Thora Afton Chamberlain, a 14-year-old girl, was last seen on November 2, 1945, in Campbell, California. Thora had been walking with friends after school, heading to a football game, when she encountered a man in a blue Plymouth sedan. This man, later identified as Thomas Henry McMonigle, told her he was looking for a babysitter for his sister's children. Despite her friends' presence, Thora got into the car, and she was never seen again.
Following her disappearance, the investigation quickly focused on McMonigle, a man with a criminal history that included assaults and attempted rape. After Thora went missing, he left California for Illinois. When he returned, FBI agents arrested him after he attempted suicide while on a bus. His inconsistent statements regarding Thora's fate further fueled suspicions.
During the investigation, evidence emerged that supported the theory of foul play. McMonigle confessed to having shot Thora with a .32-caliber revolver and claimed to have disposed of her body by throwing it off a cliff known as Devil's Slide. Although her body was never recovered, various items belonging to Thora were found in places linked to McMonigle, including her shoes and school materials.
In late 1945, McMonigle was charged with murder and subsequently convicted in a trial that lasted only 38 minutes of jury deliberation. He was sentenced to death and executed in 1948. The case remains notable not only for the tragic circumstances surrounding Thora's disappearance but also as one of the earliest examples of a no-body homicide conviction in California.
Last Seen: Nov 02, 1945
