Linda Lynn Weldy: 1987, Laporte

   

   Linda Lynn Weldy was born a little over a month after the U.S. Bicentennial, on August 13th 1976. Her Mother was Karen Lewis. She had a brother, William Lewis who was two years older than her. In 1987 her father had been out of the picture for some time.  She had a step father, Robert Egolf. Karen Lewis and Robert Egolf had been together for years.  They officially married in 1988.

   In early March of 1979 the family suffered a house fire at 311 D Street in LaPorte and Robert Egolf helped everyone escape. He and Karen both suffered cuts as they helped the children get out of a window. A young person passing by also assisted as the family escaped through the broken window. The children, 2 year old Linda and 4 year old William, were unharmed. 

   In 1987 the family lived at 181 West McClung Road near Fishtrap Lake on the northwest side of LaPorte, Indiana. Karen worked at a factory.  Linda attended Critchfield Elementary and was a Girl Scout. 

  

    Linda L. Weldy was last seen getting off the school bus on February 24th 1987 by her bus driver. Her stepfather, Robert Egolf and her brother were outside the home working on an antenna that afternoon. Linda never made it up the driveway and to the house. 

   Sometimes Linda played with friends in the neighborhood but had always told someone in the family where she was.  Her stepfather assumed that she was at a friend’s house and was not immediately worried. I imagine that he thought maybe Linda was at another friend’s house at a sleepover.  He might have thought that perhaps they had told him and he forgot. 

Linda’s mother returned home from work just after midnight. She knew there were no plans to go to a friend’s house. The family called the police. 

    

   West McClung Road curves along the shore of Fishtrap Lake.  It’s a road that is not a main thoroughfare. Today the VFW is at number 181.  There’s no mention of it being there in 1987. There also appears to be a residential trailer nearby. The lane that leads back to the VFW is wooded.  Linda was last seen at the mailbox on McClung Road by her bus driver. Across McClung Road there are a couple of businesses now. One looks fairly new but the other place looks like it could have been there then. It doesn’t appear to be a busy or well traveled road around 3 p.m. on a weekday. 

   The perpetrator could have been following the bus and watching for a victim and a good opportunity. 

    The police launched searches. Information was distributed. The newspapers and radio helped to get the word out. 

    On March 17th 1987 Linda was found south of La Porte near Kingsbury, Indiana. Not quite three weeks had passed. Her body was fully clothed. She was found face down clutching a handful of grass. She had been beaten and strangled. Asphyxiation from strangulation was the official cause of death. 

   Hopefully a rape kit was collected. Just because a victim is found clothed doesn’t mean a rape did not happen.  Some perpetrators let their victims dress themselves or they dress the victim.  Hopefully they saved her clothes.  Hopefully they clipped and saved her fingernails. 

   The area where she was found was described as a “lover’s lane”. There is a rock pathway that used to be a railroad track. A driveway leads past that and to a field.  Linda was described as being found in a field. It is a wooded area. It seems like someone would have to know this area well.  A stranger to the area seems unlikely to stumble upon it.  

   Who could have done this? Was this a neighbor or a stranger? 

   Serial killer Larry Dewayne Hall could be a suspect in this case.  He was born in Wabash, Indiana and was reported to have been in the LaPorte area at the time of the murder. Hall is serving life in prison in North Carolina. 

   Linda Lynn Weldy deserved a long life.  She deserved to grow up.  Her family deserves Justice and answers. 

   Maybe someone out there saw something that they did not think was important at the time.  Maybe they overheard something.  What you know could help solve this case. 

   Rest in Peace Linda Weldy. 

   

    If you know something that may help solve this case please call the Indiana State Police at 1-219-696-6242 or 1-800-552-8917