Renee Bruhl Patricia Blough Ann Miller
On July 2, 1966, Three friends Renee Brhul (19), Patricia Blough (19) and Ann Miller (21) went to Indiana Dunes State Park in Chesterton, Indiana.
The day started out when Ann left her home in her 1955 Buick she went to go pick up the other two girls for their day out. First stop was Patricia's home. Before she left she told her mother she was going to be home early because Renee wanted to make dinner for her husband. The two then picked up Renee.
By 8 a.m. they were on their way to the Dunes from Illinois. It was already becoming a hot day. On their way to the Dunes, they stopped by a drugstore and picked up a bottle of suntan lotion. They arrived at the park by 10 a.m. and it was already 88 degrees with light winds from the lake. It would get up to 92 degrees by noon.
They parked the car in the parking lot and hiked to the lake. A couple who were also at the lake stated they saw the women leave their stuff on the beach and went into the lake together around noon. They also saw them talking to an unknown man operating a 14 to 16 ft. white boat with a blue interior and an outboard motor. The women went onto the boat and headed west.
Later that night the couple noticed that the women's stuff were still on the shore. They let a Park Ranger know that it was left by three women. The ranger assumed that the girls decided to go on a moonlight boat ride and would be back for their stuff later. It wasn't unheard of this happening. So he took the items to the office for safe keeping.
The items were forgotten due to the busy weekend for the 4th of July. That was until Patricia's father called the office seeking information about the three girls. The Ranger remembered the unclaimed items left by three women. They found car keys among the items and found that Ann's car was still there. Police was called and the women were reported missing. Searches ensued, but they and the unidentified man were not found.
Renee left her large-sized towel, shorts, blouse, cigarettes, suntan lotion, 25 cents and her purse containing approximately $55 in checks on the beach. In her purse, there was a note stating she wanted to leave her husband, but it's believed it was written in anger possibly during a fight. Her family didn't believe she really wanted to leave her husband and he didn't think there were any huge issues in their relationship either.
Patricia left her yellow robe, sunglasses, a transistor radio, a white print towel and her wallet containing five dollars on the beach.
Ann left her denim shorts, a polo shirt, shoes, a white bathing cap, a comb and her Thermos bottle on the beach.
Some came forward and stated they saw the women after the couple had. The initial sightings of the trio were the most reliable. A lot of witnesses stated the girls got onto a white boat with a man. Some accounts described the man in his early 20's, tan and with wavy dark hair and were wearing a beach jacket. Someone who was filming home movies that turned over their video in case it was useful for them.
On the footage, two boats were narrowed down a 16 to 18 ft long trimaran runabout with a three-hulled design driven by a man that fit the description and three women matching the trio's description. The second boat seen was a 26 to28 ft long Trojan cabin cruiser with three men aboard along with three women. The cabin cruiser may have had a radio/telephone antenna and not painted name on the side. This one was seen around 3 p.m. three hours after they were seen in the smaller boat.
It's believed the women were dropped off on the shore and the man left them to get the other two men and the bigger boat. The three were reportedly seen eating and walking along with the sand dues around this time and were seen with another unidentified man and they went onto the bigger boat with him and the other two.
Nothing showed up and the man the women were last seen with never came forward. At the time there was evidence of a boat wreck near
Bailly Generating Station Of Northern Indiana Public Service Company on Lake Michigan. But it's unknown if the boat wreck involved the girls and the boat was never reported missing/wrecked. The girls were said to have been strong swimmers, but accidental drowning was not ruled out either.
It could be possible that the girls had met foul play and rumors spread around about why.
It was known that Ann was 3 months pregnant and that Patricia could have possibly been pregnant and the girls went to the beach to meet up with someone who could do abortions on them. Some believe that something went wrong during one and the three were killed and disposed of. This theory was never proven. Ralph Largo Jr. matched the unknown man's description. His aunt and uncle performed illegal abortions at the time. It's not proven he was the man though.
The girls at this time were horse enthusiasts and frequented Tri-Color Stables in Palatine, Illinois.
It's possible that Patricia and Ann had connections or knew people in the criminal horse market. The Tri-Color Stables were owned by George Jayne. He and his brother Silas were in a bitter argument about the Horse argument. In June 1965 Cheryl Ann Rude was killed in a car bombing at the Stables when she moved George's Cadillac for him. It's believed that Silas was involved and in 1997 James Blottiaux was charged in the bombing.
It's possible that One of the girls witnessed the bombing. Patricia acquired a facial injury, possibly from a punch, in March. She stated she got it from syndicate horse people. George and Silas's phone numbers were discovered in the belongings of one of the girls.
Late George was killed from a gunshot wound in 1970 and Silas was convicted in the conspiracy in his brother's murder. Silas died in 1987 but is suspected in the disappearance of Helen Brach. It has never been proven that he had anything to do with the girl's disappearance. Silas did state at one point he had three bodies under his residence.
Renee is a white female and was 19 at the time of her disappearance. Her maiden name was Slunecko She's 5'9" and 120-150 lbs. She has Brown hair and hazel eyes. At the time she was wearing a brown swimsuit with green flowers and gold leaves.
Patricia went by Pat and Patty. She is a white female and was 19 years old at the time. She's 5'4" and 114 lbs. She has brown hair and brown eyes. She was possibly pregnant at the time. She was wearing a bright yellow swimsuit with ruffles.
Ann is a white female and 21 years old at the time. She was 5'2" and her weight was unknown. SHe has brown hair and blue eyes. She may have been 3 months pregnant, but it isn't for sure. She was wearing a blue two-piece bathing suit with a red belt.
