MURDER
CASE #: 1967-5
Mary Faye Hunter
Status:
Open
Date of Offense:
Date of Offense:
Jurisdiction:
Decatur Police Department Alabama Bureau Of Investigation Dispute Over Jurisdiction (AL)
Offense Location:
Decatur, Alabama
Summary:
Mary Faye Hunter was a 34-year-old Decatur resident who worked as a secretary at Redstone Arsenal and played the piano at her Methodist Church. On May 6, 1967, Mary Faye left her parents' home on 8th Avenue in southeast Decatur, and five months later, on Oct. 14, 1967, two young girls found Hunter's remains near Flint Creek. No one was ever arrested for her murder. No suspects were ever publicly identified.
Vital Statistics
Circumstances of Offense:
It was raining on Saturday, May 6, 1967, when she left home for an appointment at the House of Beauty, a salon on Grant Street Southeast. She left the salon at about 11:30 a.m., and witnesses reported seeing her at a grocery store on Johnston Street before noon. Her parents reported her missing shortly after 1 p.m. Five months later, on Oct. 14, a woman fishing in Flint Creek between Decatur and Hartselle found Hunter's skeletal remains. According to newspaper reports, state officials told a coroner's jury that Hunter had been sexually molested or assaulted.
Additional Details:
Five days after her disappearance—on May 11th, 1967—an article published in the local Alabama Courier displayed a picture of Mary Faye Hunter. The news bulletin underneath stated that there was a $2000 reward for information that led to Mary's safe return home. Despite retiring from the Alabama Bureau of Investigation in 1988, retired state investigator Bob Hancock had continued to work on the case in his free time, and had carried on by accumulating leads. Hancock had been the lead investigator in the Mary Faye Hunter disappearance and death in 1967. Decatur police say it's a state case, and state investigators say it's Decatur PD's. The case remains unsolved. It's not clear where the case files are, if they still even exist 52 years later.
Case Last Updated:
Timeline of Events
Funeral services for Mary Faye, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Webb Hunter, 811 Eighth St. SE, included an opening hymn "Have Faith In God" by the youth choir for whom she had often played the piano.
On October 14, 1967, Mr. and Mrs. Dewey Houser took granddaughters, Kim (age 6) and Connie (age 4), fishing at Flint Creek in Decatur, Alabama. Two young girls found Hunter's remains near Flint Creek.
Five days after her disappearance—on May 11th, 1967—an article published in the local Alabama Courier displayed a picture of Mary Faye Hunter. The news bulletin underneath stated that there was a $2000 reward for information that led to Mary's safe return home.
Her parents reported her missing shortly after 1 p.m.
Multiple witnesses saw her at an A&P grocery store on Johnston Street just before noon.
She then left the salon at around 11:30 AM, and headed up another block towards Decatur.
May 6th, 1967, was described as a "rainy Saturday" in the town of Decatur, Alabama. Mary Faye Hunter left her family's home, which was on the 800 block of 8th Avenue SE, and headed off on-foot towards the House of Beauty, a hair salon on Grant Street SE. Mary had an appointment there this morning, and didn't want to be late. She did make it there on-time, and was able to get her hair styled.
Associated Persons
Webb H. (Father) - Deceased
H. (Mother) - Deceased
Brad G. (Distant cousin) - Living
Bob H. (Lead investigator) - Deceased
James H. (Nephew) - Living
Case Content Disclaimer: The details on this case page are sourced from numerous locations to include family, friends, news postings and government public releases. Solve the Case, Inc. does not guarantee the accuracy of any content as case pages are living documents that frequently update as case details expand.
