The Missing Screen Writer
GARY DEVORE IS MISSING!!!
On June 27, 1997 Gary left actress Marsha Mason's home in Santa Fe, New Mexico to return to his home on Padaro Lane, Santa Barbara California. He left in the afternoon with the intention of driving straight through. He remained in contact with his wife Wendy Oates via cellular phone thoughout the trip. The cell phone records show 16 attempts to call home during the trip. The last recorded transmission, sometime after midnight the morning of June 28, Gary told his wife that he had come through Barstow and was feeling awake enough to drive the final three to four hours home. According to Air Touch cellular the location of thelast call was somewhere near Mojave California. He has not been heard from since.
Gary was driving a 1997 Ford Explorer 4 door Eddie Bauer edition White with cream trim. He is a 55 year old white male with brown hair, brown eyes, grey/black beard, 5'll", 185 lbs., and has a broken and deformed right pinkey finger. He was allegedly wearing blue jeans, a mauve colored t-shirt, either cowboy boots or leather sneakers, and a large western belt buckle.
Gary is a successful screenwriter. He has been credited with films such as: Raw Deal, Sudden Impact, Running Scared, and many others. He is happily married, and financially secure. It is the strong opinion of his friends and family that Gary would not take off irresponsibly. Gary is a former truck driver. He has military experience and it is believed that he had a .38 pistol with him in the vehicle.
Law enforcement agencies, private detectives, search and rescue patrols, family, friends, and other concerned volunteers have been extensively searching for Gary and his vehicle by land and air since his disappearance. At this time there is no substanciated trace of him.
Due to the fact that there is no concrete evidence as to his whereabouts or situation, law enforcement does not treat this as a top priority case. A $100,000 reward has been posted by his family for his recovery.
Gary was a generous man with a love for his family and friends and animals. He had no known enemies or adversaries. He was slated to direct his first film and was very excited about the opportunity. Please help us find out what happened to Gary.
We request the involvement of the FBI in this investigation.
Authorized by:
Wendy Oates Devore July 7, 1997: 805 684 6929 or 684 8209
CLOSURE: (The Case of the Missing Screen Writer (Working Title)
November 4, 2007
Mission Statement: To attempt to find the truth about the disappearance and death of screen writer Gary DeVore.
Introduction:
Noted screen writer Gary DeVore suddenly disappeared, which generated considerable media coverage. Gary DeVore remained been missing for a year until his "body" was discovered in the California Aqueduct. He disappeared on June 28th 1997 and his remains were recovered on July 28th 1998. Except for a Court TV special, there has been very little written or broadcast about Gary DeVore since his body was recovered.
Until the body was found there was public speculation that he'd been murdered, abducted or even staged his disappearance. There were accusations that the CIA or other government agencies were very nervous about the content of DeVore's latest script.
A $100,000 reward, offered by DeVore's wife, attracted a horde of tips and theories. These involved everyone from psychics to a Tibetan monk.
An example of the dozens of tips is:
"Gary is alive-held against his will-men in suits, government action. Quonset hut near regular bldg. Not on Edwards but where they would isolate special things. ie.-Rockets or missiles and high level secrets...So. America is somehow involved. Injections blur the mind..."
There are numerous of other examples many, which are way out in left field.
Background:
Gary DeVore, the 56 year old screen writer, was a colorful character but apparently he had his share of internal demons including a hot temper, drugs, alcohol, and womanizing. He was married four times including to Nat King Cole's widow. He has been described as a "man's man" who liked guns, sports and horses.
According to his widow, Wendy Oates-DeVore, he had been in a writing slump but was reborn with the rewrite of the 1947 RKO The Big Steal film. This was the script he was working on at Marsha Mason's home in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He left Santa Fe on June 27th 1997 for the 16 hour drive to his residence in Santa Barbara. He never made it home.
DeVore's film credits included:
| Passenger 57 | 1992 |
| Traxx | 1987 |
| Running Scared | 1986 |
| Raw Deal | 1986 |
| Solo | 1983 |
| Heart of Steel | 1983 |
| Back Roads | 1981 |
| Dogs of War | 1981 |
He also "doctored" a number of scripts for which he was paid well but was given no credit.
Case Status:
Basically once the Ford Explorer was found the case was closed officially and also in the media. The only one for which the case was not closed was DeVore's widow who continues to have questions. Her questioning triggered doubts with a number of persons including the well known Hollywood private investigator, Don Crutchfield who assisted in the original search for DeVore.
Crutchfield always had a problem connecting the dots of the investigation. Now Crutchfield, film producer Dwight Brooks and a group of investigators have questioned what really happened to DeVore? Crutchfield feels strongly that the widow may well have been victimized in this case. This is one of the prime reasons the team has reopened the case.
Dwight Brooks, owner of Delta Productions, was preparing to shoot a pilot for a TV series about Crutchfield when the DeVore case was brought to his attention. Brooks, who also has extensive military and law enforcement experience, was immediately intrigued by the case. Brooks was so intrigued that he now is planning to possibly use the DeVore case as the pilot. Because of the numerous unanswered questions and mysterious angles, Brooks feels, along with Crutchfield, that this may be not an accidental death but rather a murder.
There will be an attempt to answer a number of puzzling questions such as:
Were the remains found in the Explorer those of DeVore?
The hands could not be found?
The dental records are missing and according to DeVore's brother-in-law, his dentist, he did not have a bridge.
What happened to the .38 six inch barrel revolver which he used to wedge between the driver's seat and the console when taking long trips?
What happened to his computer?
Why was his wallet found in his right hip pocket when his wife said he never carried his wallet in pants?
There have been reports that the aqueduct had been dredged, if so, how was the Explorer missed?
Was it really possible that, while asleep, he could have entered the aqueduct driving three plus miles on the wrong side of the road in the fast lane at night with his lights off?
Who dumped his latest script from his home computer and why?
What was the "black helicopter" and why was a bogus Air Force name and phone number telephoned to the police the next day?
OTHER
This investigation has only one purpose and that is to determine the truth. There are no agendas. No conspiracy theories to try to prove. No axes to grind. It is just a quest for the truth.
Documentary:
A documentary will be shot recreating DeVore's drive from Marsha Mason's home in Santa Fe to the location of his vehicle in the California Aqueduct. There also will be on-camera interviews. This will not be a "talking head" film but rather visually exciting because of the creative use of the camera, film clips and computer graphics...
Methodology:
Methodical and professional research for each specific area of study such as:
Accident Investigation (Perhaps Northwestern University's world renown Traffic Institute)
Vehicle damage
DNA
Dental
Coroners and medical examiners
Computer experts
Delve deeper into DeVore's background, especially the last year of his life.
Interview those who may have a connection but have never been contacted.
Re-interview certain involved subjects
Attempt to garner any pages or information on the BIG STEAL rewrite.
OTHER
Research will be expanded. The team will replicate and test when ever possible. This will be an intense investigation that will co-ordinate previous investigations and, hopefully, explore new avenues.
Conclusion:
There several conclusions to the case such as:
Gary DeVore fell asleep and died as the result of an auto accident.
He was murdered.
He committed suicide.
He was abducted and then murdered
He disappeared and the skeletal remains are not DeVore.
No positive conclusion can be reached with the existing evidence.
The problem with four of the conclusions is the need to establish a motive for the specific act. Abduction and/or murder for robbery appear fallacious as a motive. The body was found with his credit cards and cash plus the Explorer was filled with expensive photographic equipment. Why would robbers make the effort and take the risk of dumping the vehicle in the Aqueduct?
Suicide doesn't make sense. Aside from any other points, why would DeVore use the vehicle when he had a gun, which would have been a simple and quick way to end his life?
Other possible motives will be explored such as revenege.
The purpose of the project is to attempt to provide closure. There is need to "think-out-of-the-box" but the team's conclusions will be based on fact and logic not sheer or fanciful speculation. Closure is an intriguing puzzle, which will make a fascinating documentary.
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DELTA CORPORATION at Universal Studios
Arizona Movie Studio - www.arizonamoviestudio.com
