Valaine Briggs was 18 and newly living in Salt Lake City to attend LDS Business College when she disappeared on May 5, 1977. She was last seen leaving the college at about 11:20 a.m., planning to meet her roommate at noon. Her car remained parked at the school and a four-block search was mounted after she failed to arrive at the apartment.

On the afternoon of May 7 hikers found her nude body about a quarter of a mile up Lambs Canyon, east of Salt Lake City, partially covered with a green plastic garbage bag. Schoolbooks at the scene identified her. Her hands and feet were bound, an autopsy confirmed she had been sexually assaulted, and cause of death was strangulation by a cord about a quarter-inch thick; she was believed to have been dead 24 to 48 hours before discovery.

Investigators questioned at least one man seen in a similar truck and followed a lead in July when a 17-year-old in Montana was found with a fake ID bearing Valaine’s name; she said she obtained it from an unknown man in Salt Lake City and was not involved. The name of Ted Bundy has been mentioned in connection with the case, but there is no concrete evidence linking him and no arrests have been made. If anyone knew Valaine, saw her on May 5, 1977, or has information about a suspicious vehicle or person in the Lambs Canyon area, please come forward.