Barbara Jean Dreher, a 39-year-old mother of five, was last seen on August 12, 1984, in Washington, D.C. She dropped off two of her sons at her adult daughter’s home, stating that she was going to pick up some money and would return shortly. Dreher was driving a burgundy 1980 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme. She never returned, and her disappearance went unreported for nine days because she sometimes stayed with her estranged husband for extended periods.
Several days later, a relative spotted a man driving Dreher's car and followed him to an apartment building. When police arrived, they questioned the man, but he denied driving the car and claimed not to know Dreher. Inside the vehicle, authorities discovered disturbing items, including a ski mask, gloves, and rope.
Despite these findings and the man's violent criminal history, which included a past murder conviction, he was not charged in connection to her disappearance.
Although Dreher's vehicle was recovered, significant evidence in the case, such as the ski mask and rope, was later lost by police, hampering the investigation. Dreher, a longtime secretary for the Washington public school system, was a dedicated mother, and her family does not believe she would have abandoned her children. Foul play is strongly suspected, but her case remains unsolved after decades.Last Seen: Aug 21, 1984