The Case of the Missing Embassy Staffer, the Jilted Fiancé, and the Married Boyfriend.
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The Embassy reported that Miss Harvey did not show up for work that week, which was unusual for her. She was typically punctual and rarely absent.
Friends at the Belmont Road residence did not initially raise concerns about Wynona, as they assumed she was staying with her sister. Wynona often visited her sister at the hospital and occasionally spent the night or the week at her place, but after being made aware that she missed an appointment with a portrait photographer on Tuesday at 6 p.m., they quickly became concerned.
Her roommate, Sylvia Clements, expressed her bewilderment, stating she couldn't think of any reason for Wynona's sudden disappearance. "I haven't known her for long," Sylvia explained, "but I can tell she's content in her job and was cheerful all last week."
Wynona Harvey is described as having brown hair and blue eyes. She is well-groomed, 5 feet 6 inches tall, and weighs 109 pounds. When she went missing, she was wearing a brown and yellow dress and a three-quarter-length green coat.
Wynona arrived in Washington after finishing a business course at the Jefferson School of Commerce in Charlottesville in June 1942. Her first job out of school was with the Office of Civilian Defense before being transferred by the government to Canada for secretarial duties related to the Alcan Highway. She spent a year living in Dawson Creek and Edmonton, Alberta. Afterward, she spent two years with the War Shipping Administration before moving to California, where she had a job at a law practice. In July 1946, she returned to the East Coast, spending a month with her family in Gretna before moving back to Washington.
Wynona was close to her family, frequently writing letters home and spending time together in their respective cities. Recently, her younger brother, Myrptis Harvey Jr., visited Wynona during his break from his collegiate studies in Philadelphia. Wynona's sisters, Marguerite and Willathea, graduated from the Memorial Hospital Nursing School in Danville, Virginia. Willathea Harvey is employed by Memorial Hospital, where she works as the operating room supervisor. Currently, she is on leave pursuing her post-graduate studies at Cornell University in New York.
Wynona recently took a position as a secretary at the Philippine Embassy, and though she had only been employed at the embassy since last November, she quickly earned a reputation as a highly valued team member. Emilio Torres, the administrative assistant, noted, "She was very conscientious and extremely efficient." He recalled, "As a secretary in the Ambassador's office, she often had to stay late because the Ambassador worked late. Despite the long hours, you never heard a complaint from her." Torres recounted that Miss Harvey first visited the Embassy last fall when they reached out to employment agencies for several part-time office positions. Impressed by her performance, Mr. Torres mentioned that he offered her a permanent position if she was interested. "At that time, she chose to continue with her other work, but later decided to join us regularly," he added. “Monday was payday, and I had anticipated her coming in. I have a letter on my desk that I intended to refer to her, as she was the only one familiar with it."
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When a park attendant discovered the body alongside the dual highway, approximately half a mile south of Rosslyn, she was still fully dressed. She wore a green floral dress and black shoes, with a green cloth coat that was crumpled and soaked underneath her. Additionally, the body was coated with a tar-like, asphalt-based oil that likely flowed into Rocky Run from a nearby refinery in Rosslyn.
A purse was discovered in the stream near the body. It held an identification card that read "Wynona Harvey, 1825 Belmont Street, NW" along with a note that said, "In case of death, notify K. Geiger, Apt. 29, 2525 Ontario Rd. NW." Inside the purse, there was also $6 and a few keys. She was still adorned with a wristwatch that appeared expensive, which had stopped at 6:10, along with a gold necklace. No rings were present on her fingers.
The most promising evidence in the case consisted of three footprints found on a mound of earth above the culvert. These footprints belonged to a man. Authorities noted that the position of the body suggested it may have been dropped from the mound, and the footprints were oriented correctly for this scenario.
Nearby the footprints, police discovered a pair of men's muddy Army pants.
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Conversely, if she had simply fallen, her body would likely have shown bruising, yet medical examiners found no skin discoloration. This is despite Wynona's cheek resting against the point of a jagged rock at the water's edge. Investigators said the circumstances indicated "she may have been placed there, almost tenderly, and left to die."
Most investigators dismissed the theory of suicide, concluding that Wynona's death resulted from either murder or an accident, noting that her body was found with arms crossed and clothing neatly arranged at the bottom of the steep embankment. There were no indications of a struggle.
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Coroner W.C. Welburn reported that Miss Harvey seemingly drowned, but there is no information regarding how she ended up in the stream where her body was discovered. Dr. Welburn indicated that the body had likely been submerged in several inches of water for approximately three days.
To determine if poison had been administered, Arlington Coroner Welborn ordered tests on the contents of her stomach. Samples of vital organs, blood, and stomach contents were sent to Dr. H.S. Breyfogle, Virginia's chief medical examiner, for chemical analysis. Dr. Breyfogle stated that the State laboratory had been requested to analyze these samples to confirm the preliminary findings and safeguard the State's interests in the case.
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The nurse mentioned that her sister would have taken a streetcar along Connecticut Avenue and then switched to a Falls Church or Westover bus at the intersection of Connecticut Avenue and K Street N.W. She noted that either bus would have taken the girl straight to the hospital.
According to the sister, the girl attended services at Foundry Church on Sunday morning and, upon returning home, remarked to her friends about the beauty of the Palm Sunday service. Her friends later informed the sister that Wynona was seemingly happy when she departed for Virginia.
Marguerite mentioned that her sister had a date last Saturday night with a man from Charlottesville, but he claimed he had not seen her on Sunday.
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She stated, "My sister encountered this man shortly after his return from the Pacific, but his behavior was so unusual that I knew Wynona was frightened." Willethea recounted, "There was one incident she shared with me that would terrify anyone. They were visiting friends when, all of a sudden, the young man appeared to lose control. He shouted at her to run and then leaped through a window."
Miss Kay Geiger, Wynona's friend and former roommate, mentioned that Mr. Buck returned from the South Pacific in February 1946, and she believed that their engagement had ended shortly after. Subsequently, Miss Harvey moved to California to work at a law firm.
Anthony DiSario, the employer of Marguerite Harvey, recounted Marguerite saying that Wynona had informed her about breaking off an engagement eight months ago, during which the spurned fiancé had threatened to take her life.
Acquaintances noted that the girl had been acting moody for the past month and recently experienced a frightening nightmare featuring the former suitor.
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Theodore "Ted" Buck, 23, from Charlottesville, Virginia, Wynona's ex-fiancé, was admittedly one of the last people to see her alive the weekend she disappeared. Arlington police sought the help of Charlottesville police and reached out to Buck's home to request an interview. Allegedly, he responded that they would need to come to him. Officers complied, picked him up on Thursday, the same night her body was found, and transported him to Arlington. During the journey, he reportedly expressed feelings of sleepiness and hunger. Upon arrival, he was detained on a technical charge of investigation.
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Ted told police that Wynona had called him the previous Saturday, requesting his presence in Washington. "Wyn called me while I was in Charlottesville and invited me to come up. Initially, I told her I couldn't make it. Wyn had reached out to me several times before, and I had turned her down each time. However, this time, she managed to convince me," Ted continued, "She said she had 'a big secret' to tell me."
"When I got to the bus terminal around 5 o'clock, Wyn was there waiting for me," he continued.
"We walked to the Willard Hotel, and once I checked into my room, we went out for a few drinks." The young man stressed that Wynona only had a couple of drinks. "She hardly drank," he noted. After some time, we returned to the hotel and headed to my room. However, she only stayed for a brief period—around 30 to 45 minutes, I would estimate." Ted was adamant that he and Wynona weren't intimate that night or any time before.
Ted mentioned that after she left, he went to bed. About an hour or two later, just after midnight, Wynona returned and asked him to join her to see the doctor. Ted shared that he believed she was speaking about obtaining the kind of examination that's required to obtain a marriage license in Virginia. "I advised her to wait until morning."
Ted informed the police that Wynona again returned to his hotel room, seemingly after seeing Dr. Harris, and once again, he declined to accompany her. He stated that he had fallen asleep, and Wynona was missing when he woke up on Sunday morning. He checked out of the hotel and just managed to catch the 10:15 a.m. bus to Charlottesville, arriving back in town around 1:30 p.m.
Authorities discovered that Ted worked as scheduled as a night shift machine operator, midnight to 8 a.m., at the Hix Silk Mill in Charlottesville on Sunday. However, he missed the Tuesday and Wednesday shifts.
Ted explained, "Marguerite, Wynona's sister, called to inform me that Wyn was missing."
Ted expressed that he was deeply troubled by the girl's disappearance, which led him to skip his midnight shift at the silk mill on Tuesday. He traveled to Washington on Wednesday afternoon in hopes of assisting in the search for her.
Staying with his sister, Mrs. Carlyle Crickenberger, in Arlington, he reached out to Marguerite but discovered there was little he could do. Later that same day, he returned to Charlottesville.
On Thursday morning, Ted went to the Charlottesville police station to explain the situation. They requested that he stay with them while they contacted the Arlington police.
Later that day, he mentioned, officers from Arlington arrived, handcuffed him, and took him to the Arlington courthouse for questioning. He reported being treated well by the police, who simply inquired about his activities since Saturday.
Ted also noted that during their time together, Wynona spoke of her "big secret" but never revealed what it was. “She appeared upset and babbled on about getting married, building a home, and having children,” he explained.
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Mrs. Porter noted that Wynona had been extremely unhappy and anxious for about a month, frequently waking up in tears at night because of distressing dreams.
Buck's sister, Mrs. G. H. Crickenberger, residing in Arlington and married to a White House policeman, was visiting her mother in Charlottesville the weekend Wynona disappeared. She said Miss Harvey called her brother on Friday night, and they arranged to meet in Washington on Saturday. According to Mrs. Crickenberger, Mr. Buck took a bus around 1 p.m. on Saturday and returned early the next afternoon while she was still in Charlottesville.
Wynona's friends expressed doubts about the likelihood of her death being of natural causes, noting that she had recently undergone a thorough physical examination.
George C. Hall from the Columbia Hotel reported to the police that he believed he saw Miss Harvey with a young man on Monday night at the intersection of Fourteenth Street and New York Avenue N.W. However, the police said Mr. Hall was unsure about the specific day of the week and could not identify the young man.
Ivon Soden, one of Miss Harvey's roommates, recounted that Wynona woke her up just before midnight on Saturday, appearing nearly hysterical. "I inquired about what was wrong," Miss Soden shared, "and she revealed that she had been dreaming about Ted Buck. Once I calmed her down, she declared her intention to get dressed and go see him right away. When I asked where Ted was, she mentioned that he was registered at the Willard Hotel. After that, she got ready and left the house around midnight. I didn’t see her again until 7:15 the following morning," she added.
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Seemingly upset over her meeting with Ted, she fell asleep and slipped into a nightmare. In the dream, Ted appeared to have lost most of his eyesight, and she had to help guide him around. Our discussion lasted about 15 minutes, and after I reminded her of our conversation the day before that she completely sever ties with Ted, she left composed and determined.
He last saw her around 11 a.m. at the morning church service. She told him then that everything was all right.
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Dr. Harris mentioned that he saw her again after Sunday church service, describing her as appearing bright and cheerful. He observed that at no point during our conversations did I feel she had any fear of Ted. Rather, it seemed to be a conflict within herself. She appeared to struggle with wanting to be fair to Ted while also being fair to herself, and there were no signs that she had any suicidal intentions.
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Without providing specifics, Capt. Jones indicated that the veteran seemed to have an alibi that accounted for his whereabouts from Saturday afternoon until he was detained for questioning by officers. When asked if the police had any potential suspects in mind, Capt. Jones responded, "There could be many!"
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He mentioned that he took special note of the car due to the foggy conditions that night, making it seem unusual for anyone to be parked in that location under such circumstances. According to him, there were two individuals inside the car at the time he passed by.
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Wynona's roommate, Sylvia, informed police that Wynona had received several letters from a New York businessman. Arlington investigators obtained these letters, along with other correspondence discovered in her room.
Police learned that Wynonna received a call from a man in New York before leaving her home on Sunday to visit her sister Marguerite at the hospital where she worked.
According to her sister, at the time of her death, Miss Harvey was interested in another man but was not engaged to him.
Dr. Harris spoke of a man Wyonna believed truly loved her. Someone she believed was more suitable for her than her former fiancé.
Wynona met up with this gentleman during a weekend stay in NYC at the end of February. During this visit, her sister Willethea joined them on a breakfast date.
In light of these reports, Detective Chief Hugh Jones from Arlington County traveled to New York in search of potential clues related to the puzzling death of the attractive brunette.
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Wynona met the former US Diplomat at a party hosted by their mutual friend Kay Geiger several months before her disappearance. Friends of the late Wynona revealed that Gilchrist would often meet her during his frequent visits to Washington, in addition to maintaining regular correspondence through letters and phone calls. The middle-aged businessman lived with his second wife, a former Czech model, in New York.
After searching for two and a half days, investigators located Andrew Gilchrist in Irvington-on-Hudson, a suburban village in Westchester County, a suburb of New York City, 20 miles north of midtown Manhattan. Andrew and his wife agreed to meet with investigators at the Irvington Police Headquarters.
On Sunday, April 6, Gilchrist, a well-mannered middle-aged businessman, arrived in his stylish, cream-colored convertible coupe, entering the police headquarters with a confident stride and his attractive red-haired wife by his side. The former model from Czechoslovakia was known around town thanks to her penchant for driving her yellow sports roadster with her Great Dane in the passenger seat.
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"I went down to the lobby to inquire about our hotel bill and, for some unknown reason, began thinking about Wynona," he reportedly said. "I went to a booth and dialed her number in Washington, which I believe had a Michigan exchange. She answered the phone almost right away," Gilchrist added.
"Wynona appeared quite upset and expressed that she felt 'miserable.' When I inquired if she had a cold, she responded, 'I don't have a cold, I have cold feet.' It was clear she was anxious, scared, and disheartened.
"I encouraged her to visit her sister, Marguerite, but she mentioned she had already tried and found her sister not at home. After a few more minutes of conversation, I suggested she go to church for support."
Gilchrist conveyed to the detectives that he strongly believed Miss Harvey was troubled by her ended relationship with a past admirer.
He described the girl as high-strung and mentioned that she relied on him for psychiatric advice. During the questioning, Jones inquired whether Gilchrist would prefer to be interviewed alone, without his wife present. Gilchrist indicated that he wanted her to stay. At that moment, Mrs. Gilchrist reportedly interjected, stating, "I know all about it."
When Jones inquired if Gilchrist had been in touch with Miss Harvey, the exporter claimed he had received several letters from her, although he had only responded once.
Regarding his activities from last Saturday to Thursday, Gilchrist stated that he and his wife stayed at a White Plains hotel from Saturday to Monday. They then spent Monday night with Mr. and Mrs. L. J. Chatton, close friends who own a mansion in Dobbs Ferry, before moving into their own country house on Tuesday.
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Police Chief Bernard McCall from Irvington stated that Gilchrist and his wife had been registered at a hotel in White Plains, N.Y., during the time of the girl's disappearance. The Chief said Gilchrist had not seen Wynona since March 7. During questioning, Gilchrist acknowledged that he had met Wynona at a party last July.
He confirmed that he did speak on the Sunday morning she vanished, describing Wynona as being overwhelmed with fear. When asked why the 45-year-old diplomat had called the 25-year-old embassy secretary just hours before her disappearance, he replied, "for some unexplained reason."
An Arlington police official stated tonight that it's pretty clear the exporter from New York had no knowledge of the death of the attractive Wynona Harvey, a secretary at the Philippine embassy, whose body was discovered in a creek in Virginia, just outside Washington.
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Dr. Welburn also believed Wynona was alive when her body came to rest in Rocky Run, beneath a bridge on George Washington Memorial Highway. Additional findings determined she had not been raped, nor did she have sexual intercourse just before her death. A beating was ruled out as a cause of death; no bones were broken.
Dr. Welburn did not rule out murder or suicide but said, “There is no evidence indicating homicide. Suicide is held to be a possibility. Accidental drowning is probable." He continued: "She was not under the influence of alcohol or any drug at the time of her death. She was not poisoned. She was not pregnant, and no attempt had been made to cause an abortion. She was definitely 'mentally disturbed'."
Police Captain Hugh C. Jones said the statement did not necessarily mean the case was closed.
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The Senate Chaplain, Dr. Frederick Brown Harris, seemed to dispute Dr. Welburn's assertion that Wynona was mentally disturbed, partly because she sought his advice. In an interview with the Washington Daily News on April 9, Dr. Harris shared that his congregation consists largely of single young professionals who live away from their hometowns and loved ones. Due to job-related stress and the absence of close friendships, they frequently turn to him for guidance on various sensitive matters.
He emphasized that during his last encounter with Wynona after Palm Sunday services, she appeared serene and content. She mentioned at that time that she would attend the Easter Sunday service the following weekend.
The mother noted that, to her knowledge, Mr. Buck was her daughter's sole romantic interest, while the older man from New York was simply a good friend who had visited her several times since their introduction in July. She also said she was aware that her daughter had breakfast a few weeks ago in New York with her male friend and her sister, Willathea.
Law enforcement officials, suspecting foul play, insisted their investigation was far from over.
Mrs. Harvey's last words to police before she headed home to bury her daughter were: "My daughter was murdered.”
Wynona was laid to rest in her hometown of Gretna, Virginia, on Easter Sunday. The official conclusions regarding her death have not changed.
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| Image of Wynona Adele Harvey that accompanied the first missing newspaper articles. |
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| Arlington Police Chief of Detectives Hugh C. Jones escorts Theodore "Ted" Buck into the Arlington Courthouse. |
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| Sisters Marguerite and Willathea Harvey |
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| Dr. Frederick Brown Harris |
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| Wynona's mother, Mrs. Stella Harvey |
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| Ted Buck's image was captured before being released by Arlington Police. |
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| Arlington Police Chief of Detectives Hugh C. Jones with Andrew Gilchrist and his wife. |
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| Sisters Marguerite and Willathea Harvey |
Primary Sources:
Times Herald Washington, District of Columbia · Wednesday, April 02, 1947 Page 3
Times Herald Thu, Apr 03, 1947 Page 17
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The Miami News Fri, Apr 04, 1947 Page 4
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Evening Star Washington, District of Columbia Fri, Apr 04, 1947 Page 1
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The Washington Daily News, Wed, Apr 9, 1947 Page 12
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Evening star Thu, Apr 10, 1947 Page 20
The Richmond News Leader, Fri, Apr 11, 1947 Page 2
The World-News Sat, Apr 12, 1947 Page 1
Des Moines Tribune, Thu, Apr 11, 1946 ·Page 18
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The Washington Daily News, Wed, Dec 15, 1954 Page 5
1940; Census Place: Staunton River, Pittsylvania, Virginia; Roll: m-t0627-04284; Page: 16A; Enumeration District: 72-35
Department of Commerce. Bureau of the Census. 1913-1/1/1972. Population Schedules for the 1950 Census, 1950 - 1950. Washington, DC: National Archives at Washington, DC.
Washington, District of Columbia, City Directory, 1935
Department of Commerce. Bureau of the Census. 1913-1/1/1972. Population Schedules for the 1950 Census, 1950 - 1950. Washington, DC: National Archives at Washington, DC.
National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, MO, USA; Applications for Headstones, 1/1/1925 - 6/30/1970; NAID: 596118; Record Group Number: 92; Record Group Title: Records of the Office of the Quartermaster General
Consular Reports of Marriage, 1910–1949. Series NAID: 2555709. A1, Entry 3001. General Records of the Department of State, Record Group 59. The National Archives in Washington D.C.
https://arlingtonhistoricalsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/1965-6-Doctor.pdf
Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/8086910/williamson-crothers-welburn: accessed 30 March 2023), memorial page for Dr Williamson Crothers Welburn (5 Oct 1874–19 Mar 1964), Find a Grave Memorial ID 8086910, citing Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Arlington County, Virginia, USA; Maintained by The Cemetery Lady (contributor 47893478).
https://www.politico.com/story/2017/10/10/senate-elects-a-chaplain-oct-10-1942-243584
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