On October 2, 1966, 21-year-old Nancy Leichner and her friend Pamela Nater disappeared during a picnic outing at the Alexander Springs Recreation Area in the Ocala National Forest, Altoona, Florida. They were part of a group from the Aquaholics, a local skin-diving club, and had attended the event with their respective boyfriends. The two women were last seen heading into the woods along a nature trail, leaving their personal belongings—including purses, clothing, and Leichner's prescription glasses—behind on a picnic table. Despite an extensive search covering a 15-square-mile area, no trace of either woman was ever found.
It was later suspected that their disappearance was the work of Gerard John Schaefer, a former sheriff's deputy turned serial killer, who was known for abducting and murdering young women. Schaefer, who was convicted of two murders in the 1970s, was believed to have killed as many as 30 women. Although he was never formally charged with Leichner and Nater’s disappearance, investigators in 2007 stated their belief that he was responsible, citing witness accounts and Schaefer’s own jailhouse confessions. Schaefer was murdered in prison in 1995, leaving the case unsolved but with strong suspicions surrounding his involvement.
Leichner and Nater had only met once before the trip and both were residents of Pinellas County, Florida. Their disappearance remains an enduring mystery, and while law enforcement officially closed the case believing Schaefer was responsible, the exact details of what happened to the two women are still unknown.
Last Seen: Oct 02, 1966
