Missing Person Alert

Circumstances

Date of Disappearance

April 19, 1953

Notes

The victim was between 5'9" and 6'0" in height and had a muscular figure. He was also rather dark complected. The last sighting of Ronald was in the Old Fisher Hall on the grounds of Miami University. Earlier that evening, he was at a party with his band, the Campus Owls, for whom he played string bass. He returned home at approximately 8:30pm and parked his vehicle which would still be there after he disappeared. Ronald arrived to find that someone had left a fish in his bed and left to go get new sheets from his Hall manager. The Hall manager met with him and said that Ronald returned to his room after that. Witnesses say that later that night, Ronald heard something out in the hallway and went out there to check out the noise. It seems like he did not return from this venture. Ronald's roommate arrived at approximatley midnight to see the room door open, the lights still on, and the radio turned on. Ronald's textbook was still open on the desk and his watch, keys, and wallet were all lying there beside it. When he didn't see Ronald the next day, his roommate started to get concerned and contacted police. Police and military searches revealed no signs of him. One withness said that she saw a young man knock on the door of her house in Seven Mile (approximately 15mi E of the university) early the following morning (April 20). He matched Ronald's description but was standing outside her door, appearing confused and unable to recall his own name with dirt on his face and an empty look in his eyes. The young man asked for directions to the bus stop, and she suggested that he head for Hamilton, the nearest place. It snowed that night, but the young man was not wearing a hat or coat and appeared to be walking along. Police later found that there were no buses that night so he would not have taken the bus. In 1973, the Butler County Coroner revealed that Tammen had visited his office, seeking a blood test, five months to the day of his disappearance. The coroner claimed that, in his 35 years of practice, Tammen was the only person to visit his office with such a request. The Butler County Coroner would later testify that Ronald had stopped by the Coroner's office five monnths (to the day) before he disappeared asking to have a blood test (type O). It seemed odd and the Coroner still doesn't know why he requested it. The residence hall was later torn down, but there was no sign of Ronald found in the building.

Location of the Disappearance or Crime Scene

School

Potential Circumstances

Alone, Hitchhiking, Isolated Location, Walking

Vehicle

1940 Chevrolet Sedan

License Plate

Photo of Vehicle

Suspect

Suspect Description

Photo of Suspect