Ruth Elizabeth Brenneman:1973, York, Pennsylvania

  Ruth Elizabeth Brenneman was born on November 26th 1958 to Phyllis Yvonne Dern Brenneman and Richard William “Whitey” Brenneman. The family made their home in York, Pennsylvania. 

 By 1973 Ruth’s parents had separated. Ruth stayed with either parent some but mostly lived with her 20 year old brother and his wife. 

 In September of 1973, at the start of the school year, Ruthie disappeared after being dropped off at school one morning by her older brother, Michael. 

 The family assumed that she had run away. But, there were things that made them doubt that idea as well. Ruth also relied on a daily medication for seizures. She did not have this with her. She hadn’t taken anything really. 

 In the early 1970’s a missing 14 year old might have been considered just a runaway. Her parents may have been too embarrassed to report her missing. They also might have been wishing that this simply wasn’t happening. Humans under stress and worry can rationalize a great deal of worry away. 

  Not everyone in 1973 would have immediately panicked when a 14 year old disappeared. They would not have immediately jumped to the conclusion of abduction. In the late 1980’s or 1990’s that would be a different story. But, in 1973 the general public was thinking about teenagers who tuned in, turned on and dropped out. The hippy lifestyle was still front of mind. 

  Ruth had a boyfriend and the family assumed she might have left with him. They worried about her medical situation but also rationalized their fears away. When you are working everyday you often just focus on bills and expenses and hope for the best. 

  On October 10th of 1973, two game wardens were working in the woods near Jonestown and Fort Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania when they found the nude and decomposing body of a young girl under a plastic tarp covered with brush and limbs. The tiny news article at the time does not mention a tarp. That detail appears in later online posts. 

  It would not be until 2016 that DNA analysis allowed authorities to put a name to those remains. The girl they had found was Ruth Elizabeth Brenneman. 

  Sadly, by 2016, both of Ruth’s parents had passed away.  Her Dad passed away in 1987 and her mother passed away in 2003. 

  The distance between York and Fort Indiantown Gap is about an hour one way. There are multiple routes one could take. It’s a long winding route just about any way you go. A person might go North through Harrisburg. One could also leave York and go east across the river and into Lancaster before turning North. 

  It makes me think that the abductor lived in or near York. He didn’t take her to California or Texas. He took her an hour away. He had to get back. Possibly someone was expecting him to be home at a certain time.

  Did he keep her clothes or discard them? 

  I’d like to know more about that tarp. What kind of tarp was it? Was it a painter’s tarp? Was there work going on at Ruth’s school? Typically, painting projects happen in the Summer when school is not in session. But, there may have been work going on inside or outside. 

  Does anyone remember anyone who worked at Ruth’s school who was suspicious? 

   Fort Indiantown Gap is a military base. Did her abductor have some connection there? Perhaps they had been stationed there in the past. 

  Ruth has been identified but her killer has not yet been found. Was there anything under her fingernails? Were those nails clipped and saved? Perhaps a clue to her killer’s identity is still there. 

  Was the tarp saved? Could there be clues there? 

  Perhaps someone has talked in the years since then? Perhaps someone knows something that they are ready to share. 

   One killer that I thought of here was Raymond Charles Lamb. He was on the run from Indiana and went to Maryland in 1973. He was from Pennsylvania. I double checked the dates and he had been apprehended before Ruth disappeared. So, her killer cannot be Raymond C. Lamb. (He is currently serving a life sentence for several murders and attacks on young women in Indiana in 1972-1973.) 

   Investigators are seeking any information at all from people who knew Ruth. Were you her friend? If you can contact authorities they would like to know more about her life, her acquaintances, her school, etc. 

   If you have information about the abduction and murder of Ruth Elizabeth Brenneman please contact the Pennsylvania State Police at (717) 865-2194 or PSP Tips at 1-800-4PA-TIPS (1-800- 472-8477).