Chapter 2: Retracing Cynthia's Last Steps
Last seen on Father's Day 1999
According to witness accounts, Cindy was last seen on Father's Day, June 20th, 1999. It was early evening when she left her home near the Monroe Motel on Old Owen Road. Her car was reportedly broken down, so she walked less than a mile to the Chopping Block Tavern, located in downtown Monroe.
The weather was clear and mild that Sunday. Keep in mind that June 20th was the Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year. Daylight extended well past 8 p.m. This is important to note because if you were driving along Old Owen Road or Highway 2 that evening, you could have easily spotted Cindy walking toward town.
Perhaps you were coming back from a Father's Day BBQ or driving back from a day hike in the North Cascades. Maybe you drove past a woman walking alone, wearing a black spandex dress, black tights, and a black leather jacket.
Newspapers reported that Cindy stayed at the Chopping Block Tavern for some time before later arriving at the Hayloft Saloon. These two taverns were popular local hangouts and withing a few block of each other. Both have since closed, but the map below displays their approximate locations as they were in 1999.
At the Hayloft Saloon, witnesses stated that Cindy was playing pool and talking with a group of people. Around midnight, Cindy left the Hayloft. Some said she left alone; others recalled she didn't. It was also speculated that Cindy used the payphone located just outside the Hayloft to make a call. Did she call someone for a ride home? Did she walk home alone?
The walk back to her home at the Monroe Motel wasn’t too far, but at midnight it would have been darker and more dangerous. The streets outside of downtown lacked sidewalks and streetlights. The dark clothes Cindy was wearing was well-suited for a night out but would have blended her into the shadows. A distracted driver could have accidentally hit her while she was walking along the shoulder of the road. The streets would have been deserted at that hour, with very few cars passing by. A malicious driver could have forced into his car, with no witnesses to hear her cries for help.
How you can help
- Did you see or talk to Cindy at the Hayloft Saloon or the Chopping Block Tavern on June 20th, 1999?
- Do you or someone you know have personal information about Cindy's murder?
- Can you forward this blog to people who can help shed light on this case?
- Follow this blog FB page on Facebook.
- Snohomish County Sheriff's anonymous tip line: 425-388-3845
- Crime Stoppers of Puget Sound anonymous tip line: 1-800-222-8477 or
- visit the website by clicking here.