Shivangi Sinha
In July 1994, a man entered the police station holding a skull. He had discovered it two days earlier in an abandoned car near the Big Creek Reservoir in Newport, Oregon. Following his girlfriend’s advice, he attempted to bring it to the police, but since the station was closed, he took it home, washed it with dish soap, and placed it on top of his TV. The skull was later identified as belonging to Kelly Disney, a resident who had disappeared in March 1984. The episode of Crime Junkie’s ‘Murdered’ podcast titled ‘Kelly Disney’ delves into her case and examines all the evidence collected so far, suggesting it remains solvable.
Kelly Disney Fought With Her Boyfriend Before She Disappeared
Kelly Lynn Disney, born on January 16, 1967, was the daughter of Stan and Betty Disney. She grew up in Siletz, Oregon, with three younger siblings who followed her everywhere. Kelly was the ideal daughter—respectful, kind, attentive, and always ready to help. She attended Newport High School, but she began dating a 20-year-old named Robert Ellis in her senior year. Deeply in love, Kelly told her parents that she could only be happy if they allowed her to live with him. Although Stan and Betty believed she was too young, they ultimately gave their permission under the condition that she would not drop out of school, as Kelly had threatened to run away otherwise.
As is often the case with young love, arguments allegedly became frequent for the couple. Things were particularly strained between them when they hosted a small party at their house on March 8, 1984. Some guests reported that Kelly and Robert had been fighting over an issue, and shortly after, Robert left. Kelly left the house around 12:30 a.m. on March 9. When Robert eventually returned home and saw that Kelly had not returned, he went to look for her. He found her near Highway 20, just east of U.S. 101, but she was reluctant to return. Robert tried to persuade her, but when his patience wore thin, he returned home, assuming she would go to her parents’ house or call some friends for a ride.
Kelly Disney’s Skull Was Found a Decade After She Went Missing
However, Kelly neither returned home nor went to any friends’ places. She was never seen again. Her family alerted the police, but no one knew her whereabouts. Years passed with no leads until, on July 25, 1994, a man walked into the Newport Police Department with a skull. He explained that he had been driving near the Big Creek Reservoir and stopped at a known hangout spot. Inside an abandoned car, he found the skull wrapped in a carpet.
He took it home, but his girlfriend urged him to go to the police station. Since the Newport police station was closed that day, he took the skull home, washed it with dish soap, and kept it on his TV before bringing it to the station. Although initially disappointing, dental records eventually identified the skull as Kelly’s. Due to the time that had passed, the cause of her death and other forensic details could not be determined.
A Police Officer Was the Last Person to See Kelly
The police began investigating the area where the skull was found. It was a popular spot, attracting many young people who gathered for meet-ups and small parties. A day before the skull was discovered, a couple of kids admitted they had been playing inside the car but had not seen the skull. The discovery also came shortly after the police had made media appeals for new leads in the decade-old disappearance of Kelly Disney. Based on other evidence, the police suspected that the skull had been intentionally placed inside the car to be found.
The police had some leads about what happened to Kelly after Robert had last seen her. On their way to work, two men saw a young girl walking alone on the highway and offered her a ride. She declined, and they did not persist, but they later informed a police patrol officer and asked him to check on her. The Lincoln County Sheriff’s deputy responded to the alert and found Kelly. However, he claimed she refused his help, stating she was heading to a friend’s house.
The investigation established that Kelly disappeared within a 15-20 minute window between when the police last saw her and when she was reported missing. By 2009, the investigation focused on finding similarities between Kelly’s case and other girls who had gone missing from the area under similar circumstances. Notably, the May 3, 1992, disappearance of 17-year-old Melissa Sanders and 19-year-old Sheila Swanson and the January 27, 1995, disappearance of 15-year-old Jennifer Esson and 16-year-old Kara Leas showed some similarities. A suspect named Bobby Joe Fowler, who had a known criminal past, was also investigated. However, nothing conclusive came to light from this inquiry.
Kelly’s Family Believes Someone Has Information About Her Killer
The police have theorized, based on the evidence gathered, that while Kelly was on the highway, a man or a group of men she knew from Siletz stopped and offered her a ride. Trusting them, she got into their car. They then took her to an isolated spot where they assaulted and killed her. Although the police have not disclosed many details, they mentioned that several people they have interviewed over the years have allegedly told others about witnessing her murder. However, the case has stalled due to a lack of physical evidence or consistent witness accounts.
Kelly’s family believes they have a good idea of who the perpetrators are but feel powerless to act. They have criticized the search efforts conducted in 1984 and 2020. To bring new attention to the case, they put up hundreds of posters about her disappearance along the highway in Oregon, which generated many tips. Despite these efforts, the police department’s request for an FBI reward has not been granted yet. March 2024 marked 40 years since Kelly went missing. Her younger sister, Angela Dodd, remains determined to keep the case in the public eye. She believes the case is close to being solved and that someone out there has the information needed to give Kelly the peace she deserves.
