Dogface82
03-03-2026, 07:02 AM
This thread is for the Debbie Wolfe case. Information accessed through open sources. The intent is for this to be a reference thread like Justin5256's thread Debbie Wolfe Articles. I plan to post an "index" of Debbie Wolf information available on this site. I am working on diagrams and maps pertaining to Debbies case along with weather info etc. I will probably move the background info that I have cluttered up the discussion site here in a better format.
Let's start with biographical information
Deborah Ann Wolfe was born June 19, 1957 in Blytheville, Arkansas. She was the 4th of 5 children and only daughter of Jerry Ferrell Wolfe Sr. and Virginia Ruth (Vernon) Wolfe aka Jenny. Her Father an Air Force Noncommisioned Officer and Korean War veteran was assigned to High Wycombe in the UK. Debbie lived there until 1966. The family returned to the U.S. where they were assigned to Pope Air Force Base, adjacent to Spring Lake and Ft Bragg NC.
Debbie turned 9 that year(1966) and entered the girl scout program. In 1971 Debbie was enrolled as a Freshman at Pine Forest Highschool where her brother John Anthony was a Sophomore in Eureka Springs, NC. This small town is located east of Simmons Army Air Field, south of the Old Fayetteville municipal airport and north of Fayetteville. Jerry Wolfe Sr. served at least one tour in Vietnam. Her parents divorced August 16, 1971 and Jenny remarried John Edwards.
Debbie enrolled at 71st Highschool Fayetteville, NC starting the fall 1975 session. Yearbooks have her attending the fall 75- spring 76 school year. She is in the junior class during the fall 1976-spring 1977 school year. No information found for Highschool graduation, college attendence or graduation. Debbie started Nursing School in Arkansas fall 1981 graduating spring 1983. She was hired by the Veterans Administration Medical Center and returned to the Fayetteville area. She rented the cabin located at 700 McArthur rd(Route 6 Box 543B Fayetteville 1984) where she lived with her large German Shepherds, Mason and Morgan. She was dating Steve McDonald a Military Policeman rank unknown. He may have been a Criminal Investigation Division agent at the time. He is described in a 1988 article as a former CID agent. Debbie is described as coordinating volunteers in addition to her duties on her ward. She was driving her mother Jenny's red pontiac with a Lightning automatic speed shifter.
Debbie was seen leaving the hospital about 4PM (16:00) Thursday December 26, 1985 by a woman from the Volunteer Services. This is the last official documented sighting. She failed to report for her 8-4 shift the next morning Friday December 27, 1985. Her Mother Jenny called the Cumberland County Sheriff's department after 2PM (1400) that afternoon. Jenny submitted a photo and an official missing persons report Monday morning December 30,1985. Due to a mixup the official search didn't begin until the next morning December 31, 1985 New Years Eve. The pond south of Debbies cabin was not physically searched. Jenny received permission to use her own divers.
Kevin Gorton on shore and Gordon Childress in the water started searching about 3PM (15:00) January 1, 1986 New Years Day. Childress surfaced reported tracks and drag marks underwater. He swam into Debbie's legs with enough force to dislodge his dive mask. He surfaced reporting to Kevin there was a body stuffed face first into a barrel. The Sheriff was notified. Sheriff's divers entered the water after 4PM (16:00) due to delays. Deputy Don Smith and Childress returned to Debbies body. Other divers entered the water to assist the recovery. Debbie was evacuated. Deputy Don Smith was filmed describing the location of the barrel during the draining of the pond January 2, 1986. Debbie was autopsied that day.
Tuesday January 7, 1986 Debbie was buried in Arcadia Cemetary, Louisiana. She was later disenterred and autopsied a second time in Boissier City, Louisiana.
All of this information was gleaned from the following open sources:
findagrave.com Deborah Ann Wolfe 1957-1985, Memorial ID62612604 established by Summer Day Hannah Debbie's childhood bestfriend. Obiturary, Bienville Democrat January 9, 1986 available on her findagrave memorial recently contributed by her family genealogist. Photos of Debbie including as a Girl Scout also at findagrave. Unsolved Mysteries segment Death by Drowning episode 14 season 3 Hosted by Robert Stack. The Dennis Farina version. Unsolved Mysteries Website Archives unexplained deaths, Debbie Wolfe comments section Chris Booth Oct 14, 2015, 9:56PM. January 1, 1988 article by Pat Reese, 1990-1991 articles by Larry Cheek available on Debbie Wolfe articles thread established by Justin5256. The previously mentioned articles and the 2019 article Body in the Barrel are available through the Fayetteville Observer website and archives section. Most of these articles are behind a paywall now. Pine Forest Highschool 1972 yearbook, 71st Highschool yearbooks 1976 & 1977. Available on the Classmates.com site or purchased as hard copies from that site.
Let's start with biographical information
Deborah Ann Wolfe was born June 19, 1957 in Blytheville, Arkansas. She was the 4th of 5 children and only daughter of Jerry Ferrell Wolfe Sr. and Virginia Ruth (Vernon) Wolfe aka Jenny. Her Father an Air Force Noncommisioned Officer and Korean War veteran was assigned to High Wycombe in the UK. Debbie lived there until 1966. The family returned to the U.S. where they were assigned to Pope Air Force Base, adjacent to Spring Lake and Ft Bragg NC.
Debbie turned 9 that year(1966) and entered the girl scout program. In 1971 Debbie was enrolled as a Freshman at Pine Forest Highschool where her brother John Anthony was a Sophomore in Eureka Springs, NC. This small town is located east of Simmons Army Air Field, south of the Old Fayetteville municipal airport and north of Fayetteville. Jerry Wolfe Sr. served at least one tour in Vietnam. Her parents divorced August 16, 1971 and Jenny remarried John Edwards.
Debbie enrolled at 71st Highschool Fayetteville, NC starting the fall 1975 session. Yearbooks have her attending the fall 75- spring 76 school year. She is in the junior class during the fall 1976-spring 1977 school year. No information found for Highschool graduation, college attendence or graduation. Debbie started Nursing School in Arkansas fall 1981 graduating spring 1983. She was hired by the Veterans Administration Medical Center and returned to the Fayetteville area. She rented the cabin located at 700 McArthur rd(Route 6 Box 543B Fayetteville 1984) where she lived with her large German Shepherds, Mason and Morgan. She was dating Steve McDonald a Military Policeman rank unknown. He may have been a Criminal Investigation Division agent at the time. He is described in a 1988 article as a former CID agent. Debbie is described as coordinating volunteers in addition to her duties on her ward. She was driving her mother Jenny's red pontiac with a Lightning automatic speed shifter.
Debbie was seen leaving the hospital about 4PM (16:00) Thursday December 26, 1985 by a woman from the Volunteer Services. This is the last official documented sighting. She failed to report for her 8-4 shift the next morning Friday December 27, 1985. Her Mother Jenny called the Cumberland County Sheriff's department after 2PM (1400) that afternoon. Jenny submitted a photo and an official missing persons report Monday morning December 30,1985. Due to a mixup the official search didn't begin until the next morning December 31, 1985 New Years Eve. The pond south of Debbies cabin was not physically searched. Jenny received permission to use her own divers.
Kevin Gorton on shore and Gordon Childress in the water started searching about 3PM (15:00) January 1, 1986 New Years Day. Childress surfaced reported tracks and drag marks underwater. He swam into Debbie's legs with enough force to dislodge his dive mask. He surfaced reporting to Kevin there was a body stuffed face first into a barrel. The Sheriff was notified. Sheriff's divers entered the water after 4PM (16:00) due to delays. Deputy Don Smith and Childress returned to Debbies body. Other divers entered the water to assist the recovery. Debbie was evacuated. Deputy Don Smith was filmed describing the location of the barrel during the draining of the pond January 2, 1986. Debbie was autopsied that day.
Tuesday January 7, 1986 Debbie was buried in Arcadia Cemetary, Louisiana. She was later disenterred and autopsied a second time in Boissier City, Louisiana.
All of this information was gleaned from the following open sources:
findagrave.com Deborah Ann Wolfe 1957-1985, Memorial ID62612604 established by Summer Day Hannah Debbie's childhood bestfriend. Obiturary, Bienville Democrat January 9, 1986 available on her findagrave memorial recently contributed by her family genealogist. Photos of Debbie including as a Girl Scout also at findagrave. Unsolved Mysteries segment Death by Drowning episode 14 season 3 Hosted by Robert Stack. The Dennis Farina version. Unsolved Mysteries Website Archives unexplained deaths, Debbie Wolfe comments section Chris Booth Oct 14, 2015, 9:56PM. January 1, 1988 article by Pat Reese, 1990-1991 articles by Larry Cheek available on Debbie Wolfe articles thread established by Justin5256. The previously mentioned articles and the 2019 article Body in the Barrel are available through the Fayetteville Observer website and archives section. Most of these articles are behind a paywall now. Pine Forest Highschool 1972 yearbook, 71st Highschool yearbooks 1976 & 1977. Available on the Classmates.com site or purchased as hard copies from that site.