A young girl's remains are found in Lambs Canyon two days after she vanished In the spring of 1977, Valaine Briggs, an 18-year-old Caucasian female, was embracing a new chapter of her life in Salt Lake City, Utah. Originally from the small town of Dillon, Montana, she had moved to the city to attend the LDS Business College. Described by those who knew her as exceptionally punctual and reliable, Valaine was building a future for herself, though she had recently ended an engagement.
Her life, however, was tragically cut short in a crime that remains a haunting mystery.
On the morning of May 5, 1977, Valaine attended her classes as usual. She was last seen at approximately 11:20 a.m. leaving the college building. She had plans to meet her roommate at their apartment at noon to go shopping, an appointment she would never keep. When she failed to arrive, her roommate grew concerned, knowing it was entirely out of character for Valaine not to show up. Her boyfriend was contacted, and he discovered her car still parked at the school, but there was no sign of Valaine. Her local uncle and her boyfriend reported her missing, and an initial four-block search around her apartment and the school was launched by authorities.
Two days later, on the afternoon of May 7, a group of hikers made a grim discovery about a quarter of a mile up Lambs Canyon, east of Salt Lake City. They found the nude body of a young woman, partially covered by a green plastic garbage bag. Nearby, school books were scattered, confirming the victim's identity as Valaine Briggs. The scene was disturbing; her hands and feet were bound, and an autopsy later confirmed she had been sexually assaulted. The cause of death was determined to be strangulation with a cord approximately a quarter-inch thick. It was believed she had been deceased for 24 to 48 hours before being found.
The investigation into Valaine's murder began immediately, but it would prove to be a long and frustrating endeavor. The Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office questioned a man who was seen driving a truck similar to a suspect vehicle but he was later released without any charges. The case produced a strange lead in July of that year when a 17-year-old runaway hitchhiker in Montana was found to be in possession of a fake ID with Valaine Briggs' name on it. After four days of questioning, authorities determined she had no knowledge of the murder and had obtained the false identification from an unknown man in Salt Lake City. Over the years, investigators have looked at potential suspects, and the name of serial killer Ted Bundy, who was active in the region during that time, has been mentioned. However, no concrete evidence has ever linked him to Valaine's death. Despite the efforts of law enforcement, no arrests have ever been made, and no individual has been publicly identified as a suspect. The murder of Valaine Briggs remains an unsolved cold case.
