Seeking Justice for Larry Joe Phebus

Larry Joe Phebus' gravesite located in Maumee Cemetery Credit: Janet Elliot Douglas | findagrave.com

It was August of 1961 when Brothers Chester and Larry Joe Phebus, along with Chester's friend Sam Wallace had moved to Tioga, North Dakota together. Chester later recalled that the fair had been going on when they got there. Chester worked for Jacobson's Construction and National Tank in the nearby city of Williston. Once they had moved together, Sam Wallace would take care of Chester's younger brother Larry Joe while Chester worked.

In October of 1962, the three were living in the Travelers Motel in Tioga. On the night of October 20, Larry Jo was left home, while his 18-year-old brother Chester and Sam went to Williston for a double date. When they returned from a movie with their dates that evening, the motel room was empty. What Chester found even more worrying, there was no sign of a note, nothing to let them know Larry Joe had left. "He never went anywhere, not to the store... or anywhere without leaving a note telling us where he was going."

Chester immediately began to contact those who knew Larry Jo to search. He took his search to nearby Ray, ND, knowing that Larry Joe had visited family friends, the Pedersons, there before. Unfortunately, no one had seen or heard from 14-year-old Larry Joe. When he still couldn't find any sign of his brother, Chester called the police on October 22 and reported the young boy missing.

The police immediately questioned Chester and Sam, having been the last confirmed people to have seen Larry Joe. Chester told police that Larry Joe would sometimes hitchhike to nearby towns, but never farther than 30 miles. As Christmas time approached, there had still been no trace of Larry Joe or the Police. Now certain that his brother was really missing, he went to see his mother and siblings in California. "I hoped against hope that Larry would be there when I arrived," Chester remarked, "But he wasn't."

McKenzie County officers investigating the remains reported by a local farmer.

On March 28, 1963, two farmers were clearing rocks in a grain field when they made a gruesome discovery. The partially decomposed body of a young boy with cords still around his neck, wrists, and feet. The following day authorities were able to positively identify the victim as Larry Joe Phebus. His body was found in a desolated area approximately two and a half miles south of Alexander, ND. Chester Phebus was still living with his mother Mary E. Harrison when he got the devastating news about his little brother. His 44-year-old mother, "kind of had a nervous breakdown" upon hearing of her son's discovery from the boy's uncle Lesley Kirk.

When police recovered the body, it was unfortunately clear that Larry had suffered before his death. The autopsy showed that Larry had been bound at the wrists and ankles and sexually assaulted, before being strangled to death. It was believed that the young boy had been killed on or around the same day as his abduction. Though his body appeared to have been in the field only since December, more than a month after his disappearance. It is unknown where he was kept before then, nor why his body was moved. Investigators asked Chester to return to North Dakota to assist in the investigation, which he did. After helping to confirm the identity of his brother's decomposing body, he was questioned once again about Larry Jo. Willams Count Sheriff Leroy Lutz asked about Larry's friends and connections but was "extremely disappointed" when Chester could not help identify some of Larry Joe's friends. Sherrif Lutz sadly added, "We are on a cold trail."

Sheriff Lutz revealed that they were also investigating the molestation of a 9-year-old boy in the neighbouring city of Stanley, ND back in July, in which the offender hadn't been found. However, it is still unclear whether the two cases are connected in any way. Coroner Clarence Leiseth said that he has little doubt that Larry Joe Phebus was killed by a sexual predator. Unfortunately, his case remains unsolved to this day.

If you think you may have information that could aid in the investigation, please contact the Williston Police Department at +1 701-577-1212 or call 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) to provide an anonymous tip.

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