her some of the way. The three walked with her for a short distance and returned. Darlene testified that on August 8, she and defendant spent the early evening drinking with defendant's mother and his mother's boyfriend at the mother's trailer on Big Cut Road. Upon leaving, they drove to Benham Park where Darlene used the restroom. They stayed at the park for about 15 minutes. Darlene saw Debbie at the park drinking with other people. Defendant then took Darlene home. Darlene testified that during that evening, defendant pulled a knife from his car's sun visor, put it in his pants and told Darlene he had to take care of business. Barbara Rugg, who worked at Nona Chapman's foster home, testified that Darlene was the first foster child to arrive home that evening. Rugg believed that Darlene returned between 7:45 and 8:00 p.m. Rugg testified that she recalled thinking this was unusual, because Darlene usually did not return home until 11:00 p.m. or midnight. That same day, August 8, Joanna and her boyfriend, Larry Wright, were together. They returned to the foster home about 8:30 p.m. They wanted to talk to Debbie, but she was not there. They waited until 9:00 p.m., Debbie's curfew, and then went out looking for her. They did not find her. Debbie did not return home. On August 10, 1984, Joanna and Wright went on a picnic, intending to drive to Anderson Ridge in Wright's grandparents' truck. They took Wright's dog with them. Wright stated the purpose of the picnic was to calm Joanna down and get her away from town because Debbie was still missing and Joanna was upset. They eventually reached North South Road and the bridge to nowhere. Wright insisted that Joanna did not give him any directions as to where to drive. At the bridge, Joanna noticed a tennis shoe lying by the creek and pointed it out to Wright. They also saw some clothing in a bush on a small island in the creek. They found pants, a shirt, undergarments, another shoe and a sock. Joanna recognized the clothes as belonging to Debbie and became hysterical; she began to cry and just became unglued. They gathered the clothes and put them in the back of the truck. On the way to the sheriffs office, they met Deputy Sheriff Paul Odlin at the Sly Park Dam. They led Odlin back to the bridge to nowhere, and showed him where they had found the clothing. Odlin noted that Joanna was shaky and nervous, with tears in her eyes. She kept talking about how it was Debbie's clothes and [she] was hoping [Odlin] would find her.