She Vanished Along With Her Dog In 1973 After Hitchhiking In California
In early 1973, Pamela Jean Spencer intended to hitchhike from Santa Monica, California, to Malibu to visit her friend’s home.
Yet, after setting out for the journey with her dog named Layla, 20-year-old Pamela and the pup both vanished without a trace.
According to her acquaintances, she had relocated to Santa Monica three months prior to her disappearance and had been searching for a secretary job.
Pamela lived in an apartment located at 2440 Ocean Park Boulevard with Layla, a female Alaskan Malamute/Shepherd mix.
On the morning of January 26, 1973, Pamela left her apartment with Layla in tow just before 11:00 a.m. She’d planned to hitchhike along the Pacific Coast Highway to see her friend, Sally Knipler, who resided at 20766 Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu.
However, the 20-year-old and her dog never arrived, and three days later, she was reported missing to the police.
Authorities in Santa Monica conducted an “extensive investigation,” but nothing seemed awry at Pamela’s apartment, which appeared as if she hadn’t returned, and investigators found no clues as to her whereabouts.
Her case was subsequently featured in the Malibu-Topanga News’ Secret Witness List for months. Each Thursday from March 22, 1973, to November 9, 1973, Pamela’s disappearance was summarized in the newspaper, and a $250 reward was offered for information that could lead to her discovery.
It’s unclear where Pamela lived prior to her relocation to Santa Monica. According to the Malibu-Topanga News, she was “believed to be wearing blue jeans and a brown shirt when she left her apartment.”
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The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) expands upon this description, adding that Pamela was also wearing a blue blazer, possibly wearing brown suede shoes, and potentially carrying a navy blue purse.
To this day, there are still very few details on Pamela’s case, which remains unsolved over 52 years later. Her dog, Layla, has reportedly never been found.
Pamela was five feet tall, weighed about 118 pounds, and had black hair and brown eyes. Additionally, she had a large brown birthmark that ran from her left knee to her left hip. Her dog, Layla, was said to be “husky-like in appearance,” with long hair and gray and white coloring.
If alive today, Pamela would be 72 years old. Anyone with information regarding her case is urged to contact the Santa Monica Police Department at (310) 458-8491.
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