Was Thelma "Polly" Melton ever featured on Unsolved Mysteries? I can't find her on the UM website and she's only listed on this forum on a thread about cases that should have been on UM.

I distinctly remember watching a re-enactment of Polly walking away from her RV. I have read the book that covers her disappearance, but I have a strong visual picture of the front of the RV with a little awning, and her heading up a little hill. Did I imagine this scene based on the book?

Does anyone else remember seeing her case profiled?

http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/m/melton_thelma.html

nope, never was. I think if they did that case, they would have to do the other 2 Smoky Mountain unsolved disappearances by default, it would just be weird not to.

I recently obtained the Smoky Mountain Quarter for my collection. way cool.
http://www.usmint.gov/mint_programs/atb/?local=GreatSmokyMtn

Dangit-bangit. Thanks for the quick reply, wiseguy.

This thread was so far down the main page that I thought it had been deleted or I hadn't created it correctly. Finally spotted it about 15 down the line (this was only 10ish hours after I had posted). The forum was busy this morning!

I didn't know they were making quarters for the National Parks. That is really cool.

Was Thelma "Polly" Melton ever featured on Unsolved Mysteries? I can't find her on the UM website and she's only listed on this forum on a thread about cases that should have been on UM.

I distinctly remember watching a re-enactment of Polly walking away from her RV. I have read the book that covers her disappearance, but I have a strong visual picture of the front of the RV with a little awning, and her heading up a little hill. Did I imagine this scene based on the book?

Does anyone else remember seeing her case profiled?

http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/m/melton_thelma.html
No, she was never featured on Unsolved Mysteries.

Thanks for the reply. I wish she had been!

Yes, I wish she had too, along with Dennis Martin and Trenny Lynn Gibson.

Was Thelma "Polly" Melton ever featured on Unsolved Mysteries? I can't find her on the UM website and she's only listed on this forum on a thread about cases that should have been on UM.

I distinctly remember watching a re-enactment of Polly walking away from her RV. I have read the book that covers her disappearance, but I have a strong visual picture of the front of the RV with a little awning, and her heading up a little hill. Did I imagine this scene based on the book?

Does anyone else remember seeing her case profiled?

http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/m/melton_thelma.html

That image sounds familiar to me as well. I think maybe we did just visualize it from the description in the book.

What do you think happened to her? I think she left of her own accord.

Yes, I wish she had too, along with Dennis Martin and Trenny Lynn Gibson.
I agree! The Trenny Gibson case has so many crazy aspects to it. It's really not the run of the mill lost in the mountains case that it seems to be. Especially considering that Trenny's mother SHOT her harasser in the foot shortly before the disappearance. If he wasn't involved...then why did people report him following the bus? Just because he was marked "present" doesn't mean he was there all day. I had plenty of teachers turn in the roll sheet without really checking.

I agree! The Trenny Gibson case has so many crazy aspects to it. It's really not the run of the mill lost in the mountains case that it seems to be. Especially considering that Trenny's mother SHOT her harasser in the foot shortly before the disappearance. If he wasn't involved...then why did people report him following the bus? Just because he was marked "present" doesn't mean he was there all day. I had plenty of teachers turn in the roll sheet without really checking.
Trenny's disappearance has always intrigued me since I started researching it about 10 years ago. Many believe she died in the Smokies of the elements, but I've always believed her disappearance was at human hands. Again as I've mentioned before, if the boy in question was innocent of Trenny's disappearance, he knows too much. Still, I remain open minded to other theories.

I think Pauline Melton met somebody else and decided to disappear. He husband at the time was not a well man, she had two previous failed marriages, and her current husband's family was not fond of her. In fact, when she vanished, the family was unconcerned about searching for her. She probably just hiked ahead of her friends and was picked up by her lover at a predetermined spot.

Knoxville News Sentinel uploaded an interview with Dwight McCarter about the Martin case, "Mysteries of the Missing" on a certain site. They did several segments on missing people in the area, but unfortunately neither Trenny Gibson's nor Thelma Melton's disappearances are profiled.


I think Pauline Melton met somebody else and decided to disappear. He husband at the time was not a well man, she had two previous failed marriages, and her current husband's family was not fond of her. In fact, when she vanished, the family was unconcerned about searching for her. She probably just hiked ahead of her friends and was picked up by her lover at a predetermined spot.

I lean towards her getting disoriented from a medical condition and her remains having never been located, or even a suicide where she intended on never being found, but then there's the matter of that check being cashed with her signature months later in Alabama.

It's possible that she could have staged her disappearance with the assistance of a third party, but why do it in the Smokies, rather than make up some errand at home in Florida to get away undetected for a few hours? I know that one of Robert Melton's sons said something along the lines that his concern was about how her disappearance would affect his father's health, I can't recall if it was ever mentioned if Thelma had any children from her previous marriages.

Knoxville News Sentinel uploaded an interview with Dwight McCarter about the Martin case, "Mysteries of the Missing" on a certain site. They did several segments on missing people in the area, but unfortunately neither Trenny Gibson's nor Thelma Melton's disappearances are profiled.



I lean towards her getting disoriented from a medical condition and her remains having never been located, or even a suicide where she intended on never being found, but then there's the matter of that check being cashed with her signature months later in Alabama.

It's possible that she could have staged her disappearance with the assistance of a third party, but why do it in the Smokies, rather than make up some errand at home in Florida to get away undetected for a few hours? I know that one of Robert Melton's sons said something along the lines that his concern was about how her disappearance would affect his father's health, I can't recall if it was ever mentioned if Thelma had any children from her previous marriages.
Pauline had no children. Her last husband had 2 sons who seemed to keep her at a distance. The only concern they had when she vanished was the impact it would have on their Dad.
Pauline worked at a facility as a volunteer serving meals to the elderly. She did not sign up for work on the day she vanished, which was a little unusual, but raised no alarm bells. On the last day she worked, the day before she vanished, she used the telephone at work several times, the first time ever that she had done this in the 4 years she had been there. The numbers were not long distance apparently.
I believe Pauline met someone, probably in town where she volunteered. Or perhaps she met someone at the park, which had been their summer home for years. She arranged for him to pick her up whilst on her hike, to make it look like she was lost in the woods. Maybe she thought vanishing this way would be easier on her husband, rather than him knowing she left him for somebody else. This is why she picked up her pace and moved ahead of her companions on the trail.

I Googled Thelma Pauline Melton and found an obituary for a "S/Sgt Fred H McAllister, Jr. USAF. RET" who might be her brother.
He died in 2013 and was preceded by two sisters, one of whom is identified as "Thelma Pauline Melton".
He lived in Alabama and an above post (in 2005) states she cashed a check in Alabama after her disappearance?
Maybe her family was a lot more supportive than her husband's.

I Googled Thelma Pauline Melton and found an obituary for a "S/Sgt Fred H McAllister, Jr. USAF. RET" who might be her brother.
He died in 2013 and was preceded by two sisters, one of whom is identified as "Thelma Pauline Melton".
He lived in Alabama and an above post (in 2005) states she cashed a check in Alabama after her disappearance?
Maybe her family was a lot more supportive than her husband's.
I had seen his obituary and thought it was likely he was her brother. If Thelma was alive today, she'd be in her 90's. I think it's likely she's deceased, maybe her family knows that with certainty. Apparently she did cash a cheque after her disappearance, the bank teller that cashed it couldn't remember her.

I agree! The Trenny Gibson case has so many crazy aspects to it. It's really not the run of the mill lost in the mountains case that it seems to be. Especially considering that Trenny's mother SHOT her harasser in the foot shortly before the disappearance. If he wasn't involved...then why did people report him following the bus? Just because he was marked "present" doesn't mean he was there all day. I had plenty of teachers turn in the roll sheet without really checking.

Cant find anything on Trenny mom shooting someone? Where did you find that?

Cant find anything on Trenny mom shooting someone? Where did you find that?
It's in a book called "Unsolved Disappearances in the Great Smoky Mountains". Trenny Lynn Gibson, Dennis Martin and Pauline Melton are featured in that book. I have also corresponded with some of Trenny's family/friends she went to school with.

It's in a book called "Unsolved Disappearances in the Great Smoky Mountains". Trenny Lynn Gibson, Dennis Martin and Pauline Melton are featured in that book. I have also corresponded with some of Trenny's family/friends she went to school with.

Wow, that's interesting, what did they have to say about Trenny? I have read that book.

Wow, that's interesting, what did they have to say about Trenny? I have read that book.
You'll have to PM me.

I agree! The Trenny Gibson case has so many crazy aspects to it. It's really not the run of the mill lost in the mountains case that it seems to be. Especially considering that Trenny's mother SHOT her harasser in the foot shortly before the disappearance. If he wasn't involved...then why did people report him following the bus? Just because he was marked "present" doesn't mean he was there all day. I had plenty of teachers turn in the roll sheet without really checking.
Nearly reached the 40th anniversary of the disappearance of Trenny Lynn Gibson a 16 year old Bearden High school student. She disappeared while on a school field trip to the Smoky Mountains on October 8, 1976.

Was Thelma "Polly" Melton ever featured on Unsolved Mysteries? I can't find her on the UM website and she's only listed on this forum on a thread about cases that should have been on UM.

I distinctly remember watching a re-enactment of Polly walking away from her RV. I have read the book that covers her disappearance, but I have a strong visual picture of the front of the RV with a little awning, and her heading up a little hill. Did I imagine this scene based on the book?

Does anyone else remember seeing her case profiled?

http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/m/melton_thelma.html

Thelma has been gone since September 25, 1981. 35 years since she walked ahead of her 2 companions and vanished.

Trenny Lynn Gibson vanished 40 years ago today.