In June of 1990, patrons at the Casa Gallardo mexican restaurant in Bridgeton, Missouri noticed a human skull in the bushes. Police found the skull to be of "recent origin" and bore the marking of an adult female. But with no crime to connect it to, the skull was placed on a shelf in the county morgue and largely forgotten.
Don Sherman and Linda Sue Lutz had been married for 10 years. According to family members, the relationship was a stormy one. They separated and reconciled several times. In the spring of 1985, Linda filed for divorce and was planning to move out. Don said that when Linda returned home from her night job at 2:16 am, she went to sleep on the couch. Although it was usually Linda's job, Don took their daughter Patty to school the next morning. Don said Linda left for work the next evening at 6 p.m. But Linda Sherman never arrived at work that night. Four days later Linda's Volkswagen was found at the airport. Linda's family said Linda would never go anywhere without her daughter, Patty. But Linda was never found.
Five years later, when the skull appeared in the bushes no one made the initial connection between the skull and Linda's disappearance because the remains were found in an adjacent city--Bridgeton, MO. Then on Sept. 6, 1991, an unsealed envelope arrived at the Vinita Park police department. Inside was a flier from the Casa Gallardo with a message stamped in purple ink: "THE BRIDGETON POLICE HAVE L. SHERMAN'S SKULL." No fingerprints were found and since the envelope wasn't sealed no DNA could be extracted. Linda Sherman's dental records were compared to the skull. It was a perfect match. But where was the rest of Linda Sherman? The missing-person case became a homicide investigation.
Now 15 years after Linda Sherman disappeared and 10 years after her skull was found outside the restaurant, Lt. Webb still wonders why Linda's skull was in the bushes of her estranged husband's favorite restaurant. And who sent the letter? Don has been interviewed countless times by investigators and he proclaims his innocence. But her family desperately wants to know what happened to her-and they want to find her killer.
**If you have any information about the death of Linda Lutz Sherman, please contact the Vinita Park Police Department in Vinita Park, MO, or call Unsolved Mysteries at 1-800-876-5353.
Don Sherman and Linda Sue Lutz had been married for 10 years. According to family members, the relationship was a stormy one. They separated and reconciled several times. In the spring of 1985, Linda filed for divorce and was planning to move out. Don said that when Linda returned home from her night job at 2:16 am, she went to sleep on the couch. Although it was usually Linda's job, Don took their daughter Patty to school the next morning. Don said Linda left for work the next evening at 6 p.m. But Linda Sherman never arrived at work that night. Four days later Linda's Volkswagen was found at the airport. Linda's family said Linda would never go anywhere without her daughter, Patty. But Linda was never found.
Five years later, when the skull appeared in the bushes no one made the initial connection between the skull and Linda's disappearance because the remains were found in an adjacent city--Bridgeton, MO. Then on Sept. 6, 1991, an unsealed envelope arrived at the Vinita Park police department. Inside was a flier from the Casa Gallardo with a message stamped in purple ink: "THE BRIDGETON POLICE HAVE L. SHERMAN'S SKULL." No fingerprints were found and since the envelope wasn't sealed no DNA could be extracted. Linda Sherman's dental records were compared to the skull. It was a perfect match. But where was the rest of Linda Sherman? The missing-person case became a homicide investigation.
Now 15 years after Linda Sherman disappeared and 10 years after her skull was found outside the restaurant, Lt. Webb still wonders why Linda's skull was in the bushes of her estranged husband's favorite restaurant. And who sent the letter? Don has been interviewed countless times by investigators and he proclaims his innocence. But her family desperately wants to know what happened to her-and they want to find her killer.
**If you have any information about the death of Linda Lutz Sherman, please contact the Vinita Park Police Department in Vinita Park, MO, or call Unsolved Mysteries at 1-800-876-5353.
In June of 1990, patrons at the Casa Gallardo mexican restaurant in Bridgeton, Missouri noticed a human skull in the bushes. Police found the skull to be of "recent origin" and bore the marking of an adult female. But with no crime to connect it to, the skull was placed on a shelf in the county morgue and largely forgotten.
Don Sherman and Linda Sue Lutz had been married for 10 years. According to family members, the relationship was a stormy one. They separated and reconciled several times. In the spring of 1985, Linda filed for divorce and was planning to move out. Don said that when Linda returned home from her night job at 2:16 am, she went to sleep on the couch. Although it was usually Linda's job, Don took their daughter Patty to school the next morning. Don said Linda left for work the next evening at 6 p.m. But Linda Sherman never arrived at work that night. Four days later Linda's Volkswagen was found at the airport. Linda's family said Linda would never go anywhere without her daughter, Patty. But Linda was never found.
Five years later, when the skull appeared in the bushes no one made the initial connection between the skull and Linda's disappearance because the remains were found in an adjacent city--Bridgeton, MO. Then on Sept. 6, 1991, an unsealed envelope arrived at the Vinita Park police department. Inside was a flier from the Casa Gallardo with a message stamped in purple ink: "THE BRIDGETON POLICE HAVE L. SHERMAN'S SKULL." No fingerprints were found and since the envelope wasn't sealed no DNA could be extracted. Linda Sherman's dental records were compared to the skull. It was a perfect match. But where was the rest of Linda Sherman? The missing-person case became a homicide investigation.
Now 15 years after Linda Sherman disappeared and 10 years after her skull was found outside the restaurant, Lt. Webb still wonders why Linda's skull was in the bushes of her estranged husband's favorite restaurant. And who sent the letter? Don has been interviewed countless times by investigators and he proclaims his innocence. But her family desperately wants to know what happened to her-and they want to find her killer.
**If you have any information about the death of Linda Lutz Sherman, please contact the Vinita Park Police Department in Vinita Park, MO, or call Unsolved Mysteries at 1-800-876-5353.
Don Sherman and Linda Sue Lutz had been married for 10 years. According to family members, the relationship was a stormy one. They separated and reconciled several times. In the spring of 1985, Linda filed for divorce and was planning to move out. Don said that when Linda returned home from her night job at 2:16 am, she went to sleep on the couch. Although it was usually Linda's job, Don took their daughter Patty to school the next morning. Don said Linda left for work the next evening at 6 p.m. But Linda Sherman never arrived at work that night. Four days later Linda's Volkswagen was found at the airport. Linda's family said Linda would never go anywhere without her daughter, Patty. But Linda was never found.
Five years later, when the skull appeared in the bushes no one made the initial connection between the skull and Linda's disappearance because the remains were found in an adjacent city--Bridgeton, MO. Then on Sept. 6, 1991, an unsealed envelope arrived at the Vinita Park police department. Inside was a flier from the Casa Gallardo with a message stamped in purple ink: "THE BRIDGETON POLICE HAVE L. SHERMAN'S SKULL." No fingerprints were found and since the envelope wasn't sealed no DNA could be extracted. Linda Sherman's dental records were compared to the skull. It was a perfect match. But where was the rest of Linda Sherman? The missing-person case became a homicide investigation.
Now 15 years after Linda Sherman disappeared and 10 years after her skull was found outside the restaurant, Lt. Webb still wonders why Linda's skull was in the bushes of her estranged husband's favorite restaurant. And who sent the letter? Don has been interviewed countless times by investigators and he proclaims his innocence. But her family desperately wants to know what happened to her-and they want to find her killer.
**If you have any information about the death of Linda Lutz Sherman, please contact the Vinita Park Police Department in Vinita Park, MO, or call Unsolved Mysteries at 1-800-876-5353.
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