Account
Dec 05, 2011
Jan 08, 2024
Joyce
Hess
104
54
64 inches
130 lbs
White / Caucasian
Female
On October 18, 1974, 54-year-old Joyce C. Hess and her elderly mother, Ethel Lane, vanished from their shared home on West Gazley Road in the small town of Myrtle Creek, Oregon. The two women were last seen by neighbors at their residence and have not been heard from since. Their disappearance triggered an investigation by the Douglas County Sheriff's Office, which continues to seek answers decades later. Joyce was a white female with gray hair, standing at 5 feet 4 inches and weighing approximately 130 pounds. The sudden and unexplained absence of both mother and daughter from their quiet community left friends and family searching for answers. The circumstances surrounding their disappearance are deeply troubling, with authorities suspecting foul play. Investigators believe that both Joyce and her mother were the victims of homicide, a grim conclusion reached despite the fact that their bodies have never been located. Adding a strange and somber twist to the case, Ethel's brother and Joyce's uncle, Johnson "John" Ramsower, who lived next door to the women, was found deceased in his home from a suicide just days after they went missing. It remains unclear to investigators whether his death is connected to the disappearance of his sister and niece. The investigation into the disappearance of Joyce Hess and Ethel Lane remains open, a cold case that has spanned generations. Despite the passage of time and the challenges it presents, law enforcement has not given up the search for the two women. The absence of significant leads has made progress difficult, yet the hope for a resolution persists. The case serves as a painful reminder of the unknown, an enduring mystery that has left a lasting impact on their family and the Myrtle Creek community. The official theory remains that they were victims of a homicide, but without their discovery, the full story of what happened to Joyce and Ethel on that October day in 1974 remains untold.
Oct 18, 1974
Myrtle Creek
Oregon
Douglas County
97457
No
11066
Douglas County Sheriff's Office
Roseburg
Oregon
Douglas County
97470
Brad O'Dell
Sergeant
1036 Southeast Douglas Avenue, Oregon
5414404450
County
Law Enforcement
74-3635
1974-10-18
Douglas County Sheriff's Office
Gray or Partially Gray
Unknown
Unknown
No
06/03/2026
