Post by hi224 on Feb 7, 2020 15:41:32 GMT
Kevin Collins, aged 10, went missing after basketball practice on the evening of February 10, 1984. He was last seen by eyewitnesses waiting at his San Francisco bus stop in his school uniform, but never made it home that night. His disappearance was featured on an episode of People Magazine Investigates this past November, with many members of his family participating. It looks like the last post in this subreddit about Kevin was a few years ago, so I thought this recent attention on the case was a good reason for a new discussion.
This case is new to me, but one that many of you may be familiar with. Kevin was one of the first "milk carton kids" and he received significant national attention, even being featured on the cover of Newsweek magazine. His wikipedia page states that his missing poster was shown in the films The Terminator and A Nightmare on Elm Street.
Kevin was the second youngest of eight children. His older brother usually accompanied him home after basketball, but was home sick that day. Although he was supposed to get a ride home with a coach Kevin, a shy kid, was last seen waiting for the bus home. When he didn't arrive home his family was immediately concerned but unfortunately the police wouldn't come for three days, as was the standard then.
Eyewitnesses had seen Kevin talking with a man with a large dog, stated by law enforcement in the People episode as being a Great Dane. What Kevin's family didn't know until the case was re-opened in 2013 was that the police had identified that man shortly after they starting looking for Kevin. A man named Dan Theirren (who also went by Wayne Jackson) lived a block from the bus stop and had a Great Dane. He also had been convicted for sex offences against children. Regrettably, because two eyewitnesses were unable to place Theirren in a lineup, and because he had voluntarily let police search his home with no results, he was moved on from as a suspect.
The episode mentioned other leads the police followed over the years including Jon Scott Dunkle and Leonard Lake/Charles Ng. But when the case was re-opened in 2013 the new investigators found themselves right back at Dan Theirren. Unfortunately he had passed in 2008 and a new search of the house yielded only false hope when animal bones were found buried under the garage. Theirren's former partner is now living in Canada and has indicated to LE that Theirren was responsible. Kevin's sisters state in the episode that they have pushed hard for this man to receive immunity in exchange for all he knows, but it hasn't happened. The grief and pain the family has experienced is obviously still raw and they express a deep need for answers. They do not want Kevin to be forgotten.
people.com/crime/what-happened-to-10-year-old-kevin-collins-who-vanished-from-a-bus-stop-in-1984/
people.com/crime/a-family-shattered-mom-of-missing-kevin-collins-10-still-thinks-of-him-decades-after-he-vanished/ Two articles from People ahead of the episode airing last November. Video autoplay on both!
charleyproject.org/case/kevin-andrew-mccarthy-collins Includes an age progressed picture of Kevin and mugshots of Dan Theirren.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kevin_Andrew_Collins
What do you think happened to Kevin? Was he kidnapped by Dan Theirren and the police missed out on justice for the Collins family? Could it have been someone else who's name is familiar to investigators, or perhaps someone completely unknown? Personally, as long as Theirren's partner is alive I believe there is still hope for the family to bring Kevin home and lay him to rest, or at least get some answers. Even if it's a deathbed confession.
Edit: Should have included official link to Investigation Discovery. www.investigationdiscovery.com/tv-shows/people-magazine-investigates/full-episodes/without-a-trace
This case is new to me, but one that many of you may be familiar with. Kevin was one of the first "milk carton kids" and he received significant national attention, even being featured on the cover of Newsweek magazine. His wikipedia page states that his missing poster was shown in the films The Terminator and A Nightmare on Elm Street.
Kevin was the second youngest of eight children. His older brother usually accompanied him home after basketball, but was home sick that day. Although he was supposed to get a ride home with a coach Kevin, a shy kid, was last seen waiting for the bus home. When he didn't arrive home his family was immediately concerned but unfortunately the police wouldn't come for three days, as was the standard then.
Eyewitnesses had seen Kevin talking with a man with a large dog, stated by law enforcement in the People episode as being a Great Dane. What Kevin's family didn't know until the case was re-opened in 2013 was that the police had identified that man shortly after they starting looking for Kevin. A man named Dan Theirren (who also went by Wayne Jackson) lived a block from the bus stop and had a Great Dane. He also had been convicted for sex offences against children. Regrettably, because two eyewitnesses were unable to place Theirren in a lineup, and because he had voluntarily let police search his home with no results, he was moved on from as a suspect.
The episode mentioned other leads the police followed over the years including Jon Scott Dunkle and Leonard Lake/Charles Ng. But when the case was re-opened in 2013 the new investigators found themselves right back at Dan Theirren. Unfortunately he had passed in 2008 and a new search of the house yielded only false hope when animal bones were found buried under the garage. Theirren's former partner is now living in Canada and has indicated to LE that Theirren was responsible. Kevin's sisters state in the episode that they have pushed hard for this man to receive immunity in exchange for all he knows, but it hasn't happened. The grief and pain the family has experienced is obviously still raw and they express a deep need for answers. They do not want Kevin to be forgotten.
people.com/crime/what-happened-to-10-year-old-kevin-collins-who-vanished-from-a-bus-stop-in-1984/
people.com/crime/a-family-shattered-mom-of-missing-kevin-collins-10-still-thinks-of-him-decades-after-he-vanished/ Two articles from People ahead of the episode airing last November. Video autoplay on both!
charleyproject.org/case/kevin-andrew-mccarthy-collins Includes an age progressed picture of Kevin and mugshots of Dan Theirren.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kevin_Andrew_Collins
What do you think happened to Kevin? Was he kidnapped by Dan Theirren and the police missed out on justice for the Collins family? Could it have been someone else who's name is familiar to investigators, or perhaps someone completely unknown? Personally, as long as Theirren's partner is alive I believe there is still hope for the family to bring Kevin home and lay him to rest, or at least get some answers. Even if it's a deathbed confession.
Edit: Should have included official link to Investigation Discovery. www.investigationdiscovery.com/tv-shows/people-magazine-investigates/full-episodes/without-a-trace