Ramona Irene Price, a 7-year-old girl, disappeared on September 2, 1961, from Santa Barbara, California. On the day of her disappearance, her family was in the process of moving, and Ramona, excited about their new house, told her father she was going to walk to their new home in Goleta, about seven miles away. Believing she was joking, her father did not take her seriously. Ramona left without anyone realizing, and her family soon discovered she was missing. Her scent was tracked for nearly two miles along Modoc Road before it was lost near the construction site of Highway 101.
Several witnesses saw Ramona walking, including two brothers who spoke to her but were cleared of suspicion. Another witness reported seeing her get into a faded blue Plymouth, driven by a man between 30 and 40 years old, with dark hair and a receding hairline. Despite an extensive search, no further traces of her were found.
Years later, authorities came to suspect serial killer Mack Ray Edwards, a convicted murderer who worked on freeway construction projects. Edwards confessed to the murders of several children and is believed to have buried some of his victims near construction sites, leading investigators to suspect that Ramona might have been one of his victims. In 2011, police conducted a search at a site along Highway 101, though no remains were found.
Ramona's case remains unsolved, and her body has never been located. Despite her parents passing away, her older sister continues to seek answers. The Santa Barbara Police Department remains the lead investigative agency in this cold case.
Last Seen: Sep 02, 1961
