Name: Marion Joan McDowell
Case Classification: Involuntary
Missing Since: December 6, 1953
Location Last Seen: Scarborough, Ontario, Canada.
Date of Birth: November of 1936
Age: 17 years old
Race: White
Gender: Female
Height: 5'3"
Weight: 130 lbs
Hair Color: Blonde
Eye Color: Blue
Nickname/Alias: Unknown
Distinguishing Marks/Features: McDowell has a round face.
Dentals: Her teeth were in good condition
Fingerprints: Unknown
DNA: Unknown
Clothing: Marion was wearing a white blouse with black or blue trim, a black wool pleated skirt, black ballerina shoes, a silver chain with a heart worn on her wrist and a ring on her left hand initialed "MM".
Jewelry: Unknown
Additional Personal Items: Unknown
On Sunday, December 6th, 1953 Jimmy Wilson, 19, picked up his date Marion McDowell, 17, from her home about 19.00 in the evening. They drove Jimmy's 1942 five-passenger Plymouth coupe to a few miles within Scarborough.
They pulled off onto a quiet road. About 20.00 they were confronted by a person who opened the passenger side door and barked "This is a stick-up!".
Jimmy was told to hand over his wallet. The bandit took $10.00 before ordering Jimmy to turn around. Jimmy was then hit over the back of the head twice with the butt-end of a handgun which later required 17 stitches to close.
Jimmy woke in and out of consciousness. One image was being in the back of the coupe with Marion's body sprawled across him. The next image was being parked in a lot three car lengths behind another car. Jimmy saw someone close the trunk of the other car before getting in the driver's side and drive off.
After the other vehicle drove out of the lot, Jimmy crawled into the driver's seat and drove to the Scarborough Police and made his report.
The yard was a fenced-in vacant lot located a short distance from where Jimmy and Marion were parked earlier. Found in the lot was Jimmy's discarded wallet and bar of old-fashioned " Sunlight " brand laundry soap. The bar was wrapped in it's outer container but it's inner wrapping had been removed. The lot's gate had it's locks broken and it's chain cut. The chain & locks had been put in place only hours earlier.
Jimmy Wilson's 1942 Plymouth contained Marion's head scarf. Marion's scarf it was believed had been worn folded. The scarf contained cuts in it's fabric as though she might have sustained a heavy head blow. Two different types of blood were found in the car, A-type and O-type.
Jimmy Wilson was considered a suspect but was cleared due to his statement and after passing a lie detector test in Buffalo, New York.
The suspect in this crime was described as about 5'8" with a narrow face. He wore a dark balaclava mask and brandished what appeared to be a Walther .38 or a Luger .
Marion was a bit of a tomboy, boisterous and outgoing. Her hobbies included tennis, swimming, rollerskating, pinball & music. Marion had previously worked at a department store and a bank. She was once an invoice typist for a printing firm.
Agency Name: Toronto Police Service
Agency Contact Person: N/A
Agency Phone Number: 416-808-2222
Agency E-Mail: N/A
Agency Case Number: N/A
"Disappearances" by Derik Murdoch
"Canadian Crimes" by Max Haines
Added: Prior to 2011; Last Updated: 05-18-2022 - By: Htmlcnvtr
Questions or comments? Please contact appropriate member of the Area Team
** Listed information is from the time of disappearance.
Return Home