Saturday, September 19, 2020

Unsolved Murder of Joanne Ena Lynn



It started out like any other school day on September 19, 1949, for 11-year-old Joanne Lynn. She would leave her home in Hemlock, New York to walk to school. When Joanne walked pass the Smith's home she waved and talked to Mrs. Smith. 

"Good Morning Mrs. Smith. It's a nice morning isn't it?"  The girl was cheerful.

After Mrs. Smith agreed Joanne continued on her walk. Mrs. Smith told her son Eddie to hurry up and catch up with Joanne so they can walk to school together. By the time the 7-year-old made it to the highway, Joanne was nowhere in sight like she should have been. She would not arrive at school and it wasn't until Joanne didn't arrive home from school that no one knew something was wrong. 

Police were contacted and a large search was done for the girl. The hills and gullies were comber and the lakes were combed. After four days of not finding the girl the national guard to help search. They would search through the pouring rain and still not find the girl. 

On September 24th  14-year-old Norma Marsden was gathering butternuts four miles from Hemlock and 7 miles away from where she was last seen. In the pasture, Joanne's body was found. She had been shot twice. 

It's believed that she was either coaxed or forced into a car and possibly waited a day before killing her as people in the area stated they heard gunshots on Tuesday. Her killer had attempted to sexually assault her and Even though Joanne was fully clothed her undergarments and sweater were missing. The killer then took her to a grove of locust trees and pointed the gun at her. One bullet entered her arm and then forehead as she was blocking her face. She was then shot a second time through her left breast and the bullet came out of her back.  Her fingernail scrapping suggested she fought hard with her attacker. The gun used was a German Luger semi-automatic pistol. The gun was possible well taken care of.

SOURCES:
The Daily Messenger September 27, 1949
Democrat and Chronicle October 1, 1949
Democrat and Chronicle September 1, 1963

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