The Mechanic's Daughter

Eva Debruhl was born May 25, 1962 and disappeared from her home in Catawba, South Carolina on June 29, 1977 when she was 15 years old.  Her father, Willard, was an auto mechanic.  Her mother, Opal, was a third shift mill worker.   

The day that Eva disappeared was hot.  The last time her father, Willard, saw her was when he was leaving the home around 11:00AM to deal with a defective transmission and Eva was mowing the lawn of their home.  His wife, Opal, was asleep as she was a third shift mill worker.  Sometime between 11:00AM and 3:00PM (the time varies as some articles say between 11:00 and 3:00, while other articles state it was around noon) Opal Debruhl noticed her daughter missing.

Her flip flops were still in the yard and a Coca-Cola bottle, that had not been there earlier that morning, was in the Debruhl’s driveway.

There were no clothes missing from Eva’s closet.  Her pocketbook which held money from various babysitting jobs was still at the home.  The TV was left on and the chair in front of the TV was still in a reclining position.  

And there was a glass of iced tea, untouched, in the kitchen.

The only possible clue to Eva’s disappearance was from her grandmother, Eva R. Maree, who lived next door to the Debruhl’s.  Mrs. Maree said that she saw either a blue and white or green and white, four wheel drive vehicle out front of the Debruhl’s home.  She saw a man get out of the vehicle and walk up to the front door.  It looked like he was talking to someone, believed to be Eva Debruhl.  This was not unusual as Willard Debruhl was a mechanic and people were often seen coming and going from the home.  Mrs. Maree saw the man get back in the vehicle and leave, but it returned fifteen minutes later.  Mrs. Maree was unable to verify whether or not Eva got into the vehicle and she did not hear any sort of commotion.

Law enforcement in York County and adjoining counties in South Carolina and North Carolina searched for Eva Debruhl, but were unable to locate her.   Willard and Opal Debruhl never stopped searching for Eva.  Willard Debruhl quit his job so he could spend his time looking for her.  And the couple sold their home because of the memories and used the money to continue searching for their lost daughter.  Even paying supposed psychics for information on Eva’s whereabouts.  The Debruhl’s went through two vehicles and nine states following leads that might lead to Eva, but they never went anywhere.  

Early on after Eva’s disappearance a man named Daniel Boulware was arrested for blackmail in regards to the case.  He had called the Sherriff’s office numerous times demanding $2,000 or he was going to harm Eva.  When he was arrested, Boulware’s home was searched and no evidence was ever found that he had any connection to what happened to Eva Debruhl.

On June 2, 1978 the remains of a female were found in Lumberton, North Carolina.  At the time, forensically, she was considered to be a match to Eva Debruhl.  However, after dental records were examined more thoroughly, it was determined that it was not Eva.  The remains of female found in Lumberton, North Carolina remain unidentified to this day.  

In 1984, it was believed that Henry Lee Lucas had killed Eva Debruhl.  Lucas had confessed to picking up a girl in the York County area, around the time that Eva had gone missing, and dumping her body in a wooded area off of U.S. 21 which was only a few miles from the Eva Debruhl’s home.  Investigators that had gone to Texas to interview Lucas stated they showed Lucas a S.C. map and he pointed to an area about six miles south from the Debruhl home.  After law enforcement interviewed Henry Lee Lucas, they began searching wooded areas south of Catawba, South Carolina where Eva Debruhl had gone missing from, including the state park.  Nothing was ever found.  Eventually, it was determined that Henry Lee Lucas was probably lying about being involved in Eva Debruhl’s disappearance.  Due to his initial poor treatment in prison, Henry Lee Lucas went on a false confession spree, which allowed for 213 murders to be “cleared.”  When he started confessing, Henry Lee Lucas was given preferential treatment, more so than any prisoner had ever had, such as never being handcuffed and being taken to restaurants.  The more he confessed, the better his treatment.  It was eventually discovered that Henry Lee Lucas was not responsible for many of the murders he had confessed to.  At least 20 of them he was cleared of through DNA.

Eva has never been found.  

Willard and Opal Debruhl suffered a lot of tragedies in their life.    They had seven children, but only two are living.  They had a son who was still born and a son who only lived eight days after birth.  One daughter died at four months old due to a heart defect.  Another son who was killed by drunk driver at the age of 13.  And there was Eva, who disappeared in 1977. 

In 1997, Willard Debruhl passed away, heartbroken that he was never able to find Eva.  Opal Debruhl and Eva’s two sisters, Tami and Elaine, are still alive and have not stopped trying to figure out what happened on the hot summer day when Eva Debruhl vanished.  

I have to wonder if the answer lies with that Coca Cola bottle.  Some articles state that it was never inspected for fingerprints.  With today’s technology, if it was properly handled in 1977, could whoever took Eva Debruhl have left their DNA on that bottle?

M.