Mysteries Along America's Interstates

[curious]

Hi,
There's just one unsolved murder in my county in East Tennessee: an elderly storekeeper was gunned down and robbed in the early morning hours. He was on an I-81 exit in a fairly desolate area.

Whether someone popped in off the Interstate, robbed and killed him and drove off or whether a neighbor was guilty has never been determined.

So, do any of you know of other unsolved murders, disappearances or other mysteries that have occurred across the country along the Interstates?

I'd love to hear about them (I'm thinking there might be a book there).

Velma

[Mayerling]

There were a series of shooting murders in the highways of Queens (the borough of New York City) in the early 1930s, Back then much of the borough was farmland, with a few large roads crossing portions of the borough near Brooklyn, and crossing the borough into Nassau and Suffolk Counties, and near the "towns" of the borough (Jamaica, Long Island City, Flushing). So cars were frequently isolated and a number of drivers were shot and killed. Nobody was ever charged.

[curious]

There were a series of shooting murders in the highways of Queens (the borough of New York City) in the early 1930s, Back then much of the borough was farmland, with a few large roads crossing portions of the borough near Brooklyn, and crossing the borough into Nassau and Suffolk Counties, and near the "towns" of the borough (Jamaica, Long Island City, Flushing). So cars were frequently isolated and a number of drivers were shot and killed. Nobody was ever charged.

Thanks, Mayerling,
that must have been terrifying for the folks who had to drive through there. Were they shot with long guns, or had the drivers appeared to stop for something and then been killed close up?

Since having my idea, I have discovered there are a few books already on the subject. I'm not sure I want to tie up years in researching such horror.

Reading an occasional story is different from immersing yourself in one.

Appreciate your reply.

Velma

P.S. I was wrong about only the one unsolved murder. That had long been the case, but we have added two more -- a man and his aunt murdered (in town) and their house burned. It is believed to be drug related.

[Mayerling]

Thanks, Mayerling,
that must have been terrifying for the folks who had to drive through there. Were they shot with long guns, or had the drivers appeared to stop for something and then been killed close up?

Since having my idea, I have discovered there are a few books already on the subject. I'm not sure I want to tie up years in researching such horror.

Reading an occasional story is different from immersing yourself in one.

Appreciate your reply.

Velma

P.S. I was wrong about only the one unsolved murder. That had long been the case, but we have added two more -- a man and his aunt murdered (in town) and their house burned. It is believed to be drug related.

The murders in Queens were by rifle shots (long distance). If you plough through the Indices of the New York TImes for 1930 to 1934 you would find them mentioned under the subject: Murders.

Jeff

[Penhalion]

As I write this I am sitting a few dozen yards from an eastern section of the highway in question.

http://ididitforjodie.com/2014/06/16/highway-to-hell-overlapping-disappearances-at-the-pumpernickel-valley-off-ramp/

[curious]

As I write this I am sitting a few dozen yards from an eastern section of the highway in question.

http://ididitforjodie.com/2014/06/16...lley-off-ramp/

Amazing story. Get off 80 before dark . . .

[Penhalion]

Fortunately, the section of I-80 I drive everyday to work and back is very busy and in a very populated area. No lonely off ramps around here.

[curious]

Fortunately, the section of I-80 I drive everyday to work and back is very busy and in a very populated area. No lonely off ramps around here.

Good to hear. That story you referenced gave me chills.

[Ginger]

By no means an unsolved mystery, but just Thursday some guy drove along I-40 in Oklahoma apparently just shooting people at random.

http://www.cnn.com/2015/12/17/us/oklahoma-highway-shootings/

[Pcdunn]

Colorado has had sporadic shootings along I25 since April-- in May, a bicyclist was killed.

I heard New Mexico had some similar sniper attacks after that. Maybe it has spread to Okalahoma now.

http://www.9news.com/story/news/local/2015/05/29/police-link-i-25-incident-to-windsor-cyclist-shooting/28176541/

[Mayerling]

Colorado has had sporadic shootings along I25 since April-- in May, a bicyclist was killed.

I heard New Mexico had some similar sniper attacks after that. Maybe it has spread to Okalahoma now.

http://www.9news.com/story/news/loca...ting/28176541/

There was an arrest in the New Mexico case of a teen ager/young man. That was in October.

Jeff

[curious]

There was an arrest in the New Mexico case of a teen ager/young man. That was in October.

Jeff

The bright spot is that they've caught 2 out of 3. Let's hope they get the one in Colorado, too.

Velma

[Pcdunn]

^^ We can only hope. Thanks, Velma.

[Errata]

I feel like Tennessee and Georgia get traveling serial killers every five years or so. Usually murdering truckstop prostitutes.

[curious]

I feel like Tennessee and Georgia get traveling serial killers every five years or so. Usually murdering truckstop prostitutes.

Well, Tommy Lynn Sells, who was executed in Texas in 2014, often drove across the state of Tennessee from his hometown of Kingsport, in the far northeastern corner, to Missouri visiting family. Since Kingsport is about 30 miles from our Baileyton killing, I suspected him, but he was in prison at the time. Sells was unusual in that he did not have a certain type and killed men, women and children -- anyone he thought dis-respected him or he just wanted to kill. He was called the cross country killer and wasn't on anyone's radar until he fell in love, settled down and just could not quit killing. After he was caught, he enjoyed talking. Sometimes, he said, he would hop a train, get off when it stopped and hit a house near the tracks, kill everyone inside, then be gone before the bodies were discovered . . . creepy to the max.

I do recall the truckstop prostitutes -- at least one example. I would suspect there's been more than one.

I wonder how many active serial killers there are in America at this time.

Velma