Disappearance of Robin Graham

Robin Ann Graham (June 22, 1952 – disappeared November 15, 1970) was an American college student who disappeared from a Los Angeles freeway in the early hours of November 15, 1970 after her car had broken down. She has not been heard from since, nor are there any clues as to her whereabouts or subsequent fate. Graham's case is often included in television programs focusing on missing persons.

Robin Graham
High school graduation photograph
Born
Robin Ann Graham

(1952-06-22)June 22, 1952
Los Angeles
DisappearedNovember 15, 1970 (aged 18)
Los Angeles, California
StatusMissing for 50 years, 2 months and 22 days

California Highway Patrol (CHP) officers had earlier noted Graham stranded beside her vehicle and had stopped several times and talked with her. They did not stop one final time when they observed her talking with a young man, now believed likely involved in her abduction. Their actions were consistent with existing policy.[1] Based on Graham's disappearance, CHP policy was officially changed to ensure the safety of all stranded female motorists.[2]

Background

Robin Graham was the daughter of Marvin and Beverly Graham. She grew up on Lemoyne Street, in the Echo Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, and had graduated from John Marshall High School in June 1970. She was attending Pierce College in Woodland Hills, and working part-time at Pier 1 Imports in Hollywood.

Disappearance

Graham was last seen by California Highway Patrol officers at approximately 2:00 a.m. on November 15, 1970, beside her car on the shoulder of the southbound Hollywood Freeway near the Santa Monica offramp. A dark-haired white male was with her, who was estimated to be in his mid-twenties and who drove a late 1950s model Chevrolet Corvette C1, pale blue or green with primer. Graham had earlier used a call box to ask a CHP emergency operator to let her parents know she had run out of gas. Graham's younger sister took the call and relayed the information to her parents upon their return home at approximately 2:30 a.m. They went immediately to the site, where they found Robin's car, but she had disappeared.[3] No note was found on her locked car. The CHP officers had stopped several times earlier and spoke with Graham but had not stopped when they saw her talking with the young man. The patrolmen assumed he was the help for which she'd called. The CHP officers were acting in accordance with policy.[1] As a result of this case, CHP policy was changed to ensure the safety of stranded female motorists.[2]

Graham had been out Saturday night with friends. After dropping off a girlfriend, Graham was dropped off at her car in the Pier 1 Imports parking lot, at approximately 1:45 a.m. The initial report had Graham leaving voluntarily in the Corvette, but the CHP officer who made that report was requestioned and said he saw her in the presence of the young man but did not see them leave together.

The case was handled by detectives at the Rampart Division of the LAPD who thought Graham's disappearance was possibly linked to three other similar cases involving young women over the previous two years,[4] including Rose Tashman, an Israeli-born student at San Fernando Valley State College who disappeared in 1969. She had a flat tire on the Hollywood Freeway, a few miles from the location of Graham's car. Months before Graham's disappearance, on January 20, 1970, another young woman, Cindy Lee Mellin, had also disappeared; her car was found with a flat tire, she likewise has never been found. None of the other cases were solved and all the other victims were found dead in the Hollywood Hills. In 1975, a similar disappearance took place from the San Bernardino Freeway, in El Monte. The skeletal remains of Mona Jean Gallegos were found nearly six months later in a Riverside ravine.

At the time of her disappearance, Graham had long brown hair, brown eyes, fair skin and was 5'6" in height.

Further activity

Seventeen years later, an ad appeared in the Los Angeles Times classifieds which caught the attention of the Graham family as well as KFI disc jockey Geoff Edwards, who read it on the air: "DEAREST ROBIN You ran out of gas on the Hollywood Frwy. A man in a Corvette pulled over to help. You've not been seen of since. It's been 17 years, but it's always just yesterday. Still looking for you (signed) THE ECHO PARK DUCKS." It turned out that Al Medrano, a friend still living in the neighborhood, simply wanted to express that Graham had not been forgotten.[5]

See also

References
  1. Drummond, William J. (November 19, 1970). "CHP, POLICE REGULATIONS EXPLAINED: Why Missing Coed Was Left on Freeway". Los Angeles Times. p. a1 (2 pp.)(Full text via Newspapers.com. (subscription required).).
  2. "WILL INCREASE AID TO WOMEN: CHP Alters Freeway Policy After Disappearance of Girl". Los Angeles Times. Dec 12, 1970. p. a1 (2 pp.)(Full text via Newspapers.com. (subscription required).).
  3. Drummond, William J. (November 18, 1970). "Girl Sighted Talking to Man on Freeway Before She Vanished: Homicide Detectives Say Patrolmen Directed Pierce Coed to Call Box, Later Saw Corvette Parked Near Her Car". Los Angeles Times. p. a3 (2 pp.)(Full text via Newspapers.com. (subscription required).).
  4. Jones, Jack (June 8, 1977). "Postscript: Parents Won't Give Up on Girl Who Disappeared 6 Years Ago". Los Angeles Times. p. oc1 (1 pp.).
  5. Harvey, Steve (December 15, 1987). "Postscript: 'I just wanted to show she wasn't forgotten". Los Angeles Times. p. 3(Full text via Newspapers.com. (subscription required).).
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