The Tragic Story of Elise Montgomery Murder: The Girl on Old Route 29 Who Led Police to Her Killer

In the quiet, rural landscapes of West Virginia, an enduring mystery turned chilling reality continues to fascinate and haunt true crime enthusiasts and paranormal believers alike. The story of Elise Montgomery, known to many as The Girl on Old Route 29, began as a series of eerie sightings in 1974—but it would soon unravel into a horrifying case of murder, betrayal, and supernatural justice.

The Sightings: A Ghost in a Prom Dress

In the spring of 1974, several drivers reported a mysterious young woman walking alone along Old Route 29 in West Virginia. Witnesses described her as wearing a tattered prom dress, her face pale, her demeanor silent and somber. She never spoke a word, only lifted her arm and pointed toward a dense thicket of woods near a rusted mile marker. Each time concerned drivers reported the sightings to police, officers would arrive to find no trace of the girl.

Local authorities initially brushed it off as a hoax, a regional ghost story, or the figment of frightened imaginations. However, the consistency of the accounts—and their growing frequency—soon caught the attention of West Virginia State Trooper Jack Corwin.

A Trooper’s Hunch and a Shocking Discovery

Unlike others, Trooper Jack Corwin took the reports seriously. He decided to revisit Old Route 29 alone, hoping to put the mystery to rest. One foggy morning, Corwin returned to the stretch of road and reportedly encountered the girl in white. As with all previous reports, she did not speak—she simply pointed.

Compelled to investigate, Corwin followed her silent gesture into the underbrush beyond the mile marker. What he found there changed everything: a shallow grave, concealed beneath layers of earth and forest debris. Inside were skeletal remains. The coroner later identified the body as that of Elise Montgomery, a 17-year-old girl who had vanished without a trace after prom night in 1969.

The Life and Disappearance of Elise Montgomery

Elise Montgomery was a bright, kind-hearted teenager known for her love of music and dance. She was excited to attend her senior prom, but tragically, she never arrived. When she failed to return home that night, her family reported her missing. A search was launched, but no evidence or witnesses could provide any clues about her whereabouts.

For five long years, the Montgomery family held on to hope, until that day in 1974 when her remains were finally discovered. The coroner determined Elise had been murdered. Her cause of death, while not publicly disclosed in full detail, was confirmed to be consistent with foul play. Found alongside her body were remnants of her prom dress and a high school class ring, which helped confirm her identity.

A Killer Unmasked: The Boyfriend Behind the Crime

With Elise’s body finally recovered, suspicion quickly turned to her boyfriend at the time—a young man who had long been on investigators’ radar but had never been charged due to lack of evidence. The renewed investigation, spurred by the discovery of Elise’s remains, led police to execute a search of the boyfriend’s family property.

There, buried in his backyard, officers uncovered damning evidence: Elise’s original prom dress and class ring. Faced with the irrefutable proof and mounting pressure, he was arrested and later convicted for Elise’s murder. The case, long thought cold, was finally solved.

Paranormal Justice or Pure Coincidence?

To this day, the most puzzling question remains: how did Officer Jack Corwin know exactly where to look? His answer was simple and haunting: “She showed me. I don’t know how, but she showed me.”

For some, this is where the line between criminal investigation and the paranormal becomes blurred. Did Elise’s spirit truly guide Trooper Corwin to her final resting place? Was it a coincidence rooted in intuition, or something far more mysterious?

Corwin never sought fame or fortune from the experience. He never wrote a book or cashed in on the sensational tale. When asked about it years later, he replied: “It wasn’t about ghosts. It was about a girl who waited five years to be found. And she finally was.”

Elise Montgomery’s Legacy and the Urban Legend of Old Route 29

The tragic tale of Elise Montgomery has become part of local folklore in West Virginia. “The Girl on Old Route 29” is now whispered among late-night drivers, ghost story enthusiasts, and true crime followers. Her story is a reminder of the victims behind the headlines—of a young woman robbed of her future, whose memory refused to fade until justice was served.

Elise’s story serves as both a chilling murder case and a powerful paranormal legend. Whether one believes in the supernatural or not, her case underscores the importance of never giving up on the missing, and the strange, sometimes inexplicable ways in which truth can finally be uncovered.