Overview of MURDERED: Joyce LePage Part 2
This episode continues the investigation into the 1971 disappearance and murder of Joyce LePage, a Washington State University student whose body was later found and whose case remains unsolved 55 years later. Ashley Flowers and Britt walk through three additional theories centered on people in Joyce’s orbit: her meditation group, her roommate Bruce, and student Steve Solley. The episode highlights strange timeline inconsistencies, concerning statements from witnesses, and several pieces of circumstantial evidence that keep each suspect in play.
Main Theories Explored
1) The meditation group theory
Joyce was involved with the Student International Meditation Society (SIMS), which practiced transcendental meditation. Police focused on three people tied to the group:
- Mike and Celeste Lindbergh, the married couple who led SIMS
- Mark Wadley, their roommate
Why they stood out:
- Their house was only a few houses from where Joyce’s car was found.
- Joyce was planning to move in with them later that semester.
- Mark answered police questions oddly and seemed nervous.
- Mike drove past the house while officers were there, then returned only after they left.
Notable details:
- Mike said Joyce had dinner with him, Celeste, and Mark shortly before she vanished.
- He suggested Mark may have been attracted to Joyce, though Mark denied asking her out.
- Polygraphs were inconclusive but did not fully clear Mark.
- Joyce’s own handwritten letter mentions Mark had once been in a mental institution for trying to strangle people and may have informed on a drug bust.
- Another witness, Kay Garrison, said Joyce seemed pale, thin, and worried shortly before she disappeared and hinted Joyce was afraid she might reveal something dangerous.
2) The roommate Bruce theory
Bruce Beerbom, Joyce’s roommate, initially appeared to be just a witness. But over time he became the central modern suspect.
Why he matters:
- Joyce had been planning to move out and avoid living with him.
- Her car keys were found in the apartment they shared.
- Bruce gave investigators shifting stories about when he last saw Joyce.
- In his first statement, he said he saw her asleep on the couch on the morning of July 23.
- In a later letter to Joyce’s father, he said the last time he saw her was Thursday night before skydiving.
Strange details:
- Bruce’s letter described Joyce’s routine in a way that felt unusually detached and included a request for money for shared expenses.
- Joyce’s friend Jan later found:
- a broken blue vase on top of the refrigerator
- a missing distinctive coat rack
- One of Bruce’s ex-wives reportedly told police she believed he killed Joyce.
- A family member said Bruce once wrote a poem about a dead girl in a river.
Modern developments:
- Sheriff Brett Myers reportedly views Bruce as the primary focus now.
- Bruce has refused recent interview requests and would not take a polygraph.
- His later history includes:
- a 2014 domestic battery charge
- veterinary board discipline for giving animal medication to his children on multiple occasions
3) The Steve Solley theory
Steve Solley appears in Joyce’s letters and police interviews as another person of interest.
Why he drew attention:
- Joyce wrote that Steve was “unstable” and “moody.”
- She also wrote that he was directing a communications class where she helped with filming commercials.
- Steve turned in Joyce’s typewriter to police in August 1971.
- He told police he last saw her on July 21.
- A tipster later claimed Joyce looked distressed while talking with Steve on campus shortly before she disappeared.
Additional concerns:
- Bruce told police Joyce had dated Steve, and that Steve had said Joyce was “the source of all his troubles.”
- Steve quit school and moved back to New York later in 1971.
- When police interviewed him years later, he denied dating Joyce and said he left school because he ran out of money.
- He agreed to a polygraph, and officers seemed to believe him, but the actual test isn’t in the file.
Key Evidence and Timeline Issues
Important timeline conflicts
- Joyce’s car was found near Stevens Hall, but the exact reason it was there remains unclear.
- A neighbor claimed he saw Joyce leave on July 23 with two long-haired men, but that conflicts with the broader timeline.
- Joyce told friends she was trying to move her belongings out of Stevens Hall and planned to retrieve more the next morning.
- A green carpet from Stevens Hall was missing the same night Joyce vanished, suggesting the crime may have involved the building.
Physical evidence and unanswered questions
- Joyce’s clothing was never recovered.
- A pair of slashed underwear believed to be hers was found.
- DNA testing so far has not produced a conclusive result.
- Investigators have not been able to determine with certainty:
- where Joyce was killed
- whether she even returned to Stevens Hall that night
- who knew she would be there
A strange long-distance call
- Investigators found a long-distance call from Joyce’s apartment to Moses Lake on July 15, 1971.
- The number was traced to Russell Hansen, but his wife said she didn’t know Joyce or Bruce.
- The call’s origin remains unexplained.
Key Takeaways
- Joyce likely knew more than she let on in the days before she disappeared.
- Several people around her gave statements that don’t fully line up, especially Bruce and some of the meditation-group members.
- The case has always had a strong circumstantial thread, but no single suspect has been proven responsible.
- Modern investigators now focus heavily on Bruce, while still wanting more information on Mark Wadley, Celeste Lindbergh, and Steve Solley.
Current Status
The case remains open, and Joyce’s brother has established a $100,000 reward:
- $60,000 for information leading to an arrest
- $40,000 for information leading to a conviction
If you have information
- Whitman County Sheriff’s Office: 509-397-6266
- Ask for Sheriff Brett Myers
- Email tips to tips@audiochuck.com
Final Thought
The episode emphasizes that Joyce’s case is still full of unresolved contradictions: suspicious behavior, possible drug-related connections, inconsistent timelines, and missing physical evidence. The central question remains the same: how did Joyce LePage disappear from WSU, and who was responsible?