Peggy Jo DeCoteau, 40, disappeared from the Big Sky Motel in Superior, Montana, on July 4, 1979, while staying there with her husband, Earl. The couple had been traveling from Maple Valley, Washington, to visit relatives in North Dakota. Earl says he woke about 11:00 p.m. and found Peggy and her belongings, including her purse and travel bag, gone.

Earl did not report her missing until nine days later after he tried contacting friends and family. The couple reportedly had been experiencing marital difficulties, and investigators initially considered the possibility she left voluntarily. When Peggy’s credit cards went unused and no trace of her turned up, foul play became the suspected explanation. Multiple searches produced no leads, and the Mineral County Sheriff’s Office continues to list the case as unsolved.

Does anyone have information about Peggy’s movements in early July 1979 or remember seeing her in western Montana around that time?