Look into disappearance

I am one of a team of retired Bonneville Power Administration employees who have been reviewing the disappearance of fellow employee Julie Weflen. Julie was abducted on Sept. 17, 1987, from BPA’s Spring Hill Substation, which is located a few miles west of Spokane. No fewer than 53 females have disappeared, or were murdered, in the Spokane-Coeur d’Alene area since 1966. About 42 percent of these cases have been solved.

Our concern is the investigation of the Weflen disappearance. Law enforcement agencies may not have followed up on several tips that were received from citizens over the intervening years. One such citizen reported that he believes he witnessed the abduction, and then pursued the vehicle before losing it. The witness’ contact information was provided to the authorities, but he maintains that he has never been interviewed.

We encourage the Spokane County Sheriff’s cold-case team to follow up on these tips. It is possible that more can be done with this 26-year-old case. To that end, we have provided the sheriff’s office with information that has occasionally come to us, and we remain available to discuss the tips that we have received.

Additionally, BPA offers a reward up to $25,000, and has set up a confidential hotline at (800) 437-2744 that anyone with information can call.

Robert Windus

Lake Oswego, Ore.