Judith Lynn Threlkeld, known to family as Judy, was 22 when she vanished from Silver Creek, New York, on the evening of March 8, 1976. She was last seen walking home from the Anderson-Lee Library on Central Avenue after declining a ride from her brother Danny. Her clothing that night was described in detail: blue jeans, a khaki shirt, a blue sweater, a navy blue suede coat, snow boots, and a brown purse. She is a white female with brown hair, blue eyes, and a distinctive mole on her chin.

The original Silver Creek Police Department handled the initial investigation, but its file has been lost or destroyed, complicating efforts. Reports over the years included unconfirmed sightings and a report of a dump truck on Howard Street around the time she disappeared, driven by a white man in his mid-20s with sandy blond hair and a beard. The Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office reopened interest after locating a record in June 2022; investigators are seeking former Silver Creek officers and a private investigator hired by the family in the 1980s. Judith’s family does not believe she ran away and hopes she may still be alive.

Did anyone in Silver Creek in 1976 know Judith’s routine, or did anyone work for the defunct police department or the private investigator named by the family?