Katharina Buczek
As a child, however, Rita did struggle with sensitivity and emotional regulation, which pushed Donald and Mary to consult a child psychologist. Today, her sister Jill believes that Rita may have had Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
Rita’s differences also made her a target of bullying in high school. And by her junior year, she eventually wrote a derogatory statement on one of the school’s walls and received a reprimand.
Donald and Mary defended their daughter, however, and urged school officials to work on improving its social culture.
Then, while Rita was a senior, she attended Clackamas Community College, where she took classes full-time via a special program for advanced high school seniors.
There, Rita reportedly thrived and particularly excelled in the art and creative writing classes. And in June 1973, she finally graduated from high school.
Just a few weeks after attending her graduation ceremony, though, Rita strangely disappeared after going for a routine walk.
It all began on June 29, 1973, when Rita decided to take a stroll at about 7:15 p.m. This was not abnormal for her, either, so she left home with no clothes, money, or other personal items. While Rita left with a smile on her face, however, she never returned home.
She was spotted in the Robinwood area on Sunset Avenue sometime between 8:30 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. Later, at 9:30 p.m., she was last seen near the Oregon City Arch bridge.
The next evening, on June 30, two young men did contact the police and detailed how they attempted to pick up a teen who looked like Rita. However, the men claimed that the young woman was not Rita. They also did not leave behind any contact information, meaning authorities were unable to follow up with the tipsters.
So, the following years were extremely taxing on the Jolly family– who continued searching for answers. And unfortunately, Jill revealed that they still have no clue as to what really happened.
