Authorities in Maryland have discovered fresh evidence in the decades-old case of two sisters who disappeared 50 years ago after leaving home for pizza.
During their spring break in 1975, Katherine and Sheila Lyon were eagerly anticipating their upcoming 11th and 13th birthdays.
One day, they decided to go out for pizza, but their mother, Mary Lyon, grew anxious when they failed to return by their curfew.
Mary contacted 911 a few hours later, which sparked an extensive investigation throughout the Washington, DC metropolitan area.
A variety of resources, including planes and dogs, were utilized in the search, but unfortunately, authorities were unable to provide any much-needed answers to the sisters’ family.
The case remained unsolved for 42 years, until a breakthrough in 2017 led to Lloyd Lee Welch Jr’s conviction for the abduction and murder of Katherine and Sheila.
Chris Homrock, deputy sergeant for the Montgomery County Police Department, was reviewing files when he found a 1975 document he had never seen before.
The file belonged to 18-year-old Welch, whose image closely resembled a drawing of someone reportedly seen leering at the sisters in 1975.
Further investigation revealed Welch had been imprisoned for molesting a 10-year-old girl in 1998.
He was serving a 33-year sentence for a lengthy criminal history including rape, domestic violence, and assault with a weapon.
Homrock visited Welch, who remarked: “I know why you’re here. You’re here about those two missing kids.”
On September 12, 2017, Welch admitted to two counts of first-degree murder for the abduction and killing of Katherine and Sheila.
The courts sentenced him to two concurrent 48-year terms, ensuring he will remain incarcerated for life.
After completing his initial sentence in Delaware in 2026, Welch will be transferred to a Virginia facility to serve the remainder.
As of now, the bodies or remains of Katherine and Sheila have never been located, although police may have just provided an update in this enduring mystery.
The US Marshals Service announced last week they had discovered ‘new evidence’ from a cold case in Taylor’s Mountain, Virginia, a location long associated with the sisters’ disappearance.
However, local authorities did not reveal the specifics of the evidence or which case it pertains to.