Her ex-husband, Lee Harlow Andre, was a suspect. He was abusive, and their children suffered health problems as a result of his violence. He visited her the day she disappeared to discuss child custody. Although he claimed he didn’t think anything foul had happened, a warrant was issued for Van Alstine’s arrest for child desertion after her disappearance.

There were some bullet casings and a broken bottle found in her apartment, but their significance is unclear. Van Alstine was an excellent shot, having been on the rifle team in college. She and Andre practiced shooting indoors.

Van Alstine had been a member of the Minutemen, a right-wing paramilitary group, but left shortly before her disappearance. She gave police information about their weapons. Her family suspects the Minutemen killed her because she feared for her life after leaving the group, but there’s no concrete evidence.

Despite being a devoted mother and a bright woman (she was a top student in high school and had aspirations of illustrating veterinary textbooks), Van Alstine’s disappearance is a mystery. Police believe she may have been abducted, but the case is cold, and many records were lost in a flood. While there’s no definitive proof, foul play is strongly suspected. Different sources give slightly different dates for her disappearance—either March 26th or April 2nd, 1976.