Margaret Celeste Dodd was born Margaret Celeste Horan on May 8, 1960 in Akron, Ohio to John and Evelyn Horan. She was affectionately known to her friends and family as Margie. On June 2, 1972 she married Julien Kent Dodd, the brother of her college roommate Edna Lee Dodd. It was remembered that Margie had never been seen as happy as she was in those years with Kent and that she had truly found her person. The pair suffered an extraordinary loss in 1976 when they lost their infant son at only 4 days old. The pair purchased their first home in Shady Spring, West Virginia and it is here that we find ourselves in September of 1977.
On September 7, 1977, Margie attended morning classes at Concord University and proceeded to work at the Cardinal State Bank, located in the Raleigh Mall in Beckley, West Virginia. For all intents and purposes it was just another day. Around 4:30pm, Kent Dodd arrived at the bank to pick up some money from his wife and attend to some shopping. During their exchange at the bank, Margie confided in Kent that there had been a disturbance that had taken place earlier that afternoon involving several African American students, and she was notably a little shaken up about it. Kent Dodd left the Raleigh Mall around 7:15pm.
Per usual, Margie finished up work around 8:30pm and headed south on Rt. 19 towards her home in Shady Spring. As she approached the community of Beaver in her green Chevette, she pulled over into an Amoco Station that had already closed for the evening. It is unknown why Margie had pulled into the gas station that evening. According to witness statements, a dark colored (dirty greenish?) Chevy Nova or Chevelle pulled in behind Margie in the parking lot of the Amoco Station. It is noted that before exiting her vehicle, Margie turned the vehicle off and pulled the keys out of the ignition.
The reports that follow vary greatly but the following account was given by a key witness to the abduction, John Cole who had been leaving his mother’s house in Beaver with his young daughter when the struggle occurred. According to Mr. Cole’s statement, Margie approached the vehicle. It was believed that she could have potentially known the person however, another theory given was that the driver could have been impersonating a police officer. He continues, stating that he heard screams coming from the Amoco station and saw what he believed to be a man forcing a screaming, struggling woman into the car. Margie’s purse had fallen to the ground during the altercation and when her assailant grabbed the purse, the contents spilled on the ground. He grabbed what he could and threw it in the vehicle before turning out of the gas station (north) on Rt. 19 towards Beckley. The first call came into police at 8:45pm. Everything that happened, notably happened incredibly fast.
At 9:00pm, the first officer arrived at the Amoco Gas Station. Trooper J.O. Cole interviewed witnesses where he learned that the victim’s car was still on scene. He was also able to obtain a vague description of the assailant who was described as a “tall, slender man wearing blue jeans and a dark colored jacket.” His daughter, Lori expressed that the man resembled “The Fonz” from Happy Days—Henry Winkler. When Sgt. S.S. Meador arrived, he began to search the vehicle, learning that the car belonged to Julien Kent Dodd of Shady Spring. Dodd, confirmed that the car belonged to his wife, Margaret or Margie, who had been on her way home from work. Kent rushed into Beaver—joining the search efforts for Margie and arriving around 9:30pm. Police began a road search of the surrounding areas and began to question any car that could pass for the assailants vehicle. Every possible escape route was checked but the search bore no results. They were forced to retire for the evening around 4:00am.
The West Virginia State Police and Beckley P.D. worked closely together to coordinate the investigation.In the days that followed the abduction, side roads, dead end routes, lovers lanes, or any body of water that could conceal a body were searched during their attempts to find Margie. Over 300 people were interviewed in regards to the disappearance, but no leads were obtained. On September 9th (2 days after the abduction) an air search of the area was conducted exploring remote areas of Raleigh and Fayette Counties. The Lee Norse Company who employed Kent Dodd lent officers use of their helicopter and the search, which continued on to September 10th was headed up by Trooper B.A. Vaughn. Unfortunately, the search bore no results.
Over the week that followed, several psychics local to Ohio contacted members of the Horan/ Dodd family, as well as law enforcement to provide information revealed to them in visions about Margie’s disappearance. Though they were impressed with the information given, they didn’t put a lot of weight on the information provided. That is, until Detective Frank Pack received a call from an anonymous caller who revealed that a body had been discovered near the 4H Lake Reservoir- an area that had also been described by the psychics. An intense search of the area was organized by State and Local Police. Around 500 volunteers came out to aide in the search, but alas no signs of Margie Dodd were found. Interestingly enough, when Frank Pack returned to his office following the conclusion of the search, a letter from one of the OH psychics, with the letter was a hand drawn map with a “X” of where Margie’s body could be found. The map led straight to the area where the anonymous caller claimed to have found Margie’s body.
On September 29th, Evelyn Horan received a phone call that would change the course of the investigation. Over the next several weeks, The Horan’s (Margie’s parents) received ransom calls from a man who identified himself a Joe Bob. According to Joe Bob, Margie was being held in a cabin in a place called “Four Corners” West Virginia by his brother in law. For the price of $10k, Joe Bob agreed to travel to West Virginia to save Margie and reunite her with her family. Though they were warned to not involve law enforcement, the Horan’s contacted the FBI who promptly put a tap on their telephone. The FBI took the calls very seriously and treated it as though it was a major kidnapping. In later correspondence, the Horan’s were directed by Joe Bob to place an ad in the personal section of the Akron Beacon, which would signal that they had the money ready. The ad ran the next day and simply read, “Margie, Please come home. We love you.”
The initial drop was set for October 3rd, however Joe Bob never showed. It is later revealed that upon seeing several men playing tennis in the park (FBI agents posed as tennis players during this drop), the man became scared and bailed. A second drop was arranged for October 11, 1977 but this time a man named “Jimmy” corresponded on behalf of Joe Bob.
Officer Gooden from the West Virginia State Police and Detective Frank Pack from the Beckley P.D. arrived in Akron to assist the FBI with the exchange that morning. Once briefed on the situation, the West Virginians expressed some concern regarding “Joe Bob’s” hillbilly dialect. Being more familiar with the West Virginia accent, they believed that the person was more than likely an urban African American male impersonating a hillbilly accent. They would soon be proven correct.
During this exchange, FBI agent Jim Kinney was set to pose as Margie’s Uncle and drove the vehicle to meet with “Jimmy.” Hidden in the back of the vehicle beneath some blankets was another agent, Officer Bentley. Following the vehicle in a surveillance van were Detective Pack and Officer Gooden from West Virginia. The agents were wired and an audio output was set up to broadcast to the surveillance van.
The exchange proved deadly when “Jimmy” became spooked that they were being followed. He pulled what was believed to be a gun (but turned out to be a pen) on Agent Kinney and upon hearing a clicking sound (which resembled a gun being cocked) Agent Bentley who had been concealed in the back took fire.“Jimmy” who was in fact ex-convict James Hendree of Akron, OH was killed instantly. The whole set up was an elaborate extortion to prey on an older couple in a desperate situation.
In 1993 a set of skeletonized remains were discovered by hunters on Bolt Mountain. Despite the fact that the remains appeared to be that of a woman from a similar era, Steve Tanner who was in charge of the investigation of the Jane Doe believed the remains to be that of another woman and did not bring in the Dodd family for identification. It wouldn’t be until 2017 that the body on Bolt Mountain would be given a name, and her name was Margie Dodd.
It will be 45 years this September since the disappearance and murder of Margaret Celeste Dodd and her case is still cold. She would be 72 years old this year. If you or anyone you know has any information regarding the disappearance and murder of Margaret “Margie” Celeste Dodd, please call Crime Stoppers at (304) 255- STOP. You can even submit a tip online at www.crimestoppersofraleighcounty.org . You are not required to give your name and are able to submit anonymously.
Be sure to check out our podcast “THE MURDER OF MARGARET “MARGIE” DODD” coming soon to all streaming platforms. Be sure to LIKE, SHARE and SUBSCRIBE to the COLD CASE CREW and let us know below, What’s YOUR Theory?
References:
Books:
“West Virginia Unsolved Murders” by George and Melody Bragg. The Missing Bank Teller. Pages 60-66. 1992.
“West Virginia Cold Case Homicides” by George Bragg. The Missing Bank Teller. Pages 89-91. 2007.
Websites:
West Virginia Metro News:
https://wvmetronews.com/2017/07/18/remains-confirmed-in-decades-old-dodd-case/
West Virginia Record:
Podcasts:
Ohio Mysteries Podcast
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