The person at the center of this case
Elizabeth Ann Lande
Missing Person · Closed - Convicted (Body Never Found)
54 years waiting · since 1971
Missing Person: Elizabeth Ann Lande
Justice for Elizabeth Ann Lande — the trail went cold in 1971, but the truth hasn't.
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Key leads to think about
🎯
suspect
Lead #1What was Bobby Nauss's motive and what details did he provide about the night of December 11-12?
👁️
witness
Lead #2The unnamed friend who allegedly helped dispose of the body - how reliable was his 1977 account and why did searches fail to locate the remains?
🚗
vehicle
Lead #3The gold-colored Toronado seen by the neighbor - was this vehicle traced and did it provide any forensic evidence?
Elizabeth Ann Lande, a 21-year-old woman, disappeared from her Philadelphia home on December 12, 1971, after receiving a late-night phone call from her boyfriend Bobby Nauss, a member of the Warlocks Motorcycle Club. A neighbor witnessed her leaving in a gold-colored Toronado in the early morning hours, and she was found dead in a garage shortly after, but her body was never recovered despite a 1977 search in the Pine Barrens of New Jersey. Bobby Nauss was convicted of her murder in December 1977, yet the location of her remains continues to elude investigators, making this case significant for families seeking closure and for understanding unsolved burial sites.
Case
#3475
Philadelphia Police Department - 24th District (East Division)
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More leads to consider
Beyond the top three above — each detail below could be the thread that pulls this case open.
🔍
evidence
Lead #4What physical evidence connected Nauss to the crime if the body was never recovered?
📍
location
Lead #5Why was the Pine Barrens search unsuccessful despite the witness's cooperation - could the burial site have been in a different location?
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Even the smallest detail could be the key to solving this case.
Official wording
Source Narrative
NamUs case MP2508. Missing person: Elizabeth Ann Lande.
Last known contact: 1971-12-12 in Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA. Circumstances: On the evening of Saturday, December 11, 1971, with her parents out of town on a week-long cruise, Liz Lande and two of her girlfriends spent the evening talking and watching television.
At around midnight, Liz received a phone call from her boyfriend, Bobby Nauss, a member of the Warlocks Motorcycle Club. Nauss asked Liz to spend the weekend with him.
Concerned about the late hour and Nauss's reputation, Liz's friends tried to talk her out of going - to no avail. The friends left - they never saw Liz alive again.
At about 1:50 am, a neighbor who lived across the street from the Lande residence heard a noise outside. When he looked out of his bedroom window, he saw Liz walk out of the front door to her house, to the sidewalk and get into a waiting gold-colored Toronado.
In the early morning hours of Monday, December 13th, Elizabeth Lande was seen hanging from the rafters in a garage behind the the apartment house of one of Nauss' friends. It was this friend who helped Nauss dispose of Liz's body, allegedly in the Pine Barrens of New Jersey.
On July 12, 1977, almost six years after Liz disappeared, the same friend - turned witness - attempted to lead Law Enforcement to the location in the Pine Barrens where he said he had helped Nauss bury Liz's body. The location was near Williamstown, NJ, about 16 miles southeast of Philadelphia.
The previously heavily wooded area was now occupied by housing subdivisions. The witness tried several times to pinpoint the burial site, and the officers dug up each location, but failed to locate Liz's remains.
On December 9, 1977 Robert Nauss was convicted for the murder of Elizabeth Lande. Her body has never been found.
Demographics: 21 years, Female, White / Caucasian. Physical description: 4 ft 2 in, 110 lbs, hair: Blond/Strawberry, eyes: Green.
Clothing and accessories: Accessories: long brown coat with black fake-fur trim Brown suede pocketbook; Clothing: bell-bottom jeans; Footwear: platform shoes.. Investigating agency: Philadelphia Police Department - 24th District (East Division) | NOT PROVIDED.
Timeline of Events
📞
1971-12-11
23:00Phone call from boyfriend
Bobby Nauss called Liz asking her to spend the weekend with him
👁️
1971-12-12
01:50Witnessed departure
Neighbor saw Liz leave her house and get into a gold-colored Toronado
🔍
1971-12-13
early morningBody discovered
Liz found hanging from rafters in garage behind Nauss friend's apartment
🕵️
1977-07-12
Search for remains
Witness attempted to lead law enforcement to burial site in Pine Barrens near Williamstown, NJ; multiple digs conducted but no remains found
🕵️
1977-12-09
Murder conviction
Robert Nauss convicted for the murder of Elizabeth Lande
Key Locations
Interactive map showing important locations related to this case
Case Information
Incident:December 11, 1971 at 11:00 PM
Last Updated:September 29, 2026
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Phone: 2156863093
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Case Information
Incident:December 11, 1971 at 11:00 PM
Last Updated:September 29, 2026
Have Information?
Any information, no matter how small, could be crucial to solving this case.
Phone: 2156863093
You can remain anonymous