Woman vanishing after abortion - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Starbright726 · 10-19-2003, 07:01 PM

What are your theories about this case? It has to rank up there as one of the most creepiest, mysterious, and memorable ones UM ever produced. Judith Himes disappeared without trace in 1965 after allegedly going for an abortion. Her bloody car was found out of state a few days later; a witness saw an unidentified man removing a bag from the vehicle. Around 1990 phone calls came out of nowhere to a sheriff saying she was still alive. One of the callers impersonated a radio DJ (Why, who knows). Some days after the UM segment broadcasted, a letter was sent to the cops saying Himes had indeed died during her abortion. The police believe the letter was credible. But why would those phone calls come out of nowhere? Were those people just playing a cruel joke, and if so why would they chose such an obscure case (it was a very cold-case and in fact the cop they called didn't even know who Himes was). And who sent the letter, could it have been Himes herself?

P.S.- Sorry if I'm creeping anyone out further by asking these questions.

Allierain · 10-20-2003, 06:00 PM

Excellent questions. I've always been curious about this case.

The abortion was illegal, as I recall, so I've often wondered if she died during the procedure and the "doctor" who performed got rid of her body. Or perhaps she left the office, started bleeding very badly, went back to the office, and died there. That's the only explanation I have for the blood in the car. It's too bad that they cannot do a sophisticated DNA test today (I'm assuming the car is long gone).

The only other theory I can think of is that she started bleeding heavily in her car, left it in the neighborhood, and wandered off somewhere to die. But wasn't her car found in a populated neighborhood? What was she doing out of state?

I think the letter is credible. As for the phone calls, who knows...maybe it truly was just a prank.

-A

Brent88 · 10-20-2003, 07:45 PM

This case was on about a month or two ago. Spooky to say the least.

rerungirl · 10-21-2003, 06:00 PM

I agree, this case has to rank up there as one of the Top Ten strangest/creepiest they've ever shown on UM. Just the thought of that whispered voice: "Judy Himes is alive and living in Omaha." As far as the phonecalls being a cruel prank, I guess that's possible. There are heartless people in the world who call the families of missing children and claim to have information...or in some cases, even claim they are the missing child grown up (recent case in Indiana is a prime example) but I also wonder why someone would pick such an obscure case...so many years later...and get in contact with that sheriff in Florida right after he attended a law enforcement convention in Omaha. Very very strange.

Starbright726 · 10-22-2003, 01:43 PM

"The abortion was illegal, as I recall, so I've often wondered if she died during the procedure and the "doctor" who performed got rid of her body."

Yes, that is the main theory UM presented, and in fact the letter that was sent to the police went something like this (I paused my VCR and read it):

"Judith Himes in not alive. She came in for an abortion and was given an anesthetic injection to which she had an allergic reaction. Everything was done to save her but she did not survive. The body was disposed of in Biscayne Bay."

This may explain why there was blood in the car, they used it to transport her body to the bay (maybe they had performed the abortion before the allergic reaction began). For obvious reasons the abortion doctor didn't want to call the police and bring attention to his illegal practice, so he covered up the accidental death. I think the letter could've been sent by a nurse or receptionist who was present that day.

But there is a slight chance that Judith faked her own disappearance and someone has found out, hence the phone calls. It sounds very far-fetched, but maybe she wanted to raise her child but like her friend said it would've been socially unacceptable back then to be an unwed mother, so she had to relocate to do so. I remember a UM case about a woman who faked her own kidnapping and was found in a hotel of suicide. I would've bet everything she had disappeared against her will, so the update was really shocking.

My mother firmly believes the Himes calls are a prank, because as she said if someone really wanted to inform police that she was alive they wouldn't play vague games. They'd call the police and tell them exactly where she is, her address, a phone number, SOMETHING more concrete than just "she's living in Omaha". But I still wonder, too, why the pranksters chose a case that they would not have even known about.

Starbright726 · 10-22-2003, 02:10 PM

There's a lot of reasons why I don't watch this case at night. Besides the sinister implications of the case, it's the music that plays during it, of course. And somehow Robert Stack's eyes are more piercing and wider than usual as he looks into the camera. Some of the sets are very dark and shadowy, and then finally the way Robert Stack says "UPDATE" at the end. He doesn't use his usually eager tone, but a low-pitched, stiff baritone almost like he's disappointed! And they don't play the typical up-tempo update theme, just this eerie, slow music as they show the brief letter and the beach shore. I really believe the staff was trying to scare viewers on purpose with this one.

FanfromES · 10-23-2003, 11:03 PM

There was another case similar to this: Mary Ann Perez(sp?) disappeared one night. The police believe she was killed by a couple of serial killers. Years later her niece got a call by someone telling she was alive but she couldnt came to the phone, as far as i know theres no update on this case. Probably i messed up some details since the last time i saw this segment was years ago, but thats the main story.

BTW, i do think UM staff really wanted to scare viewers, if someone have seen this case, the progression picture of MAP has a sinister grin, that i dont think part of the progression process.

corazon · 10-24-2003, 12:26 AM

That's freaky.

Starbright726 · 10-24-2003, 05:03 PM

I remember the Perez case and it, too, is a real mystery. I do not have such strong beliefs about what happened to her, though.
A main theory is that she wasn't strangled to death, only unconscious, and she's been walking around all these years with amnesia. But if she doesn't know who she is, how could the caller know? A possible explanation is that the serial killers just made up the story of killing the woman. Criminals do that, plus a body was never found in the area they supposedly dumped her. This means she could've been killed by someone else, and the calls are either a joke by vicious strangers of the actual killer.

dynoguy88 · 10-24-2003, 06:27 PM

Regarding the phone calls in the Judith Himes case, one thing I always wondered, if they were indeed a prank, was why these people waited until 25 years AFTER Judith vanished to make them.

Very strange case. The update was indeed creepy and haunting. It's too bad we'll never know what happened for sure.

PracTz · 12-14-2003, 10:10 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by dynoguy88
Regarding the phone calls in the Judith Himes case, one thing I always wondered, if they were indeed a prank, was why these people waited until 25 years AFTER Judith vanished to make them.

Very strange case. The update was indeed creepy and haunting. It's too bad we'll never know what happened for sure.

I agree it's very odd and creepy. I guess the letter's legit- though I wonder if it's possible that either she or someone who knew her real background made the calls to the Floridian police chief to let Judy's family know she was alive but didn't want them to have further contact with her. We'll likely never know in this world.

unsolvedmysteriesfan · 09-09-2008, 04:42 PM

I was wondering if it is a possibility that she is alive . Many sites have no real information on her except "circa 1943" for birth and no middle name.

There is a 59 (that doesn't go with the circa 1943 -that goes more like 1949 or so) year old Judith Himes who has lived in Omaha, NE as well as in Wyoming and Washington. If she was only born in 1949 or so, it would mean that in 1965, she was only 16 yrs old .

There is a 63 yr old who has lived in Florida and in Pennsylvania. No 65 yr olds.

I tend to believe that with all the blood and the note that she probably didn't make it. If she is alive, she probably has the capability to Google herself and find herself on many sites.

LooksLikeCRicci · 09-10-2008, 02:17 AM

Google herself? Why does that always sound dirty?

joshypiano · 09-10-2008, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LooksLikeCRicci

Google herself? Why does that always sound dirty?

I suppose dirty minds think alike....I was thinking the same thing.

mphs95 · 09-10-2008, 10:29 AM

I personally think she died during the abortion. If there was a Judith Himes in Omaha, maybe the caller thought that was her and wanted to let the sheriff know. Or the caller has too much time on her hands......

10-19-2003, 07:01 PM	#1
Starbright726 Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Mar 30, 2003 Posts: 50	Woman vanishing after abortion What are your theories about this case? It has to rank up there as one of the most creepiest, mysterious, and memorable ones UM ever produced. Judith Himes disappeared without trace in 1965 after allegedly going for an abortion. Her bloody car was found out of state a few days later; a witness saw an unidentified man removing a bag from the vehicle. Around 1990 phone calls came out of nowhere to a sheriff saying she was still alive. One of the callers impersonated a radio DJ (Why, who knows). Some days after the UM segment broadcasted, a letter was sent to the cops saying Himes had indeed died during her abortion. The police believe the letter was credible. But why would those phone calls come out of nowhere? Were those people just playing a cruel joke, and if so why would they chose such an obscure case (it was a very cold-case and in fact the cop they called didn't even know who Himes was). And who sent the letter, could it have been Himes herself? P.S.- Sorry if I'm creeping anyone out further by asking these questions.

10-20-2003, 07:45 PM	#3
Brent88 Member Forum Star Join Date: Aug 01, 2003 Location: Alabama Posts: 16,174	This case was on about a month or two ago. Spooky to say the least.
	__________________ Brent

10-24-2003, 05:03 PM	#9
Starbright726 Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Mar 30, 2003 Posts: 50	I remember the Perez case and it, too, is a real mystery. I do not have such strong beliefs about what happened to her, though. A main theory is that she wasn't strangled to death, only unconscious, and she's been walking around all these years with amnesia. But if she doesn't know who she is, how could the caller know? A possible explanation is that the serial killers just made up the story of killing the woman. Criminals do that, plus a body was never found in the area they supposedly dumped her. This means she could've been killed by someone else, and the calls are either a joke by vicious strangers of the actual killer.
	Last edited by Starbright726; 10-24-2003 at 05:16 PM.

10-24-2003, 06:27 PM	#10
dynoguy88 Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Apr 01, 2000 Location: Michigan, USA Posts: 3,672	reply Regarding the phone calls in the Judith Himes case, one thing I always wondered, if they were indeed a prank, was why these people waited until 25 years AFTER Judith vanished to make them. Very strange case. The update was indeed creepy and haunting. It's too bad we'll never know what happened for sure.

10-20-2003, 06:00 PM	#2
Allierain Forum Old Fart Forum Regular Join Date: Nov 30, 2002 Location: Somewhere Posts: 509	Excellent questions. I've always been curious about this case. The abortion was illegal, as I recall, so I've often wondered if she died during the procedure and the "doctor" who performed got rid of her body. Or perhaps she left the office, started bleeding very badly, went back to the office, and died there. That's the only explanation I have for the blood in the car. It's too bad that they cannot do a sophisticated DNA test today (I'm assuming the car is long gone). The only other theory I can think of is that she started bleeding heavily in her car, left it in the neighborhood, and wandered off somewhere to die. But wasn't her car found in a populated neighborhood? What was she doing out of state? I think the letter is credible. As for the phone calls, who knows...maybe it truly was just a prank. -A

10-21-2003, 06:00 PM	#4
rerungirl Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Sep 23, 2002 Location: Midwest Posts: 295	I agree, this case has to rank up there as one of the Top Ten strangest/creepiest they've ever shown on UM. Just the thought of that whispered voice: "Judy Himes is alive and living in Omaha." As far as the phonecalls being a cruel prank, I guess that's possible. There are heartless people in the world who call the families of missing children and claim to have information...or in some cases, even claim they are the missing child grown up (recent case in Indiana is a prime example) but I also wonder why someone would pick such an obscure case...so many years later...and get in contact with that sheriff in Florida right after he attended a law enforcement convention in Omaha. Very very strange.

10-22-2003, 01:43 PM	#5
Starbright726 Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Mar 30, 2003 Posts: 50	"The abortion was illegal, as I recall, so I've often wondered if she died during the procedure and the "doctor" who performed got rid of her body." Yes, that is the main theory UM presented, and in fact the letter that was sent to the police went something like this (I paused my VCR and read it): "Judith Himes in not alive. She came in for an abortion and was given an anesthetic injection to which she had an allergic reaction. Everything was done to save her but she did not survive. The body was disposed of in Biscayne Bay." This may explain why there was blood in the car, they used it to transport her body to the bay (maybe they had performed the abortion before the allergic reaction began). For obvious reasons the abortion doctor didn't want to call the police and bring attention to his illegal practice, so he covered up the accidental death. I think the letter could've been sent by a nurse or receptionist who was present that day. But there is a slight chance that Judith faked her own disappearance and someone has found out, hence the phone calls. It sounds very far-fetched, but maybe she wanted to raise her child but like her friend said it would've been socially unacceptable back then to be an unwed mother, so she had to relocate to do so. I remember a UM case about a woman who faked her own kidnapping and was found in a hotel of suicide. I would've bet everything she had disappeared against her will, so the update was really shocking. My mother firmly believes the Himes calls are a prank, because as she said if someone really wanted to inform police that she was alive they wouldn't play vague games. They'd call the police and tell them exactly where she is, her address, a phone number, SOMETHING more concrete than just "she's living in Omaha". But I still wonder, too, why the pranksters chose a case that they would not have even known about.

10-22-2003, 02:10 PM	#6
Starbright726 Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Mar 30, 2003 Posts: 50	There's a lot of reasons why I don't watch this case at night. Besides the sinister implications of the case, it's the music that plays during it, of course. And somehow Robert Stack's eyes are more piercing and wider than usual as he looks into the camera. Some of the sets are very dark and shadowy, and then finally the way Robert Stack says "UPDATE" at the end. He doesn't use his usually eager tone, but a low-pitched, stiff baritone almost like he's disappointed! And they don't play the typical up-tempo update theme, just this eerie, slow music as they show the brief letter and the beach shore. I really believe the staff was trying to scare viewers on purpose with this one.

10-23-2003, 11:03 PM	#7
FanfromES televidente Frequent Poster Join Date: Nov 06, 2002 Location: el salvador central america Posts: 161	There was another case similar to this: Mary Ann Perez(sp?) disappeared one night. The police believe she was killed by a couple of serial killers. Years later her niece got a call by someone telling she was alive but she couldnt came to the phone, as far as i know theres no update on this case. Probably i messed up some details since the last time i saw this segment was years ago, but thats the main story. BTW, i do think UM staff really wanted to scare viewers, if someone have seen this case, the progression picture of MAP has a sinister grin, that i dont think part of the progression process.

10-24-2003, 12:26 AM	#8
corazon Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Jun 29, 2001 Location: Canada Posts: 58	That's freaky.

09-09-2008, 04:42 PM	#12
unsolvedmysteriesfan Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Nov 25, 2007 Posts: 218	I was wondering if it is a possibility that she is alive . Many sites have no real information on her except "circa 1943" for birth and no middle name. There is a 59 (that doesn't go with the circa 1943 -that goes more like 1949 or so) year old Judith Himes who has lived in Omaha, NE as well as in Wyoming and Washington. If she was only born in 1949 or so, it would mean that in 1965, she was only 16 yrs old . There is a 63 yr old who has lived in Florida and in Pennsylvania. No 65 yr olds. I tend to believe that with all the blood and the note that she probably didn't make it. If she is alive, she probably has the capability to Google herself and find herself on many sites.

09-10-2008, 02:17 AM	#13
LooksLikeCRicci Likes to live in a clean house Moderator Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Nov 27, 2005 Posts: 4,050	Google herself? Why does that always sound dirty?

09-10-2008, 10:29 AM	#15
mphs95 Remember me? Forum Regular Join Date: Jan 02, 2004 Location: Michigan Posts: 790	I personally think she died during the abortion. If there was a Judith Himes in Omaha, maybe the caller thought that was her and wanted to let the sheriff know. Or the caller has too much time on her hands......