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When a housewife vanishes, left behind is is a forged note and all of her possessions.
CASE DETAILS  The signature on the letter was not Pam’s Peoria, Arizona, is a comfortable suburb just outside Phoenix. Pam and Rob Page moved here in 1977, and by all accounts, their marriage was solid. On July 22nd, 1989, Rob came home to an empty house and a letter from Pam. Pam wrote that she had left town with a woman named Sarah, and that she had been planning this for a long while. Rob claimed he was embarrassed because he thought his wife had left him for a woman. He did not notify Pam’s family in Arkansas that she was gone. Four days later, however, Pam’s oldest sister, Trena, happened to call. She was surprised to learn of Pam’s disappearance:
Pam’s father, Willie Frisby, asked to see the letter, and Rob faxed him a copy. Willie was immediately distressed:
 Was the psychic right about the murder? Rob told Pam’s family that a missing person’s report had already been filed. But when one of Pam’s sisters called the local police, she discovered that they had never even heard of the case. Detectives began their investigation by questioning Rob Page. He told them that on the day of Pam’s disappearance, he had gone to several auto parts stores. At one, his truck would not start. Rob said he called home and got no answer, so he phoned for a taxi. Rob told police that he never went into the house, only the garage. He got a part for his truck and rode his bike back to the store. When the truck finally started, he drove home and that’s when he found the letter. In it, Pam stated that she had taken all of their money, $60,000 in cash, out of the safe at the video store. Rob said he went to the store and confirmed that the cash was gone.  No one saw Rob’s truck in the parking lot The letter also said that Pam had left the couple’s Corvette at a local doughnut shop. Rob claimed he found it the next day. Soon, police began to question the details of Rob’s story. None of the employees at the last auto parts store remembered Rob, or anyone else, asking about an ignition switch. There was another problem with Rob’s story. Rob had said his truck, which was very distinctive, was parked at the store for nearly four hours that afternoon. But none of the employees ever recalled seeing the truck in front of the store or anyone working on it. Finally, three weeks after Pam disappeared, the Arizona state crime lab confirmed that the signature on the letter was almost certainly not Pam’s. Det. Sgt. Doug Hildebrandt questioned Rob on the issue:
It was a stunning turnaround, enough to make Rob Page a suspect. Suddenly, he began to tell a completely different story. Now, Rob insisted that he had actually found the letter in the family computer a few days before Pam disappeared, stating that she would be leaving him. He also claimed that he confronted his wife on the discovery. According to Rob’s new story, a few days after the confrontation, he came home to find the house a mess. Rob told police that most of Pam’s clothes were gone, along with the family pictures and one of their dogs. Pam’s credit cards and house keys were on the kitchen table, but Rob couldn’t find her driver’s license.  Rob’s stories were inconsistent Rob claims that after making these discoveries, he decided to act. He went downstairs and added four sentences to the letter in the computer, printed it out, and signed Pam’s name. He then drove her Corvette to the doughnut shop, went to the pay phone across the street, and called a taxi. Det. Hildebrandt:
Despite the suspicions about Rob Page, police found no evidence that he had done anything wrong except change his story. No charges were filed and the investigation ground to a halt. As a last resort, Pam’s sister, Jimmie Rice, consulted Carol Pate, a psychic in Little Rock, Arkansas. Pate had worked with the Little Rock police for ten years. Working only from a photo of Pam, the psychic said that she saw Pam with a man in what appeared to be Pam’s house. The two were arguing.Carol claims she saw the man knock Pam to the floor and suffocate her with a pillow. Another female came and assisted him in placing her in the trunk. She said the two drove somewhere, and that she saw the name Coolidge and the numbers 2-4-1. She then saw a gray factory near a railroad. Finally, the man pulled over, removed the body, and began to dig. Jana Thorson, an Arizona newspaper reporter covering Pam’s disappearance, followed up the clues. She found a gray factory building near some railroad tracks in Peoria. Nearby she found a sign with the numbers 2-4-1. A route that ran from Bob and Pam’s house to the home of a friend passed both these sites and ended at a street named Coolidge. But there is no way to evaluate Carol Pate’s information until it’s known whether Pam Page met with foul play, or chose to disappear. As for Rob Page, he still insists that his wife is alive. Rob Page has since divorced his missing wife. Police say he is no longer a suspect in the case, but they still have no idea what happened to Pam Page. Watch this case now on Amazon Prime in season seven with Robert Stack and in season six with Dennis Farina. Also available on YouTube with Dennis Farina. Various seasons available now on Hulu. SUBMIT A TIP |
25 Comments
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ross leonard sayer
Very Interesting Story But you Never Knpw what will became of the Futuerer after all These years a mirace might happened.
Andy Olivo
i need to talk to family member…..
Jana Thorson
Andy,
Can I assist you. I was one of the original newspaper reporters on this story and am still in contact with the family.
Chrissy
I have a cadaver dog in training and would be willing to bring her out at no cost to look if the site is not currently built upon. Do you have any more clues as to the exact location of this factory/field?
Gilbert Thetgyi
Ms. Thorson, why do the police no longer consider Rob a suspect? Was he cleared??
Justice
He died of cancer in 2009. Pam’s family later received a letter from the police dept. saying that if Rob would be alive, he would be charged with second degree murder.
Kylie
I just finished watching Pams episode on unsolved mysteries. I am beyond flabbergasted that her husband Rob was not arrested for her murder, the evidence maybe circumstantial, however there was no further investigation into her disappearance! I want to know why hasn’t anyone tried digging in the area where the psychic said her body was buried?!
John Smith
Are the evidence enough to make an arrest? Yes, while the evidence are damning, they are circumstantial, if I understand it correctly. At the time of his death in 2009 and until now in 2024, laws have not changed that much. Unless there are new evidence uncovered, I just don’t see how or why they have made a 180 on their decision on arresting the husband. I have to imagine there are new evidence that makes him but at this point, I’m incline to believe the Police are simply saying what they’re saying to pacify the family’s rage and the public at large. Sometimes it’s easier to say what people want to hear then do the actual leg work. For all intents and purposes, this case is closed. With everything that’s going on in the world with budget shortfalls and public outrage about active cases mounting, I strongly doubt they will expend any resources on this. Might as well just get the clerk in the evidence room type up a report that they’ve officially charged the husband and close the case for the benefit of the family and public’s interest.
Anonymous
I cant believe nobody took a cadaver dog or anything else out to where the physic said she was buried. If it was my family I would have went out there digging myself. Even if it was a little deeper you can tell if the ground has been disturbed. I would think by now that something has been built in that area and her body found. Maybe she did leave on her own or he killed her and ended up moving her body. Who was the female the physic said was there? Anybody question the husbands new girlfriends? It’s truly said she hasn’t been found.
Jimmie Rice
There’s not enough space to reply to all the comments, but there are a couple I want to clarify information on. As Pam’s sister, and one that did most of the communicating with police, newspaers, and anyone that would talk to us, I want to assure you Pam’s family made dozens and more trips from Arkansas to Arizona in the past 30 years. We have never wavered in our need to find Pam, and until his death hold Robert Page accountable for causing her disappearance and death. We spent countless hours talking to neighbors and putting up posters, meeting with ever changing faces of detectives over the years, sitting letters, and calling newspapers and television stations hoping they’d mention Pam’s name so she wouldn’t be forgotten. We dealt with Robs stories forever changing and him only admitting they were kids when he was caught by proof. To answer one question, there was never any proof that a person named Sarah existed to anyone but Robs need to have a story. Pam was home in Arkansas 1week prior to disappearing. She had nothing but love for Rob, and looked forward to their future. Little did she know she was not part of his.as for seeing a psychic, you do not know the despair of not knowing where someone is. Believe me in our shoes your do everything possible. I am the sister that did that. I was a total skeptic, and Sent to great lengths to assure she knew nothing about why I made a appointment of who I was. I have her my first name only, no details as to why I was there, and one picture asking what can you tell me about this girl. Pam’s disappearance had not been mentioned on any news on our state 1300 miles away. Until you have e had the experience of hearing someone describe people, cars describe the inside of a house she had never seen, and the murder of someone by a man named robert, or Rob don’t judge. I did not agree or disagree or answer questions because there were none. I don’t know how but there was a connection. It didn’t did pa m but I’ve never regretted trying. Rob died knowing we would keep looking. He was asked by someone in his family and would not answer even knowing his time was nearly gone. In 2018 we met with the Maricopa County Attorneys as the result of a cold case on Pam. We were given a letter stating that based on recent revelations if Robert Page were still alive he would be charged and prosecuted in Pam’s death and disappearance. We appreciate all the hard work by detectives, and what they have designated as a closed case as far as guilt goes. We as a family will never give up looking for Pam. Just a few years ago I got a call from the new owners of Pam and Robs house. They found a book on how to make someone disappear behind the wall in their garage. My belief is there is someone who knows, and one day we will bring my sister home.
Ali Houssney
I have never met you though I have seen your sister’s case on the Unsolved Mysteries program many times. I have not met Rob either but from watching many stories on the show, usually when people act suspiciously they either have something to hide and/or have committed a crime. Rob lied about your sister’s signature initially before admitting he signed the letter. Then he would never take a polygraph test when asked many times, then he would avoid your sister’s family and would not tell anyone anything all the way until his death. All this on top of the fact that he was seen throwing away stuff after your sister disappeared and even the psychic said she saw him with another woman throwing away a body, not that psychics are always right. I STRONGLY suspect Rob killed your sister and went to his grave with all the answers and the guilt. I do not know if he repented on his deathbed but as someone who loves the LORD, I know He will one day stand before Jesus and give an account of His life. He cannot hide anything from God and God knows the deepest secrets of his heart. If I am wrong and if your sister is still alive, I hope you find her someday. Sorry about the losses of some of your family members who have passed on. God bless you in your search.
Jason
The police had only one suspect and he’s no longer living. They prob don’t have the resources to focus on this case much anymore (?) I hope her fam finds peace.
Anthony
does anyone else find it odd that we got no interviews from this woman’s family, it was just the detective working that case and the psychic. It seems strange that they wouldn’t go on and give their side of things or their perspective of her and her husbands relationship
Crystaldawn
My latest article is on the disappearance of Pam Page. I’ve spoken extensively with her sister so a lot of details here. FYI, Rob has NOT been ruled out as a suspect. There’s a letter posted in the blog that proves it. https://lostnfoundblogs.com/f/pam-page-a-forged-farewell
Misteretc
Per the Unsolved Mysteries Wiki page…
Results: Unsolved. Rob passed away from cancer in 2009 and was never charged in Pam’s case. Some reports claim that he was cleared as a suspect, while others state that police still consider him a suspect in her disappearance.. In July 2017, 28 years almost to the day of Pam’s disappearance, Pam’s family received a formal letter from the Maricopa County Attorneys office. The letter states that based on new interviews and investigation, Robert Page if alive today would be charged with murder in the case of his missing wife Pamela Page.
https://unsolvedmysteries.fandom.com/wiki/Pam_Page
Overseer
I agree with the last to comments. Are you seriously saying that no detective followed up on the psychic clues?? What a waste! Her body is most likely there and Sarah was probably the name of female who helped killed her.
iLLGATES
Robert Page died in 2010
http://m.peoriatimes.com/mobile/news/article_6524e54e-c9e1-54b6-8c9a-14ff5e133c80.html
thinkingoutloud
if rob genuinely believed she left for another woman, why did he claim to have filed a police report to her family? and if she left why would he be so concerned to prove to everyone that she genuinely left by creating a fake letter and moving her car? he clearly killed her and disposed of her body and came up with a lame excuse to try and help himself out but it makes him look more guilty.
Jeff
It’s obviously the husband. Why did he fabricate so much and went through so much trouble to do so? Why did he lie from the start? He’ll do it again.
Johnny
Interesting case for sure! It’s strange nobody at these auto parts stores or places remembered seeing Rob Page. You would think some employee would have remembered his distinctive truck or Rob. This has 3 possible theories: 1.Pamela absconded with the $60,000 and some belongings deciding to start a new life. 2. Pamela was duped by this Sarah and the friendship was a ruse to take her money and her life. 3.Rob Page knows more than he’s telling. Page could have been accidentally struck in an argument or heat of the moment thing. Her body dumped in the vast Arizona desert. Then, Rob went about his day trying to establish alibis by going to various parts stores places and writing the letter.
This is a good mystery where there could be several possible theories to what happened to Pamela Page. One key could be Pamela’s driving license. She would have to renew it. It also would be on record if she changed her name somehow or was remarried. This is an Unsolved Mystery that can be solved but it’s been nearly 30 years old.
HR77
Why would anyone care about a psychic? I am still amazed to this day that UM allows it. I would only consider it if I thought that the psychic was a suspect.
HR77
A couple ideas come to mind. Who is Sarah? He doesn’t even know her. Does anyone know Sarah? The whole letter could have been written by him not just the last four sentences. Maybe Sarah was his friend who got money to seduce her, take her somewhere and kill her. All part of an elaborate ruse. Or there was a robbery/abduction and he has nothing to do with it. And the people who took her and the money were meticulously clean. Maybe they knew them from the video and targeted them. Maybe this Sarah targeted her for the money. And he again had nothing to do with it. I don’t think we can assume he did it. That’s bad detective work. I think he is distant but there are reasons for that. I think some of the stuff he did could certainly be chalked up for embarrassment. I think he had an accomplice if he was involved. The murder happened far away and it wasn’t directly by his own hands.
Anonymous
I went out with this man a few years after this happened…he had a boat which is pictured in the background. He was meticulous in his care of that boat….after I found out about what happened I always wondered if he dumped her in the water somewhere. He also worked at Palo Verde, lots of desert out there. I’m not sure what happened to her, but Rob was not a very big man, he would have to had caught her by surprise as I remember him being short and and quite thin, almost effeminate in his mannerisms. Either way, I hope they find Pam, her family deserves answers.
Anonymous
so did anyone ever try to dig near that site that was mentioned by the physic? seems like the details were eerily correct. I would think that someone would at least try to excavate the area
Alexis
I agree with your comment I just watched the show on this and a cadaver dog would be useful at least give this family some closure and check to see if the psychic was right. The police force used her for cases for 10 years she had to know what she was doing.