Richard Jr., who was six, remembers Michelle looking scared and hiding in his room around the 4th of July. Donna took her away, and Richard never saw Michelle again. He also remembers a mysterious box in the garage the next day, and being told to stay away from it. A few days later, the family abruptly moved to Illinois, leaving Michelle behind, according to Donna and Kent. Richard Jr. was later forbidden from talking about Michelle.

Michelle’s father, Richard Sr., was divorced from Donna and had custody rights every other weekend. He wasn’t told about the move to Illinois and his attempts to report Michelle missing were ignored because Donna had full custody. He eventually found out they’d moved and Michelle wasn’t with them. Even after they returned to California without Michelle, he couldn’t get the police to help.

Years later, Richard Sr. learned Donna was in Wisconsin. She refused to say where Michelle was, even when a judge threatened to stop his child support payments.

In 2001, Michelle’s aunt hired a private investigator who interviewed Donna. Donna claimed she’d left Michelle with Kent’s mother, but this was disproven. The investigator then gave his information to the police.

In 2004, Donna and Kent were arrested for Michelle’s murder. Kent confessed to burying her in a canyon, claiming she was already dead when they found her. He said he helped Donna dispose of the body and believed Donna killed her. Kent’s health deteriorated, and he died before he could testify.

Donna’s trials ended in mistrials due to lack of a verdict. The charges were eventually dropped because of insufficient evidence. Michelle’s body has never been found, and due to the suspicious circumstances and lack of evidence of her existence after 1969, foul play is strongly suspected.