Joan Butler, a 24-year-old from Overland Park, Kansas, was last seen on June 18, 1989, after spending an evening with friends. Evidence suggests she returned to her apartment that night, as her clothes and personal items were found there, along with a half-eaten piece of toast and a half-smoked cigarette. However, both Joan and her red Chevrolet Corsica rental car were missing, and neighbors reported hearing a loud noise around 4:30 a.m. that morning.
Shortly after, $900 was withdrawn from her bank account using her ATM card.
A week later, on June 25, Joan’s car was found at an apartment complex in Lawrence, Kansas. Police observed a man, later identified as Richard Grissom Jr., approach the car. Grissom fled when officers approached, but evidence in the car, including fingerprints and a drop of Joan’s blood in the trunk, connected him to her disappearance. Grissom, already a career criminal, was arrested on July 7, 1989, in Texas and was later convicted of the murders of Joan Butler, as well as two other women, Theresa Brown and Christine Rusch, who went missing shortly after Joan.
Despite Grissom's conviction, Joan Butler's remains, along with those of Brown and Rusch, have never been found. Grissom, who has refused to provide clear information on the locations of their bodies, is serving multiple life sentences and will not be eligible for parole until 2095.Last Seen: Jun 18, 1989
