Name: Evelyn Joyce McDowell
Case Classification: Endangered Missing
Missing Since: January 19, 1984
Location Last Seen: Woodland, Yolo County, California
Date of Birth: September 28, 1962
Age: 21 years old
Race: White
Gender: Female
Height: 5'5"
Weight: 115 lbs
Hair Color: Brown
Eye Color: Brown
Nickname/Alias: Joyce McDowell
Distinguishing Marks/Features: Tattoo on shoulder of a small blue heart
Dentals: Available
Fingerprints: Unknown
DNA: Available
Clothing: Blue denim jeans; light colored shirt; possibly a blue jacket; dark oxford shoes
Jewelry: Unknown
Additional Personal Items: Unknown
Evelyn was last heard from on November 14, 1983 when she made a phone call to her friend and said she was at a bar in the Napa area and someone was “trying to get her.” Soon after, the phone went dead. Several days later, Evelyn’s mother received her daughter’s address book in the mail along with a note saying: “Joyce, you don’t know me but I found this on the beach in Lucerne and thought you might want it. – Dave”. After receiving the address book, Evelyn’s family began asking her friends and acquaintances for information about Evelyn’s whereabouts. The family was told Evelyn had last been seen with friends in the Napa area and she had exited the car they were in after an argument.
On December 12, 1983, Evelyn’s friend reported the 22-year-old missing to the Winters Police Department.
According to the California Office of the Attorney General's page and NamUs, Evelyn was last seen in front of the Yolo County Social Services office on West Main Street in Woodland on January 19, 1984.
Officers were able to determine the phone number Evelyn had called her friend from was from the Chatter Box Bar in Clear Lake, California near Lucerne in Lake County. The Lake County Sheriff’s Office was contacted and initiated a concurrent investigation.
Investigators tracked down the person who had mailed Evelyn’s address book and eliminated him as a person of interest in her disappearance. Investigators also searched the area where Evelyn’s address book was found and recovered a ladies sock tied at both ends which had been filled with sand and rocks.
Winters Police Department and Lake County Sheriff’s Office continued their investigations all through 1984 and sent investigation requests to surrounding jurisdictions. Investigators continued to follow up with leads and possible sightings from 1985 through 1988. Winters Police Department continued to look into Evelyn’s case and examining unidentified person reports to see if there was a match and the Lake County Sheriff’s Office identified Tony Aguilar of Lake County as a person of interest and questioned him extensively. However, Aguilar died in 2002.
Agency Name: Winters Police Department
Agency Contact Person: N/A
Agency Phone Number: 530-795-4561
Agency E-Mail: tips.winters@winterspolice.org
Agency Case Number: 83-726
NCIC Case Number: M-113822196
NamUs Case Number: 23787
Added: 2005; Last Updated: 7/7/22 - By: Doe-NamUs-App
Questions or comments? Please contact appropriate member of the Area Team
** Listed information is from the time of disappearance.
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