In the autumn of 1977, in the suburban community of Marietta, Georgia, Patricia 'Patty' Alice Faulkner, a 35-year-old mother of two, was on the verge of a new chapter in her life. Having separated from her husband of eighteen years, Richard 'Wayne' Faulkner, she was living with her two children and preparing to finalize their divorce. On the evening of October 9, 1977, Wayne had traveled from his new residence in Birmingham, Alabama, to their former shared home to sign the divorce papers. The couple's daughter later recalled overhearing her parents arguing, followed by the distinct sound of a door slamming. The next morning, the children awoke to an unnerving silence; their mother was gone, and there was no breakfast prepared, a stark deviation from their routine. Wayne's explanation was that Patricia had left in anger during the night. Disturbingly, he waited three days before officially reporting his estranged wife as a missing person.
The initial investigation into Patricia's disappearance was hampered by the prevailing belief at the time that she had left of her own volition. Consequently, a thorough search of the family home was not conducted. Two weeks after she vanished, Wayne reported that he had located Patricia's blue 1977 Buick Riviera at Hartsfield International Airport. He informed the police that there were no signs of foul play, and based on his word, the authorities declined to examine the vehicle themselves, leaving it in his possession. This lack of initial scrutiny was particularly troubling to Patricia's friends, who described her as a devoted and responsible mother who would never have abandoned her children. Their belief was bolstered by the fact that Patricia had left behind all of her personal belongings, including her clothing, money, credit cards, and a four-carat diamond wedding ring.
Years passed without any significant leads, and the case grew cold. It wasn't until 1990 that the investigation was officially reopened, with Wayne Faulkner being named the primary suspect in his wife's disappearance. Despite the renewed focus, he was never formally charged in connection with the case. In the early 1990s, Wayne was convicted of bank fraud and served a year in prison. A glimmer of hope for resolution appeared in June 1993 when a woman's skeleton was discovered in a wooded area in Marietta. For over a year, authorities believed the remains might belong to Patricia, but that possibility was eventually ruled out. Today, Patricia Faulkner's case remains unsolved, leaving her children and loved ones without answers. The overview of the case points to a series of missed opportunities and a delayed investigation that may have hindered the search for Patricia from the very beginning. The initial acceptance of the narrative that she left voluntarily, the failure to secure and process potential evidence like her car and home, and the significant passage of time have all contributed to the enduring mystery of what happened to Patricia Alice Faulkner on that October night in 1977.
Last Seen: Oct 09, 1977
