Lynn M. Burdick

Status:

Open

Jurisdiction:

Berkshire County Sheriffs Department (MA)

Missing From:

Florida, MA

Summary:

On April 17, 1982, 18-year-old Lynn Burdick was working at her cousin’s country store, the Barefoot Peddlar, when she vanished between the hours of 8:00 p.m. and 8:45 p.m. There was no evidence of a struggle. $187 was missing from the cash register, however a sum of money which was underneath the counter remained untouched. Police suspect foul play because there is no indication that Lynn would have run away. Lynn has never been found.

Vital Statistics

Circumstances of Disappearance:

Lynn Burdick was working alone at The Barefoot Peddlar country store on the evening of April 17, 1982. She spoke to her cousin and co-owner of the store, Sue, at 7:55 p.m. and ended the call when a customer entered the store. Her brother, Brian, called the store around 8:30 p.m., however Lynn didn’t answer the phone.  Around 8:40 p.m., a customer entered the store to find it empty. They notified Lynn’s parents who then called the police. A book Lynn had been reading and a soda she’d been drinking were undisturbed on the counter. Her purse and McCann Vocational Technical High School jacket were missing as was $187 from the store register. Money that was kept below the counter was not taken. In 1982, Florida, Massachusetts had a population of roughly 700 people. The Barefoot Peddlar was located on the intersection of Route 2 (Mohawk Trail) and Central Shaft Road, just a few hundred yards from the Burdick family home. It was one of the only convenience stores in the area.  Investigators believe Lynn’s disappearance may be linked to an attempted kidnapping 13 miles away on the Williams College campus in Williamstown, MA. The attempted kidnapping occurred at around 7:50 p.m. when the suspect tried to force a woman into his car. The vehicle seen in the abduction attempt was observed traveling eastbound on Route 2 at a high rate of speed toward Florida, MA, immediately after the attack. The suspect was described as a 5’7” pudgy and pot-bellied white male in his mid-thirties with brown, mid-ear length hair parted to one side. He was wearing a plaid shirt and blue or tan pants. He was clean-shaven and not wearing glasses. The car was described as a dark Ford sedan. The suspect, who may have ties to Vermont, would now be approximately 72 years of age. Exhaustive ground and air searches of Florida and nearby towns, including Deerfield River and its banks, failed to uncover any trace of Lynn.

Additional Details:

On the afternoon of April 17, 1982, Lynn attended a small gathering at a local bar with her brother Brian and his wife, Bernadette. Brian then drove Lynn to the Barefoot Peddlar to start her shift. Investigators ask that anyone with information contact the Berkshire State Police Detective Unit at 413-499-1112 or email the Massachusetts State Police Unresolved Case Unit at mspunresolved@pol.state.ma.us.

Case Last Updated:

Oct 17, 2024