I hope all of my long-time Maryland local friends are keeping up with the new developments in the case of the Lyon sisters, who went missing on March 25, 1975. It’s quickly coming up on the 40th anniversary of their disappearance.
Last February, MCPD declared Lloyd Lee Welch a person of interest. He had actually come forward on April 1, 1975 (he was maybe 18 then) reporting seeing the girls get into a car with a man. This was immediately after a $7,000 reward was offered. They took his statement, gave him a polygraph, and said that it indicated deception.
Later last summer, they declared Lloyd’s uncle a person of interest (Richard Welch of Hyattsville). Until late last week, those of us who follow the case closely have been waiting for details on what led to these two declarations. Since that second declaration, MCPD has been working closely with investigators in Thaxton, Bedford County, VA (down in southwestern Virginia between Lynchburg and Roanoake) interviewing family members and searching properties. The family owns land on Taylor Mountain, including a private cemetery with unmarked graves.
Finally, court papers surfaced last week describing some of the facts and circumstances that led to these declarations. I hope they’re coming close to solving this crime, it would be nice to close the books on one that haunted our childhoods.