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E264: Charlotte Kinsey and Cinda Pallett
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In September 1981, the Oklahoma State Fair promised a night of freedom and fun for two best friends, thirteen-year-olds Charlotte Kinsey and Cinda Pallett. But what began as an evening filled with rides, laughter, and the excitement of adolescence quickly turned into every parent’s worst nightmare. This week, Allison explores a case that stunned a community, shook a nation, and left behind far more questions than answers.
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Transcript
Childhood Memories of County Fairs
00:00:00
Speaker
To start this week, I want to take a little mental trip back to a much simpler time. A time filled with the kind of wide-eyed wonder that only comes with childhood. And likely, a memory many of us may share, just from our own unique locations.
00:00:16
Speaker
For me, growing up in rural Kentucky, the late summer meant one thing. the arrival of the county fair. It was an event anticipated for months, and the first sign that it was near was the rumble of those massive trucks rolling into town, carrying the skeletal frames of the Ferris wheel and the tilt-a-whirl.
00:00:38
Speaker
Seeing those flatbeds, often driven by weathered men who looked like they lived on the road, unloading their cargo onto the dusty field was a spectacle in itself, with a promise of flashing lights and thrilling screams.
00:00:52
Speaker
As dusk settled, the first few strings of bare bulbs would flicker to life, casting an almost magical glow that could be seen from miles away, igniting a fervent excitement in all the kids in town and in the young at heart.
00:01:08
Speaker
Once the gates swung open, the fairgrounds transformed into a temporary wonderland, The dirt and uneven grass would be quickly covered with a layer of straw, a rustic carpet that crunched underfoot and carried the mingled scents of sweet popcorn, the sickly sweet aroma of pink cotton candy, and just a hint of animal from the nearby livestock show.
00:01:32
Speaker
The air buzzed with a chaotic energy, a symphony of tinny music from the carousels and the excited shouts of children. We would run ourselves ragged, either bouncing from ride to ride or, sometimes, sprinting from the exit of a ride right back into the snaking line for another go on the same one.
00:01:53
Speaker
The fair was also a chance to reconnect with friends from school, fortifying old friendships and forming new ones over shared bags of greasy fries, messy funnel cakes, and sweet lemonade.
00:02:06
Speaker
Of course, a trip to the fair always involved a bit of strategic negotiation with my parents, a relentless campaign of pleading for just a few more dollars for another strip of ride tickets, or even more desperately, for a chance to try my luck at one of the carnival games.
Tragic Memories and Unsolved Cases
00:02:24
Speaker
Oh, the hours I have spent trying my absolute darndest to knock over those precariously stacked milk bottles or toss a ring onto a bottle's neck with my eye on the ultimate prize, which was always a brightly colored, oversized stuffed animal that i likely would have forgotten within about a week.
00:02:46
Speaker
And this was just at our small county fair. I can only imagine the increased excitement those lucky enough to attend a state fair had. More rides, more candy, more games.
00:02:59
Speaker
Sadly, for all the children who hold these fond memories of sticky fingers and thrilling rides, there are also families for whom the cheerful chaos of a fairground forever carries a shadow of profound loss.
00:03:13
Speaker
We remember Jeremy Bright, whose young life was tragically cut short after a visit to a state fair, a case we covered back in episode 111. And in our case this week, that same trauma, a nightmare unfolding in the bright lights and sugary smells, affected two families, as not just one young girl was taken that night, but two directly from the bright lights of the Oklahoma State Fair.
Podcast Mission and Introductions
00:03:43
Speaker
This is the case of Charlotte Kinsey and Cinda Pallett.
00:04:03
Speaker
Thank you.
00:04:23
Speaker
Welcome to Coffee and Cases, where we like our coffee hot and our cases cold. My name is Allison Williams. And my name is Maggie Dameron. We will be telling stories each week in the hopes that someone out there with any information concerning the cases will take those tips to law enforcement so justice and closure can be brought to these families.
00:04:42
Speaker
With each case, we encourage you to continue in the conversation on our Facebook page, Coffee in Cases Podcast, because, as we all know, conversation helps to keep the missing person in the public consciousness, helping keep their memories alive.
Trigger Warning and Case Background
00:04:55
Speaker
So sit back, sip your coffee, and listen to what's brewing this week. Before I begin this episode, I need to issue a trigger warning. In discussing the theories, I will be discussing sexual violence against children, so listener discretion is strongly advised.
00:05:16
Speaker
The year was 1981, and it being the end of September, early autumn was just beginning to hint at the changing season in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
00:05:28
Speaker
For two young girls, Charlotte June Kenzie and Cinda Leanne Pallet, both vibrant and on the cusp of their teenage years at just 13 years old, Saturday, September 26th, held a special promise.
00:05:44
Speaker
the first time they would be attending the state fair on their own. No adult chaperone tagging along at every turn.
Charlotte and Cinda's Fair Experience
00:05:54
Speaker
Charlotte, born on September 10th, 1968, was described by her mother, Perla Peterson, as, quote, a very shy, quiet, and extremely sensitive girl, and, quote, a mama's girl, end quote, who wanted everyone to like her.
00:06:13
Speaker
She found solace in poetry and enjoyed the carefree glide of roller skating. Didn't we all? However, beneath this gentle exterior, Charlotte had been grappling with depression.
00:06:28
Speaker
Just two weeks prior to that Saturday at the fair, Charlotte had been hospitalized after attempting to take her own life by overdosing on her mother's tranquilizers.
00:06:40
Speaker
From my research in an article for The Oklahoman, published on October 4th, 1985, her mother, Perla, believed the incident was triggered by Charlotte's father, asking Charlotte to leave Oklahoma City and move to Canada with him.
00:06:57
Speaker
Perla recalled in that article, quote, I tried to talk to her about it, but all she could do was cry. She was very, very depressed, end quote.
00:07:09
Speaker
Despite this recent bout with depression, the prospect of a day at the Oklahoma State Fair, followed by having a sleepover with Cinda, offered a welcome spark of joy, if only for a few hours.
00:07:22
Speaker
That day, Charlotte donned a dark, maroon, short-sleeved pullover with white stripes on the sleeves and white trim around the neck. Paired with her favorite blue jeans and comfortable Nike tennis shoes, and on her right ring finger, she wore a simple wedding band type ring.
00:07:40
Speaker
Her friend Cinda, born on May 13, 1968, possessed a more outgoing spirit. Remembered as a leader amongst her peers, Cinda was a natural athlete, playing shortstop on her softball team and eagerly anticipating trying out for the school basketball team.
00:07:59
Speaker
Her mother, Norma Pallet, fondly recalled Cinda's energetic nature. That Saturday, Cinda chose to wear a white t-shirt jersey with dark blue sleeves, proudly displaying the ZZ Top logo on the front and the number 81 on the back.
00:08:17
Speaker
which she wore with her slim blue jeans, two-tone blue Nike sneakers with black waffle soles, and her signature rope belt, made of braided orange or rust-colored nylon with a leather buckle bearing her name.
00:08:33
Speaker
Cinda loved music, and she had just purchased tickets, according to her entry on the Charlie Project's website, to a Van Halen concert to take place the following week.
00:08:45
Speaker
The two girls were close friends, excited, like I mentioned a moment ago, not only about this newfound freedom of walking the fair alone, but also about the sleepover at Cinda's house to follow.
00:08:59
Speaker
The air buzzed with possibility each game, each ride, each vendor, a new adventure waiting to be explored by two inseparable young friends.
00:09:10
Speaker
I'm sure most of us remember how that felt the first time we were dropped off at the mall or attended a ball game or the fair without our parents. I have some photos that were actually taken of the two girls at the fair that day.
00:09:27
Speaker
I'll post those with this episode online so you can see them. You can just see their smiles. It's Cinda with the brown hair and Charlotte with the blonde hair.
00:09:40
Speaker
All was fun for a while. Then around 5 p.m., seemingly innocuous encounter was set in motion a terrifying chain of events.
00:09:53
Speaker
A man had approached the girls and had offered Charlotte and Cinda a job. a chance to earn some spending money by helping him unload stuffed animals from a truck.
00:10:04
Speaker
We would later find that this man also spoke to several other children that day, making that same offer of money for help with the stuffed animals.
00:10:15
Speaker
He even enlisted the help of two teenaged boys from the fair, later mistakenly reported as Charlotte and Cinda's boyfriends. They were not. These boys did not know Charlotte and Cinda.
00:10:30
Speaker
But the man promised each of them $5 for every hour that they put in as help. Eager and likely feeling a sense of grown-up responsibility with their newfound quote-unquote job, Charlotte called home to her mother, Perla Peterson, around 5 She explained the job offer, mentioning that it involved unloading stuffed animals and that other kids were also involved, including Cinda.
00:11:00
Speaker
Perla, though she was initially hesitant, agreed to let Charlotte stay longer at the fair to help, but with the firm instruction to call back around 9 p.m. Remember that they were to stay the night with one another, and that's getting pretty late, 9 p.m., for a sleepover to start.
00:11:19
Speaker
Cinda also called her mother, Norma Pallet, with a similar request and
Search Begins After Girls Go Missing
00:11:24
Speaker
promise also to call back to finalize where they would be picked up at the fair gates.
00:11:30
Speaker
Now, let's pause a moment because I don't want people out there to blame Charlotte and Cinda's moms for letting them stay to help. First of all, this was a different time, 1981, when we weren't necessarily as aware of predators.
00:11:50
Speaker
ah Second, at no point do their mothers know they aren't just helping out right there in the middle of a crowded state fair with tons of people around.
00:12:01
Speaker
And third, not only are the girls together, but as the girls said, other kids were to be helping out as well. However, as the evening hours ticked by, the anticipation in both Charlotte Kinsey's and Zinda Pallett's households grew for that promised phone call.
00:12:23
Speaker
Nine o'clock came and went. No phone call. a knot of worry began to tighten in the hearts of mothers Perla and Norma. As each minute stretched into an eternity without a word from their daughters, that worry escalated into fear.
00:12:42
Speaker
Shortly after 9 p.m., when neither of the girls had called home, their parents knew something was terribly wrong and immediately called the Oklahoma City Police Department to report the girls missing.
00:12:55
Speaker
The response was swift. In the immediate aftermath, a dedicated task force was formed. Both uniformed and undercover officers descended upon the still-bustling fairgrounds, their presence a stark contrast to the earlier festive atmosphere.
00:13:13
Speaker
The frantic parents, along with family and friends, worked tirelessly, hanging flyers bearing the smiling faces of Charlotte and Cinda on every available surface, hoping against hope that someone, anyone, had seen their girls.
00:13:32
Speaker
Every face in the crowd was scrutinized. Every lead, no matter how small, was clung to with a fierce urgency. Charlotte's family even set up a 24-hour post at the fair.
00:13:45
Speaker
The simple joy of a Saturday at the fair had dissolved into a nightmare of unanswered questions and a desperation for any information about the two missing girls.
00:13:57
Speaker
Within hours, the police had tips flooding in. Retired assistant district attorney and district judge in Oklahoma County, Ray Elliott, Elise Jones of KOCO ABC News 5, in an article updated on September 22, 2023, said, quote, there were hundreds and thousands of people that needed to be interviewed.
00:14:22
Speaker
We ultimately had witnesses from over 40 states that we had to locate, interview, determine if they had pertinent information to the case, end quote. I mean, this was a state fair.
00:14:36
Speaker
There were workers, locals, those from surrounding counties, those from surrounding states, those traveling through, some who had come back home for a visit seeking nostalgia who had gone to the state fair, indivisible.
00:14:50
Speaker
kinds of people in attendance and no real way to track who was there. Back then, you paid with cash. There weren't security cameras.
00:15:01
Speaker
I mean, honestly, I'm impressed that they were even able to get that many details to investigate. It was then that they found that this man had approached many young people at the fair, and those young people were able to give a very detailed description of this man.
00:15:25
Speaker
He was tall, between six foot one and six foot three middle-aged, between 35 and 50, looked to be between 200 and 250 pounds, had dark hair with gray streaks in it, had a full beard and a mustache.
00:15:42
Speaker
He wore glasses, silver wire-rimmed ones. had on a digital watch, those rectangular Casio or Seiko ones is what it makes me think of, on his left wrist.
00:15:55
Speaker
As for clothing, he had on cowboy boots, a brown striped or plaid shirt, a straw cowboy hat, carried a yellow badge and had on a leather belt that had the name Joseph tooled into it, where it looks like the name and usually an intricate design has been cut or stamped into the leather.
00:16:17
Speaker
I mean, this description is pretty darn impressive. But since he had approached many young people, there were plenty who could provide such details, including two girls the man had approached with the same proposition of paying them to help unload stuffed animals.
00:16:37
Speaker
But those girls had been creeped out and had turned him down. Again, sleuth hounds, when I share about this case, I will also show you the sketch that was created based on those descriptions from these other young people.
00:16:54
Speaker
Again, it is very detailed. The hat looks to have feathers. The wire-rimmed glasses look aviator style. The hair is a bit long around the ears.
00:17:07
Speaker
I mean, we've examined lots of sketches on this show, and unlike some that are very generic, this one is very detailed. You would be able to look at this and identify someone based on it.
00:17:24
Speaker
After hearing about two girls going missing, there were also two teenage boys. Yes, the two boys who the man had recruited alongside Charlotte and Cinda.
00:17:37
Speaker
Those who have, in older news reports, been mistakenly identified as Charlotte and Cinda's boyfriends, who came forward to provide even more crucial information about what transpired after they all left.
00:17:54
Speaker
the fair crown The boys recounted getting into the man's car, described as a tan, two-door, 1980 or 1981 Pontiac Grand Prix with a half-vinyl roof and South Dakota license plates.
00:18:11
Speaker
We are in 1981, so this was a new car. The girls were in the back seat, and the boys piled into the car as well. The man said they needed to meet up with the truck that was carrying the stuffed animals.
00:18:27
Speaker
After leaving the fair, they continued driving to a truck stop off Interstate 40. Upon arrival, the truck with the stuffed animals was not there.
00:18:39
Speaker
The man then told the boys that he would take Charlotte and Cinda to check another truck stop further along the route to see if the truck had arrived there instead.
00:18:50
Speaker
But he wanted the boys to stay at this truck stop to wait, he said, in case the truck showed up. So he gave the two teenaged boys $10 and told them to stay put.
00:19:04
Speaker
The boys watched as the man drove away with Charlotte and Cinda still in the back seat. This was the last time anyone ever saw Charlotte Kinsey and Cinda Powett.
00:19:18
Speaker
When the truck never appeared, the one that they were air quotes waiting on, the boys eventually called their families to come and pick them up. Also in the early stages of the investigation, another significant lead emerged with the discovery of a yellow plastic badge along the midway at the fairgrounds.
00:19:40
Speaker
Remember all of the descriptions of this man mentioned him having a yellow badge. The badge belonged to a carnival worker named Donald Michael Corey.
00:19:54
Speaker
Corey's physical description bore some resemblance to the composite sketch that was developed based upon the descriptions.
Investigation Focuses on Roy Russell Long
00:20:02
Speaker
He had also briefly worked at the Oklahoma State Fair.
00:20:07
Speaker
Based on these factors, Donald Michael Corey became a prime suspect and a nationwide search was launched. leading to his arrest in Alabama, where he was charged with two counts of kidnapping and was extradited to Oklahoma.
00:20:25
Speaker
However, Corey was ultimately ruled out as the abductor. He had a strong alibi as he was proven to be in Dallas, Texas on the day Charlotte and Cinda disappeared.
00:20:39
Speaker
Additionally, when the two teenage boys were presented with a police lineup that included Corey after his extradition to Oklahoma, they could not positively identify him as the man they had been with.
00:20:53
Speaker
They noted that Corey was several inches shorter than the man who had taken them and the girls. Other witnesses also failed to identify Corey in the lineup. Consequently, all charges against Donald Michael Corey were dropped and he was released.
00:21:10
Speaker
Asked about these charges later, Corey stated, as quoted by recorder Jack Money for The Oklahoma, and quote, If I hadn't been able to prove I was in Dallas, where would I be?
00:21:22
Speaker
It's hard on a person to be in jail for something you didn't do, end quote. In an effort to gather more information about the man last seen with Charlotte and Cinda, one of the teenage boys, Lance, was hypnotized just two days after the girls went missing.
00:21:41
Speaker
This was part of the early investigative efforts to try and enhance his memory of the events, and we've seen hypnosis used for this purpose many times before.
00:21:52
Speaker
But there wasn't a lot of additional information that could be gained. Other than Donald Michael Corey, another name entered the investigations relatively early, just days after the two girls vanished.
00:22:07
Speaker
Royal Roy Russell Long. According to several sources, it was Long's brother-in-law who initially contacted the police, suggesting that they look into him, especially because of his similarities to the sketch.
00:22:25
Speaker
Long lived in Tuttle, Oklahoma and worked as a part-time carnival worker and as a long haul truck driver. He had also arrived in Oklahoma City the day before the girls disappeared to deliver a flatbed trailer.
00:22:44
Speaker
And he admitted to visiting the state fair the following day, on the very day the girls were last seen.
00:23:03
Speaker
Despite these initial indicators, Long was quickly removed from the suspect list after only three or four days. The sources of my research do not provide explicit details as to why he was initially dismissed so quickly, but it could have been due to a lack of concrete evidence directly linking him to the girl's disappearance at that early stage.
00:23:28
Speaker
But sleuth hounds, let me tell you about the similarities between long, the initial sketch, and an updated sketch that was completed.
00:23:40
Speaker
To me, the resemblance is uncanny. And again, i will post these images for you to see. I'm talking wire rimmed glasses, the beard connected to the mustache, the way his hair is shaggy over his ears, the way the hat has feathers in it and bends down between his eyes.
00:24:08
Speaker
Everything about Long seems to me to match the sketch. Even though he was dismissed so early on, and perhaps also it was because they were focusing on Corey, Long did resurface as the prime suspect approximately three years later in September 1984, following his arrest in Wyoming for the kidnapping and assault of two young girls, Sharon Bald Eagle,
00:24:43
Speaker
12 years old, and her 15-year-old friend, Sandy Brokenleg. The two girls were hitchhiking when Long offered them a ride. According to Sandy's account, Long offered to take them to his home in Evansville, Wyoming, promising them a warm place to stay, some food, and a place to clean up.
00:25:07
Speaker
Once at his residence, Long's intentions quickly turned sinister. He allegedly offered the girls $100 for sex, which they refused.
00:25:19
Speaker
In response to their refusal, Long reportedly pulled a gun and tied them up using wire coat hangers and duct tape. Sandy testified that Long both beat and sexually assaulted them.
00:25:34
Speaker
After the assaults, Long fell asleep, providing Sandy with an opportunity to loosen her bindings and escape to a neighbor's house for help. By the time the police arrived at Long's residence, both he and 12-year-old Sharon Bald Eagle were gone.
00:25:54
Speaker
Long was apprehended a week later in Albuquerque, New Mexico. When questioned by authorities, Long offered a drastically different version of events.
00:26:06
Speaker
He claimed that his sexual encounters with the girls were consensual, stating that they told him they were 18 and 19 years old and needed money for food.
00:26:18
Speaker
He alleged that Sandy became demanding after their sexual encounter, asking for $200 and threatening to accuse him of rape if he didn't pay.
00:26:30
Speaker
Long further claimed that it was at this point only that he realized they were minors. I mean, really? I'm baffled how anyone could believe Long's telling of events.
00:26:48
Speaker
He admitted that a struggle ensued, but he asserted that he was the one who got hurt, claiming the girls gave him a bloody nose, which is what led him to pull his gun and tie them up.
00:27:04
Speaker
Long stated that after Sandy escaped, he drove Sharon to Cheyenne, Wyoming, and put her on a light-colored bus or truck bound for Dallas, Texas, claiming he never saw her again.
00:27:20
Speaker
Authorities, fortunately, found no evidence to corroborate Long's account. No one had seen him with Sharon in Cheyenne, and he could not provide any details about the supposed trucker or the vehicle she boarded.
00:27:38
Speaker
Instead, investigators believed that Long had likely murdered Sharon, but without her body, they charged him with kidnapping, to which he eventually pled guilty and received two life sentences.
00:27:54
Speaker
This conviction was crucial, as it later allowed Oklahoma investigators to pursue Long as a suspect in the disappearance of Charlotte Kinsey and Cinda Pallett.
00:28:06
Speaker
You see, after this conviction related to Bald Eagle and Broken Leg, Long's ex-wife, seeing the sketch for Charlotte and Cinda's case, also saw the striking resemblance to her ex and called the police.
00:28:22
Speaker
With his crime of kidnapping two young girls together and other similarities, there was definitely renewed interest from law enforcement.
00:28:33
Speaker
And remember, we had his admission that he attended the Oklahoma State Fair on the very day Charlotte and Cinda disappeared.
00:28:44
Speaker
So let's delve a little bit deeper into Long. And if you don't think that everything I told you was already horrific, I want to repeat my trigger warning and listener discretion warning before continuing into this next part.
00:29:02
Speaker
You see, compelling testimony against Long came from his own daughter. who provided a harrowing account of his history of sexual violence and predatory behavior.
00:29:17
Speaker
She testified that he had molested her, his own daughter, from the ages of three or four until she was about 15 years old.
00:29:30
Speaker
She also revealed his method of luring young girls, stating that he would use puppies and would use stuffed animals to lure young girls in This detail about stuffed animals clearly eerily mirrored the circumstances surrounding Charlotte and Senda's disappearance, where they were offered a job involving stuffed animals.
00:29:58
Speaker
Disturbingly,
Forensic Evidence and Legal Challenges
00:29:59
Speaker
Long's daughter also testified that her father had stated to her before, and I almost can't say this without becoming physically ill, but he told her that no female over the age of 13 would ever sexually satisfy him.
00:30:22
Speaker
Further implicating Long were his potential connection to other unsolved disappearances and ah murder, a rash of crimes in the summer of 1974 that occurred primarily in Rawlings, Wyoming.
00:30:39
Speaker
These cases, alongside that of Bald Eagle and Broken Leg, often involving young girls and sometimes occurring when the girls were in pairs,
00:30:50
Speaker
or near fairgrounds and rodeos. All of that established a disturbing pattern that strongly suggested Long's potential involvement.
00:31:01
Speaker
Although never charged in most of these other cases, the circumstantial evidence and similarities to the disappearance of Charlotte and Cinda, as well as the memories recounted by his own daughter, paint a grim picture of Long as a serial predator.
00:31:18
Speaker
When law enforcement took a deeper look at Long, remember this was three years after the crime, they were also able to find that he had rented a car on that day he attended the fair.
00:31:31
Speaker
one that matched the description given by witnesses, a Pontiac Grand Prix. And they were able to locate that very car, now in El Paso, Texas.
00:31:45
Speaker
The forensic investigation into the Pontiac Grand Prix, rented by Roy Russell Long in September 1981, yielded significant, although not definitive, evidence linking him to Cinda Pallet.
00:32:02
Speaker
13 scalp hairs were discovered in the trunk of the vehicle, and a police forensic chemist matched these hairs with the hair of Cinda Palette. This match was based on microscopic characteristics, as DNA technology advanced enough for such cases was not yet available.
00:32:22
Speaker
Additionally, animal hairs found in the trunk were matched to the types of dogs and a cat that Cinda had access to before she disappeared. This circumstantial evidence strongly suggested that Cinda had been in the trunk of the rental car.
00:32:40
Speaker
Further forensic analysis of the trunk mat of the Grand Prix revealed the presence of bloodstains. Luminol testing, used for the first time in Oklahoma in this case, highlighted these stains.
00:32:55
Speaker
An expert who examined photographs of the luminol patterns testified that there was a possibility of either one large body or two small bodies having been placed on the mat.
00:33:10
Speaker
This testimony, while suggestive, sadly, again, could not definitively identify the source of the blood as belonging to either Charlotte or Cinda, or even, again, unfortunately, as human blood.
00:33:28
Speaker
In addition to the evidence found in the car, a lock of blonde hair was discovered by investigators in Long's home in Wyoming. Given Charlotte's blonde hair, this was yet another potential link.
00:33:43
Speaker
However, forensic tests available at the time proved inconclusive as the hair strands did not have their roots attached, preventing a complete comparison Therefore, while the hair was consistent with possibly being Charlotte's, it could not be definitively proven to belong to her.
00:34:05
Speaker
Law enforcement felt this was enough, though, to move forward with charges against Long for this crime, and one of the officers in charge, Ray Elliott, felt it a personal mission to give the family's closure.
00:34:19
Speaker
When, during the investigation, he had visited Cinda Pallett's home, Cinda's mom had given him a small crocheted Christmas ornament that Cinda had made for the upcoming holidays.
00:34:32
Speaker
She handed it to Elliot and said, quote, Let this be your inspiration, end quote. When they arrested Long, Elliott knew in his gut that they had found the right man, and he promised the family a conviction. The lawyers began preparing for trial.
00:34:53
Speaker
We know the argument the prosecution was going to make. They had sketches, witnesses, proof of Long being at the fair, a car he rented, hairs that could be tied to Cinda in the trunk, bloodstains, hairs similar to Charlotte in his home, the testimony of his daughter luring young girls, the connection to stuffed animals. I mean, there was a long list.
00:35:20
Speaker
However, during the trial of Royal Russell Long, the defense, successfully argued to bar Lance, one of the boys who had gotten into the car with Charlotte and Cinda and had been left to wait on the truck, from testifying.
00:35:38
Speaker
Their argument was based on the premise that because he had undergone hypnosis, his memories might have been altered or influenced, making his testimony unreliable and potentially based on suggestions made during the hypnotic state.
00:35:56
Speaker
rather than his own independent recollection of events. Other testimonies were likewise ruled inadmissible. Science couldn't prove that the hairs nor the blood were tied to the girls, and there were no bodies to prove their deaths.
00:36:16
Speaker
Adding an element of bizarre speculation to the case, Long's defense team argued that Charlotte and Cinda might have run away to California. They argued that the girls were possibly working as prostitutes in Burbank.
00:36:33
Speaker
filming a pornographic movie titled Little Love Slaves. This claim, again sickening to me, was presented during the preliminary hearing and the trial, purportedly to suggest that the girls were still alive and to offer an alternative explanation for their disappearance.
00:36:56
Speaker
The prosecution and the families obviously vehemently rejected this suggestion, highlighting the girls' young age, 13, their lack of resources, and the complete absence of any credible evidence to support such a claim.
00:37:15
Speaker
This outlandish theory was widely considered a desperate attempt by the defense to create reasonable doubt in the absence of the girls' bodies. Unfortunately, the investigation, like nearly every single one of missing persons we have covered, might I add, was marked by numerous reported sightings of both girls in various locations far from Oklahoma City, places like California, Maryland, New Jersey, Florida, and even Germany,
00:37:50
Speaker
In one instance, a report suggested that the girls were in Miami, Florida, using similar but fake names. A task force was even formed to investigate the Florida sightings, but the girls were not located.
00:38:06
Speaker
All of these leads, despite the efforts of the families and investigators to follow up, ultimately proved unfounded, but that didn't stop the defense lawyers from bringing them up.
00:38:18
Speaker
ultimately the defense aggressively challenged the prosecution's case arguing that there was insufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that long had kidnapped nor murdered the girls especially in the absence of their bodies The defense also questioned the validity of the forensic evidence, particularly the luminol testing and the hair analysis, emphasizing that hair evidence was not as definitive as fingerprints and that the bloodstains could have come from animals.
Families Seek Closure and Public Help
00:38:52
Speaker
And just like barring Lance's testimony, similarly, the judge barred the testimony of Sandy Brokenleg, the teenage girl kidnapped by Long in Wyoming, ruling that it would unfairly prejudice the jury by introducing evidence of other alleged crimes.
00:39:13
Speaker
Without the ability to make all of those connections that were circumstantial, yes, but that would link Long in a laundry list of ways to the crime, about all the prosecution could prove was that Long had been at the state fair and had rented a car like the one identified by witnesses.
00:39:36
Speaker
Additionally, though also circumstantial, Long's connection to the oil industry and his profession as a long-haul truck driver provided him with mobility across several states, including Oklahoma, Wyoming, New Mexico, and others.
00:39:53
Speaker
These jobs allowed him to be present in various locations where similar disappearances occurred. Testimony from a fellow inmate in Wyoming after his conviction in the case of Bald Eagle and Broken Leg revealed that Long had allegedly said, quote, if you cut the bodies up small enough and stick them in a rat hole, they'll never be found, end quote.
00:40:18
Speaker
It was also during that incarceration that Long was trained as a meat cutter. And for reference, a rat hole is a term used in oil drilling to refer to a hole dug in the rig floor.
00:40:38
Speaker
In the end, the case wasn't even heard before a jury. Judge Charles L. Owens ultimately granted the defense's motion to dismiss all charges against Long due to insufficient evidence.
00:40:54
Speaker
The judge stated that the prosecution had, quote, picked him before he was ripe, end quote, meaning they filed the case before having enough solid proof.
00:41:06
Speaker
Following the dismissal, as Long was being led out of the courtroom in handcuffs, the girls' families report one of the most disturbing comments of all. They say that Long leaned over and whispered to the families, quote, only i know where the bodies are and I'm not talking, end quote.
00:41:30
Speaker
This callous remark, while again not admissible evidence, solidified the families and investigators' beliefs in his guilt. And the officer, Ray Elliott, the one who received the crocheted ornament, lives with that belief as well.
00:41:49
Speaker
And with guilt. He told KOCO5, quote, I sat in his living room and promised that we would convict Roy Russell Long.
00:42:02
Speaker
I was not able to fulfill that promise and I live with that today. i truly believe I let that family down." End quote. Long died of a heart attack in the Wyoming State Penitentiary in November 1993 without ever confessing.
00:42:22
Speaker
More than anything, Elliott expressed, there's now just one thing that would give him closure because in his mind, this isn't a cold case in terms of who was responsible.
00:42:35
Speaker
In that same interview with KOC05, he stated that closure would come, quote, only if we, at some point, find the girls' bodies. I truly believe in my heart of hearts those girls' bodies are within 55 miles or less of the Oklahoma County Courthouse, based on the evidence we have and what we were able to prove, end quote.
00:42:59
Speaker
The disappearance of Charlotte, Kenzie, and Cinda Pallet left a wound for their families that time could not fully heal. The initial hope and frantic search quickly turned into a protracted period of agonizing uncertainty.
00:43:14
Speaker
Perola Peterson, Charlotte's mother, famously kept her daughter's room exactly as it was for years and years after Charlotte disappeared. An act that, to me,
00:43:27
Speaker
shows her unwavering hope that her daughter would one day walk back through the door. While born of love, it also underscores the difficulty the families faced in accepting the unthinkable.
00:43:42
Speaker
Despite the dismissal of charges against Long, the families remained steadfast in their conviction that he was responsible for the abduction and the likely deaths of their daughters.
00:43:53
Speaker
The evidence prosecution would have presented at trial, though deemed insufficient by the judge, painted a damning picture for them. Long's resemblance to the composite sketch, his presence at the fair, the discovery of Cinda's hair in his rented car, the bloodstains in the trunk, his history of violence against young girls, and most chillingly, his own taunting words after the dismissal, all pointed to his guilt in their minds.
00:44:22
Speaker
The raw emotion expressed by both mothers during and after the trial highlight their deep sense of injustice. Even in their later years, the families continued to live with this unresolved tragedy.
00:44:37
Speaker
Charlotte's sister, Christy Lane, who was an infant when Charlotte disappeared, grew up with the impact of her sister's loss, shaping her own protective instincts as a parent.
00:44:50
Speaker
The pain of this crime, as well as the hope for answers, has persisted through generations. The ripple effects of trauma. If anyone possesses any information, no matter how insignificant it may seem, regarding the disappearance of Charlotte June Kenzie or Cinda Leanne Pallett from the Oklahoma State Fairgrounds on September 26, 1981, please contact the Oklahoma City Police Department at 405-650-6504.
00:45:23
Speaker
or the Oklahoma State Police 405-231-2121. Tips can also called the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation at 1-800-522-8017. two three one two one two one tips can also be called into the oklahoma state bureau of investigation at one eight hundred five two two eight zero one seven Your information could finally bring some measure of closure to these families who have lived with uncertainty for far too long.
00:45:56
Speaker
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00:46:16
Speaker
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00:46:26
Speaker
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