Vanished on the Trail: The Enduring Mystery of Deborah Swanson’s Disappearance in Coeur d’Alene

A Beloved Educator Disappears

On March 29, 1986, Deborah Jean Swanson, a 31-year-old special education teacher at Sorensen Elementary School, was last seen walking near the entrance to the Tubbs Hill trail in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, around 4:40 p.m. She was believed to be going for a jog, a routine activity for the athletic and outdoors-loving educator. Swanson's vehicle was later found locked and abandoned in the Third Street parking lot near Tubbs Hill. Inside the car were her purse and a K-Mart shopping bag, but her car keys were missing and have never been recovered. Despite extensive searches of the area, no clues were found, and Swanson has not been seen since.

The Investigation and Community Response

Swanson's disappearance prompted a significant response from local authorities and the community. The Coeur d'Alene Police Department conducted extensive searches of the Tubbs Hill area, but no evidence was discovered. Swanson missed appointments over the following two days, March 30 and 31, and was reported missing on April 1. Investigators believe Swanson was taken against her will; foul play is suspected in her case. Other women have been attacked on the trail where she was last seen, but the attacks have not been linked to her disappearance.

Possible Connections to Other Cases

Swanson's case is one of several unsolved disappearances of women in the Coeur d'Alene and Spokane areas during the mid-1980s. Sally Anne Stone, a 21-year-old exotic dancer, disappeared on May 16, 1986, from Coeur d'Alene. Her vehicle was found at her residence undisturbed. Stone's disappearance remains unsolved, and it is believed by police that she is a victim of foul play. Another case is that of Julie Weflen, a 28-year-old Bonneville Power Administration employee who vanished from a substation northwest of Spokane on September 16, 1987. Some believe the cases are connected, although no definitive links have been established.

Ongoing Efforts and Public Appeals

Despite the passage of time, efforts to solve Swanson's case continue. In 2015, Crime Stoppers of the Inland Northwest, in collaboration with the Coeur d'Alene Police Department, offered a cash reward for information leading to the resolution of Swanson's and Stone's cases. The hope is that someone with knowledge of these cases will come forward to provide closure to the victims' families. ...Read More

Share

Comments (0)

Leave A Comment