Patty’s Voice

11/12/1934 - Ralph Otto born in Craigmont, ID.

 

8/4/1952 - Patty born Lewiston, ID (18 years younger than Ralph).

 

7/22/1952 - Ralph marries Joy D Morris.

 

1/21/1965 - Ralph and Joy divorce.

 

Approx 1966 - Ralph and Bonnie meet.

 

1966 - Ralph tells Bonnie if he ever needs to get rid of a body, he would "put it in one of the holes where the tree stumps were".

 

1968 - Patty, age 16, is babysitting for Bonnie and Ralph.  At the time Bonnie is living in Ralph's house on 29th Street.

 

10/16/1970 - Ralph and Patty married in Lewiston, ID. 

 

10/27/1971 - Natalie born Lewiston, ID.

 

11/29/1973 - Dallas born Lewiston, ID.

 

12/1975 - Patty shoots at Ralph twice with the .357 in the house.

 

12/1/1975 - Patty moves to her sister Alice's house, leaves Ralph and takes the kids.

 

1/13/1976 - Patty moves into her own apartment, after allegedly living with Alice since December. 

 

Spring 1976 - Patty files for divorce and dates Randy Benton.

 

5/1/1976 - Patty moves back in with Ralph after having her own place since December 1975. 

 

1976-06 - Patty joins Al-Anon. 

 

8/31/1976 - Patty's last check is written to Avon for $9.63.

 

8/31/1976 - Patty was last seen on this date. She was wearing red slacks and a white shell blouse. She had attended class at Valley Business College, but left early at 9 PM (Tues night).

- Patty then goes to meet her sister Alice, then goes to her mother's to pick up Natalie and Dallas, and leaves at 11 PM and both girls are asleep.
- At 10:30 PM Ralph was looking for Randy Benton with the .357.

- 11 PM-12 AM Ralph was home, the children were downstairs, and a fight ensued regarding where Patty had been.

- Ralph tells Alice/Detective Saleen that Patty went into the spare bedroom before hearing a horn honk and then watched Patty leave. 

- Ralph then changes his story and tells his brother and sister-in-law that Patty went out to the camper during the night, had breakfast in the camper and walked away the following morning.

 

9/1/1976 - Ralph allegedly helped Bonnie move that morning in Asotin, WA with her family. He allegedly left around 1:30 PM then returned later without his daughters.

 

9/1/1976 - Ralph allegedly went out shopping with Bonnie from 4-5 PM, and then later went out to dinner with Bonnie and family from 7-10 PM.

 

9/1/1976 - Alice reports that Ralph calls to ask her to watch Natalie and Dallas while he searches for Patty at 2 PM. He was looking for his revolver at this time. Per Alice, at 6 PM she returns to get clothing for Natalie and Dallas. Ralph is passed out with the .357, she removes it for his safety. An officer advises her to hide the weapon from Ralph. 

 

9/1/1976 - Bonnie told Det. Saleen that she gave Ralph a ride back to Asotin to pick up his car the morning after they had dinner. She said that Ralph had been up all night, and had not slept. He allegedly told her that Patty was gone and not coming back. He allegedly was so upset he was not able to eat and appeared sick. 

 

9/2/1976 - Ralph allegedly goes to breakfast with Bonnie in Asotin, WA.

 

9/2/1976 - Patty is reported missing at 11 PM by Alice to an officer at Lewiston Police Department. BOLO was sent to NezPerce, ID, Clarkston, ID, and Idaho State Police.

 

9/2/1976 - Ralph turns in Valium, Didrex (amphetamine) and Thorazine bottles, meds prescribed by his Dr. and held for "safekeeping” to law enforcement. 

 

9/2/1976 - Ralph's mother allegedly speaks with Ralph at his house, he asks to put his .357 in safekeeping but cannot find it, holster is there but no gun (because Alice had removed it).

 

9/3/1976 - Ralph is nowhere to be seen on this date. There is speculation that he could have buried Patty on this date.

 

9/4/1976 - Tom O'Malley, Patty’s father, tells Det. Saleen that he feels Ralph is responsible for Patty's disappearance and that he is mentally deranged. 

 

9/4/1976 - An officer is called to Ralph's home to pick up his guns so he "cannot kill Randy Benton.” His .357 cannot be found. Ralph gives the officer a double barrel shotgun, muzzle loader, .22 rifle with a scope and .38 special bullets in a wood box, with two holsters.

 

9/5/1976 - Ralph’s brother comes to check on Ralph at 8 AM, Ralph reports that he fell backwards off the retaining wall and hurt his ankle, he is drunk.

 

9/5/1976 - Alice and another person speak to police because they are concerned that Ralph had killed Patty and that she is possibly on the property.

 - Det. Saleen returns a call from Ralph. Ralph appears incoherent and states he is going to murder Randy Benton, he denies drinking but says he is drugged. Ralph states that Patty left on 9/2 after she arrived home and he was already drunk, he heard a horn honk and she left, taking her purse but no other belongings. Says that Patty had confided with Ralph about the relationship with Randy that occurred 4-5 months ago.
- Police search the property, including the camper.

 

9/7/1976 - Det. Saleen goes to Ralph's house with the police sgt, but Ralph is not home. A tarp with spots of red paint is seen lying in the yard. 

 - Ralph arrived and said he had hosed it off, it was being used after the house next door had burned down. 

 - They took Ralph to the LPD for questioning at 5 PM and later returned him home. 

 - Det. Saleen asks to see Ralph's secret room downstairs, Ralph shows him, two jet pumps were noted but no body. 

 - Two .38 special bullet casings were removed and a phone book of Patty's which Ralph says he had already contacted (later Ralph’s sister-in-law says none of these people had been contacted by LPD or Ralph).

 

9/7/1976 - Interview with Ralph by Detectives. Ralph says he arrived home at 12 AM on Thursday night (Patty goes to school Tuesday nights). Patty told Ralph to "go to hell" because he had been drinking but he denied being drunk. He said Patty put the girls to bed then she hid his liquor. Patty allegedly said she is 24 and he is 42 and she can have anybody she wants. He asked if this meant they were going to divorce, and she said it sure looked that way. Ralph then asked the officers about Randy.

 - Ralph is redirected and said he told Patty that he was "going to kill Randy." He was certain Patty had been with Randy that night. Then he reported that he agreed to a divorce and went to bed. He then told them that the next morning he fed the dog and rabbits and looked in the trailer and Patty was not in there. He reported that he went to the Van's Club to shoot Randy and then went to a Winchester bar. He said he took the tarp and spread it out to hose it off. He said Patty wanted to leave him because he was an alcoholic and was too old for her. 

 - When police stopped recording, Ralph said he wanted to "blow his brains out because Patty had no use for him." He then told them that he filed for a divorce.

 

9/8/1976 - Ralph is allegedly picked-up in Clarkston attempting to go home after leaving the detox center in Clarkston, barefoot.

 

9/8/1976 - Ralph filed for divorce, per the Lewiston Tribune. 

 

9/9/1976 - Randy Benton came to LPD to discuss Patty with detectives, said he has not seen her since May 1976. 

 

9/9/1976 - 3 PM Detectives arrived at Ralph's house to offer a polygraph, but he declined. Ralph said the drugs he is on may have affected the result of the polygraph. One of the detectives noted that Ralph was drinking and advised him not to be driving and to talk with police about a polygraph or using truth serum, Ralph declined again.

 

9/12/1976 - Police reported that Ralph is suicidal, LPD officers arrived and Ralph reported he is suidical but also wants to kill Randy Benton. Two military bayonets were sent with the officers for safekeeping. Later, Ralph’s brother arrived to stay with Ralph.

 

9/14/1976 - 8 AM LPD checked water tanks near Ralph's home for a body, it is later confirmed by professionals that it would have registered if a body was present in the tank. 

 - 1:45 PM Ralph’s brother goes to the LPD to discuss events and the possibility that Ralph would have told him where Patty's body was hidden. Ralph’s brother was not aware of who Ralph visited in Asotin the day after Patty disappeared.

- 4:45 PM police flew over the area looking for clues.

 

9/21/1976 - 9:30 AM - Ralph arrived at the LPD to see Det. Saleen but spoke with another officer, he said he is a violent person, cannot calm himself once he is worked up, on valium and thorazine, admitted to hitting Patty and Joy. He also claimed that he hit Patty for leaving him at the bar. He also refused a polygraph again.

 

9/23/1976 - Ralph's neighbor, spoke with Det. Saleen. She said that Ralph told her, "If I did kill her, they will never find her body." Then she said he propositioned her for sex, was drunk and suicidal. She also claimed that Ralph had also made comments to another woman about entertaining him.

 

10/6/1976 - Ralph is allegedly detained by LPD for a psychological evaluation.

 

10/8/1976 - Per police report, Alice called Det. Saleen to report that Ralph ran his pickup truck into the Valley Bank building in an intoxicated state.

 

10/12/1976 - LPD received a report that Patty had previously shot at Ralph with a .357. All information was reported as hearsay from an anonymous source.

 

10/18/1976 - Ralph returned to work, intoxicated, and hit a mailbox.

 

10/24/1976 - Ralph inquired about hiring a hit-man to kill Captain Duane Ailor of LPD.

 

10/25/1976 - Ralph’s brother asked for a trace on Ralph's phone due to frequent unidentified callers. 

 

10/25/1976 - Police call Det. Saleen reported that Ralph said he is going to Canada due to the pressure from police.

 

10/26/1976 - Ralph met with "hit-man" Stephen Watts from ISP. Per Ralph’s brother, Ralph and him were together at the Long Branch Saloon.

 

10/27/1976 - Bonnie reported a call from Ralph and said he can get a guy killed if necessary. Ralph told her daughter Brenda that he was coming to LA to get out of Lewiston. Brenda thought he sounded intoxicated.

 

10/27/1976 - Ralph is arrested and charged with 1st Degree Attempted Murder.

 

11/2/1976 - Cpt. Ailor received a call from an ID State Investigator & Liquor Law Enforcement stating that someone had reported that a check had been cashed by Patty in Portland, OR after her disappearance. 

 

11/4/1976 - Det. Saleen met with Ralph’s brother and sister-in-law to look at a key they found under the mat at Ralph's. They suspect someone had been in the house, because Ralph claimed he hired a locksmith to change all locks, including the station wagon. An investigator hired by the Otto’s arrived and found Patty's wedding rings in Ralph's coat pocket.

 

11/17/1976 - Lewiston Morning Tribune received a call from a woman who claimed to be Patty. She said she is fine, loved her parents and girls.

 

11/17/1976 - Det. Saleen interviewed Michelle Farrell from the Lewiston Tribune regarding the call she had received by someone who claimed to be Patty Otto. Det. Saleen called Ralph’s sister-in-law and sister Marcy. Michelle stated it was Marcy's voice she had heard on the call.

 

12/04/976 - Dallas told her uncle that "daddy hit mommy, mommy hit daddy, daddy carried her out and hid her".

 

12/06/1976 - Ralph picked up Natalie & Dallas from Alice & Dan's home, he assaulted Dan when he questioned why he wants to claim the kids now.

 

12/08/1976 - Alice called Det. Saleen and reported that Dallas said a fight had occurred and daddy carried mommy out. Det. Saleen informed her that an Idaho Investigator had been assigned to Patty's case. 

 

12/17/1976 - Ralph’s sister-in-law called LPD and requested a tap on her phone line. Det. Saleen then received a call from police, to let him know that the trace had been removed on that date. He is then advised to contact the phone company for future tracing.

 

12/28/1976 - Bonnie reported that Ralph called her stating that Patty had come up out of the grave and he had to stab her and that she was buried on his property. Bonnie calls Ralph’s brother, who asked her not to tell anyone. Ralph had told the girls Bonnie was their new mommy. 

 

12/29/1976 - Det. Saleen took records of Jane Doe to Dr. Earls' (Patty’s dentist since childhood) to be compared to Patty's records. 

 

12/29/1976 - Ralph is committed to Orofino State Hospital through Jan 7, 1977.

 

1/12/1977 - A rape is reported to have occured by Ralph. He reportedly choked, then raped a woman while laughing the entire time. 

 

5/28/1977 - Someone reported to Detective Spears that she overheard a man say that he had dug a grave for Patricia Otto. She had provided a license plate number and the officer who showed her a picture of the man mentioned and she confirmed it was him. 

 

6/6/1977 - Ralph’s attempted murder trial starts.

 

6/25/1977 - Jury convicted Ralph Otto after three hours of deliberation.

 

7/30/1977 - Ralph created an official will and appointed his sister as guardian of Natalie and Dallas, Ralph’s brother as POA, and stated that Patty is missing.

 

4/2/1978 - Ralph went to inpatient treatment at Alcenas Hospital in Kirkland, WA. 

 

4/12/1978 - Ralph discharged from Alcenas Hospital.

 

8/27/1978 - Jane Doe body is found near Elgin, OR. There is no mention of a baby present. This Jane Doe is labeled the Finley Creek Jane Doe.

 

8/29/1978 - Det. Saleen requested Patty's dental records from Dr Earls’ office to send to Multnomah County.

 

8/30/1978 - Det. Saleen is sent to pick up two copies of Patty's x-rays. There is no mention of additional dental work.

 

8/31/1978 - Det. Saleen received a call about a body found in Union County. Jane Doe was wearing red pants and a white shell blouse. He then flew Patty's parents out at 1 AM.

 

9/1/1978 - Patty's parents viewed the clothing, but did not recognize all the items. Det. Saleen met with the crime lab and discussed the case and felt strongly about the match.

 

9/8/1978 - Telephone message to LPD stated that the dental records did not match the body from La Grande known as the Finley Creek Jane Doe. 

 

9/11/1978 - Dr. responded to the request for comparison, he stated the skull has one erupted and 3 missing teeth, this contradicted the details in the Finley Creek Jane Doe autopsy.

 

9/13/1978 - Union County releases APB on the Finley Creek Jane Doe. Details matched the description and clothing of Patty, stated pregnancy with estimated full term fetus, early twenties, blonde or light brown hair, white, 5'2-5'4, junior size 15/16 red Catalina slacks, likely buried 2-5 years ago in a wooded area.

 

9/25/1978 - Det. Saleen met with Ralph in Idaho prison. They discussed a body found near Portland. Ralph denied killing Patty, but gave additional details about the fight in August 1976.

 

3/16/1979 - Ralph filed for an amended decree of divorce, all property real and personal to be awarded to him and full custody on the grounds of irreconcilable differences.

 

10/24/1979 - LPD fired 3 bullets with Ralph's .357 which was held as evidence.

 

4/9/1981 - ID Supreme Court reversed First-Degree Attempted Murder charge.

 

9/8/1983 -  Ralph died of an apparent heart attack while in police custody in Orofino, ID.

 

1984 - Det. Saleen retired. Case is turned over to Lt. Alan Johnson.

 

6/28/1990 - Case of unsolved homicide ordered closed and authorized destruction of evidence per Oregon State Police report.

 

12/4/1991 - A former inmate called LPD to report that Ralph had confided that they would never find Patty's body because he buried her in a lime pond and he also stated that Ralph stated this is how he disposed of animal carcasses in the past. 

 

1999-2008 - Natalie met with Bonnie's mother in Lewiston. She believed Ralph was in love with Bonnie. During her visit it was discussed that Bonnie's youngest son was Ralph's child.

 

3/13/2000 - Natalie filed an investigation with Idaho State Police regarding Ralph's death. Case was assigned to another officer.

 

9/18/2003 - Orofino State Hospital confirmed that Ralph was voluntarily committed on December 29, 1976 thru January 7, 1977 for alcohol treatment.

 

5/31/2006 - Natalie died in Orofino, Idaho with her husband, son, and a 12-year-old friend.

 

1/31/2009 - Cadaver dog searched the 29th St. home but there were no new leads.

 

6/6/2021 - Suzanne saw Finley Creek Jane Doe Facebook post and started her investigation of the case.

 

6/9/2021 - Police Sgt. claims that no dental records are in Patty's file.

 

2/9/2022 - Suzanne had a meeting with Sgt Belding from the Major Crimes Division Oregon State Police, he agreed to provide a team for grave search in spring and Suzanne presented the timeline.
 

8/4/2022 - Patty’s Party - people from all over came together and celebrated Patty Otto’s 70th birthday at Nez Perce County Courthouse. It was a great success!

 

8/16 - 8/17/2022 - Oregon State Police Forensics Service Division, State Medical Examiner’s Office Forensic Anthropologist, State Police Major Crimes Detectives, and members of the Union County Search & Rescue team conducted an operation on a rural property in Union County. The operation was in response to recent interest shown by cadaver dogs brought in by the Finley Creek Jane Doe Task Force involved in the unidentified remains of the woman found in 1978. Union County Search and Rescue conducted an intense grid search of approximately 3-acres around the original burial site and the recent locations of interest by the cadaver dogs. Over fifty bones were located by the search and rescue team. The State Medical Examiner’s Forensic Anthropologist examined each of the bones and none of them were determined to be of human origin.