MISSING PERSON
CASE #: 1974-8
Mary Rachel Trlica
Also Known As:
Mary Rachel Arnold
Status:
Open
Date of Last Contact:
Date of Last Contact:
Jurisdiction:
Missing From:
Fort Worth, Texas
Summary:
The Fort Worth Missing Trio - Mary Rachel Trlica, Lisa Renee Wilson and Julie Ann Moseley - went missing while shopping at the Seminary South Shopping Center on December 23, 1974. The car the girls had been driving in was later found in the parking lot of the shopping center, but the three girls haven’t been seen since. Mary Rachel Trlica went by her middle name, Rachel. Rachel was 17 at the time she went missing, she attended high school at Southwest High School in Fort Worth.
Vital Statistics
Circumstances of Disappearance:
Rachel asked her friend, Lisa Renee Wilson, to go shopping with her at the mall. The girls allowed, Julie Ann Moseley, to go with them. Julie’s older brother, Terry, was dating Lisa Renee Wilson at the time. The girls left around 10:45AM to go to the Army/Navy Store to pickup Christmas presents that were on layaway. They headed to the Seminary South Shopping Center and parked Rachel’s vehicle on the upper parking level near Sears. Witnesses told police they had seen the girls in the mall that day. Police believe the girls returned to the car at some point that afternoon, but unsure of what happened to them after. Rachel’s Oldsmobile was found around 6:00PM in the parking lot, locked and with the presents in the car. One witness said they saw three girls being “hustled” into a pickup truck by unidentified men. Another witness said he saw a girl being forced into a van. Another witness said they saw the three girls in a pickup truck with a young male security guard around 11:30PM on the day they went missing. None of the stories have been verified. A letter arrived at the Trlica residence a few days later, postmarked December 24, 1974, the day after the girls went missing. It was addressed to "Thomas A. Trlica" and the name "Rachel" was written in the upper left corner of the envelope. The letter stated, "I know I'm going to catch it, but we just had to get away. We're going to Houston {Texas}. See you in about a week. The car is in Sear's {sic} upper lot. Love Rachel." Rachel’s mom and husband never believed that she had written the letter. Police officials have said that they now believe the girls left the mall with an individual that they trusted and were harmed afterwards. Their cases remain unsolved
Additional Details:
Although Rachel was still in high school, she was married for about six months to her husband, Thomas (Tommy) Trlica,
Case Last Updated:
Timeline of Events
Letter sent to Rachel's Husband: they had to leave Fort Worth for Houston, but would be back in a week. It also gave directions to where he could pick up her car.
They left the morning of December 23rd, 1974. They were headed to Seminary South Shopping Center. Rachel parked her Oldsmobile on an east lot near the Sears store. It is now known as La Gran Plaza
Associated Persons
Frances "Fran" L. (Mother) - Living
Lisa Renee W. (Friend) - Living
Julie Ann M. (Friend) - Living
Cotton A. (Father) - Living
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