Katharina Buczek
Later, the teen’s other shoe was discovered as well. But it had been in a separate part of the house, and there was blood inside.
Investigators subsequently launched a perimeter search, which uncovered bloody handprints on the garage and blood stains in the yard. Bloodhounds were then tasked with tracking the scent and ultimately brought the authorities back to the street.
This pushed the investigators to believe that Evelyn had been placed into a vehicle and driven away.
The theory prompted a widespread search effort to commence– with volunteers searching the town on foot while the Air Force, Civic Air Patrol, and National Guard combed the region from overhead.
Boaters also took to the waterways; meanwhile, countless high school and college students joined forces to look for Evelyn. So, within the days following the teen’s disappearance, over 2,000 community members helped search for Evelyn.
In the meantime, police instructed deer and squirrel hunters to remain alert. Farmers were also instructed to check their land for any freshly disturbed ground.
It was even announced that all vehicles would be checked for evidence. Authorities’ main goal was to ensure that the trunk and back seat of every car in the country would be inspected for blood stains.
So, the police printed 40,000 stickers that read, “MY CAR IS OK.” Then, after a police officer checked and cleared a vehicle, they would place the sticker on each car.
All gas station attendants were instructed to report suspicious vehicles, as well as the license plate numbers of any drivers who refused to have their cars searched.
During this time, Evelyn’s parents, Richard and Ethel, issued numerous pleas to the public– begging for any information or answers.
Shortly afterward, the parents received two phone calls from a man who wanted $500 in exchange for information about Evelyn. Authorities ultimately set up a trap for the caller, though, and they learned it was a 20-year-old named Jack Duffrin.
