THE STORY INTO THE DISAPPEARANCE AND MURDER OF NANCY KAY LYONS

NANCY KAY LYONS

REMAINS FOUND IN A FIELD 50 MILES SOUTH OF HER DISAPPEARANCE

CLOSE TO GRAMMER, INDIANA

(BARTHOLOMEW COUNTY)

The hunt for traces began June 17th, 2002, Nancy Lyons left the old Rushville Wal-Mart at 7:52 p.m., last seen on the store surveillance video. Nancy Lyons, lived in a small, quaint, and historic town just a short drive from Rushville.  Her abandoned vehicle was found three hours later on the corner of Rush County Road 500 N. and Carthage/Arlington Pike. We timed this route about 10 mins but on google maps drive time is 15 mins, all of her belongings were left in the car, the motor running with lights on, window down, and slightly flat tire.

Many tips were reported whether the tire was flat or not, whether the trunk was open or not.  We can only go by what was reported by Rushville Police Dept, and/or Indiana State Police, they both stated the tire was flat and trunk opened. Let’s begin with why did Nancy stop within 3 minutes of her arriving home? We speculated that it took Nancy 15 mins to arrive at the corner of 500 N. which she would have shown up at 8.07 p.m. This was the beginning of summer, after a wet spring, and was during daylight savings. The farmers seemingly would be wrapping up their daily maintenance of the fields being that it would be dusk and the sun is falling behind the horizon.. According to a tipster, she left her home at 8 p.m. (in this blog I will include all tips reported that made

the newspaper at the end) driving her vehicle the tipster witnessed her ” head slumped over at the steering wheel like she was looking for something on the floorboard, and a person in the passenger seat.  A red Ford Taurus was directly behind her car”,  before the said tipster arrived at her destination approximately 8:15 p.m.  allegedly. Another tipster claimed to have driven by Nancy’s car at 8:15 p.m. and reported “no one was in her vehicle.”  The Local Police and newspapers speculated that this was when Nancy had disappeared at approximately 8:12 p.m.

Which would mean,  It only took the predator exactly 5 minutes to take Nancy, with no room for a mistake to be made, that is now leading into today as a 23 year old cold case.

Nancy was certainly a tragic story for a small town who still carries the heaviness and burdens of her disappearance that led into an unsolved murder, as of today.  A neighbor who lived near the scene of Nancy’s abandoned car had seen it sitting there at the corner but didn't pay much attention while she was preparing for a garage sale that week.  Later, when her husband came home from work, he stopped and looked over Nancy’s abandoned vehicle and found it strange that not only a woman’s purse was left inside but the motor was also left running. He claimed he had got back in his truck, and it only took him under a minute to arrive home, go inside and immediately inform the Rushville Police Dept, who has jurisdiction in Rush County 500 N/Arlington Pike. After the phone call it took the officers an abnormal 45 minutes (considering it's a small town and a short distance) to arrive at the location or potential crime scene. It was reported that it was just a little after 11 p.m. Nancy was a beautiful, religious woman who was dedicated to her purpose of life. She had many friends, and was beloved by her family.  This is exactly why we decided to write this blog about Nancy.  We had never seen so many interactions and responses from a family in any cold cases like we have with Nancy.  We can only assume that her kindness was taken advantage of and ended up being her ultimate demise but in no way do we consider her to be the type of person to be naive of her surroundings or gullible.  It isn’t hard to feel safe in a small town where everyone knows everyone, which is why we believe she may have let her guard down, or did she see a familiar face? Did she see someone she considered harmless? A friend?.... A Cop?  Was this just a circumstantial event that randomly happened? Was this an accident? Or was it intentional? Did Nancy stumble on something she wasn't supposed to know or was she just the target of a vicious predator that saw an opportunity and took advantage of an innocent woman.

That night, the apartments manager (Linda, Carthage Manor) received a phone call from Carthage Town Marshall asking her to check Nancy’s apartment, and report back if she was there.  The manager, Linda, went to her apartment and knocked on the door with no answer. She used her master key to enter and yelled out Nancy’s name over and over and never got an answer, Linda stated she felt cold chills all over her body and believed something was wrong.  Just before her bedtime, Linda walked her dog outside for one last “potty” trip.  She stated a white car around 10:30 pm with two men and a woman drove by erratically, in a stop and go motion, directly in front of Nancy’s apartment. While she thought it was suspicious and even reported the strange activity to the Rushville Police Dept, nothing ever came from it.

Approximately, 12 am, June 18th, Nancy’s sister and brother-in-law, was woken up to a knock on the door, it was Carthage Town Marshall, stating Nancy’s car was found on the corner of 500 N/Arlington Pike, they immediately gathered the family, left their home in Carthage to the location which was about 3.5 miles away from home. It was reported in the newspapers ”the couple passed Nancy’s car at 8:30 pm, and thought it was a different make of vehicle”, in another paper it was stated ”they passed her vehicle and then turned around to look and determined it wasn’t her sister’s car”.  Before making any judgment, it's a possibility that this was a clear case of quick dismissal because of the ”I want to get home” factor. My question is how do you mistake your sister’s vehicle that is missing, when it actually was in fact, her car. Her sister being her closest living relative, who lives within proximity, likely sees her numerous times throughout the week and has to drive by her apartment being that it is the same route she takes to get to her own personal residency. Why would she not investigate further and be a little more adamant and attentive to detail. This is something only she will know, and the rest of us to speculate.

On a summer Monday, like most June days in Indiana, warm, a slight breeze, and smell of earth all gather up in a person’s senses, it seems like a normal beautiful day.  Nancy began her day with her routine, and was seen by a young girl, “Nancy in tears walking into town”, maybe to her favorite park McNabb now known as Jett’s Place, or maybe a stroll to clear her head.  It was also known to her close friends and family that Nancy was sick, her illness was caused by gallbladder removal surgery that went bad and gave her a great deal of pain.  She wasn't “sickly,” in our opinion, but she did live in pain. This led her into prescription pain medication, during the early 2000’s doctors prescribed opioids freely what we see today as an opioid epidemic. Nancy had to quit her lifelong career over her health as a Nanny with a wealthy Carmel family.

A TAINTED SCENE

1 am, June 18th, approximately five hours later, manager, friends, neighbors, and family gathered together around Nancy’s vehicle, according to the manager upon approaching the abandoned vehicle, “police officers and immediate family had their hands all over Nancy’s vehicle.” Nothing was secured, roped off, or contained.” All who gathered there took to the farmers’ fields and began yelling out for Nancy.  People were hopeful, they never imagined the worst case scenario.  At that moment, Nancy was considered lost, not yet a missing person. Though all the signs were there, still didn’t tell the truth of her story.  When her car was found the engine was still running, in the front seat her items were purchased from Rushville’s Wal-Mart along with her prescription medicines… the whole purpose of her going into town, other personal items, and her cell phone…”rumored she had dialed 9-1-1,” but never was called out. Earlier that day, Nancy left for the store and pharmacy at about 4:30 pm, arriving at her third destination by 7:30 pm.  In the papers, “media sources” stated several times she made two stops but there was a huge gap of time in between two very close stores. Later, on July 24th, Rushville’s Republican, factually said that Nancy did three stops, one of which is not disclosed.  Her close friend and neighbor (Pam), routinely helped Nancy on any store runs out of town, but that day, she didn’t ask her, and regretted with tears because this was the very time Nancy went missing.

“SINISTER SUMMER”

The disappearance of Nancy Lyons, baffles, scares townspeople.

Nancy was the first and the last to disappear from a small rural town of Indiana.

CALLING IN THE BLOODHOUNDS

Search dogs were called in from Maine, June 22nd, 2002, the dog team searched the fields where Nancy went missing. The first of the three dog searches which lasted five hours, five days later after her abduction. They were one of the two volunteer teams out searching that day.  It was a fruitless search, but the efforts to find her were extraordinary. I can only assume within a five minute window, Nancy was taken straight from her vehicle. In later days more foot searches, aircraft searches, and two other dog teams, one from Ohio and another from Kentucky.   Though not one scent was ever found this wasn’t the bloodhounds fault simply there wasn’t a scent to notice.  A damaging rumor, one of the dog teams hit on a local officer's vehicle trunk and was quickly dismissed. We can speculate with assumptions here, but in fact, this was nearly a month later. Does anyone really believe a professional dog team paid for by the family that held the possibility of solving a case be allowed to slip by? Highly improbable, but in all cases there is that possibility.  The continued efforts with the disappearance of Nancy K. Lyons, several field searches, helicopter/aircraft searches found no trace of her. “We got the call about a situation and wanted to do everything we could to find her.” James Lyons, father of Nancy. Nancy’s family all were raised in a religious setting, most members had a tremendous involvement with their church.  Nancy was born in Madison, Indiana, 1955, to James and Cleata Lyons, and had stayed there more than half of her short lived life. Though the family did not seek psychic help because of their beliefs, her friends did.

A MEDIUM’S SIGHT

Nancy’s friends (Linda and Pam) also her neighbors, all renting from the same duplex on the outskirts of the small town Carthage. Both friends were heavily involved in the search for Nancy. They heard of a psychic name Lana Blakely, who helped police solve another case of a missing woman. Lana’s business was located in Greenfield, Indiana which is about 10 miles from Carthage. “Nancy was in a wooded area near water, speaking with a husky male, his eye color brown, his hair color brown around the age of 35-38. They met near Rushville-maybe Rush/Shelby county line on a gravel road.  He was driving a big dark car, maybe mean looking car. Nancy felt danger, she knew him, they were arguing, and she had talked and called him before.”  This matches up to Benson Road that T’s with 500 N, wooded, isolated, small cemetery, and a creepy bridge on a gravel road. The argument may have happened earlier that day, as Nancy was seen walking into town with tears in her eyes.   It’s a mystery who drives a big, dark, and mean looking car.

PSYCHIC VISITS BENSON ROAD 

On July 25th, Linda Boedicker and Pam Hiner revisited Ms. Lana requesting her presence at Benson Rd. She accepted, but before they could proceed Lana wanted to be near Nancy’s apartment so she could get connected with her spirit.  “Old metal pole, green tractor, black eyed Susan’s, gravel road, turn right onto Benson Rd, silos or buildings.” They all loaded into a vehicle, drove past all that she mentioned prior to coming to the road of suspicion…passing the silos and buildings approaching the curve they immediately stopped the car. Lana vomited, was nauseated, and smelled death.

Near the 20th anniversary of Nancy Lyons disappearance.  The property owner removed all silos and leftover building materials that were there.  I met her once, a truly bitter woman, I can’t blame her “that road” certainly brought her some unwanted trouble throughout the years.  I asked her if she knew of Nancy Lyons, her reply was YEP. This was the end of a short conversation. 

A PROVEN FRAUDULENT EMAIL TIP

As reckless as it may be, many people are known to report tips that are false.  People were tired, and somebody sent an email to the tip line with the whereabouts of Nancy Lyons.  I could only imagine the thoughts going through each family member, friend, and officers.  After three long weeks of dead ends and lost trails, they prepare for an extensive search in a wide area. “The email said that she could be found 20 miles north of her vehicle.”  Rollin Mitchell, “that is a huge area we tried to search on July 4th, we are exhausted now.”  The investigators were no further ahead than when they first started this case.  Who sent this email?

Was it a diversion? Or it could be a volunteer who worked closely with the tip-line? Nancy's remains were found though it was not 20 miles north but 50 miles south.

THE PREACHER AND WIFE

This here is the most told rumor in many circulating media covering Nancy.  Phil and Gayle, good friends, church companions, and had known the family for a long time. As the story goes, Nancy was introduced to the couple by her sister and husband, later Nancy follows her sister to Anderson, Indiana and moves in the same place with Phil and Gayle.  As a reminder, Nancy's profession was a Nanny, so this could be a partnership as Nancy would help with the kids. We are only assuming this.  Nancy might have needed a place to stay as she prepares to get her own place.  What we have heard, Gayle was a jealous type and a bit controlling.  But it is clearly reported in the Hancock County paper, “Gayle was a friend who she looked forward to visiting often.”  The other rumor is that Gayle took narcotic pills from her place of work, Hancock Memorial, and sold them to none other than the Town Marshall and a few others.

Then Phil and Gayle abruptly left Greenfield, Indiana, at the time as their place of residency, quit her job, and moved to another place in Southern Indiana. Nancy was about to expose them all. So to save their reputations they killed Nancy? Except none of that was true, rumors are still floating around today, Gayle was a nurse, preacher’s wife, and friend. They already had plans on moving out of town and were in the motion of packing when Nancy disappeared. Phil had a solid alibi while he was in Kentucky.  What we understand from reports of friends, is that “Gayle was controlling over Nancy” and had a key to her apartment. Actually door locks needed to be changed for the entire complex so Gayle could no longer gain access. This part may be true for it was witnessed by others at Carthage Manor when she came to visit Nancy. Overall, they were a tremendous help in searching for their friend, and today remain friends with the family.

QUESTIONABLE ACCIDENT IN RUSHVILLE

As we were surfing many newspaper articles to learn as much as we can about Nancy, her abduction and murder…we came across something that may just be a coincidence. On June 21st, Rushville’s Republican reported accident/incidents, known as “Police Blotter". This is daily public information and very common for small towns to publish. 

*Disclosure: We are not accusing anyone, just showing what was reported that was already public knowledge in this blog. 

NEWSPAPER SUBSCRIPTION REQUIRED

https://newspaperarchive.com/rushvi lle-republican-jun-21-2002-p-2/

On June 17th, a male driver William D/P. Guffey from Grammer and a male driver John C. Abrams from Rushville were involved in a three-vehicle accident south of Rushville, near Riverside Park, on State Rd 3. Maybe this is unrelated, because time is not listed in newspaper articles (?)  (yet Nancy's bones were found 3 months later in Grammar). The driver of the third car fled the scene and an unknown female checking to see if the others involved were uninjured. No time stamp?  What's the possibility of this being missed since it was the same day she disappeared? Or maybe it wasn’t and the Rushville Police Department or ISP did notice it and didn’t ask the questions? I would also question as a detective the make and model of the cars involved and if they match the description of witness accounts to Nancy Lyons’ disappearance from her running vehicle from the time of 8:07 pm until reported to Rush County police department at 11:06 pm since this accident occurred not only on the same day Nancy disappeared but also within the location of her disappearance. I would certainly hope that this was something looked  into for daily accidents/incidents and/or arrests in Rush County or Grammer for the date Nancy disappeared. (Grammer now known as Columbus, Indiana).

FUNERAL SERVICES: NANCY KAY LYONS (1955-2002)

Funeral services will be held Saturday for Carthage resident Nancy Lyons, 46, who disappeared June 17, 2002. Reportedly, her remains were discovered in Bartholomew County October 4, 2022. The remains were identified last week through the work of a forensic dentist and investigators say they believed Lyons died of a blunt force to the skull. Indiana State Police investigators are treating her death as a homicide. Miss Lyons was born October 22, 1955 in Madison, a daughter of James W. and Cleata E. (Lockridge) Lyons. She was born and raised in Madison and was a 1974 graduate of Southwestern High School in Hanover. She was raised in and was a faithful member of the Wesleyan faith. She was a professional nanny in the Louisville, Ky. area for 11 years and then in the Indianapolis area until the mid-1990's. For the past three years, she had been a resident of Carthage. Lyons always enjoyed singing and reading and loved the outdoors, especially ocean fishing. She had a large collection of Boyds Bears, which she cherished very much.

Survivors include her parents, James and Cleata Lyons of Madison, four sisters, Patricia (husband Larry) Consley of Milton, Ky., Barbara (husband Tim) Schermer of Milton, Ky., Beverly (husband Jeffrey) Tallent of Louisville, Ky., Debora (husband Rollin) Mitchell of Carthage; three brothers, Dennis (wife Sherrie) Lyons of Greenfield, James Allen Lyons of Madison, and Donald L. (wife Rhonda) Lyons of Madison; several aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins and other relatives.

Services will be held at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, November 23 at Morgan Webster Nay Funeral Home in Madison with Bro. Buddy Perry, Bro. Wayne Mahoney and Bro. Bob Leach. Interment will be in Grandview Memorial Gardens in Madison.