Never Quit Looking — Case File
Missing Person
Case ID#: 3653
VICTIM’S PHOTOGRAPH
Unsolved Homicide
Jayleen Dawn Banker
May Also Be Known As: Jaylene
Unidentified Person Notice: In English, unidentified individuals are often known as “Jane Doe” or “John Doe.” This means the victim’s true name is currently unknown.
Biological Sex: Female
Age at the Time: 10
Country: United States of America
Date Recovered: April 24, 1975
Brief Overview: Jayleen became separated from her friends while enjoying a Rodeo event at the local fairgrounds. She never made it home and her remains were found months later about two miles west of town.
Public Awareness Notice: This case file is provided for public awareness and responsible information sharing. If you have relevant information, please contact the appropriate law enforcement agency.
Victim Description
Physical Description
Date of Birth
June 16, 1964
Age
10
Age Group
Pre-Teenager (10 to 12 Years Old)
Biological Sex
Female
Hair Color
Brunette, Light Hair
Eye Color
Brown
Ethnicity
White or Caucasian (Other)
Nationality
United States
Language(s) Spoken
English
Physical Build
Height (ft’ in”)
5'0"
Height (cm)
152 cm
Weight (lbs)
75kg - 85 lbs
Weight (kg)
34kg - 38.5 kg
Clothing & Accessories
Clothing
Description
- Navy Blue outfit (When her body was discovered, 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.)
Description of Events
Disappearance
Date Last Seen
August 23, 1974
The Incident
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?
Maybe
Discovery / Recovery
Date Recovered or Discovered
April 24, 1975
The Incident
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.
Cause of Death
Killed with a blow to the head.
Suspected Homicide?
Yes
Additional details
Related Persons
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).
- Four young girls from the Rawlins, Wyoming area in 1974:
- Two young girls from the Oklahoma State Fair in 1981:
- Two young girls hitchhiking in Wyoming
- S. (survived)
- Sharon Baldeagle
Long pled guilty to murdering Cinda Pallett and Charlotte Kinsey. Unfortunately, the charges were all dropped in that case, and he was never formally charged in most of the other disappearances.
Long also pled guilty to reduced charges for kidnapping for the purpose of sexual assault, attempted sexual assault, assault with a deadly weapon, sexual assault, and drug abuse in the case of Sharon Baldeagle.
He would later testify that police had been rushing to close the case and simply chose him as the scapegoat. Long was told shortly upon arriving in prison that he may have stomach cancer with a negligible survival rate. He had no health insurance and could only receive treatment if in prison. He claimed that this information was fabricated to pressure him into accepting a plea deal. After his sentencing, Long would recant his confession and plea deal and continued until his death to assert that he did not kill Sharon.
He was sentenced to two life terms in the Wyoming State Penitentiary and died in prison in 1993.
Places of Interest
Disappearance
Street Address
Carbon County Fairgrounds, 525 Harshman
City
Rawlins
State or Province
Wyoming
Country
United States of America
Postal Code (Zip Code)
82301
Latitude & Longitude
41.7933087,-107.2276211
General Location
Town or City
Discovery / Recovery
Street Address
2 Miles West
City
Rawlins
State or Province
Wyoming
Country
United States of America
Postal Code (Zip Code)
82301
Latitude & Longitude
41.7933087,-107.2276211
General Location
Rural
Map of Other Key Locations
Photo Gallery
Related or Similar Cases
Christine Ann Gross
Relationship: Christine and Carlene Brown were friends who disappeared from the Carbon County Fairgrounds in Rawlins, Wyoming together on the 4th of July, 1974. Christine was later found deceased in 1983 of an apparent homicide. Roy Russell Long was allegedly in the area at the time of their disappearance.
Case ID#: 3651
Carlene Brown
Relationship: Carlene and Christine Brown were friends who disappeared from the Carbon County Fairgrounds in Rawlins, Wyoming together on the 4th of July, 1974. Roy Russell Long was allegedly in the area at the time of their disappearance.
Case ID#: 3650
Deborah Rae Meyer
Relationship: Deborah was another young woman who disappeared from Rawlins, Wyoming in August 1974.
Case ID#: 3652
Charlotte June Kinsey
Relationship: Charlotte and Cinda Pallett were also friends who similarly disappeared from a public fair. They were enjoying the Oklahoma State Fair when they disappeared together in 1981. They are strongly suspected to have been victims of Roy Russel Long.
Case ID#: 3647
Cinda Leann Pallett
Relationship: Cinda and Charlotte Kinsey were also friends who similarly disappeared from a public fair. They were enjoying the Oklahoma State Fair when they disappeared together in 1981. They are strongly suspected to have been victims of Roy Russell Long.
Case ID#: 3648
Sharon Baldeagle
Relationship: Sharon and a friend were traveling through Evansville, Wyoming when they were kidnapped by a passing trucker, taken to his home, and allegedly assaulted. Sharon’s friend escaped and later accused Roy Russell Long of the incident. Sharon was never found.
Case ID#: 3649
Resources
Articles & Other Written Works
- Britton, D. (1975) “Missing Girl’s Body Found”, Casper Star Tribune, 25 April, Link.
- Britton, D. (1974) “Lie test planned in girl’s search”, Casper Star Tribune, December 19, Link.
- Britton, D. (1974) “Hopes in lead vanish”, Casper Star Tribune, September 25, Link.
- Casper Star Tribune (1974) “Family hangs on thread of hope”, December 22, Link.
- McClanahan, E. (1974) “Family keeps hope for girl’s safe return”, Casper Star Tribune, 19 September, Link.
- Casper Star Tribune (1974) “Search reveals nothing”, August 27, Link.
- Casper Star Tribune (1975) “Sheriff awaits evidence in Jayleen Banker case”, 1 May, Link.
- Casper Star Tribune (1975) “Fair reminds community of tragic disappearance”, 20 August, Link.
- Solve the Case, “Jayleen Dawn Banker”, Link.
- Find a Grave, “Jayleen Dawn Banker”, Link.
Contact Authorities
Police, Relevant Agencies, & Other Useful Personnel
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Contact Information — United States of America
Agency 🏢
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
Phone Number 📞
Emergency Phone Number 🚨
Website 💻
Email Address 📧
IDD Prefix
011
Country Code
+1
Additional Contacts
- National Crime Information Center (NCIC) — Website
- Crime Stoppers USA — Locate a Program
- National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) — Website
- National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) — Website
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