The Hiller Hammer
Date: April 3, 1978
Headline: Are the Fulton Hills Police Quietly Investigating a Single Suspect in Teen Disappearances?

From the archives. Contributor: Spence Hutchins, Curator of the Fulton Hills Historical Society.

By Quinn Mercer

FULTON HILLS— A chilling revelation has come to light in the ongoing investigation into the disappearance of five teenage girls over the past two years: sources within the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office and Fulton Hills Police Department believe that the cases are connected—and that one man may be responsible.

This news, kept under wraps until now, marks a shift in the department’s previously vague public statements, which have focused on the lack of evidence linking the missing girls. Privately, however, it seems authorities are beginning to see a darker pattern emerge.

The disappearances—of girls aged 12 to 19—occurred under strikingly similar circumstances. All five were last seen alone, either walking home or near isolated areas. None left signs of struggle, and no physical evidence has been found at the scenes.

A high-ranking source within the Fulton Hills Police Department, speaking on condition of anonymity, revealed that investigators suspect the girls were taken by the same individual, described as methodical and deliberate. “We’re not dealing with random acts here,” the source said. “This is someone who knows what they’re doing, someone who’s planning these abductions down to the last detail.”

A second source – this one within the FCSO – states that not only is that accurate, but the Sheriff’s Office was the first to make the connection.

The implication is both terrifying and infuriating for families desperate for answers. Publicly, Sheriff Dale Marks continues to maintain that the investigation is ongoing but refuses to confirm any theories. “We’re pursuing all leads,” Marks said at a brief press conference. “It’s premature to speculate about connections between the cases.”

Privately, the department’s confidence in a single suspect raises questions about what they know—and what they aren’t saying. Could there already be a profile of the person responsible? Have there been sightings, descriptions, or other evidence withheld from the public?

Some community members are demanding more transparency. “If they think it’s one person, they need to tell us,” said Emily Reyes, a teacher and mother of three. “We have a right to know if there’s someone hunting our kids.”

The lack of arrests or substantial leads has fueled growing frustration across Fulton Hills. Residents, already wary after the disappearance of 15-year-old Sarah Tuttle last month, are now organizing community patrols and arming themselves with knowledge of the girls’ last known movements.

For the families of the missing, this latest revelation feels like both a step forward and a bitter pill to swallow. Thomas Tuttle, father of Sarah, expressed disbelief that such a theory has taken so long to surface. “If they’ve known it’s one person, why haven’t they caught him yet?”

The police have declined to comment on whether the suspect has a specific profile or pattern, but one thing is clear: the residents of Fulton Hills are growing impatient for answers.

As this shadow stretches over our town, we’re left to wonder—how many more lives will be disrupted, how many more families devastated, before this person is stopped?