Chapter Twenty Nine: Avril Terry: Part One

 

When Kathy Kohm was murdered in 1981 people often commented that this type of thing never happens here in Southern Indiana.  We had a safe place to live.  And for the most part, we did.  But, something like this HAD happened only a couple of decades before.  Everyone had just collectively forgotten.  Maybe it was too awful to talk about; too horrible to remember. It wasn’t spoken about.  My Mother grew up 15 minutes away and lived all her life thinking this was just a fictional scary campfire story. Kudos to my grandparents for not talking about it in front of their kids. In 1981 or the years afterward; it’s odd to me that it never came up. 

   Her family called her “Honey”. Her actual name was Avril Terry and she loved animals. She had two tiny pet chameleons that clung to her everywhere she went that year. She was the middle child. She had an older sister and a younger sister.  They had moved to Boonville just two years before from Miami, Florida. People usually do that the other way around. But, her father was a doctor and had come to take on a job there.

   Avril loved roaming around the woods nearby finding bugs and playing in the stream.  She reminds me of Scout from “To Kill a Mockingbird”.  The little town she lived in is similar to the town in the movie as well. 

   Boonville, Indiana is the county seat of Warrick County. It’s a small town now but in 1960 it was an even smaller town. The courthouse was the biggest building in town.  All around the courthouse square were shops and businesses like five and dime stores, shoe stores, dress shops, and even a Pharmacy with a soda fountain. If you are picturing Mayberry; you are not far off. We still shopped in those little family owned stores in the 1970’s when I was growing up.  I remember The Shoe Box with all the beautiful shoes on display in the windows. I remember the big drug store on the corner too. 

   It was the summer of 1960 and it was Avril’s little sister’s birthday.  Avril volunteered to walk the few blocks up to the courthouse square on Tuesday August 16th to a little hobby and gift shop to buy birthday cake decorations for the cake her Mom was baking. They wanted to get a set of candle holders made of candy and Avril was eager to pick them out. Her mother gave her some money and then she set off. Her two little pet chameleons were clinging to her shirt like a couple of little green broaches. 

   Avril had on a pair of red plaid “slim jim” pants and a white shirt. It was an ordinary outfit for an ordinary errand in 1960. 

   Avril made it to the shop and bought the candles.  The lady there remembered ringing her up.  It was a small town and it wasn’t difficult to remember everyone that came in. 

    Avril left the store and then on the way home she just seemed to vanish. Her parents would report her missing after searching and calling all their neighbors and friends. But they wouldn’t have to wait months to find out the fate of Avril. 

To be continued…