Shadows of Eldon: The Unfolding Tragedy of Tammy Rothganger

A Morning Like Any Other

On May 16, 1984, 15-year-old Tammy Sue Rothganger was last seen outside Eldon High School in Eldon, Missouri. She was reportedly spotted getting into a blue Plymouth vehicle with Martin Dean "Marty" Priest, her mother's live-in boyfriend, and another male. Tammy never attended classes that day and was never seen again.

Initial Investigations and Suspicions

Initially, authorities considered the possibility that Tammy had run away. However, inconsistencies in Priest's account and testimonies from Tammy's friends raised suspicions. Priest claimed he dropped Tammy off at Rock Island Park, but no evidence supported this. Her friends denied any plans to skip school that day.

A Pattern of Violence

Martin Priest had a history of violent crimes. In 1980, he was convicted of second-degree murder in the death of 13-year-old Tonya Lea Lewis, though the conviction was later overturned. In 1984, he was implicated in the murders of William Mayhugh and Freida Bayliff in Kansas. He was convicted of Mayhugh's murder and sentenced to life in prison.

A Break in the Case

In 2010, Priest's nephew, David Nicholas, came forward with a confession. He revealed that he had witnessed Priest assault and murder Tammy in the backseat of the car on the day she disappeared. Nicholas had been 13 at the time and had remained silent for decades out of fear and familial loyalty. ...Read More

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