Sherry Lynn Marler

0:00This episode of Voices for Justice is sponsored by Shopify. When I started this podcast, I really did have to figure it out all on my own. Scripts, setup, filming schedule, logos. It was and still can be super overwhelming. When you're starting off with something new, it seems like your to-do list grows every day with new tasks. So finding the right tool that not only helps you out but simplifies everything can be such a game changer. For millions of businesses, that tool is Shopify. Shopify is the commerce platform behind millions of businesses around the world and 10 % of all e-commerce in the US.

0:38They help everyone from huge brands like Mattel and Gymshark to brands just getting started. They truly can help in so many ways, like getting started with your own design studio. They have hundreds of ready-to-use templates to help you build a beautiful online store to match your brand's style. And they can help you get the word out like you have a true marketing team behind you. You can easily create email and social media campaigns wherever your customers are scrolling or strolling. If you're ready to sell, you're ready for Shopify. Turn your big business idea into with Shopify on your side.

1:13Sign up for your$1 per month trial and start selling at shopify.com slash justice. That's shopify.com slash justice. Shopify.com slash justice.

1:28Coca-Cola. For the big. For the small. The short. And the tall. Peacemakers. Risk takers. For the optimists. Pessimists. For long distance love. For introverts. And extroverts. The thinkers. And the doers. For old friends. And new. Coca-Cola. For everyone. Pick up some Coca-Cola at a store near you.

2:25My name is Sarah Turney and this is Voices for Justice.

2:33Today, I'm discussing one of the most infamous and puzzling missing child cases from Alabama, 12-year-old Sherrilyn Marler. Just after the start of summer break in 1984, one morning Sherri tags along with her stepfather Ray to run some errands. He needs to fix a combine and check on some crops before making the about 30-minute drive into the town center of Greenville to go to the bank. While I know I would have certainly skipped this trip in favor of sleeping in, Sherry was excited to go along. She loves farming, and she looked forward to summer break for days just like this, days where she could be out in the fields checking on the crops, seeing what was new in the feed shop on Main Street, and I'm sure a million other tasks farmers have to complete to keep their farms up and running.

3:19All this to say, Sherry was usually really excited to be hanging out with Ray, continuing to learn what it takes to run farms like he does. After fixing the combine and checking on some crops, they make the drive into town. There, Ray parks his truck behind a furniture store, leaves a dollar for Sherry to grab a Coke from the vending machine across the street, and walks into the bank. But 15 minutes later, when Ray walks back to the truck, Sherry is gone. This is the case of Sherry Lynn Marler. On Wednesday, June 6, 1984, Ray Stringfellow wakes up with the sun in Greenville, Alabama. Ray's a farmer, so this is nothing new to him.

3:57Today, he needs to fix a combine and go into town to extend a farm loan at the bank. So he stumbles to the kitchen to make some coffee, tiptoeing past his 12-year-old stepdaughter Sherry, who's asleep on the couch. Ray's sister's in town, so Sherry gave up her room for the night. Around 7 a.m. that morning, Sherry's mother, Betty, leaves for her job as a server at the local Waffle House. She too tiptoes past Sherry, almost waking her up as she leaves. But Sherry, like Ray, loves farming. It's just about a week after school let out for summer break, and while most kids would probably relish in the opportunity to finally sleep in, Sherry was ready to get out to the farm.

4:34As she hears Ray's truck backing out of their driveway, she comes running out of the house, shoes in hand, asking if she can come with. This was nothing new. Sherry was basically Ray's shadow. According to Betty, she went with Ray everywhere she could, especially when it involved being active on one of the farms Ray maintained. So early that morning, Ray and Sherry spent some time fixing the combine and checking on some crops. By 9.30, they're in town so Ray can go to the bank. Ray says that at this point, Sherry was pretty much covered in dust and didn't want to go into the bank. So as he gets out of his truck, he puts a dollar bill on the seat for Sherry to grab a Coke at the vending machine at the gas station across the street.

5:13About 15 minutes later, Ray returns to the truck, but Sherry isn't there. While Ray is a little irritated by this, he's sure Sherry was probably in one of the nearby stores just looking around, or maybe ran into someone she knew. So he waits about another 15 minutes, but Sherry doesn't come back to the truck. This isn't like Sherry. Not only was she Ray's little shadow, but she was also just a good kid who wouldn't wander off and cause him to worry like that. So, he goes into the gas station where she would have gotten the soda. She's not there either. He asks the attendant if they saw Sherry, and they say no.

5:51Next, he checks the feed store. No Sherry. After looking around town, Ray finds a payphone and calls the Waffle House where Betty is working, thinking maybe Sherry stopped in for a meal. But again, no Sherry. So, Ray decides it's time to call the police, and Sherry was officially reported missing to the Greenville Police Department at 11.46 a.m. Now, Greenville, Alabama is a very small town. I looked up the population in 1984 when Sherry went missing, and it stayed almost right at 8 ,000 since the 1980s. And the thing is, the Greenville PD has never worked a case like this before. Captain Thomas L.

6:29Touchin told the Birmingham Post-Herald, quote, this is the only disappearance from Greenville in my entire life, end quote. Not just his career, his entire life. Now, I don't think we can blame this police department for never having worked a case like this before. It's definitely a blessing for the community that they haven't had any other children go missing like Sherry. But I think it's important to acknowledge that this is their first major case of a kid going missing in Greenville. That being said, it seems like what they lacked in experience, they made up for in enthusiasm. The search for Sherry was huge.

7:05The Greenville PD partners with the Butler County Sheriff's Office to conduct searches on farmlands, in the woods, and apparently close to 25 miles of swampland. Sherry's biological father, Ralph Marler, also traveled to Greenville to help with the search. They had dogs, a plane, volunteers, and a ton of local community members calling in tips. And the Greenville PD followed them, no matter how slim the chance of them panning out seemed to be. One woman called to say she had a dream about where Sherry was buried, and they went to the spot and dug up 300 acres looking for her. A dove hunter saw buzzards over an abandoned well, and without hesitation, law enforcement dug through the well, only to find a bunch of dead snakes.

7:49They also put out ads in newspapers, took her picture to local TV stations, and her flyer was at truck stops across the country. Of course, while the search and these efforts were happening, law enforcement began interviewing Sherry's friends and family, as well as the people that were in town the day she went missing. And after interviewing shopkeepers, the gas station attendant, the feed shop worker, the bank teller that helped Ray, and basically anyone else who was in town on the morning of June 6th, the police discover that not a single person saw Sherry in town on the day she went missing.

8:24This episode of Voices for Justice is sponsored by Chewy. When I think about the holidays, I think about tiny moments with my dogs. The ones that really make the season bright. And that's why I'm joining Chewy Claws, who's out here making pet wishes come true. It's a really cool program. From November 4th to December 24th, share your pet's wish at chewy.com slash chewyclaws. It could actually become real, but I think the best part is that it helps others too. Each wish triggers a donation of five meals to shelters and rescues across the country. And if you submit through the Chewy app, they'll double the donation.

9:00Again, pet parents can send their wishes to Chewy.com slash Chewy Claws and it might come true. And each wish means five meals get donated to pets in need. I've been using Chewy for years. You guys know that I've been on their auto ship feature for a very long time. But I also just picked up Heber and Popcorn's holiday gifts. And honestly, this program makes me even more sure of my choice to use Chewy. Not only do they have everything that my dogs need, but it feels great to know that they're helping other pets as well. Every pet deserves a wish come true. Send your pet's wish to Chewy.com slash Chewy Claws and it might become a reality.

9:37Plus, your wish means Chewy will donate five meals to pets in need.

9:45This episode is brought to you by Jack Daniels. Jack Daniels and music are made for each other. They share a rhythm in the craft of making something timeless, while being a part of legendary nights, from backyard jams to sold-out arenas. There's a song in every toast. Please drink responsibly. Responsibility.org. Jack Daniels and Old Number 7 are registered trademarks. Tennessee Whiskey, 40 % alcohol by volume. Jack Daniel Distillery, Lynchburg, Tennessee. As the news about 12-year-old Sherry Lynn Marler's disappearance spread through the small town of Greenville, Alabama, it seemed like everyone had a theory about what may have happened to her.

10:19She was taken by a stranger. She ran away. But many residents kept going back to the person who last saw her that day, her stepfather, Ray Stringfellow. A resident of Greenville who asked to remain anonymous told the media, quote, That little girl never made it into town, or else I would have seen her. Wherever she's at, she's dead. End quote. Once word began to spread that both Ray and Betty refused to take polygraph tests, these rumors only got worse. However, while all these rumors were going around town, Ray and Betty were actively working on getting attention and resources for Sherry's case.

10:57About a month after Sherry went missing, Ray contacts the agency Child Find. This is an agency that helps search for missing children across the U.S. They connect Ray with the D. Schofield Center in Tampa, Florida, and together they get Sherry's face on billboards, posters, and labels across the U.S. This generates a ton of leads, mostly sightings of Sherry from all over the country. Three different witnesses came forward to report a sighting of Sherry in the St. Stephen's area. This is about two hours away, and what they report is just heartbreaking. All three witnesses report that Sherry seemed disheveled and dazed, but what really made my heart drop more than that was that all three witnesses report seeing Sherry with what appears to be the same middle-aged man.

11:42They say he was about 50 years old, 5 feet 8 inches tall with a husky build. Normally, I don't put a ton of emphasis on one-off sightings of the missing. We know that there are just so many factors that could impact these things, but for three different people to say they saw Sherry looking disheveled in the same area with the same man, that sounds pretty credible to me. And of course, investigators run to St. Stephen's to track down this lead, but they come up short. If Sherry was there with that man, it seems that they're gone now or hiding. There were, of course, other leads too. People say they saw Sherry at a truck stop in Dubuque, Iowa, where again she was looking disheveled and scared.

12:23People say they saw Sherry in New Orleans, Meridian, Massachusetts, at a discotheque in Birmingham, and more. But again, none of these sightings panned out. In October 1984, just a few months after Sherry went missing, the Greenville police chief at the time, Kenneth Flowers, told the Montgomery advertiser, quote, It's the most baffling case in my 11-year career in law enforcement. End quote. He says at this point they are still getting tidbits of information, but nothing major. They still have people dropping in the station almost every day to ask if Sherry has been found, though. They feel the pressure.

12:59But even after asking the FBI to assist, they hand the case back to Greenville shortly after. And the case just sits, while the town continues to discuss what could have happened to Sherry, which of course affects her family. In 1985, her older brother Larry dropped out of the 10th grade, in part because he just couldn't handle all the talk about her. But then they get some very exciting news. The television program Missing Have You Seen This Person wants to feature Sherry's case. The show was hosted by Meredith Baxter Burney, who was pretty famous for her acting roles in Bridget Loves Burney, Standing Room Only, Family Ties, and more.

13:38After this, she would even go on to win an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress for her work in A Woman Scorned, The Betty Broderick Story. All this to say she was kind of a big deal. On top of her just being a big draw for the program, it was also created by Cosgrove Mirror Productions. This is the same company that would later launch Unsolved Mysteries a year later. In fact, many people believe missing Have You Seen This Person was a prototype for Unsolved Mysteries. But really, being on any TV show in the 80s was a huge deal. In April 1985, the episode airs, while Sherry's mother, stepfather, sister, brother, step-grandmother, great-aunt, and their family pastor gathered around the TV to watch.

14:20I can't tell you what Sherry's family was feeling at that moment, but I can say that while features like this are so exciting and spark a lot of hope, they're usually really hard to watch. When Betty sees the actress that played Sherry in the show, she begins to sob. Larry also admits that he had to look away from the TV at times. It was just too much. Betty would later say, quote, We hope to get something in the next 24 hours. You try not to get excited because it's like being on an emotional roller coaster. End quote. Luckily, the show did generate a lot of leads, mostly more sightings of Sherry.

14:57In the show, they featured a composite sketch of the man believed to be seen with Sherry. A caller from Boston says she recognized the man. There were also two new leads putting Sherry near Memphis, Tennessee, which the police called promising. Another put Sherry on an oil rig with a man in Louisiana. Unfortunately, none of these leads have led them to finding Sherry. As much as it pains me to say this, this is basically where Sherry's case is today. The show aired, generated some leads and sightings, but none led to finding Sherry. The family would soon express frustration about the lack of communication from the Greenville Police Department.

15:34The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children did provide age-progressed photos of Sherry that have been shared in several newspapers across the country, and her family continued to advocate for her and other families in similar situations. In 2013, Betty held a balloon release for Sherry on Main Street near where she was last seen. She said, quote, I guess basically what I'm looking for are some answers so I can get some closure, end quote. In 2015, Betty and Larry attended a prayer vigil for missing children and victims of violent crime. In that same year, she was at Alabama's first Missing Person Day event in Montgomery.

16:11This event was held for law enforcement and families of the missing to learn more about how they can advocate in these cases, including how to submit DNA. So her family has continued to be extremely active in advocating for her. But again, as far as credible updates, that's basically where the case is today. So what happened to Sherry Lynn Marler? Well, I don't think we have evidence here to suggest she ran away. I wasn't able to find any credible motive for her wanting to leave her life or her family. Also, she didn't take anything with her. And if she were planning on running away, why go to town with Ray?

16:48Why not wait for Ray and her mother to get out of the house, for her aunt to get out of her room, pack some stuff, and then leave? Also, it's worth noting here that Sherry was excited about her plans later that day. She wanted to watch her favorite soap opera and spend some time with her grandma. And investigators never found any indication that Sherry's name or social security number have ever been used. Like I said, I just don't think we have much here to suggest that Sherry left on her own accord. Now, we do know that investigators do believe that foul play was involved, which leaves us with a few different scenarios.

17:24One, Sherry was taken or harmed by a complete stranger in town. While many locals believe anyone from out of town would have stuck out like a sore thumb, something like that could have happened really quickly. I mean, let's say Sherry walked to the vending machine. Someone drove up, said, hey, can you help me find my dog? Maybe they asked for directions. they could have gotten Sherry close to their vehicle, grabbed her, and driven off in under a minute. We saw something similar in the case of Kara Chamberlain Robinson. However, Greenville Police Chief Lonzo Ingram disagrees, telling the Montgomery Advertiser, quote, I have a hard time believing that she was snatched off the street by a perfect stranger in Greenville.

18:03This is not like Birmingham or any other big city. If you was to see someone you didn't know, you'd find out quick who it is, end quote. The next possibility is that Sherry was taken or harmed by someone she knew, someone she would have gone with without another thought. Of course, that is a possibility, but who that person could be is hard to say. The only person I've really seen considered in this theory is Sherry's stepfather, Ray. Now, without anyone else seeing Sherry in town that day, I do understand these suspicions. No one else can confirm Ray's story but Ray. Ray did pass away in 2003.

18:39According to Betty, before he did, he told her, quote, Betty, I wish I could go get Sherry and bring her home to you, but I can't because I don't know where she is, end quote. From everything I found, Ray continued fighting for Sherry until his death and loved her like she was his own. So take that for what you will. There is one last theory that I want to touch on. I found this on the Sherry Lynn Marler Still Missing Facebook page. I do want to preface this by saying that her family does not run that page, and I can't confirm that any of this is true. While this has been reported on by some in the media, I wasn't able to find any major outlets running with the story, or even a mention of it by law enforcement, so take all this with a huge grain of salt.

19:25But with how little we know about Sherry's case, I think it's worth looking into. And according to at least one person involved, the Greenville Police Department did too. My name is Percy Jackson. Getting in trouble is like breathing for me. The hit series returns to Disney Plus and Hulu. The danger the camp is under is greater than you can possibly imagine. For the key to our survival, three of you must quest to the sea of monsters. Let's go do the impossible. I'm not going to let some stupid monsters stand in my way. Percy Jackson and the Olympians. New season now on Disney Plus and Hulu. Learn more at DisneyPlus.com slash What's On.

20:06This episode is brought to you by eBay. Before all the algorithm fed blah and the endless sea of dupes, shopping used to feel more fun. Find that feeling again on eBay. It's not mindless scrolling. It's a fashion pursuit. And when you score that rare Adidas collab or the Dior saddlebag you've been manifesting, it's a rush. eBay has millions of preloved finds from hundreds of brands backed by authenticity guarantee. eBay, things people love. On November 25th, 2019, a woman named Cindy Severance Galloway made a very long post about what she believes is a breakthrough in the case. She says, quote, This has been a 10-year journey for us, one that involves thousands of hours of research, documentation, phone calls, years of spending sometimes four to five days in a row from sun up to sundown up to our necks in mud, exhausted with our hands bleeding with blisters, digging with shovels through impossible pine tree roots and under piles of concrete slabs, working with cadaver dog teams, spending thousands of dollars on digging equipment and underwater camera systems to search old wells that could have caved in on us at any given time, walking and mapping wooded areas until we thought we'd have to lay down and sleep because we were so tired.

21:26Our work has paid off, but not well enough to get her hands on what's left of her, or give her a proper burial and put an end to this horrible thing that happened to Sherry in 1984, end quote. This is a very long post, but Cindy goes on to say that while many of their sources are extremely credible, they are unwilling to, quote, publicly expose themselves, end quote. Then she presents their findings. She says they believe Sherry was murdered and dismembered by someone she knew and thrown into a hog pen in Butler County. Cindy specifically mentions that person was not her stepfather Ray. Cindy goes into a theory about Sherry possibly being pregnant and a quote multiple family-based incest pedophilia ring end quote.

22:13Cindy states that she has video evidence of two different teams of cadaver dogs hitting on human remains. She says that in the spring of 2018, she and her team began investigating an area they believed used to be a hog farm. Here, Cindy dug up what appeared to be an old concrete feeding trough, as well as a, quote, pair of child's pants that had large, dark, splotchy stains, end quote. Cindy claims the pants were tested by the Greenville Police Department, who later told her no DNA could be extracted for testing. Cindy says she and her team were eventually able to find the family who owned the land and the hog farm previously.

22:50One member of the family allowed her to look through old photos, and she found evidence of this hog farm existing. In one photo, Cindy says she and several others believe they see, quote, a severed human head, not the whole head, not a decomposed head or a skull on the ground below a young hog, eyes and mouth wide open, hair still in place on the head. End quote. Cindy goes on to state that the Greenville Police Department was present while cadaver dogs hit on the exact location she believes the old hog farm was in. She says the Greenville PD took possession of the photo from the original owner and turned it over to the FBI.

23:32But she says in May 2018, she's been told repeatedly that no one has ever heard of, seen, or received the photo at the FBI, nor has law enforcement reached back out to discuss the photo. So she went to Facebook with this story and these photos. This post has over a thousand likes and over 2 ,000 shares. In the comments, many people say they see what Cindy sees. They see a human head next to this hog. The photos are old, and obviously the resolution isn't that great. Honestly, I could argue it either way. Because of the possibility of this picture containing real human remains, I will not be sharing it.

24:11While I can't vouch for Cindy and her work on this case, this felt like more than just random internet sleuths presenting theories. If the Greenville PD really did get involved, I think it's worth talking about. That brings me right to our call to action. Please share Sherry's story. Obviously, I don't know what happened to Sherry Lynn Marler. All I can hope is that the Greenville PD investigated this, and is getting closer to getting justice for Sherry, because cases like hers are being solved what feels like every single day right now. There is hope. Sherrilyn Marler was only 12 years old when she went missing, but at that time she was 5 feet 4 inches tall and weighed 120 pounds.

24:55She has brown hair and brown eyes. Sherri also has a 2-inch scar on her stomach and a wide 1-inch scar on her upper back near her shoulder. She was last seen wearing a red plaid flannel shirt, jeans, gray sneakers with Velcro fastens, and a watch with a black band. If you have any information about Sherry's case, please call the Greenville Police Department at 334-382-7461. But as always, thank you, I love you, and I'll talk to you next time.