The Mysterious Disappearance of Mitch Weiser and Bonnie Bickwit

The disappearance of teenagers Mitch Weiser and Bonnie Bickwit became part of one of the most mysterious missing persons stories in the United States. Their vanishing, which occurred in 1973, still raises questions without clear answers. Over 40 years later, the search continues, and the theories about what happened to the young people are varied and chilling.

Mitch Weiser and Bonnie Bickwit: Their Story Before the Disappearance

Mitch and Bonnie were close friends, having met in a school for gifted students in Brooklyn, New York. Both teenagers came from middle-class families and were no different from their peers, although they possessed extraordinary intellectual abilities. The summer of 1973 marked a turning point in their lives.

Mitch, a sixteen-year-old teenager, worked as an assistant photographer, while fifteen-year-old Bonnie spent her summer working at a children’s camp. In late July that year, Mitch and his friend Larry Marion bought tickets for the “Summer Jam at Watkins Glen” rock festival, which was held in Watkins Glen, New York. The event attracted more than 600,000 people, making it one of the largest rock festivals in history.

However, due to Larry’s mother’s disapproval of his attending the festival, Mitch decided to invite Bonnie, who was dissatisfied with her job at the time. When Bonnie couldn’t get a day off, she quit her job and decided to join Mitch. They agreed to go together, despite the disapproval of their families.

The Trip to the Festival and the Disappearance

On the evening of July 26, 1973, Mitch went to the Well-Met camp to pick up Bonnie. On the way, he spent a significant sum on a taxi ride, which he reported to his sister. Soon after, on Friday, July 27, Mitch and Bonnie had breakfast in the camp’s cafeteria and then set off. They packed their things, grabbed sleeping bags, and carried a cardboard sign that read “Watkins Glen,” hoping to hitchhike.

A driver who gave the teens a ride to Narrowsburg, New York, reported that they were last seen standing on the side of the road, trying to catch a ride. After that, Mitch and Bonnie disappeared. No one saw them at the Watkins Glen festival, and they never returned home.

The Police and the Search

When Mitch and Bonnie’s parents realized their children were missing, they immediately contacted the police. However, law enforcement didn’t show much interest in the case, assuming that the teens might have run away or joined a commune, a common trend among youth in the 1970s. At the time, the police leaned toward the idea that the teens had left voluntarily.

Investigations revealed that Bonnie had recently sent a letter to her parents expressing her desire for more freedom and attention. It was also found that Mitch had disagreements with his parents about his education. These circumstances reinforced the theory that the teenagers may have left on their own.

However, Mitch and Bonnie’s families and friends were convinced that they hadn’t run away. Mitch was planning to take a driving test soon, and Bonnie was concerned about her sick father, both of which contradicted the runaway theory.

New Information About the Incident

In 2000, after a segment about missing teens aired on MSNBC, a man named Allen Smith contacted the police, claiming to have witnessed a tragic incident involving Mitch and Bonnie. Allen said that he was also hitchhiking home after the festival and met Mitch and Bonnie in a van with Pennsylvania license plates. He claimed that after a stop by a river, Bonnie began to drown, and Mitch rushed to save her. However, both were swept away by the current, and the driver never reported the incident to the police.

Although Allen’s story was initially taken seriously, doubts later arose. Why didn’t he try to save the teens, given that he was an athlete and served in the Navy? Furthermore, there was no evidence found in the river that supported his account.

The Theory of Serial Killer Robert Garrow

One of the most chilling theories is that the disappearance of Mitch and Bonnie could be linked to Robert Garrow, a notorious serial killer who was active during the same time period. Garrow, who committed a series of murders and rapes in the early 1970s, might have been responsible for the tragedy, as his crimes took place within a few hours’ drive from Watkins Glen.

Garrow was convicted of murders and rapes, and his crimes align with the timeline of Mitch and Bonnie’s disappearance. However, there is no concrete evidence proving his involvement in their case.

Aftermath and the Search

Mitch and Bonnie remain one of the most mysterious disappearances in U.S. history. Despite years of searching, including the help of private investigators, psychics, and many others, their whereabouts have never been determined.

Mitch and Bonnie’s families and friends continue to hope for the resolution of the case, believing that the truth about what happened to them can still be uncovered. Their story, lost in the night during a summer rock festival, remains part of American culture and a constant reminder of how easily one can disappear in a vast world.

Conclusion

Despite numerous theories, none of the versions about what happened to Mitch and Bonnie have been confirmed. However, their story continues to be both tragic and mysterious, leading people to reflect on how often disappearances occur without explanations. The search continues, and their trail has yet to be found.

Sources:

• “The Summer Jam at Watkins Glen” — history of the 1973 rock festival.
• New York State Police, archives of investigations from 1973.
• Interviews with friends and family of the missing teens.
• MSNBC “Missing Persons” program, 2000.