On March 10, 1928, in the bustling city of Los Angeles, 9-year-old Walter B. Collins went to the Lincoln Heights Movie Theater with a few coins from his mother, Christine Collins.
It was supposed to be a simple day out, an afternoon filled with the magic of cinema.
However, that day would become a nightmare for the Collins family, as Walter vanished without a trace, setting off a series of events that would mystify the city and the nation.
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What Happened To Walter Collins?
After giving her son Walter some cash for the cinema and him not coming back, Christine Collins quickly reported his disappearance to the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD).
They launched a huge search, but despite their efforts, Walter was missing.
The case grabbed a lot of media attention partly because it showcased the incompetence and corruption in the LAPD, which was already under the spotlight due to various scandals.
More Investigations and False Hope
Months passed with no substantial leads.
The police faced mounting criticism from the public and media for their inability to locate Walter.
During this period, Walter’s father, who was serving time at Folsom State Prison, suggested that a former inmate might have kidnapped Walter as a form of revenge.
This lead, however, did not yield any fruitful results.
A significant twist came five months after Walter’s disappearance when a boy in DeKalb, Illinois, claimed to be Walter.
Christine Collins paid for the boy to be brought to Los Angeles, hoping against hope that her son had finally been found.
However, upon meeting the boy, Christine insisted he was not her son.
Captain J.J. Jones, the officer in charge of the case, dismissed her concerns and told her to “try him out” for a few weeks.
Three weeks later, she returned to the police with the boy, armed with dental records and testimonies from her friends, asserting that the child was not her son.
Captain J.J. Jones, the officer in charge of the case, accused her of being a bad mother and had her committed to a psychiatric ward at Los Angeles County Hospital under “Code 12”, a term the police could use to institutionalize someone for being difficult or inconvenient.
Christine’s maternal instincts proved correct; the boy later admitted to being Arthur Hutchens Jr., a 12-year-old runaway from Iowa who had impersonated Walter in hopes of getting to Hollywood to meet his favorite actor, Tom Mix.
The Chicken Coop Murders
While Walter Collins’s false identification was a heartbreaking setback, the case took an even darker turn with the discovery of the “Chicken Coop Murders.
In 1926, Gordon Stewart Northcott, his parents, and cousin Sanford Clark moved to Wineville, California, where they operated a chicken ranch.
In 1928, Jessie Clark, Sanford’s sister, visited the ranch and learned from her brother about the horrific crimes being committed there.
Sanford revealed that Gordon had been sexually abusing him and had kidnapped, sexually molested, and murdered several boys, including Walter Collins.
Jessie reported this to the authorities, leading to an investigation of the ranch.
When the police raided the ranch, they found human remains buried under the chicken coops, covered with lime to mask the smell.
Gordon and his mother fled to Canada but were apprehended and extradited to the United States.
The gruesome discoveries at the ranch led to the case being dubbed the “Chicken Coop Murders.”
Gordon Stewart Northcott was found guilty in 1929 of abducting, molesting, and murdering three boys.
His mother, Sarah Louise Northcott, confessed to helping murder Walter Collins, although she later tried to retract her confession.
Gordon was sentenced to death, and Sarah received a life sentence in prison.
Despite the confessions and Gordon’s conviction, he denied killing Walter Collins, leaving many to wonder if this was yet another tragic dead end in the search for the truth.
Walter’s mother, Christine, believed her son was still alive and sought to speak with Gordon before his execution.
Although Gordon initially agreed to speak with her, he later refused.
What Happened To Walter?
Gordon Stewart Northcott and Sarah Louise Northcott
Gordon Stewart Northcott remains the prime suspect in Walter Collins’ disappearance.
His horrible track record and the evidence found at the ranch make a compelling case against him.
However, his denial of killing Walter and his mother’s attempt to retract her confession cast shadows of doubt.
The Gas Station Attendant
Another chilling lead came from a gas station attendant who claimed to have seen a foreign couple with a dead boy in their car’s backseat.
He was certain that the boy shown in the photograph was Walter Collins.
Like many others, this lead didn’t result in any concrete findings but added another layer of complexity to the case.
The Former Inmate
Imprisoned at Folsom State Prison, Walter’s father suggested that a former inmate may have kidnapped Walter as revenge.
While investigators looked into this theory, it didn’t produce solid evidence or a suspect.
Unanswered Questions
Where is Walter Collins?
Despite extensive investigations and the conviction of Gordon Stewart Northcott, the question remains.
Where is Walter Collins? With no definitive evidence to confirm his death, some hold on to the hope that he might still be alive.
What Happened to the Evidence?
Given the corruption within the LAPD at the time, one has to wonder if crucial evidence was overlooked or mishandled.
Could there be more to the story that never came to light due to police incompetence or malfeasance?
Was There More to Arthur Hutchens Jr.’s Story?
Arthur Hutchens Jr.’s impersonation of Walter Collins added a bizarre twist to the case.
What motivated a 12-year-old boy to undertake such a deception?
Could there be more to his story that remains untold?
Did the Police Waste Valuable Time?
Captain J.J. Jones’ treatment of Christine Collins raises serious ethical questions.
By dismissing her concerns and committing her to a psychiatric ward, did the police waste valuable time that could have been spent finding Walter?
Could this critical delay have impacted the outcome of the case?
Walter Collins’ disappearance is a tangled web of false leads, heartbreaking setbacks, and unanswered questions.
Even though the “Chicken Coop Murders” offered some closure, the uncertainty about Walter’s fate keeps the door open for speculation and hope.
Agent Johnson is the enigmatic mind behind the twisted tales and shadowy secrets of Crime and Conspiracy. With a penchant for all things mysterious, Agent Johnson covers true crime cases, unsolved mysteries, and conspiracy theories. Despite his seemingly endless knowledge of covert operations and clandestine affairs, Agent Johnson is quick to assure you that he definitely, absolutely, positively has no ties to the government.
Really intrigued by the Chicken Coop Murders segment, but I’m left wondering, how did the police initially link Northcott to the crimes? Feels like there’s a piece of the puzzle missing in your story, Agent Johnson.
If I recall correctly, it was partly due to a tip from an anonymous source that led the police to investigate Northcott more closely. The details in the article might be a bit vague on that front.
Anonymous tips, huh? Sound like lazy police work to me. They probably just wanted to close the case quick.
This was a deeply moving read about Walter Collins. It’s tragic events like these that remind us how far we’ve come in terms of policing and investigative techniques.
While the piece on Arthur Hutchens Jr. raises some questions, I can’t help but ponder the ethical implications of his impersonation. What does this say about human desperation and our longing for closure? It’s a fascinating psychological angle that seems unexplored in the discussion, Agent Johnson. Does anyone else think the emotional ramifications for both the Hutchens and Collins families were equally significant, albeit vastly different in nature?
Guess the police back then could’ve used some of those fancy CSI gadgets from TV shows, huh? Would’ve solved the Walter case in like, what, an hour? But nope, gotta do everything the hard way.