Overview of MURDERED: Joyce LePage
This Crime Junkie episode from Audiochuck examines the 1971 disappearance and murder of Joyce LePage, a 21-year-old Washington State University student whose case has remained unsolved for more than 50 years. The investigation began with a bizarre clue — a large square of carpet cut from Stevens Hall — and eventually led to Joyce’s remains being found in a remote canyon months later, wrapped in the same green carpet. Ashley Flowers and Britt walk through the timeline, the physical evidence, and the major suspects that have remained plausible over the decades.
What Happened to Joyce LePage
The last confirmed sighting
- On Thursday, July 22, 1971, Joyce spent the evening with friends:
- Hal Wood and his girlfriend Patty
- They went to a skydiving lesson and later shared beer at a tavern in Moscow, Idaho
- Around 10 p.m., they dropped Joyce off at her apartment, and she was reportedly still there when they left.
- This is the last confirmed sighting of Joyce alive.
The strange disappearance
- Joyce did not show up for:
- German class
- A skydiving lesson the next day
- Plans for a dance with Mike Finch
- A weekend trip home for the Water Follies and a doctor’s appointment
- Her family grew worried after she failed to appear at home or answer calls.
The carpet clue
- On July 23, custodial staff at Stevens Hall reported that a 5x5-foot section of green carpet had been cut from the lobby floor.
- In the building, police also found:
- Joyce’s purse
- A German textbook
- Letters between Joyce and her boyfriend David Arthur (who was in South Africa)
- This tied Joyce to the building and suggested she had been there recently.
Joyce’s car
- When Joyce was officially reported missing on August 2, her 1966 Dodge Coronet was located on Opal Street near a fraternity house.
- People at the house said it had been parked there for about a week.
- The car was processed, but investigators found little of value, and it was eventually returned to her family.
Her remains
- In April 1972, a teenager and his mother found human remains in Hawaii Canyon.
- Deputies had to rappel down a steep area to recover the body.
- The remains were identified as Joyce through dental records.
- She was found:
- Wrapped in the missing green carpet
- Covered with blankets, including a U.S. Army Medical Corps blanket
- With evidence suggesting possible stabbing
- With no blood found on the carpet or blankets
- With women’s underwear that had been cut and some fishing line/twine around the pelvis
Main Suspects and Theories
1. Mike Finch
A former boyfriend and teacher who remained one of the longest-running suspects.
Why he stood out:
- Joyce had dated him on and off
- He was supposed to spend time with her around the same weekend she disappeared
- He had a military background, which mattered because Joyce was found wrapped in an Army blanket
- He had a reputation for heavy drinking and foul behavior when drunk
What made him suspicious:
- His timeline shifted over time
- Some details about when he called Joyce, when he went to Pasco, and whether he drove by her apartment don’t line up cleanly
- He initially refused a polygraph, which increased suspicion
Why he was later discounted:
- In 2013, he was re-interviewed and passed a polygraph
- Investigators today mostly consider him cleared
2. Ted Bundy
Bundy’s name later surfaced because:
- He was active in the Pacific Northwest
- A tip claimed he may have been on WSU’s campus around that time
- His typical victim profile overlapped with Joyce’s
Why the episode treats this as unlikely:
- There’s no hard proof he was there
- Bundy denied involvement before his execution
- Investigators think the killer was more likely someone Joyce knew
3. Robert Lauren Johnson
A contractor working on campus who became a suspect in the carpet theft and possibly the murder.
Why he mattered:
- He worked late near Stevens Hall on the night Joyce disappeared
- His car was seen near the building
- There were rumors that a contractor had been involved with a girl from Stevens Hall that summer
- Joyce had been secretly staying in the dorm, meaning someone on site could have known about her
Why he remains only a theory:
- He passed a polygraph
- No strong motive or direct evidence tied him to the crime
- He died a few years later
Key Takeaways
- Joyce’s case is unusual because the disappearance, the missing carpet, the abandoned car, and the later discovery of her body all point to different possible crime scenes and suspects.
- The investigation suggests Joyce may have been targeted by someone who:
- Knew her routines
- Knew where she was staying
- Had access to Stevens Hall or knew how to get in
- The biggest unanswered questions remain:
- Where was Joyce killed?
- Who moved her car?
- Who cut the carpet out of Stevens Hall?
- Which suspect, if any, had the opportunity to do all of it?
Where the Episode Leaves Off
This episode is part one of a larger story. It closes by saying there are still six viable theories and teases the next installment, which will explore another major lead involving a meditation group Joyce was about to join.