The review for finals continues... and I'm currently watching the Patricia Meehan segment. For those of you who don't remember, she is the woman who was involved in a car accident outside of Circle, Montana and wandered away from the scene. There have been numerous sightings of her since the time of the accident in 1989, but she has never been found.

People on this site do such a great job of speculating what may have happened, so now I pose this question: What happened to Patricia? Did she wander out into the prairie, only to meet a fate like so many others that have been trapped out in Montana's prairies? Are the sightings of her credible, as she has been sighted numerous times between Bozeman, MT and Seattle, WA? Or did she suffer from amnesia as a result of the accident and meet with foul play later?

Discuss. I'm interested. Here's a link to her Doe Network (http://www.doenetwork.us/cases/1071dfmt.html) page, for those of you who need the memory refresher.

The review for finals continues... and I'm currently watching the Patricia Meehan segment. For those of you who don't remember, she is the woman who was involved in a car accident outside of Circle, Montana and wandered away from the scene. There have been numerous sightings of her since the time of the accident in 1989, but she has never been found.

People on this site do such a great job of speculating what may have happened, so now I pose this question: What happened to Patricia? Did she wander out into the prairie, only to meet a fate like so many others that have been trapped out in Montana's prairies? Are the sightings of her credible, as she has been sighted numerous times between Bozeman, MT and Seattle, WA? Or did she suffer from amnesia as a result of the accident and meet with foul play later?

Discuss. I'm interested. Here's a link to her Doe Network (http://www.doenetwork.us/cases/1071dfmt.html) page, for those of you who need the memory refresher.

I'd like to believe the sightings were credible, but it seems that in similar cases, once the true fate has been found, the sightings were almost always completely off base.

It's been a long time. I would think that even if she had amnesia, somebody would have helped her find out who she was by now.

However, as Andy Dufresne wrote to Red in "The Shawshank Redemption," Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things and no good thing ever dies."
:tehcool:

I would say she probably died out there, i dont trust any witness testimony ( it never pans out to be the same person) so she probably feel asleep somewhere and was eaten by wolves or was murdered by a truck driver.

I did find one thing on Patricia Meehan in a Google search. It looks to have been a false lead, though. Didn't realize that Meehan had a boyfriend...the episode made it out to seem like she was single and lonely.

http://s13.invisionfree.com/PorchlightUSA/ar/t1360.htm

Sunday, September 02, 1990


Northwest Briefly

Is She Or Isn't She Patricia Meehan?

Times Staff: Times News Services

A transient arrested for littering remained in jail yesterday while a key witness says she probably is not a Montana woman who disappeared last year after walking away from an automobile accident.

Police have been unable to determine whether the woman who identified herself as Morning Star is Patricia Meehan, 37, who vanished after walking away from a car crash near Circle, Mont., on April 20, 1989. Relatives fear she is suffering from amnesia.

Officer Steve Koskimaki spotted the woman in a restaurant Thursday and was sure she was Meehan, whose photograph has been circulated widely in the Pacific Northwest. Koskimaki arrested her after she threw a newspaper on the street.

However, Kurt Flechel of Spokane, a former longtime boyfriend of Meehan, told police Meehan is not the woman in custody, although ``there was a strong resemblance and the voice was similar,'' Lt. Don Jiran said.

In an appearance Friday before Magistrate Neil Walter, the woman said she was a missionary for God and stopped in town en route from Seattle to Montana.

``I really think it's her. This woman is the spitting image of Meehan,'' said Lt. Greg Surplus. ``If this isn't her, then we've still got a missing person from somewhere.''

Arrested for littering? That's a pretty harsh penalty for that offense.

Arrested for littering? That's a pretty harsh penalty for that offense.

Sounds to me like the "transient" was also acting...well, strange, and it was a "arrest for her own safety" deal.

Meehan is still listed as missing on the Doe Network and other sites, so this likely wasn't her.

When was the last known sighting?

Has she been declared legally dead if she hasn't been seen in a long time?

I think she was trying to commit suicide by causing a car accident, when she saw that nobody died and that she realised what she had done, she panicked and just wondered away. I think she feels she is a fugitive and the claim that she has amnesia is not true. I do think she remembers what happened but is either too scared to go back, or she has started a new life somewhere and hopes to never be found.

Any updates?

More on Meehan (November 14, 1994...strangely, from the Dallas Morning News)

HEADLINE: Lost Lives;
Family's search for daughter proves futile

BYLINE: Colleen O'Connor

BODY:
More than five years ago, Patricia Meehan walked away from a head-on traffic accident in eastern Montana and disappeared.

"A lot of people say she's still up there in the hills," said Jack Limesand, the undersheriff who has worked the case since the start.

"But as much as we covered it, it's dang near impossible. There are ranchers up there every day. Someone would have seen an item of clothing or a fragment of bone."

Family and friends worry that she is no longer alive.

"I did just about everything I could to find her," said her father, Thomas Meehan, who lives in Pennsylvania. "It leads me to think she's not out there. That's what I've come to accept. Of course, we still hope."

In the first year after her disappearance, more than 5,000 people in the Pacific Northwest reported seeing a woman who looked just like Ms. Meehan.

Every time her story is replayed on television, more leads come in.

"I've got a new stack of sightings here about four-foot high," said Undersheriff Limesand. "When she was around here, she sometimes worked as a ranch hand and liked horses. So any lead about working on a dude ranch or resort of some kind is pretty good."

The petite strawberry blonde was 37 when she disappeared, and she was in trouble.

"She was under some sort of stress, and her doctor was sending her to a psychologist that morning," said Mr. Meehan, who received a phone call from her the night before she disappeared.

"She asked if she could come home, and I said, Sure.' She didn't like to fly, and I didn't want her driving by herself in her condition. I told her to call after she saw the . . .

(psychologist) that day. I wanted time to figure out how we could get her home."

She never called.

One of the last people to see Ms. Meehan was her landlord.

"He said she was really out of it and wasn't making sense, that she seemed real hyper," said Mr. Meehan.

The car accident occurred in Circle, Mont., in a desolate stretch of hilly ranch country bisected by a big flat-bottom creek.

The car Ms. Meehan was driving collided with that of a local police dispatcher, a woman trained in acute observation.

"She said Patty's eyes were starry, like she was in shock already," said Jean Flechel of Spokane, Wash. Ms. Flechel's son, Kurt, is a former boyfriend of Ms. Meehan's. Through him, she became involved in the search for the missing woman.

"Then she turned and ran back across the hill."

Undersheriff Limesand remembers taking out the dogs that night, searching for her by moonlight. Suddenly, her trail just disappeared.

By dawn the next day, "whole piles of people lined up to search," he recalled. They took horses and four-wheel-drive vehicles, going out every day for more than a week.

"There are old coal mines around here. We even had guys go down in those old mine shafts," he said.

Her family flew out from Pittsburgh to join the search and hired a helicopter.

"We damn near pretty quick knew every rabbit and bald eagle by name," said Undersheriff Limesand. "The pilot put us down so close we could damn near count the fence posts."

Today, despite his extensive efforts, the lawman is not without self-doubt.

"You're always wondering what you could have done different," he said quietly. "It's a tough deal to think, Well, maybe we should have done something different.' "

Today, Mr. Meehan is less involved in hunting down leads.

"You have to get away from it and forget about it," he said.

"You just can't dwell on it, or it will drive you crazy."

Still, he hasn't given up. Last month, he contacted a new organization in Florida that hunts for missing people.

"When a person is missing, you keep wondering, Are they ever going to turn up?' " he said. "If you just knew if they were all right, it would be a load off your mind, that they weren't suffering and having hard times."

Ms. Flechel fears that the "sensible girl" she knew is now dead.

"She'd been seen hitchhiking," said Ms. Flechel, recounting one of the leads, "and that's a very dangerous way for a girl to live."

Thanks for posting that article. I, too, think it's interesting that UM didn't mention that she had a boyfriend. I wonder if they were together at the time she disappeared. Perhaps they broke up and she was upset about that...

I tend to disagree with the theory that she was trying to commit suicide. My best guess, based on the way Meehan was acting, was that the accident was truly an accident and she freaked when she thought she might have killed someone.

I don't know why this case got to me, but I've done a fair bit of research on it and here I'll piece together what I found and my conclusions based on it.

I think there are only two theories that make sense:

1. Meehan died some distance from the crash and her body was never found.
2. Meehan hitched a ride somewhere and is either suffering from amnesia or has died somewhere unrecognized.

Sadly I think the answer is #1, for the following reasons:

--Meehan worked on a ranch and presumably was used to being outdoors. The crash happened in April, and, although April can be a cold month in Montana, it's likely that she could have survived for several days. If she was on the move for a significant time she could have walked for 10-20 miles, easily. It's hard to imagine that the search party could have covered that distance. As you can see from the map of Circle, MT (http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?searchtype=address&country=US&addtohistory=&searchtab=home&formtype=address&popflag=0&latitude=&longitude=&name=&phone=&level=&cat=&address=&city=circle&state=mt&zipcode=) there's not much out there and it's possible she never saw anybody in that 10-20 miles.

--As you can also see in the map, Circle is close to 50 miles from the nearest interstate, and the only main road in the area is the same Route 200 she crashed on. It's possible she looped back to Route 200, but it's then more likely that her ride would have been a local who would have known about the missing person. Route 200 is a two-lane highway that goes through a very remote area of Montana...there isn't much non-local traffic.

--By most accounts Meehan was a shy person who preferred animals to people. She doesn't sound like the kind of person who would be brave enough to hitch a ride with a stranger, especially if she was in a panicked state.

--If you accept that Meehan has been hitching rides all over the Northwestern US, you have to explain how she's been supporting herself, how she's keeping herself clean, etc. She doesn't sound like someone streetwise and savvy enough to keep herself solvent.

There's an interesting backstory with the boyfriend, Kurt Flechel. It sounds like they were at least close at some point--his mom was still greatly involved in the search in 1994, so it doesn't sound like a casual fling. I can't go into detail, but I have some reason to believe that their relationship was long-distance. I think there's some significance to the fact that the UM segment didn't mention Meehan had a boyfriend. What I think might have been going down was that Meehan wanted Flechel to move out to eastern Montana and he didn't want to go. (Flechel and his family still live in Spokane, so it's obvious where he wanted to stay.) Whether that caused Meehan's breakdown, nobody will ever know. Perhaps Flechel felt guilty about it and didn't want to be interviewed for UM.

I want to emphasize that I don't blame Flechel or want to make him out to be the bad guy. I've been in a long-distance relationship too, with my now-wife, and it's a hard situation. My sincerest sympathies go out to him...it seems like he's still hurt by Meehan's disappearance.

she probably feel asleep somewhere and was eaten by wolves

I always enjoy a post that paints a visual picture. :lol:

Actually, I think this was one of the worst produced UM segments. They never gave any indication why they think the sightings are credible, or "confirmed" in the case of the waitresses who reported she was eating breakfast.

Recently eyewitness reports and testimony have come under more scrutiny and skepticism. I think if UM were in production today it would properly include many more phrases like "reported sightings," and not point blank claim the person has been seen dozens or hundreds of times. UM used caution in that regard in some segments but not here.

sad case

She probably ended up like michael henley

Recently eyewitness reports and testimony have come under more scrutiny and skepticism. I think if UM were in production today it would properly include many more phrases like "reported sightings," and not point blank claim the person has been seen dozens or hundreds of times. UM used caution in that regard in some segments but not here. I'm pretty certain that the sightings are mistaken as well. One of the newspaper articles referred to "more than 5,000 reported sightings" of Meehan. Honestly, if even 1% of those were legit, shouldn't she have been found by now?

I'll always remember the picture Patricia took of herself shortly before she disappeared.

I don't know why this case got to me, but I've done a fair bit of research on it and here I'll piece together what I found and my conclusions based on it.

I think there are only two theories that make sense:

1. Meehan died some distance from the crash and her body was never found.
2. Meehan hitched a ride somewhere and is either suffering from amnesia or has died somewhere unrecognized.

Sadly I think the answer is #1, for the following reasons:

--Meehan worked on a ranch and presumably was used to being outdoors. The crash happened in April, and, although April can be a cold month in Montana, it's likely that she could have survived for several days. If she was on the move for a significant time she could have walked for 10-20 miles, easily. It's hard to imagine that the search party could have covered that distance. As you can see from the map of Circle, MT (http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?searchtype=address&country=US&addtohistory=&searchtab=home&formtype=address&popflag=0&latitude=&longitude=&name=&phone=&level=&cat=&address=&city=circle&state=mt&zipcode=) there's not much out there and it's possible she never saw anybody in that 10-20 miles.

--As you can also see in the map, Circle is close to 50 miles from the nearest interstate, and the only main road in the area is the same Route 200 she crashed on. It's possible she looped back to Route 200, but it's then more likely that her ride would have been a local who would have known about the missing person. Route 200 is a two-lane highway that goes through a very remote area of Montana...there isn't much non-local traffic.

--By most accounts Meehan was a shy person who preferred animals to people. She doesn't sound like the kind of person who would be brave enough to hitch a ride with a stranger, especially if she was in a panicked state.

--If you accept that Meehan has been hitching rides all over the Northwestern US, you have to explain how she's been supporting herself, how she's keeping herself clean, etc. She doesn't sound like someone streetwise and savvy enough to keep herself solvent.

There's an interesting backstory with the boyfriend, Kurt Flechel. It sounds like they were at least close at some point--his mom was still greatly involved in the search in 1994, so it doesn't sound like a casual fling. I can't go into detail, but I have some reason to believe that their relationship was long-distance. I think there's some significance to the fact that the UM segment didn't mention Meehan had a boyfriend. What I think might have been going down was that Meehan wanted Flechel to move out to eastern Montana and he didn't want to go. (Flechel and his family still live in Spokane, so it's obvious where he wanted to stay.) Whether that caused Meehan's breakdown, nobody will ever know. Perhaps Flechel felt guilty about it and didn't want to be interviewed for UM.

I want to emphasize that I don't blame Flechel or want to make him out to be the bad guy. I've been in a long-distance relationship too, with my now-wife, and it's a hard situation. My sincerest sympathies go out to him...it seems like he's still hurt by Meehan's disappearance.

I just saw this segment for the first time. I was going to throw in my two cents, but it looks like The Third Man has really done a good job covering this one. If I were going to bet on this case, I would say that, if her body or any trace of her is ever found, it will be out near where she crashed, likely dead from exposure, as The Third Man suggested. Eyewitness testimonies in these matters are usually frought with error, and looking at the map paints a fairly stark picture. Unless she wandered back to that highway fairly quickly (i.e., before everyone in town would have heard of the missing girl), she would have to have wandered off in a direction away from the road. The possibilities for someone in that situation, in an area that remote, are pretty bleak.

I vaguely remember this story. It reminds me of that girl (don't remember her name) who, inspired by Jack Kerouac, decided to take a cross-country journey and ended up crashing her Jeep and turned up missing. In any case, it sounds as though Patricia had a nervous breakdown, and the crash probably didn't do much for her emotional state. I would agree that she most likely wandered off and died in the wilderness somewhere. The only other plausible explanation I can think of would be if she were somehow picked up, and because of everything she'd been through, was so mentally distraught that she was committed to a hospital and has been unable to tell anyone who she is. Granted, I think that theory is pretty farfetched, but to my mind, it's the only way she could be alive somewhere.

sounds to me like a serious abnormality occured in her brain. These things can cause serious changes in personality and behavior.

so sad to see there is no updates on this one

My intuition leads me to believe that some form of brain injury...physical or otherwise...is a very likely scenerio. There was enough exposition in the actual story to indicate that Pat was not the happiest person in the world at the time of the crash and that a mjor catylist of that sort would be more than enough to cause serious mental damge.

Were I forced to give my opinion based on all we know thus far, I would theorize that Pat was in a daze prior to the crash, that her mental state was further agitated BY the crash, and that she wondered away in an even deeper daze. I would then get into even muddier waters by theorizing that she lived for some time following this incident but was both not herself and not in good shape in ANY sense of the word. I feel she likely died within one year and was buried in a "potter's field" set asside for unidentified individuals, often transients or the mentally ill who can not be identified.

My reasoning is thus: Had she survived for a loner duration, I have to believe that SOMETHING would have been heared from/of her in the years that have passed.

Prediction: If this case is solved I feel it will ikely come when Pat's face and identity are linked with a Jane Doe somewhere who passed on and was not identified at the time.

Keep in mind, this is nothing more than a partially-educated theory by a student with 4 CJ classes under his belt and a career that forces him to examine minute facts of an incident and attempt to reconstruct them. (I am an insurance adjuster with at least moderate experience with vehicular accidents.) So this series of theories...sounds kinda cute...is based, as much I can, on what I would have concluded where I faced with this case in my own field.

Sean M

I've always wondered if it wasn't possible that Patricia was under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time of the accident, and left to avoid being arrested at the scene. If I recall the segment correctly, her family spoke very fondly of her and certainly didn't paint her as someone who led a party lifestyle, but who knows what Patricia did with her private time? Though I tend to think if this were the case, she would have eventually turned up somewhere, going on the run for twenty years to avoid a DUI seems rather far fetched.

I can also see the possibility of Patricia suffering from either a mental illness or a brain injury after the accident, and wandering around not knowing who she really was. Perhaps she is an unknown patient in a mental hospital somewhere, or even a transient living on the streets and in shelters.

Or sadly, regardless of what motivated her to leave the scene, she died of exposure somewhere and her body has yet to be found. Or if it has, she is one of the thousands of Jane Doe's waiting to be identified.

I remember seeing Patrica's case profiled when I was a kid, it's sad to know it has yet to be resolved.

I have a habit of perusing doenetwork.org for unidentified bodies and try to see if any of them coincide with missing persons from UM eppies. I keep thinking this skeleton's facial structure resembles Meehan's, but there are a few things that don't add up, mainly the estimates of how long the body had been there, but there's no saying Patricia wasn't alive for a while before meeting her end:

http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/158ufco.html

I'm willing to bet it's not her, but the nose and cheeks are similar.

Patricia, like Adam Hecht could be living among the legion of homeless and deranged people that exist everywhere in this country.

what makes Patricia's case so sad to me, is that she really was a very pretty and seemed like she had a lot to give to the world.

I have a habit of perusing doenetwork.org for unidentified bodies and try to see if any of them coincide with missing persons from UM eppies. I keep thinking this skeleton's facial structure resembles Meehan's, but there are a few things that don't add up, mainly the estimates of how long the body had been there, but there's no saying Patricia wasn't alive for a while before meeting her end:

http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/158ufco.html

I'm willing to bet it's not her, but the nose and cheeks are similar.

It's as good a lead as any, right? Besides, the estimation of date of death is approximate. Once remains are skeletonized, I'm not sure how they can determine how long they've been there. All I can figure is that they're basing it on how long it's been since someone was in that area (i.e., if the skull had been there three years, the property owner at the time would have found it, etc.) or some other environmental factors. The date could be wrong, or, as you mentioned, Patricia may have wandered around for some time before she died. I'd suggest that you contact the Doe Network or whatever law enforcement agency is handling Patricia's case and let them know. I actually once submitted a lead on a Jane Doe that turned up in Florida to a missing person's case I'd heard about in New York based on the physical resemblance between the missing girl and the reconstruction of the remains. I haven't heard anything, so I'm assuming that they ruled out the possibility of it being her. It's easy enough for them to prove or disprove the identity.

Okay. I sent an email to doenetwork about it. I tried to find an email address for the Circle, MT sheriff but was unable. I don't expect to hear anything but you never know. Maybe this is something they haven't looked at.

Okay. I sent an email to doenetwork about it. I tried to find an email address for the Circle, MT sheriff but was unable. I don't expect to hear anything but you never know. Maybe this is something they haven't looked at.

I think it's a good lead; the reconstruction does resemble her. Please let us know if you hear anything back.

The worst that could happen is that they find out it's not her. At least that's one more avenue they've searched, a possibility they can rule out. Let us know if you hear anything!

The worst that could happen is that they find out it's not her. At least that's one more avenue they've searched, a possibility they can rule out. Let us know if you hear anything!


The nose and eye shape do seem similar. It's worth a shot.

Doenetwork responded and said that their databases do not show these remains ever being compared to Patricia Meehan, so it has been forwarded to their match panel. I'll let you know when I hear anything further.

Good work

I have a habit of perusing doenetwork.org for unidentified bodies and try to see if any of them coincide with missing persons from UM eppies. I keep thinking this skeleton's facial structure resembles Meehan's, but there are a few things that don't add up, mainly the estimates of how long the body had been there, but there's no saying Patricia wasn't alive for a while before meeting her end:

http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/158ufco.html

I'm willing to bet it's not her, but the nose and cheeks are similar.

Can't wait to hear any update on this. And Colorado ain't that far away from Montana: You have only one State to cross. And even if Meehan disappeared in 1989, she might have died one or two years later, leaving time for the body to decompose enough to a become skeletonized.

As for this Jane Doe, my guts tell me that this is a homicide. Why would the hikers have found only the skull bleached out, and not the rest of the skeleton nearby, not even one bone? Scavengers do not carry heads around or every parcel of a body away from a skull, so there would have been some other bones nearby.

I really hope it's not her, though. :(

I hope it's not her either, but I feel in my gut that she is dead. At least finding her would give her family some closure...but I agree, I think this victim in Colorado was murdered, so there's an entire new can of worms.

Edit: Yayyy, I'm a frequent poster! :D

Can DNA be extracted from a skull after all this time? What DNA, mitochondrial? Because IIRC mitochondrial is the best but I don't know if that can be derived from a skull. I thought they would need either flesh, organs or blood. If no DNA can be extracted how can any police department rule matches in or out? It's quite possible they're ruling people out with no real basis. For example, with Patricia Meehan, it's possible she could be found in the woods near the crash (as I'm inclined to believe), but what if she did hitchhike somewhere? You can't base an ID simply off what you think the person would have done after they disappeared....

For example, with Patricia Meehan, it's possible she could be found in the woods near the crash (as I'm inclined to believe), but what if she did hitchhike somewhere?

There were no woods for her to be in. She disappeared from nearly completely open prairie.

Interestingly enough, I noticed that the unidentified female that Apostapler found on doenetwork was discovered in Clear Creek County, CO. That's the exact place Keith Reinhard vanished.

How far is the Canadian border from where she were the accident took place. Is

As crazy as it seems we may be looking in the wrong place. She may have hitchiked up to Canada has been there ever since. Heck her body may be lying in a ditch in Alberta somewhere

Were any of the sightings in Cananda?

Does he Doe Network cover Canada as well? I assume it does?

Do you know that for a fact? Or are you just basing that off the re-enactment. Because the re-enactment just showed her wandering off into the night. And that mapquest map that was displayed earlier in the thread only gives a general idea, it's not going to have trees on it, lol. We don't know how far she wandered...

I would decline to comment if I didn't in fact know what I was talking about. Eastern Montana's terrain is primarily composed of plains and grassland, to include the area surrounding that particular portion of MT Highway 200.

Might I add, your sarcasm and general tone are both rather unnecessary. I am an intelligent individual, trust me.

I think Third man has covered this well - it seems plausible, if not likely, Pat suffered a mental break b/c of the accident. She wandered off and likely died of exposure. It's possible that she could have hitched out of the area, but the remoteness makes it less likely. If she did hitch off, she's likely living a transient lifestyle, if still living.

I've been thinking of Patricia lately, especially in relation to this case: http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2009/08/04/2009-08-04_diane_schuler_mom_who_drove_van_wrong_way_on_the_taconic_killing_8_was_drunk_on_.html

Long story short: woman with a van full of kids drives the wrong way on a highway and ends up in a horrific accident that cost the lives of eight people. At first, there was all kinds of speculation that she had a seizure or some sort of medical problem that led up to this. In the end, it turned out she was intoxicated, and this led to the horrible tragedy.

I find it interesting that UM pretty much presented the same ideas on Patricia's segment -- that she had some kind attack or ailment. Maybe Patricia did snap after causing that accident, but I've always wondered what caused her to be driving into oncoming traffic in the first place. Certainly, we can't rule out the possibility that she was under the influence of something. As I mentioned in a previous post in this thread, perhaps she left the scene to avoid being arrested for a DUI and later died of exposure.

It strikes me that UM tended to jump the the "amnesia" theory on certain cases, much like they jumped to the "satanic cult" theories in others (in UM's defense, "satanic panic" was in full swing during that era).

It isn't my intent to paint Patrica as a bad person, I just can't help but wonder what really happened here.

I could easily see Patricia being under the influence and wanting to avoid arrest. It's just such a common offense. I think there are a couple of reasons that UM focused on the amnesia theory:

1) Patricia didn't return home after a reasonable period of time had passed for her to sober up and perhaps decide to turn herself in

2) reliable sightings of her were reported and she didn't appear to be in complete control of her mental faculties

I could easily see Patricia being under the influence and wanting to avoid arrest. It's just such a common offense. I think there are a couple of reasons that UM focused on the amnesia theory:

1) Patricia didn't return home after a reasonable period of time had passed for her to sober up and perhaps decide to turn herself in

2) reliable sightings of her were reported and she didn't appear to be in complete control of her mental faculties

True, as I mentioned earlier in this thread, 20+ years seems like a long time to be on the run over a DUI. So something would have had to have happened to her after she left the scene.

I suppose it could also be a combination of factors. Maybe Patricia was struggling with some mental health issues, maybe she was also abusing some substance or another at the time of the accident. Perhaps after all of this, she just felt that she couldn't return home. It's sad, but maybe she is out there living a transient lifestyle, unaware that people love her and miss her. I work in a homeless help center, and we see people that very obviously have mental health problems as well as substance abuse problems. I often wonder where their families are, and maybe if someone is looking for them.

Regardless of what happened that led up to that fateful accident, I hope if Patricia is out there alive somewhere that she finds a way home.

I was a dispatcher in Circle in 1989 when this happened. I'm now a Deputy Sheriff elsewhere in Montana. I remember this case quite well. Only recently have I thought about it. Our office as well as Unsolved Mysteries received thousands of calls. She was reportedly seen all over the US at different truck stops. Still she has remained missing. The Sheriff, then Bob Jenson, received many strange phone calls from a woman who would never give her name. I personally think it was Patricia seeing what we knew but there is no way to prove that. One day the phone calls from her just stopped. I still think she's out there somewhere. I do think she knows who she is but just decided to drop off the grid.

I was a dispatcher in Circle in 1989 when this happened. I'm now a Deputy Sheriff elsewhere in Montana. I remember this case quite well. Only recently have I thought about it. Our office as well as Unsolved Mysteries received thousands of calls. She was reportedly seen all over the US at different truck stops. Still she has remained missing. The Sheriff, then Bob Jenson, received many strange phone calls from a woman who would never give her name. I personally think it was Patricia seeing what we knew but there is no way to prove that. One day the phone calls from her just stopped. I still think she's out there somewhere. I do think she knows who she is but just decided to drop off the grid.

Thanks for your response, it's great that this little forum can reach so many people. She would have settled down by now if still on the run surely.

I really do believe that Patty had a mental "short circuit" and just decided to walk away and start a new life. She apparently had a lot of problems in her personal life and perhaps financially and emotionally and the accident was the last straw for her, and she just had to get away from her problems and begin again. Maybe she committed suicide and was listed as a "jane doe" or she could have committed herself to an institution using a different name, I know that sounds far fetched, but it does happen. Or maybe she was picked up by the police and was disoriented and stuff and they knew that their was something obviously wrong with her and they had her institutionalized for her own safety. This case is so sad, I hope someday we find out the answers.

Sorry to bump up such an old thread, but this has puzzled me as well. I always wondered why the people she hit, let her take off. Was it said? Were they scared or too injury to say, 'Um, lady, get back here!" :eek: :confused: It's been awhile since i've seen it. Did she kill anyone? I recall the creepy image of her standing over a lady. PLUS, remember one witness said there was a man standing in the field and she walked towards him? Holy Crap, this scares me. Like Masterminds avatar kind of scary! :eek:

Sorry to bump up such an old thread, but this has puzzled me as well. I always wondered why the people she hit, let her take off. Was it said? Were they scared or too injury to say, 'Um, lady, get back here!" :eek: :confused: It's been awhile since i've seen it. Did she kill anyone? I recall the creepy image of her standing over a lady. PLUS, remember one witness said there was a man standing in the field and she walked towards him? Holy Crap, this scares me. Like Masterminds avatar kind of scary! :eek:


I remember Robert Stack said that no one was killed or even serious injured. She was not wanted for anything either. I guess back in '89, walking away from the scene of an accident didn't fall into the category of "hit and run"? :confused:

I haven't seen the segment in a while either, but was she determined to be at fault? It was a head on collision, but was it ever mentioned that she drifted over and caused the accident? I forget.

If she had a brain injury left untreated, it's very possible she could have turned into a "different" person. I've worked with individuals who have had a TBI, and part of the debilitating effects felt by family members is that the individual injured is just "not the same person" anymore. One guy I worked with was seemingly fine after his accident, and shortly after he began to display personality changes and cognitive difficulties. Or so I've been told. :(

I remember Robert Stack said that no one was killed or even serious injured. She was not wanted for anything either. I guess back in '89, walking away from the scene of an accident didn't fall into the category of "hit and run"? :confused:

I haven't seen the segment in a while either, but was she determined to be at fault? It was a head on collision, but was it ever mentioned that she drifted over and caused the accident? I forget.

If she had a brain injury left untreated, it's very possible she could have turned into a "different" person. I've worked with individuals who have had a TBI, and part of the debilitating effects felt by family members is that the individual injured is just "not the same person" anymore. One guy I worked with was seemingly fine after his accident, and shortly after he began to display personality changes and cognitive difficulties. Or so I've been told. :(

I like how Stack looks into the camera and says "If u are watching Patricia.. Nobody was killed or seriously injured. U have nothing to fear from prosecution, your family just wants u to come home" or something like that.. It so sweet.. :/

Wasn't the Skeleton of a Female recently discovered around the area Patricia went missing? It was discussed on another thread. I think one poster even went as far as to call the Cops in Montana advising them to check out the Patricia Meehan disappearance for any link. Has there been any updates?

Wasn't the Skeleton of a Female recently discovered around the area Patricia went missing? It was discussed on another thread. I think one poster even went as far as to call the Cops in Montana advising them to check out the Patricia Meehan disappearance for any link. Has there been any updates?

Here's the original thread about a comparison between Patricia and the partial skull of a Jane Doe that was found in British Columbia. It also provides a link to the thread from the Websleuths forum where this comparison was originally brought up.
http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/showthread.php?t=281895

Sadly, there doesn't seem to be any new developments, but DNA testing can take a long time. I believe the tip was originally called in to B.C. LE about four months ago.

BTW, my heart just about stopped after I just did a Google search on the subject and found this article about a Jane Doe who was IDed in a hospital four months ago. Sadly, it turns out Patricia Meehan was the name of the hospital's associate director, not the Jane Doe!
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/MindMoodNews/hospitalized-womans-family-found-month-search/story?id=12387079

I just caught this segment again last night, and no apparent update. After watching, I was still hopeful that someone would recognize her, or she would come forward. But after reading some posts I'm starting to wonder if she didn't wonder away from the road, and die of exposure. Has anyone else heard anything new? (By asking, I'm still holding onto a little hope that someone has seen something!)

I've always wondered if it wasn't possible that Patricia was under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time of the accident, and left to avoid being arrested at the scene. If I recall the segment correctly, her family spoke very fondly of her and certainly didn't paint her as someone who led a party lifestyle, but who knows what Patricia did with her private time? Though I tend to think if this were the case, she would have eventually turned up somewhere, going on the run for twenty years to avoid a DUI seems rather far fetched.

I can also see the possibility of Patricia suffering from either a mental illness or a brain injury after the accident, and wandering around not knowing who she really was. Perhaps she is an unknown patient in a mental hospital somewhere, or even a transient living on the streets and in shelters.

Or sadly, regardless of what motivated her to leave the scene, she died of exposure somewhere and her body has yet to be found. Or if it has, she is one of the thousands of Jane Doe's waiting to be identified.

I remember seeing Patrica's case profiled when I was a kid, it's sad to know it has yet to be resolved.


She used to live in Olkahoma City and I'd vist her boyfriend on occasion. We'd go to the clubs around there and I never saw her over-do it, so to speak. I was the one usually overdoing it and she was pretty patient with me and my mischief. She's the type that would hold a girl's hair back while she's barfing in the can. Her house was pretty clean and neat; she had style and loved kids and animals. I heard second hand that things kinda went downhill after she broke up w/her b-friend and she moved to MT.:confused: Did some things not considered very rational by her ex, but that's what all ex's say.. right? Hard to explain. I want to say that the weather was radically different from where she moved from and the elements took their toll, but that doesn't explain the cedible sightings afterward.

I just watched this segment again the other day, and something has been bothering me.

What's up with Robert Stack saying that there were "confirmed" sightings of Patricia? I mean, the waitress in the diner where Patricia supposedly ate at had never met Patricia in her life. She apparently didn't even recognize her at that point in time, but later saw a missing poster or news report and concluded that that is who her customer had been.

It's possible it was Patricia, but I hardly see how it can be called a "confirmed sighting" without actual proof it was her. Was this just a poor choice of wording on UM's part?

Hi All!
I really didn't want to resurrect an old thread and open the door for idles peculation about Patricia Meehan, but I have now decided perhaps the best way to continue in my research is to take every opprotunity available. I have had no no luck in contacting anyone who wants to seriously discuss or provide some first-hand information, no matter how irrelevent it may seem. I have had a few responses from kooks who are death obsessed or otherwise mentally challenged. I get past it because I have never given up hope Patti will be found, and if no family awaits her, she will at least get her name back.

I believe I have an unidentified female case that may be solved if I can connect the dots with the missing person case of Patricia Meehan. The case has already been submitted but now I have to spoon-feed logistics to the agency to get a scientific evaluation moved to the fore. Does that make sense? No. But that is our multi-government buracratic confused agencies. They just don't know where to start other than enter the stats in a computer and sit back and wait for the machine tp spit out a confirmation.

Everyone with a brain, or at least those working in the private sector knows if you put garbage into something, you will get garbage out. There are errors in entering case data into the centralized data base. There are also circumstances that need logical thinking which is sorely lacking today. Where are all the good detectives? Where are the men and women who know how to interpret the information given them?

I just watched the video again and I also believe it was the worst public information video ever produced. Ever! Patti's parents are now both deceased and there is no one to speak for her.

Anyone up for some research and a discussion based on acutal findings and presenting scenerios based on fact? If so, please PM me and perhaps we can do this publically. Maybe not.
I sent two pm's to members here.but don't know if they would receive them.

PS>>>>>great forum. Diverse topics and members.
Thanks,
Manny

OK Manny, sounds fair enough. Here is the perspective of one "arm-chair" investigator.

Based upon the information available to the public I am of the opinion that Ms. Meehan was under some form of mental stress prior to her accident. It has been described as "depression" which is fairly vague and broad. This does jive, however, with the other accounts of her having been "withdrawn" and perhaps "sad". One bit of specualtion was that she was "taking stock" of her life. The Charley Project, not too long ago, released the fact that Patricia had already made an appoinement with anylist and was planning to move back in with her family. This fits that broad catagroy of "depression" but is by no means proof, just substantiation.

If we assumes that all of that is accurate then it seems to me to be VERY plausible that an automobile accident ON TOP of a mind already weighed down with "depression" could have lead to the scenerio of the proverbial "Straw that broke the camel's back". I.E. triggered some sort of breakdown that lead to fear induced flight from the scene.

With regards to what happened to Ms. Meehan after she left the accident scene we can only speculate. It would depend to a great extent on just how deep her "breakdown"...assuming that is the case...ran. My own best theories are that Ms. Meehan fled from the scene in a panic induced daze and later died of exposure, perhaps after having hitched an aimless ride or two, perhaps not. If not that, then I still feel that she fled the scene in a panic related to mental anguish and left the area, her mind no longer fully intact. She would then have wondered aimlessly, either on foot or by hitchhiking, for an unknown duration...then likely died without being identified, yet.

Since we know so very little, if anything, about what she did following the accident it is very hard to say, one way or another, how long she lived or if she may still be alive. I would like to hear of any "hits" on her SS#, credit cards or bank accounts. Someone "out on the street" still has to survive and that involves either having money or becoming a "depenent"...the latter being a scenerio that would provide a witness. Havign heard about no evidence of either I am forced to conclude that she died shortly after fleeing the scene and that her remains where either strung out by animals or else they were found, never identified, and burried as a Jane Doe.

OK Manny, there it is....any thoughts?

Sean M

Any new updates? Did they find out if the Jane Doe from British Columbia was her or not? We'll be in the new year in a little over a month and I hope we get answers soon.

it's truly a shame there has been no update at all about this case. around the time i joined, this was the story that first really stuck with me- so much so i wrote music based upon patty's disappearance. i'm compelled to release it some time this year

Here's the original thread about a comparison between Patricia and the partial skull of a Jane Doe that was found in British Columbia. It also provides a link to the thread from the Websleuths forum where this comparison was originally brought up.
http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/showthread.php?t=281895

Sadly, there doesn't seem to be any new developments, but DNA testing can take a long time. I believe the tip was originally called in to B.C. LE about four months ago.


found some information here (http://www2.canada.com/vancouversun/features/pickton/story.html?id=36fc59b7-e248-491f-a31b-774adea8c76d) where it's suggested the jane doe was "a young woman, probably in her 20s" with "white traits, and native or Asian traits".

it's unlikely this is patty.

here is her NamUS profile (https://www.findthemissing.org/en/cases/8299/0/) and here is the original newspaper article (http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1129&dat=19890714&id=MLRRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Wm4DAAAAIBAJ&pg=2411,3680194). it says her parents missed her by 15min in seattle.

To me, everything points to a mental breakdown. I don't think she was trying to commit suicide. Why would she call her parents and ask if she could go home if she were planning to? But I do believe she had a mental break down of some sort. To some degree, this kind of reminds me of the Kristy Krebbs case.

I always thought the accident triggered a mental breakdown. She wandered off aimlessly. She might have survived for awhile hopping truck rides to unknown places, but she is definetly dead now.

This segment really freaked me out. The way she stood like a statue in the prairie staring across at the accident. Is there any updates on her?

This segment really freaked me out. The way she stood like a statue in the prairie staring across at the accident. Is there any updates on her?

Hi there.

Nope. Nothing as of yet.

Still no updates? Seems like in four year's time that forever is here to stay for awhile. I still believe Patricia probably suffered a psychotic break, like Kristi Krebs did, and has lost her memory on who she is or anything about her, and has either succumbed to the elements or was an easy target for a serial killer. I don't think Patricia's parent are alive anymore, so who is there left to wonder about her besides us?

Like many other posters here I think she simply wandered out into the wilderness and succumbed to the elements. I don't think for a second she's still in the land of the living. :(

1. An attractive woman shows signs of a mental breakdown.
2. She gets into a car crash in a semi rural area.
3. The woman disappears from the scene before police arrive.
4. No one knows if she wondered off into the wilderness, was contemplating suicide or has a new life somewhere.
5. Before the accident she spoke with her father for help.
6. She was involved in a long distance relationship.
7. There is speculation she ended up in Canada.

Patricia Meehan's disappearance is kind of similar to Maura Murray's. I haven't seen Patricia's UM segment in many years, so there might be other parallels. This is omitting the additional, shadier details surrounding Maura's life and relationships.

There was a thread on here some time back that linked a FB page to a woman many suspected was Patricia Meehan. Does anyone else remember this? I can't find it anymore.

1. An attractive woman shows signs of a mental breakdown.
2. She gets into a car crash in a semi rural area.
3. The woman disappears from the scene before police arrive.
4. No one knows if she wondered off into the wilderness, was contemplating suicide or has a new life somewhere.
5. Before the accident she spoke with her father for help.
6. She was involved in a long distance relationship.
7. There is speculation she ended up in Canada.

Patricia Meehan's disappearance is kind of similar to Maura Murray's. I haven't seen Patricia's UM segment in many years, so there might be other parallels. This is omitting the additional, shadier details surrounding Maura's life and relationships.

There was a thread on here some time back that linked a FB page to a woman many suspected was Patricia Meehan. Does anyone else remember this? I can't find it anymore.

The woman's name is December Davis in Phoenix Arizona. It looks like she's even friends with Patricia's cousin. But, I'm a bit skeptical on it. It was a Reddit forum that came to the conclusion (if memory serves).

I don't think there's a lot to really go on with it.

The woman's name is December Davis in Phoenix Arizona. It looks like she's even friends with Patricia's cousin. But, I'm a bit skeptical on it. It was a Reddit forum that came to the conclusion (if memory serves).

I don't think there's a lot to really go on with it.

I agree December Davis has a resemblance to Patricia. I don't think it's her.

Why on earth would she run away and create a new identity, only to resume contact with family members on a social media platform?

It doesn't make sense to me.

So I keep hearing that the bones aren't hers but haven't seen an official source stating this (Wikipedia-related pages don't count). Anybody have the source so I know that it's real and not hearsay?

The woman's name is December Davis in Phoenix Arizona. It looks like she's even friends with Patricia's cousin. But, I'm a bit skeptical on it. It was a Reddit forum that came to the conclusion (if memory serves).

I don't think there's a lot to really go on with it.

Thanks. That was driving me crazy.

I agree December Davis has a resemblance to Patricia. I don't think it's her.

Why on earth would she run away and create a new identity, only to resume contact with family members on a social media platform?

It doesn't make sense to me.

Agreed, it doesn't make sense and probably isn't her.

I agree December Davis has a resemblance to Patricia. I don't think it's her.

Why on earth would she run away and create a new identity, only to resume contact with family members on a social media platform?

It doesn't make sense to me.

Maybe back then Patricia needed to get away from someone. Now whoever that was is gone, dead... she now feels safe to contact her family.

Still probably not her.

Pasting some pictures side by side for my own look and there's quite a resemblance. Same cleft in chin. Mouth lines aged a bit. Hmmm. Only the one picture of the gal though, hard to tell for sure.

There is another Davis listed as her friend and it looks like they share a father due to a comment on one of that person's pictures. So the last name of the gal is really Davis.

I don't believe amnesia in 99.9999 % of the missing cases, and doubt eyewitness testimonies UNLESS it is a family member, colleague, or close friend.

I think her initial reaction was to forget everything and run (FEAR). In the heat of the moment, she just wanted to escape temporarily. But in her case, she succumbed to the elements.

There has been several cases I can think of where at the time of airing, it was believed the person could be living somewhere else, without knowing their identity (or in hiding). In her case, given the circumstances prior to the accident, it's my belief it would be rather difficult for someone with mental issues to just create a new identity. It's difficult enough with depression to get out of bed, or to even go to work.

It took them over three years to find Don Kemp's body, and he was within five miles of his vehicle (absent any rabbit holes/ conspiracy theories here). In prairies and fields, it's not uncommon to see dead bones. Most assume they are just of animals. Maybe in her case, due to weather/ erosion/ animal activity, there were no remarkable traces left for someone to believe it was a human.

In addition, she was REALLY in the middle of nowhere. Kemp was also in the middle of nowhere, but Patricia was in an area that was even more densely populated.

I've always been curious why Stack stated the sightings of her in Bozeman were confirmed sightings. I don't think that info has ever been released.

I'm wondering how exactly they confirmed it was her? There was a transient arrested in Seattle in 1990 who apparently strongly resembled Patricia; I'm wondering if that accounts for some of the sightings.

I'm wondering how exactly they confirmed it was her? There was a transient arrested in Seattle in 1990 who apparently strongly resembled Patricia; I'm wondering if that accounts for some of the sightings.

I was thinking the same thing. If that's the case, I'd argue there is a very strong possibility that she never made it out of the prairie. :(

I think the most likely cause is she died of exposure to the elements. Montana country is rough. I've spent a lot of time there.

That said, there's also the possibility that she did hitch a ride or travel away from the scene and could have fallen victim to an unsavory character. It's hard to say. There were so many sightings of her though, and I don't know how many, if any, were confirmed. If she did die near the scene of the accident though, I'd presume someone would have found her during the search, unless of course she got really far away from it on foot.

I think the most likely cause is she died of exposure to the elements. Montana country is rough. I've spent a lot of time there.

That said, there's also the possibility that she did hitch a ride or travel away from the scene and could have fallen victim to an unsavory character. It's hard to say. There were so many sightings of her though, and I don't know how many, if any, were confirmed. If she did die near the scene of the accident though, I'd presume someone would have found her during the search, unless of course she got really far away from it on foot.

i don't think she died in montana (if she's dead). there was a thing in the paper around the time she disappeared that her parents had tracked her in seattle. when they got there they were told she had just left. they ran out of money and returned to montana. that's when unsolved mysteries picked up the story.

We know how reliable eyewitness accounts are.

I apologize if this has been posted elsewhere, but it looks like both of Patricia's parents are deceased. I cannot definitively tell by this obituary if they had come to a conclusion as to their daughter's fate.

http://m.legacy.com/obituaries/postgazette/obituary.aspx?n=thomas-e-meehan&pid=158541586&referrer=0&preview=false

Blame it on the music, blame it on the photograph, but it was so very sad to see those words on Amazon Prime: Patricia Meehan has never been located.

Is it possible Patricia was on the spectrum?

Forgive the "potato" link, but when you try clicking on view post, it's been removed, but check out the comment from Carol Heitz son.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10154763760221375&id=59667416374#comment_form_59667416374_10154763760221375

Forgive the "potato" link, but when you try clicking on view post, it's been removed, but check out the comment from Carol Heitz son.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10154763760221375&id=59667416374#comment_form_59667416374_10154763760221375

Yikes, he sounds bitter. That "crazy woman" is missing and possibly dead. A shame he has no empathy.

Is it possible Patricia was on the spectrum?

I've wondered this myself. Based on what was said of her in the segment and what I've read, she seems like an unusual person—and I don't mean that derogatorily of course. But based on her life decisions, she clearly marched to the beat of her own drum. Autistic? Who knows. It's possible.

I'm leaving tomorrow to visit Montana oddly enough to see family, so it's weird this thread happened to come under my radar today. I saw this case on television as a kid and it always haunted me; I associated it with Montana and would think about it whenever we made family trips there during my childhood. I've been living in New York for the past two and-a-half years and just relocated back to the west coast, and haven't been to Montana in about five years. It's such a vast, beautiful landscape, but also unforgiving and ominous in places. I'm sure Patricia will cross my mind while I'm there.

I've wondered this myself. Based on what was said of her in the segment and what I've read, she seems like an unusual person—and I don't mean that derogatorily of course. But based on her life decisions, she clearly marched to the beat of her own drum. Autistic? Who knows. It's possible.

I'm leaving tomorrow to visit Montana oddly enough to see family, so it's weird this thread happened to come under my radar today. I saw this case on television as a kid and it always haunted me; I associated it with Montana and would think about it whenever we made family trips there during my childhood. I've been living in New York for the past two and-a-half years and just relocated back to the west coast, and haven't been to Montana in about five years. It's such a vast, beautiful landscape, but also unforgiving and ominous in places. I'm sure Patricia will cross my mind while I'm there.

What part of Montana, if you don't mind my asking?

Enjoy the state! Be mindful of all the freakin' smoke if you're venturing towards Western Montana. The darn state seems to be on fire....

Just re-watched this again. In the 80's not a whole lot was known about mental illness back then but everything seen in that segment sure points to a psychotic break, maybe schizophrenia or bipolar with psychotic features. Not that am in a position to professionally diagnose anyone, let alone a missing person, but everything fits to me. Even if the eyewitness reports are incorrect and they saw a different person, it seems definitely some sort of mental illness was at play at least up to the accident.

What part of Montana, if you don't mind my asking?

Enjoy the state! Be mindful of all the freakin' smoke if you're venturing towards Western Montana. The darn state seems to be on fire....

LookslikeCRicci, I remember you writing on here that you live in/are from Montana! I spent one night in Butte, then went down to Dillon and also visited Bannack as I've always wanted to see that ghost town. I'm in Billings right now and am going to Yellowstone Park tomorrow.

My mom was born and raised in Billings so I have family in this area; I've also got a friend who lives in Libby, but I'm not going to be able to make it up there to see her.

I came from Oregon via Washington so I noticed the haze, which got especially bad around St. Regis and into Missoula County. I heard today from a cousin that the fires are now within 10 miles of Missoula (!?) Crazy.

Forgive the "potato" link, but when you try clicking on view post, it's been removed, but check out the comment from Carol Heitz son.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10154763760221375&id=59667416374#comment_form_59667416374_10154763760221375


Blairwitch that photo in your Avatar scared the hell out of me when I was a kid. Of course now we now the entire thing was bogus!

I'm surprised that I never really made the connection between Patricia's case with Don Kemp's until listening to RobinW's recent podcast about it. I think that's the most logical outcome to this story unfortunately. She, like Kemp, was suffering from some sort of mental health issue, and the accident was the catalyst that caused her to simply walk away and wander off into the prairie to die from exposure. I think the police were quick to believe the witness sightings as well as the theory that she was a stowaway on the hay truck to leave the scene because they didn't find any trace of her in the land and air searches they did. The one witness says she saw Patricia walking away into a field until she disappeared into the night. She never says anything about her walking down the road, or parallel with the road, etc. She specifically says that she walked into the open field and walked until she disappeared. Which would've been a considerable distance in an open prairie. Sadly, I just think her remains have yet to be found.

I'm surprised that I never really made the connection between Patricia's case with Don Kemp's until listening to RobinW's recent podcast about it. I think that's the most logical outcome to this story unfortunately. She, like Kemp, was suffering from some sort of mental health issue, and the accident was the catalyst that caused her to simply walk away and wander off into the prairie to die from exposure. I think the police were quick to believe the witness sightings as well as the theory that she was a stowaway on the hay truck to leave the scene because they didn't find any trace of her in the land and air searches they did. The one witness says she saw Patricia walking away into a field until she disappeared into the night. She never says anything about her walking down the road, or parallel with the road, etc. She specifically says that she walked into the open field and walked until she disappeared. Which would've been a considerable distance in an open prairie. Sadly, I just think her remains have yet to be found.

I, too, have frequently wondered about the sightings of Patricia and why they were considered to be "confirmed" sightings.

I've found through the course of following "The Trail Went Cold" that I generally agree with Robin's assessment of the cases. This one was no different. I think the most plausible theory is that Patricia wandered out into the prairie and died. Given that the average low temperature in Circle, MT around April 20 is around 33 degrees (http://www.intellicast.com/Local/History.aspx?month=4), I think there could be a high likelihood that she got some sort of closed head injury in the car accident, walked into the prairie, and succumbed to either her injury or the elements in the first few days she was missing. I feel like I've said this a hundred times previously, but it's very easy to get lost in a prairie.

A few years ago, I was PMing with someone who thought her to be an unidentified Jane Doe in Wisconsin. I haven't heard anything about that in almost six years and I think Robin addressed the serial killer angle in his podcast. I'm not sure if I agree with the suicide attempt theory, but I guess anything is possible.

Great podcast this week, Robin. But then again, I'm completely biased about my Montana cases and we all know it. :)

I, too, have frequently wondered about the sightings of Patricia and why they were considered to be "confirmed" sightings.

I've found through the course of following "The Trail Went Cold" that I generally agree with Robin's assessment of the cases. This one was no different. I think the most plausible theory is that Patricia wandered out into the prairie and died. Given that the average low temperature in Circle, MT around April 20 is around 33 degrees (http://www.intellicast.com/Local/History.aspx?month=4), I think there could be a high likelihood that she got some sort of closed head injury in the car accident, walked into the prairie, and succumbed to either her injury or the elements in the first few days she was missing. I feel like I've said this a hundred times previously, but it's very easy to get lost in a prairie.

A few years ago, I was PMing with someone who thought her to be an unidentified Jane Doe in Wisconsin. I haven't heard anything about that in almost six years and I think Robin addressed the serial killer angle in his podcast. I'm not sure if I agree with the suicide attempt theory, but I guess anything is possible.

Great podcast this week, Robin. But then again, I'm completely biased about my Montana cases and we all know it. :)

Thank you. I've always wondered if the sightings of Patricia were labelled as "confirmed" because her parents would show a videotape of her to the eyewitnesses who would be absolutely certain they saw Patricia.

However, this link has a thumbnail photo of the transient woman found in Spokane in 1990 who was initially believed to be Patricia. The policeman who found her was 100 % certain it was Patricia, but when you look at the photo, even though there's a bit of a resemblance, it's clearly not her, so this perfectly demonstrates just how easily eyewitnesses can be mistaken:

http://z10.invisionfree.com/usedtobedoe/index.php?showtopic=4737&st=0&

I think Patricia simply wandered off into the wilderness and sadly succumbed to the harsh elements.

Don Kemp met the same fate IMHO. I never quite bought that whole creepy guy making phone calls from Trailer thing. It seemed like a bit of a red herring.

I think Patricia simply wandered off into the wilderness and sadly succumbed to the harsh elements.

Don Kemp met the same fate IMHO. I never quite bought that whole creepy guy making phone calls from Trailer thing. It seemed like a bit of a red herring.

It certainly seems like the most likely scenario, though it's hard to say if she died near the accident scene because it seems like she would have been found during the searches (contingent on how thorough they were).

Either that, or she managed to hitchhike/travel away and likely died under other circumstances (either from the elements, or she crossed paths with a bad person). Her disappearance is eerily similar to that of Maura Murray's in New Hampshire in 2004.

Just saw the UM S02 episode on PM. Creepy & sad; as with many UM segments, the sequence when she stares at the accident & then wanders off into the field @ night reminds me somewhat of a horror movie.

I don't put much credence to to the many "alleged" sightings of PM that occurred after her disappearance. Like a lot of sightings in cases like this, I feel most/all of them were false leads.

It's unfortunate that she was never found & that her parents have since passed. I suspect PM herself has passed away; though, in the extremely unlikely event that she's still alive - she'd be close to 70 now.

It certainly seems like the most likely scenario, though it's hard to say if she died near the accident scene because it seems like she would have been found during the searches (contingent on how thorough they were).

Either that, or she managed to hitchhike/travel away and likely died under other circumstances (either from the elements, or she crossed paths with a bad person).

Yes, I suspect she passed not long after her disappearance. Someone like her who was possibly suffering a head injury/amnesia wouldn't just be able to start a new life somewhere else.

Yes, I'm afraid I hold out no hope that she in fact lasted very long. I suspect she may have suffered a brain injury that was "time-released", causing her to expire somewhere nearby shortly after the accident. The true answer has to be closer to the Dan Wilson situation more than anything else.

This is 1 of 3 UM episodes which has amnesia victims but are also somewhat suspicious.

Arthur Paul Beal who was wanted for a crime prior to his running away and another which I can't remember the name or case though I think he was Canadian and ended up in San Diego at some homeless shelter. Only thing I remember was he was separated from his family.


As for Patricia she gets into accident and runs.

Well is it possible she just chose to run away from her problems?

It's entirely possible they all had amnesia but you gotta wonder.

She has never been found. It is possible she was the victim of foul play at some point but I think it's more likely she wandered around and either died from the elements or she is alive in a home somewhere and nobody knows who she is.

Agree with others who think Patricia Meehan never made it out of the prairie. I can see why she wasn't -slash- hasn't been found considering Dan Wilson wasn't found for five years in similar terrain. No idea how close the Meehan and Wilson disappearances were to each other geographically.
If she somehow is alive, her mental state has to be badly deteriorated given what we were told in the segment.

Agree with others who think Patricia Meehan never made it out of the prairie. I can see why she wasn't -slash- hasn't been found considering Dan Wilson wasn't found for five years in similar terrain. No idea how close the Meehan and Wilson disappearances were to each other geographically.
If she somehow is alive, her mental state has to be badly deteriorated given what we were told in the segment.

This has undoubtedly already been postulated (perhaps even by me in the past):

The most likely scenario is that she incurred a concussion from the accident. In her dazed state, she probably felt the need to lay down and take a nap somewhere out in the prairie, and the concussion caused her passing. Animal activity likely scattered her over a distance.

It's a terribly sad visualization, but in a way more of a relief than picturing this woman confusedly hitchhiking her way around the country, open to all sorts of dangers.

Just watched this segment again last night. While I personally think Patricia succumbed to the elements and died, there’s something I find interesting about how this case was presented:

I’m not a lawyer, but it seems this accident would legally be considered a “hit and run” (correct me if I’m wrong)—however it seems Stack and the UM crew were pretty intent on portraying Patricia as a victim rather than a perpetrator of a hit and run crime. I don’t necessarily think it was wrong to do so...to provide Patty’s backstory and consider that she may have suffered trauma leading to her disappearance—but I have to wonder if other hit-and-run perpetrators (specifically male ones) receive the same benefit-of-the-doubt that I believe Patricia received here. For the record, I’m torn on Patricia’s motives (if any) for leaving the accident scene.

What do you all think? Is it possible there was some level of bias at play in UM’s portrayal of this case? Could it be a gender bias? Or something else? Just something I’m wondering.

I don't think it was a case of gender bias, but more playing up the sympathy angle. As great a show as UM was, it was not above tilting the presentation of cases one way or another.
I agree it was a hit and run and she should have faced charges.

It probably helped that there were no fatalities as a result of the car accident? That makes it a little easier to do a more sympathetic portrayal of Patricia. Although losing your memory might be justification enough.

If somebody had died in the car accident, she definitely would have been wanted by the police.

Just watched this segment again last night. While I personally think Patricia succumbed to the elements and died, there’s something I find interesting about how this case was presented:

I’m not a lawyer, but it seems this accident would legally be considered a “hit and run” (correct me if I’m wrong)—however it seems Stack and the UM crew were pretty intent on portraying Patricia as a victim rather than a perpetrator of a hit and run crime. I don’t necessarily think it was wrong to do so...to provide Patty’s backstory and consider that she may have suffered trauma leading to her disappearance—but I have to wonder if other hit-and-run perpetrators (specifically male ones) receive the same benefit-of-the-doubt that I believe Patricia received here. For the record, I’m torn on Patricia’s motives (if any) for leaving the accident scene.

What do you all think? Is it possible there was some level of bias at play in UM’s portrayal of this case? Could it be a gender bias? Or something else? Just something I’m wondering.

An interesting thought but my answer is much simpler. I think UM producers were intent on showing that beyond heart-stopping scene of Patricia standing in the dark field, wind blowing, staring at the accident scene.

The rest was filled in around that scene - the stuff of nightmares. Whoever thought of that deserved a raise. Absolutely chilling.

An interesting thought but my answer is much simpler. I think UM producers were intent on showing that beyond heart-stopping scene of Patricia standing in the dark field, wind blowing, staring at the accident scene.

The rest was filled in around that scene - the stuff of nightmares. Whoever thought of that deserved a raise. Absolutely chilling.

https://i.imgflip.com/btj8f.gif

https://i.imgflip.com/btj8f.gif

Thanks dynoguy88 :lol:

There’s a field behind my place. On more than a few occasions in the fall I’ve thought of this scene.

Now, thanks to your gift I will think of this every time I look out my kitchen window. No matter the season.

An interesting thought but my answer is much simpler. I think UM producers were intent on showing that beyond heart-stopping scene of Patricia standing in the dark field, wind blowing, staring at the accident scene.

The rest was filled in around that scene - the stuff of nightmares. Whoever thought of that deserved a raise. Absolutely chilling.

YES!! One of the 1st I can remember giving me chills. Also how she's just standing at the fence, staring.

Thanks dynoguy88 :lol:

There’s a field behind my place. On more than a few occasions in the fall I’ve thought of this scene.

Now, thanks to your gift I will think of this every time I look out my kitchen window. No matter the season.

:D

I don't want to hijack this thread but UM producers were so good at setting the scenes using the mentality that something creepy looks even MORE creepy when you're seeing it from a further distance....

https://i.imgflip.com/btjtv.gif

https://i.imgflip.com/btk73.gif

https://i.imgflip.com/bun3v.gif

https://i.imgflip.com/btjtv.gif

The stuff of nightmares right there.

The stuff of nightmares right there.

Oh man what segment is that from?

:D

I don't want to hijack this thread but UM producers were so good at setting the scenes using the mentality that something creepy looks even MORE creepy when you're seeing it from a further distance....

https://i.imgflip.com/btjtv.gif

https://i.imgflip.com/btk73.gif

https://i.imgflip.com/bun3v.gif

In the Ellenders segment, there's a shot of 2 people having a conversation, which in a lesser director's hands would be just 2 kids talking in a backyard. Someone at UM had the brilliance to film it from inside a bedroom where a 3rd person is peeking through the blinds to watch them have the convo in the backyard.

INSTANTLY makes it more sinister.

Oh man what segment is that from?

David Harry Fisher. Never made it to Filmrise.

David Harry Fisher. Never made it to Filmrise.

The actor hit it out of the park in the next shot with his creepy ass facial expressions as one of the girls walks away.

Just....ugh. :eek:

The actor hit it out of the park in the next shot with his creepy ass facial expressions as one of the girls walks away.

Just....ugh. :eek:

Top ten re-enactment actor, IMO.

My speculation is that Patricia Meehan was suicidal and attempted to kill herself that night by getting into a head on collision. When that failed, she disappeared and parished in Fort Peck Lake.

There are a few things that make no sense to me:

-I never realized how far away she was from where she lived. What was she doing? Was she traveling back to Pittsburgh to be with her family?

-Did the lady who was hit by Patricia say anything to her? Did the other occupants of the other car try to say anything to her?

-Her wikipedia page says that the cops followed her shoe prints in a field until the tracks "disappeared in the terrain". How exactly could she have made it out of the area if she was walking away in the prairie?

-Unlike Don Kemp, there was nothing out there where she could have hid for the night. Obviously if she died out there due to exposure, why didn't the cops or searchers ever find any hint that she had been out there other than the shoe prints?

-The weather on the day she disappeared would not have been as one would think for Montana. The closest town I could find recorded a low of 52 degrees and a high of 71 on the day she disappeared. The next day was a low of 50 degrees and a high of 86 degrees.

-The sightings of her being seen in Luverne, MN and Sioux Falls, SD were not mentioned on the UM segment, but 3 different people claim to have seen her in these locations on May 4th and 5th of 1989. If she was indeed hitchhiking across the country to make it to Pittsburgh, it appears she was headed in an easterly direction. Is it possible she made it completely out of Montana and met up with foul play elsewhere?

-This (https://www.reddit.com/r/UnresolvedMysteries/comments/5towa7/patricia_meehan_disappeared_after_having_a_head/ddod53h/) article says, "Through photographs and videotapes, Meehan said he has been able to verify five sightings, the most recent on May 19 at Bozeman." Is this accurate? Did they actually have videotape evidence of her being alive after the crash in May?

I have always wondered if that sighting in Bozeman was valid, to be honest.

I still think she perished in the prairie from a closed head wound and the animals took care of the body. :(

There are a few things that make no sense to me:

-I never realized how far away she was from where she lived. What was she doing? Was she traveling back to Pittsburgh to be with her family?

-Her wikipedia page says that the cops followed her shoe prints in a field until the tracks "disappeared in the terrain". How exactly could she have made it out of the area if she was walking away in the prairie?

-Unlike Don Kemp, there was nothing out there where she could have hid for the night. Obviously if she died out there due to exposure, why didn't the cops or searchers ever find any hint that she had been out there other than the shoe prints?



Where she was last seen would not be on a logical route to Pittsburgh. Its possible she decided to do some kind of scenic route, but if your objective was to get to Pennsylvania from Bozeman then there would be no reason to be on MT 200.

Two possibilities on this point. One is she did not make it out of the area. The other is that she walked a path that eventually led back to the road at some point but LE was unable to follow that track as it went over ground that did not leave impressions. That is not hard to believe for that part of Montana at that time of year.

If she did die out there of exposure keep in mind that while it is described as "prairie" this is actually semi-rugged country with many draws that could hide a body from view except up close. The land is almost entirely private as well, meaning that few people would traverse the area on a regular basis.

If she did die out there of exposure keep in mind that while it is described as "prairie" this is actually semi-rugged country with many draws that could hide a body from view except up close. The land is almost entirely private as well, meaning that few people would traverse the area on a regular basis.

Totally agree. We Montanans still call it prairie, though….:happyface:happyface:happyface

I still think she perished in the prairie from a closed head wound and the animals took care of the body. :(

Yes, the simplest answer is usually the correct one. Dan Wilson redux.

Yes, the simplest answer is usually the correct one. Dan Wilson redux.

I had totally forgotten about the parallels between Dan Wilson and Patricia Meehan.

I had totally forgotten about the parallels between Dan Wilson and Patricia Meehan.

Yeah, there really are quite a few! Both had experienced events that caused them injury (Dan with the carbon monoxide poisoning and Patricia with the obvious car accident), both had been allegedly seen after the date they went missing, and both abandoned their cars in the middle of the prairie in Montana. I do suspect that they both perished not far from their vehicles, but obviously, Patricia has never been found.

Yeah, there really are quite a few! Both had experienced events that caused them injury (Dan with the carbon monoxide poisoning and Patricia with the obvious car accident), both had been allegedly seen after the date they went missing, and both abandoned their cars in the middle of the prairie in Montana. I do suspect that they both perished not far from their vehicles, but obviously, Patricia has never been found.

Also fitting this type of description from UM was David Stone, although that was in New Mexico. He was also found, and presumably died of exposure.

However, although Patricia does fit the pattern of these, she also fits (to a degree) the profile of Lisa Marie Kimmell, who went missing in Wyoming (albeit en route to Montana). Her case did turn out to be a homicide, and also prompted hundreds of sightings which turned out to be mistaken.

And off of UM, the type of mystery involving a missing person who was last seen far from home on an unexplained journey leaving only a car behind is well known from several cases, examples like Maura Murray and Leah Roberts, both unsolved.