Account
Dec 05, 2011
Jan 08, 2024
Ethel
Lane
135
86
64 inches
130 lbs
White / Caucasian
Female
In the quiet community of Myrtle Creek, Oregon, 86-year-old Ethel Lane and her 54-year-old daughter, Joyce Hess, shared a home on West Gazley Road. On October 18, 1974, both women were seen for the last time, and then seemingly vanished without a trace. Their sudden disappearance left a void in the lives of those who knew them and sparked a mystery that would endure for decades. Authorities now believe that both Ethel and her daughter were the victims of a homicide, though their bodies have never been recovered. The circumstances surrounding their disappearance remain shrouded in unanswered questions, leaving a painful legacy for their family. The investigation into the double disappearance took a strange and tragic turn just days after the women were last seen. Ethel's brother and Joyce's uncle, 75-year-old Johnson "John" Ramsower, lived next door to them. In the midst of the initial search and growing concern for the missing women, Ramsower was found deceased in his home from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. This development added a complex and somber layer to the case. It is unknown if authorities consider his death to be connected to the disappearances of his sister and niece. The lack of clear evidence or witnesses has left investigators with a puzzle that has been difficult to piece together over the years. Despite the passage of time, the case of Ethel Lane and Joyce Hess remains an open and unsolved investigation. The Douglas County Sheriff's Office continues to list both women as missing persons, holding out hope that new information may one day surface to provide answers. The prevailing theory is that the women were murdered, but without their remains or a confession, the exact details of what transpired in October 1974 are unknown. The lack of resolution has meant that for the family of Ethel and Joyce, there has been no closure, only the enduring pain of not knowing what happened to their loved ones. This case serves as a somber reminder of the lasting impact of unsolved disappearances on families and communities, a story of loss and mystery that has yet to find its final chapter.
Oct 18, 1974
Myrtle Creek
Oregon
Douglas County
97457
No
11064
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
Unknown
Unknown
Unknown
No
05/31/2026
