Chronicles of Crime

                              Jeffrey Michael Bratcher On June 15, 1974, 7-year-old Jeffrey Michael Bratcher vanished in Ocean Shores, Washington. Jeffrey, who lived with his mother in Mesquite, Texas, was visiting his father and stepmother for the summer. That afternoon, he was playing in a park with five other children. They were told to return to the picnic area by 7:00 p.m. for dinner. When it was time to head back, Jeffrey told the others he was going to take a different trail. The picnic spot was only about 150 feet from the shore, but Jeffrey never made it back. Search teams scoured the park for days. Police dogs reportedly picked up his scent leading to the park’s entrance, but it vanished at the pavement—suggesting he may have been taken from the area. Authorities have also considered the possibility that he fell into the ocean and was swept away, but no evidence confirmed either theory. Jeffrey was ...