Unsolved 1981 Disappearance: Deaf Community's Help Sought in Lonene Rogers Case

The Disappearance of Lonene Rogers

• 📌 Lonene Rogers vanished in January 1981 at the age of 29, leaving behind her young daughter, Alison Duiker, who was only 5 at the time.
• 💡 Lonene, who was deaf, was described as bubbly and fun, and was married to Clinton Bud Rogers, who was also deaf.

Troubled Marriage and Suspicions

• 💔 By the fall of 1980, Lonene's family reported that her relationship with her husband had soured, especially after discovering his criminal past, which included breaking and entering and staging robberies.
• 🏠 Although Lonene initially kicked Bud out, she allowed him to stay for the holidays, but he refused to leave afterward, leading Lonene to plan to leave with their children.

The Morning of January 7th, 1981

• 🚨 Lonene's husband woke their daughter at 3:00 AM, falsely claiming Lonene had left for another man and asking for help to take the children to a babysitter so he could find her.
• 🔍 Lonene's family immediately suspected foul play, as they knew she would never abandon her children.

Decades of Searching and New Leads

• 🚁 Despite extensive searches by Lonene's father, including dogs and helicopters, no trace of her was found.
• 🌳 A significant lead emerged years later when it was revealed that Lonene's husband made mysterious trips to a wooded area, allegedly warning his girlfriend to stay silent about Lonene's possible presence there.
• 🐾 Cadaver dogs alerted to a specific spot in the woods, leading to the discovery of a toppled tree stump, suggesting Lonene's body may have been there and potentially moved.

Advocacy and Hope for Justice

• ⚖️ Alison Duiker is advocating for "Lonnie's Law," which would grant families access to cold case files after 20 years, aiming to help other families find closure.
• 🗣️ A new private investigator, Jeff Walters, is working the case and reaching out to the deaf community, hoping that someone with information will come forward, especially with the aid of a sign language interpreter.