Full Name: Jayleen Dawn Banker

Alternative Name: Jaylene

Case Status: Unsolved Homicide

Record ID#: 3653

*The names “Jane Doe”  and “John Doe” are English names used when the person’s true name is not known. If used above, the name refers to a person of unknown identity.

Date of Birth*: 1964
Birthplace:
Age at the time of Disappearance: 10
Age Group:  Pre-Teen
Gender at Birth: Female
Hair: Light, Brunette
Eyes: Brown
Skin Complexion:
Ethnicity: Caucasian
Nationality: United States
Languages Spoken: English

*If the date says January 1, this is often just a placeholder for an unknown specific date. It usually means “sometime that year”.

Physical Build:

Height:

Weight

Distinguishing Marks:

• Unknown

Medical Condition: Unknown
Physical Abnormality: Unknown
Dental Condition: Unknown
Scars & Other Marks: Unknown
Piercings: Unknown
Tattoos: Unknown

Other Descriptors: Unknown

Clothing

• Navy Blue outfit

Possessions:

• Unknown

Date of the Disappearance*: August 23, 1974

Description:

In the summer of 1974, the small town of Rawlins, Wyoming, was gripped by fear as four young women mysteriously disappeared within a span of just seven weeks. The victims ranged in age from 10 to 19 years old, leaving the community in shock and searching for answers.

On August 23, 1974, 10-year-old Jayleen Dawn Banker went missing from the local fairgrounds while attending the Carbon County Fair and Rodeo. Jayleen and her friends were enjoying the fair together when they appear to have become separated after the second performance. The last sighting of Jayleen was beside a popcorn stand at the fairgrounds.

She was less than five blocks away from her home, not far had she decided to walk there.

The event was expected to only last a couple of hours and Jayleen was expected home by 10:30pm (22:30). When she failed to arrive, her family immediately contacted police and a significant search was launched.

Unfortunately, Jayleen was not found until eight months later.

Multiple Victims?: Yes

Rumored or Actual Sightings: Unknown

*If the date says January 1, this is often just a placeholder for an unknown specific date. It usually means “sometime that year”.

Date the Body was Recovered*: April 24, 1975

Description:

Around 5:00pm (17:00) on April 24, a city official was outside walking his dogs when he came across Jaylene’s remains, eight months following her disappearance. She was found not far from the city gravel pile about two miles west of Rawlins.

The area had previously been searched the summer before but the remains were not found at that time. It is not clear if they assume she was relocated at some point later or if the search simply failed to discover her at that time.

Her body was only partially clothed and showed signs of decomposition; she was laying face down when they found her. She was still wearing tennis shoes, a T-Shirt, and socks — it is unclear if these were the same clothes she was wearing when she disappeared.

She had died from a head injury, possibly a blow to the head.

Possible Signs Of . . . : Relocation of Remains, Sexual Assault, Physical Assault, Use of a Deadly Weapon (Other)

Time of Death:

Cause of Death: Killed with a blow to the head.

Recovered Remains (if partial):

Suspected Homicide?: Yes

Multiple Victims?: 

DNA Tested (No Match):

*If the date says January 1, this is often just a placeholder for an unknown specific date. It usually means “sometime that year”.

Description: Unknown

License Plate: Unknown

Description: Royal ‘Roy’ Russell Long, a traveling carnival worker and part-time long-haul trucker would emerge as the key suspect in several unsolved disappearances and murders of young women across the south western United States in the 1970s-1980s.

Description: Caucasian, Male, 40s, Dark Hair & Beard, Mustache.

Mr. Long had a long history of sexual assault accusations, including his daughter who testified that he had molested her for many years as a child. According to her, she sometimes traveled with him on long-haul trips:

“[H]e would see young girls, give her money to go play the pinball machine or buy a soda, and he would use stuffed animals to lure those girls to the truck. When she would come back, the girls would be gone” — Hearst Television.

Investigators have stated they believed Mr. Long was a repeat offender with potentially more than two dozen victims over the years (Hearst Television).  In addition to Sharon Baldeagle, who’s case is covered here, Mr. Long is also a possible suspect in the disappearance of:

• Four young girls from the Rawlins, Wyoming area in 1974:
  • Christy Gross
  • Carlene Brown
  • Jayleen Banker
  • Deborah Meyer
• Two young girls from the Oklahoma State Fair in 1981:
  • Christine Kinsey
  • Cinda Pallet
• Two young girls hitchhiking in Wyoming
  • S. (survived)
  • Sharon Baldeagle

Several young women disappeared together (Cinda and Christine, Christy and Carlene), suggesting that the assailant was willing to target two victims at once, similar to what happened in Sharon’s case.

Long also pled guilty to murdering Cinda Pallett and Charlotte Kinsey.  Unfortunately, the charges in the Pallett / Kinsey case were all dropped he was never formally tried in connection with the Rawlins disappearances.

It must be noted that while Royal Long is a primary person of interest, there is no physical evidence tying him to this disappearance