Nov 2004
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KSFY News
Auto Parts, License Plate Found in Search Connected to 33 Year-old Mystery

A 1960 Studebaker, a feed grinder, and two bodies. 

They're all things South Dakota's Cold Case Unit expected to find when they searched a rural Union County farm for a second time earlier this month.  New court papers were released today, and the documents show some items were found.

When the South Dakota Cold Case Unit returned to the rural Union County farm on November 15th, they found two chrome hub caps, a South Dakota licence plate, and other various auto parts. 

According to Union County Sheriff Dan Limoges, "they're definitely rusted, but they're some heavy iron pieces. Things that haven't rusted away so we'll be able to determine if it's part of a break or a hub cap, what ever it is."

South Dakota Attorney General Larry Long says the goal of the second search was to find the 1960 Studebaker Lark investigators believed was buried on the property.  The last time the girls were seen, they were driving in the car, trying to find a party. 

"Let me put it this way, if we'd have found that Studebaker, we would have been elated," Long said.

 Now, he wants to know if the parts they did find came off the car the girls were last seen in. 

 "I expect someone will be trying to figure that out. As I sit here today, I don't know the answer to that question, " Long said.

Investigators first searched the property in August.  At that time they found bones, a red purse, a photo album and letters.  No one has been named as a suspect, but at the time of the disappearances, David Lykken lived on the family farm.  He's now serving more than 200 years in prison for unrelated rape and kidnapping convictions.

After two searches, Sheriff Dan Limoges says he doesn't think investigators will be back to the farm, but he won't rule it out.  Searchers did not find the wheelbarrow, or feed grinder they were looking for.  Sheriff Limoges would not say how investigators think those items are connected to the girl's disappearance.  And he doesn't think they have enough evidence at this point to file charges in the 33 year old case.