The person at the center of this case
Norma Louise Houghland, age 27; Richard Houghland, age 8; Thomas Houghland, age 6
Violent Crime · Open
47 years waiting · since 1978
HOUGHLAND FAMILY - SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA
Justice for Norma Louise Houghland, age 27; Richard Houghland, age 8; Thomas Houghland, age 6 — the trail went cold in 1978, but the truth hasn't.
Start here
Key leads to think about
🚗
vehicle
Lead #1Where is the 1965 light blue Pontiac Lemans (CA Plate 254SBI)? Recovery of this vehicle could be critical to the investigation.
👁️
witness
Lead #2Did anyone see the Pontiac Lemans on the evening of July 11, 1978, between the relative's house and the family residence?
💡
clue
Lead #3Why were Norma's belongings and unopened mail left at the residence? What triggered the sudden departure?
On July 11, 1978, Norma Louise Houghland, age 27, and her two young sons Richard (8) and Thomas (6) vanished from Sacramento, California after leaving a relative's house around 8:00 p.m. Their 1965 light blue Pontiac Lemans has never been recovered, and investigators found their home untouched with unopened mail and a welfare check still inside. Nearly five decades later, the disappearance remains unsolved, and anyone with information about the family or the vehicle is urged to come forward.
Try asking
Claim this imported case
A one-time $10 claim transfers this imported case workspace to your account. You get 10 uploads for this case, 25 daily AI questions for this case, and public tips with files route to you.
10 uploads25 AI questions/day
This does not start a subscription. When the included limits are reached, the Personal plan unlocks more workspace capacity.
More leads to consider
Beyond the top three above — each detail below could be the thread that pulls this case open.
👤
person
Lead #4What was Norma's mental state at the time? Her history of suicide attempts may be relevant to understanding the circumstances.
📞
contact
Lead #5Has anyone received any communication from Norma or the boys since July 11, 1978?
Have information about any of these leads?
Even the smallest detail could be the key to solving this case.
Official wording
Source Narrative
July 11, 1978 Sacramento, California Norma Louise Houghland, age 27, and her two sons, 8-year-old Richard and 6-year-old Thomas, were last seen on the evening of July 11, 1978, at a relative’s house in Sacramento, California. They left the residence around 8:00 p.m.
and were believed to be headed to their residence (also located in Sacramento). Norma drove a 1965 light blue Pontiac Lemans (CA Plate 254SBI, VIN: 237375K134785), which is also missing and has never been recovered.
Family members, unable to contact Norma in the days following, responded to the family’s residence and found all of their belongings inside, including unopened mail and a welfare check. The Houghland family has not been seen or heard from since.
Norma worked as a typist. She had cesarean scars on her abdomen and had a history of suicide attempts.
Timeline of Events
👁️
1978-07-11
20:00Family Last Seen
Norma Louise Houghland and her two sons Richard (8) and Thomas (6) last seen leaving a relative's house in Sacramento around 8:00 p.m., believed headed to their residence
🚗
1978-07-11
Vehicle Missing
1965 light blue Pontiac Lemans (CA Plate 254SBI, VIN: 237375K134785) missing and never recovered
🕵️
1978-07-13
Family Home Found Undisturbed
Family members unable to contact Norma responded to residence and found all belongings inside, including unopened mail and welfare check
Key Locations
Interactive map showing important locations related to this case
Case Information
Incident:July 11, 1978 at 8:00 PM
Last Updated:June 14, 2026
Leave a comment
Comments
Case Information
Incident:July 11, 1978 at 8:00 PM
Last Updated:June 14, 2026