Patty Vaughn...disappeared on Christmas, 1996 Pleasanton,Texas

[Mere]

Taken from BFN...Patty's sister was on Dana's show last night....Klaas may have given us a link though there is one at the end of the article.  It is the official website.

The Disappearance of Patty

The mystery of what happened to Patty Vaughan began on Christmas day 1996.  Patty Vaughan was separated from her husband of 12 years J R (Jerry Ray) but was expecting his visit to see their 3 children, Brittany, Ray and Tyler.

The evening before, on Christmas eve at a family gathering, Patty expressed her concerns and fears and had even asked for help in filing a restraining order against JR.   Plans were made to file the following week right after Christmas.  She never got that chance.

During the day Christmas, Patty spoke briefly with a family member who thought she had been crying, she abruptly had to go as JR ordered her off the phone.   That is the last that anyone in the family spoke with Patty.

According to JR, they had a terrible argument in which he was “madder than he’d ever been” and that she had simply got in her van and vanished sometime between 6 and 9PM.  She had driven away from her children on Christmas.  THIS WOULD HAVE NEVER HAPPENED.  One resounding statement that is echoed by all who knew Patty is that should would have never ever left her children anytime in that situation let alone Christmas.

Patty had recently rekindled a relationship with an old boyfriend and had received a heart shaped diamond necklace from him on Christmas eve.  She was the happiest the family had seen her.  She was also terrified.  Her new boss at the electric company she began working for stated that she had been harassed by her estranged husband, on the phone and in person and had to leave several times to avoid conflict.

Over the next 24 hrs is when her family realized something was terribly wrong.  She had plans with her cousin Cathy and would have never not called nor shown up.  After several attempts to contact Patty, JR, friends and other family members, the decision was made to contact the police.  JR contacted Cathy at 7:14 PM on Dec 26th.  We know this is what time it was because his first words to her were “what time is it?”.  Then he stated that she was missing and that her van had been found on the side of a road.  When Cathy explained to him that she had already contacted the police he shouted that it was too soon, she should have waited, that he would handle things.  

JR was questioned briefly and then retained a criminal defense attorney, he refused lie detector nor any help in the search.  After preliminary Luminol tests were done in the home which showed strong blood reactions, particularly in the bedroom, master bath and master closet area.  

A search warrant to obtain blood samples for the children and JR had to be obtained due to his refusal to cooperate.  In the supoena, it is stated that “enough blood evidence has been found in the home at 152 Oak Park Rd. to believe a murder was committed”.  All DNA evidence proved that all blood found was that of Patty Vaughan.  On the walls, floor, baseboard, wipe marks, swipe marks, shoe prints, in a bucket and on a mop.  Also, in JR’s apartment was a shirt with Patty’s blood on it.
JR had moved into his own apartment in Oct 1996 when they separated.  He had turned in his notice to vacate due to “a life and death situation” on Dec 13th.  He moved back into the family home on the 27th, 2 days after Patty vanished and changed the home phone message machine which had Patty’s voice on it the same day.  

Also a note of interest is that Patty’s van was found 20 miles from her home and 5 miles from her office.  Her right front tire had been intentionally deflated and her carpet freshly shampoo’d.  The carpet was still wet but crime lab tests found small amounts of Patty’s blood behind the drivers seat and various other places in the van.  

It has been 10 years since Patty vanished.  JR long ago, took the children and moved away. Patty was (by JR)  declared legally dead and an attempt to collect her life insurance was made by JR but was blocked by Patty’s mother, sisters, brothers, cousins and aunts and uncles to ensure the education of Patty’s children.  Patty’s family has come to terms with the fact that Patty would not be found alive but would like to have closure and a proper, respectful burial that she deserves.  Not “buried under a wood pile with feces all around” as JR said in his only statement to the police.

It seems surreal that someone as loving and wonderful as Patty could just vanish without a trace.  It is the hope of Patty’s family that someone somewhere knows something and would come forward and do the right thing.  Can you help us find Patty?

http://www.findpattyvaughan.com/

[mrs. red]

I would love to see this family contact Tim.  This story sounds like OJ, Scott Peterson, Jesse Davis... sad but we can go on and on...

[Mere]

I would love to see this family contact Tim.  This story sounds like OJ, Scott Peterson, Jesse Davis... sad but we can go on and on...

Found at the Texas Equusearch website:

Patty Vaughan, age 32, at time of disappearance, was last seen in the 150 block of Oak Park Road in Pleasonton, Texas on Thursday, December 26, 2006 between 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. and has not been seen or heard from since. It is reported that she was last seen wearing dark colored pants and a cream colored blouse.

TES will be conducting a search on Sunday, April 29th beginning at 8:30 a.m. for the remains of Patty Vaughan missing from Pleasonton, Texas. Our search is being done at an area where she is believed to be buried in Pleasonton. Please keep your thoughts and prayers with Patty’s family during this time as we all hope and pray to bring some much needed closure to this wonderful family. Thank you and God Bless you all.

[Nut44x4]

Just adding a photo of Patty Vaughan.......

Patty Vaughan was last seen at her residence located at 152 Oak Park Road on Christmas Eve 1996, between the hours of 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.

She is believed to have driven off after an argument with her husband. Patty Vaughan did not visit with nor call anyone. On Thursday afternoon, December 26, 1996, Patty Vaughan's blue Dodge Caravan was recovered on Loop 1604 in South Bexar County 5 miles from her employment and 15 miles from her residence.

If you have any information regarding the whereabouts of Mrs. Vaughan, please notify the Bexar County Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigations Division at (210) 335-6070 or your local law enforcement agency.

http://www.bexar.org/BCsheriff/missing.htm

[Nut44x4]

THIS IS NOT NEW.....it was posted in December of 2008

Last Update: 12/25/2008 8:43 am
Patty Vaughan Case Close to Being Solved?

SAN ANTONIO -- There are new developments in one of San Antonio's biggest mysteries. Investigators now believe they're close to solving the case of Patty Vaughan.

Christmas day will mark 12 years since anyone has seen Vaughan. Now investigators say they believe she was murdered and that people who knew her may have helped get rid of her body.

Investigators tell News 4 WOAI that finding Vaughan's body is no longer their first priority. They just want to know what happened to her the night she was killed.

"Everyone wants to find Patty," said Louis Antu with the Bexar County Sheriff's Office. "I understand, that's important, especially when it comes to closure for the family. But when it comes to us working a homicide, we want to know exactly what happened."

Patty's husband told police she left their home on Christmas night 1996 after they had a fight. A day later, her van was found but her body never was. Still, Bexar County Cold Case investigators are moving on with the case.

"There's a possibility that we can file this case without a body," said Antu. "We've done it before and we got an indictment without a body. It can be done again."

In fact, investigators are sure they are close to wrapping up Vaughan's case.

"We have enough evidence to file a circumstantial case," said Antu. "We feel we have a strong case. But we only get one shot at this."

Investigators tell News 4 WOAI that Vaughan's husband is still the main person of interest in the case, but they now believe that family friends may have helped get rid of her body.

"With what we gathered, it does appear that people involved in Patty's disappearance were very close to her," said investigator Adrian Ramirez.

Investigators are now asking those friends to come forward.

"Sometimes we're just asking people to dig deep into their heart," said Antu. "Just having knowledge of it, it's not going to necessarily put you in prison."
http://www.woai.com/news/local/story/Patty-Vaughan-Case-Close-to-Being-Solved/c5fUe1cWBkmURO7Wgo6q0Q.cspx

[Nut44x4]

http://www.carolesundfoundation.com/sections/missing?person=457

[Ariana]

I hope they do convict himwithout a body, this has gone on for too long without a body.  In the meantime, the kids who probably have an idea of what happened because they were home have to live with this man?  Maybe the kids would have rolled over on him now if they would have arrested him years ago.