In 1989, This High School Freshman Vanished After Attending A Party In The Woods: Her Case Has Remained Unsolved For Over 33 Years
October 27, 1989, started off like a normal day for 14-year-old Melanie Jo Melanson.
She went to Woburn High School in Massachusetts, where she was just a freshman. Then, after school, Melanie and a friend walked to her grandmother’s house in the afternoon.
Upon arriving there, she reportedly told her grandmother that she would be sleeping over at her friend’s house– who lived next door.
But this wound up being a cover story. In reality, Melanie had planned to go to a party that evening on the outskirts of town.
The party took place in a wooded region behind an industrial park and was attended by approximately 12 other high school students–all of them older than Melanie.
The gathering did not last very long, though, and reportedly began to fizzle out at approximately 10:30 p.m. At that point, attendees began to head out of the woods– leaving Melanie with two older male students.
The boys– James and Eugene– were the last known individuals who saw the 14-year-old alive that evening.
In later statements to the police, James claimed that he left the party and offered all of the attendees a ride home– including Melanie. While multiple people accepted that offer, though, the 14-year-old apparently declined and opted to stay back at the party with Eugene.
According to Eugene’s statement, though, he and Melanie actually parted ways at the top of a walking path in the industrial park.
Facebook – pictured above is Melanie
So, both James and Eugene have claimed to have no idea what happened to the 14-year-old that night. Each boy also maintains that the other boy had been the last person to see Melanie.
After she did not return home that evening, Melanie’s grandmother awoke the next morning and realized the teen was not there. At that point, her grandmother began calling family, friends, and even some of the party’s attendees to figure out what had happened.
Melanie’s family was unable to determine her whereabouts, though, so they were forced to report her missing to the authorities.
In the beginning, investigators believed that the 14-year-old might have left on her own accord. This was due to a prior runaway attempt.
This theory did not last long, though, because authorities soon learned that Melanie had various things to look forward to. For instance, she was just five days away from celebrating her 15th birthday.
Melanie was also eager to get her braces off and go shopping with her father for a birthday present– a trip that was supposed to happen the day after her disappearance.
Due to this, investigators believe that the 14-year-old was a victim of foul play. Additionally, they think her remains are still somewhere in Woburn, Massachusetts.
Over 33 years have passed since Melanie’s disappearance, and authorities have continued their investigation into her case. They think that the 14-year-old was killed that evening and believe that her remains were either left in the region where the party was held or moved to a different location.
In 1992, police received an anonymous tip detailing how Melanie had been inside a car at the bottom of a pond. After following up on this tip and searching the water, though, investigators found nothing.
So, Melanie’s case sat cold until 2009, when there was another push for new information. That year, the investigation into her disappearance was reopened, and authorities received another tip regarding a region near the General Foods Plant– not far from where the party was held in 1989.
After excavating this area, though, investigators again walked away empty-handed.
Tips continued to pour in for years after this failed search effort. And while authorities continued conducting searches and excavations between 2011 and 2015, no substantial evidence was ever uncovered.
At the time of her disappearance, Melanie was five foot three, weighed 105 pounds, and had blonde hair and blue eyes. She was 14 years old, had braces, and had both of her ears pierced.
A $5,000 reward is currently being offered for any information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the individual(s) responsible for Melanie’s disappearance.
If you have any information regarding her case, you are urged to contact the Woburn Police Department at (781) 933-1212 or the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at (800) 843-5678.
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