Modesto Police Department reopens cold case of teen girl who went missing 35 years ago
The Modesto Police Department is reopening an investigation into the cold case of a Modesto teen who disappeared 35 years ago.
Susan Robin Bender, 15, was last seen in public on the afternoon of April 25, 1986, at the Greyhound bus depot in Modesto. She happened to run into a friend and told the girl she was headed to visit friends in Carmel.
Instead of getting on a bus, Bender called someone on a depot phone and got into a green van that pulled up about 10 minutes later, the friend told investigators at the time.
Bender’s friend couldn’t tell who was driving.
After that, the only reported sighting of Bender was when her mother called police in August 1986 and said she stopped home for about five hours, the Modesto Bee previously reported.
The case went cold over the years, but Detective Josh Grant said the department decided to reopen the investigation again after a routine review of old files.
No new leads in particular prompted the decision, but Grant said the review showed some general “avenues of opportunity” to explore.
The detective said he hopes the case can be solved through advances in technology and the possibility that people finally may feel safe enough to come forward with information after all these years.
Grant said investigators still are looking into foul play as a possibility related to the disappearance. A 2007 Modesto Bee article on missing-persons cases said, “Police said they have information indicating that Bender was murdered.”
Anyone with information on the case should reach out to Grant at 209-342-9104 or grantj@modestopd.com. They can also report anonymously through CrimeStoppers.
“It’s been over 35 years, and we have a family who is still looking for answers and for some peace and some justice,” Grant said.
This story was originally published October 8, 2021 at 4:00 AM.
