apr 30, 1976 - Sherry Lynn Smith

Description:

15yo; last seen attending a dance with friends at the Garberville Fireman's Hall in Southern Humboldt County. She either had already left by the time her friend Tim Thurman arrived around midnight, or she left the dance at 2am. She was reportedly staying with a friend in Alderpoint at the time of her disappearance, and had not been in contact with family for ~5 days.

May 2: Sherry's body was found on a small dirt road in the area of Fruitland Ridge Rd; and/or "discarded off Eel Rock Road, just north of Miranda." She was found less than 6mi from her home. She was bloodied, bruised, and partially nude. She'd been strangled and raped. Her underwear and peach-colored pants were pushed down from her waist. She was still wearing her rings and silver earrings.

Apparently, many believe that Sherry was killed by John Annibel, who is in prison for the 1998 murder of Debra Sloan. Annibel was the fraternal twin brother of Sherry's older sister's boyfriend. Both Annibel and his twin brother served as pallbearers at Sherry's funeral. He lived up Eel Rock Rd, the same road her body was found on. He is also suspected in the 1980 murder of his then-girlfriend, Andrea LeDaRoute.

Janet Lee Bowman, Karen Fischer, Sherrie Smith, and Vickie Schneider are four young female homicide victims in Humboldt County, all killed btwn Sept. 1975 and June 1976. Their cases have been linked by newspapers from the beginning, and they are sometimes referred to as the Humboldt Four.

APRIL 30
LUNAR PHASE: new moon
ZODIAC SIGN: taurus
DAY OF WEEK: Friday

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