Missing or Murdered
The Sandy Travis Story
Sandy Travis
A memoir of my five year investigation into Sandy's disappearance, is Sandy
Missing or Murdered?
Coming March 2012.
To be kept up to date on Sandy's book publication, please send me an email at:
[email protected]
www.tgloos.weebly.com
Thank you for your interest in Sandy!
Missing or Murdered?
Coming March 2012.
To be kept up to date on Sandy's book publication, please send me an email at:
[email protected]
www.tgloos.weebly.com
Thank you for your interest in Sandy!
For many reasons, missing person cases do not get the attention of the media unless it is a young wife or a small child, as maybe a senior citizen, since many of our senior citizen missing person cases are the result of the victim suffering from some type of mental disorder, or unfortunately, are not found in time and have died from the elements. Statistics will bare out that missing person cases involving our senior citizens will be found to be the result of foul play. In many cases, they are victims simply because they sometimes become more vulnerable both mentally and physically, and therefore become victims as a result of that vulnerability.
As a retired police sergeant and an advocate for the missing, I have investigated cases involving younger teens and young adults. I have seen the interest in the public and the media and have experienced the what it was like to investigate cases that seem to have no interest of either. How much interest a missing person case has, whether it is a Nancy Grace type case or simply a small article found towards the end of the local newspaper, nothing frustrates me more than the lack of interest in these cases by the investigating law enforcement agency. I am sure this is a result of my own law enforcement background, since I took very serious throughout my law enforcement career our sworn duty to serve and protect.
When I agreed to investigate pro bono the missing person case of Sandra Kay Travis, it was almost immediately after a I was finishing up the daily investigation of a nineteen year old mother who disappeared in some twenty five years ago in a small Ohio Village near Canton. That case could have been solved almost as soon as she disappeared, if it was for not only a botched investigation by the local police and the sheriff’s office but most of all because of the lack of concerned by both police agencies. How could this be I kept asking myself, and refused to believe her family totally until I found out for my self it was not only true, it was also a police investigation tainted by prejudice, corruption, unqualified police officers. Once I finished the investigation, I felt certain that the young teenage victim was murdered but all of the key players in the case were also dead and at least the family know she did not run off to start a new life, as local law enforcement would have you believe.
When Sandra’s daughter Dawn Vowell called me it and asked if I would consider taking her mom’s case, I admit I was taken back by the similarity of both cases. As her mothers case began to unfold in our lengthy telephone conversation, I admit I was taken back more by the similarities of the cases and how law enforcement most likely was responsible was responsible for Susan case never been solved twenty years ago, how law enforcement in Graves County Kentucky are, no doubt responsible not only botching the initial investigation into Sandy’s disappearance but the reason the case is now entering it’s fourth year as unsolved. I just couldn’t believe or didn’t want to believe that some law enforcement agencies can take these heart ranching case with such little interest, even in Sandy’s case demonstrated some of the most cruel behavior that possible towards the victim and family.
Sandy Kay Travis at the time of her disappearance was fifty nine years of age. Her daughter, told me how her mother had many demons, demons that began when her daughter and brother were born. Sandy found some relief in a bottle, and getting involved with men who made her life worse. After the divorce of Sandy and Dawn’s father, I learned how she was raised by family members, however there were times she and Mike would be under the care of their mother, and he a boyfriend until is death when their mother sent them back to live with relatives.
Sandy met Bobby Gene Travis of Mayfield Kentucky, they lived together for a period of time, and married. This marriage would last twenty five years, until Bobby Travis met Cindy Bridges, a woman who abandoned her two sons for a truck driver however, never returned for them, and also leaving them for the family to raise. “We consider my mom dead and buried” one of Cindy’s son’s would tell me. Bobby Travis was an ex con, something that Sandy is not believed to have known. His temper has got him into trouble more than a few times, and would be demonstrated through out Bobby and Sandy’s marriage, manifesting itself in both emotional and physical abuse. Sandy would be seen with swollen and blacken eyes more often they not. Many would say how Sandy would seem to fear Bobby’s temper and jealousy, allowing him to dictate her ever move. One former relative of the family told me how on occasions he would see Sandy in one of the local stores, and how obvious it was to him that Sandy was afraid to look no farther than the shelves for items they were shopping for.
So how did this marriage last twenty five years? Or better why did it last twenty five years? I learned a lot about Sandra Kay Travis, how she learned to fight her demons, and how she somehow knew the dangers this marriage presented to her personal safety and why she ignored these dangers and did what ever she could to save a marriage that became obvious to this investigator was sooner of later domed. Dawn, her only daughter, were beginning to build the longed desired mother and daughter relationship, that she never had a chance to have. Until her stepfather, Bobby Gene Travis took the possibly away forever.
The mystery of Sandy’s disappearance, or is it really that much of a mystery? You can say it started when Sandy found her husband it Cindy Bridges at the local dance together. Bobby had been successfully seeing Cindy for months because Bobby would pull the ignition wires off her car before he left him to see Cindy in is red pick up truck. Not certain if maybe Bobby forgot to disable Sandy’s car or she somehow got help to
As a retired police sergeant and an advocate for the missing, I have investigated cases involving younger teens and young adults. I have seen the interest in the public and the media and have experienced the what it was like to investigate cases that seem to have no interest of either. How much interest a missing person case has, whether it is a Nancy Grace type case or simply a small article found towards the end of the local newspaper, nothing frustrates me more than the lack of interest in these cases by the investigating law enforcement agency. I am sure this is a result of my own law enforcement background, since I took very serious throughout my law enforcement career our sworn duty to serve and protect.
When I agreed to investigate pro bono the missing person case of Sandra Kay Travis, it was almost immediately after a I was finishing up the daily investigation of a nineteen year old mother who disappeared in some twenty five years ago in a small Ohio Village near Canton. That case could have been solved almost as soon as she disappeared, if it was for not only a botched investigation by the local police and the sheriff’s office but most of all because of the lack of concerned by both police agencies. How could this be I kept asking myself, and refused to believe her family totally until I found out for my self it was not only true, it was also a police investigation tainted by prejudice, corruption, unqualified police officers. Once I finished the investigation, I felt certain that the young teenage victim was murdered but all of the key players in the case were also dead and at least the family know she did not run off to start a new life, as local law enforcement would have you believe.
When Sandra’s daughter Dawn Vowell called me it and asked if I would consider taking her mom’s case, I admit I was taken back by the similarity of both cases. As her mothers case began to unfold in our lengthy telephone conversation, I admit I was taken back more by the similarities of the cases and how law enforcement most likely was responsible was responsible for Susan case never been solved twenty years ago, how law enforcement in Graves County Kentucky are, no doubt responsible not only botching the initial investigation into Sandy’s disappearance but the reason the case is now entering it’s fourth year as unsolved. I just couldn’t believe or didn’t want to believe that some law enforcement agencies can take these heart ranching case with such little interest, even in Sandy’s case demonstrated some of the most cruel behavior that possible towards the victim and family.
Sandy Kay Travis at the time of her disappearance was fifty nine years of age. Her daughter, told me how her mother had many demons, demons that began when her daughter and brother were born. Sandy found some relief in a bottle, and getting involved with men who made her life worse. After the divorce of Sandy and Dawn’s father, I learned how she was raised by family members, however there were times she and Mike would be under the care of their mother, and he a boyfriend until is death when their mother sent them back to live with relatives.
Sandy met Bobby Gene Travis of Mayfield Kentucky, they lived together for a period of time, and married. This marriage would last twenty five years, until Bobby Travis met Cindy Bridges, a woman who abandoned her two sons for a truck driver however, never returned for them, and also leaving them for the family to raise. “We consider my mom dead and buried” one of Cindy’s son’s would tell me. Bobby Travis was an ex con, something that Sandy is not believed to have known. His temper has got him into trouble more than a few times, and would be demonstrated through out Bobby and Sandy’s marriage, manifesting itself in both emotional and physical abuse. Sandy would be seen with swollen and blacken eyes more often they not. Many would say how Sandy would seem to fear Bobby’s temper and jealousy, allowing him to dictate her ever move. One former relative of the family told me how on occasions he would see Sandy in one of the local stores, and how obvious it was to him that Sandy was afraid to look no farther than the shelves for items they were shopping for.
So how did this marriage last twenty five years? Or better why did it last twenty five years? I learned a lot about Sandra Kay Travis, how she learned to fight her demons, and how she somehow knew the dangers this marriage presented to her personal safety and why she ignored these dangers and did what ever she could to save a marriage that became obvious to this investigator was sooner of later domed. Dawn, her only daughter, were beginning to build the longed desired mother and daughter relationship, that she never had a chance to have. Until her stepfather, Bobby Gene Travis took the possibly away forever.
The mystery of Sandy’s disappearance, or is it really that much of a mystery? You can say it started when Sandy found her husband it Cindy Bridges at the local dance together. Bobby had been successfully seeing Cindy for months because Bobby would pull the ignition wires off her car before he left him to see Cindy in is red pick up truck. Not certain if maybe Bobby forgot to disable Sandy’s car or she somehow got help to
The burning sensation from the sweat rolling into my eyes somehow must have kept my claustrophobia in check with each effort to move my body deeper and deeper into the cave.
I could feel the walls closing in on me as the distance between me and the daylight at the beginning of the cave got further away, while searching for a missing nineteen year mother, who disappeared over twenty five years ago. Face to face with with albino insects, that have never had the privilege of seeing the light of day, became the norm with each twist and turn, disturbing their communities that have been left undisturbed since the earth made the cave.
Breathing no longer became natural but required an effort that at times I wanted to just give up with the realization I've gone to far into the cave, fully aware that my air is being replaced by harmful gases that to my research, can creep up on you, no matter how careful you are. I knew a simple pull on the road tied to my waist was all that was necessary for members of my search team to pull me out, however, I also knew we had one chance to go into the Gilmore Ohio cave to find any sign of Susan Woff Cappel, for many reasons, this was the day.
The tip was a good tip, at least we thought it came from a source who had nothing to gain by giving us false information. But, the ravage of time, animals, or some clandestine activities at the time or shortly after her body was supposed to have been placed in the cave, took away our best chance of finding Susan for a proper burial she deserves. But, even with my determination to go on, at the end of the day, it proved to be another day this missing young lady was to remain missing, presumed dead.
This devastated me. Personally, I couldn't accept the fact no signs of Susan's remains, or even traces of her belongings, meant she was never in the Gilmore cave. Upon returning home, I was sick, physically and emotionally, maybe broken hearted would be more accurate of a diagnoses. Nearly a year of investigating Susan's disappearance, failed to bring some closure to her family, and as far as I'm concerned, in a certain way, produced more victims. You can soon read Susan's story to be published in 2012, The Susan Wolff Story.
I could feel the walls closing in on me as the distance between me and the daylight at the beginning of the cave got further away, while searching for a missing nineteen year mother, who disappeared over twenty five years ago. Face to face with with albino insects, that have never had the privilege of seeing the light of day, became the norm with each twist and turn, disturbing their communities that have been left undisturbed since the earth made the cave.
Breathing no longer became natural but required an effort that at times I wanted to just give up with the realization I've gone to far into the cave, fully aware that my air is being replaced by harmful gases that to my research, can creep up on you, no matter how careful you are. I knew a simple pull on the road tied to my waist was all that was necessary for members of my search team to pull me out, however, I also knew we had one chance to go into the Gilmore Ohio cave to find any sign of Susan Woff Cappel, for many reasons, this was the day.
The tip was a good tip, at least we thought it came from a source who had nothing to gain by giving us false information. But, the ravage of time, animals, or some clandestine activities at the time or shortly after her body was supposed to have been placed in the cave, took away our best chance of finding Susan for a proper burial she deserves. But, even with my determination to go on, at the end of the day, it proved to be another day this missing young lady was to remain missing, presumed dead.
This devastated me. Personally, I couldn't accept the fact no signs of Susan's remains, or even traces of her belongings, meant she was never in the Gilmore cave. Upon returning home, I was sick, physically and emotionally, maybe broken hearted would be more accurate of a diagnoses. Nearly a year of investigating Susan's disappearance, failed to bring some closure to her family, and as far as I'm concerned, in a certain way, produced more victims. You can soon read Susan's story to be published in 2012, The Susan Wolff Story.
One of the strangest missing person cases I've even investigated. To be published in 2013