In the small village of Bath, New York, the evening of October 3, 1973, marked the beginning of a lasting mystery with the disappearance of 24-year-old Barbara Jean Aleksivich. A wife and resident of the community, Barbara was last seen leaving the local Elks Club, situated near Gansevoort and William Streets, at approximately 10:45 p.m. She had been at the club with her husband but chose to walk home alone, a journey of only two blocks to their residence in the 100 block of East William Street. When her husband returned home later and found she was not there, he reported her missing. At the time of her disappearance, Barbara, a Caucasian female with brown, shoulder-length hair and hazel eyes, was wearing a white blouse, a blue and white plaid skirt, a green pullover sweater, and brown loafers. She also wore eyeglasses.
The investigation into Barbara's disappearance has spanned decades, exploring various leads and potential suspects, though none have led to a resolution.
For a significant period, a local man named Frederick C. Bush was considered a person of interest. Bush had been convicted of murdering another woman and burning her body after Barbara had gone missing. However, in 2020, law enforcement officially announced that they no longer believed he was involved in Barbara's case. This announcement coincided with the emergence of a new and compelling person of interest, Richard W. Davis, who had resided in Bath during the time of Barbara's disappearance.
The focus on Richard W. Davis emerged from a separate cold case investigation in Missoula County, Montana. DNA evidence posthumously linked Davis to the 1974 kidnapping, sexual assault, and murder of a five-year-old girl. It was discovered that Davis had lived on Mail Route Road in Bath from approximately 1973 to 1976 and was known to local police for incidents involving the luring of children. In June of 1973, just months before Barbara vanished, Davis was investigated for attempting to coerce an eight-year-old girl into his truck. Despite these strong suspicions and the reopening of Barbara's case with this new information, no direct evidence has surfaced to definitively connect Davis, who passed away in 2012, to her disappearance. The case remains an active and unsolved investigation, leaving a void in the lives of her loved ones and the community, with foul play strongly suspected.Last Seen: Oct 3, 1973
