The person at the center of this case
Norma Louise Houghland (age 27) and her sons Thomas and Richard
Missing Person · Open
48 years waiting · since 1978
Missing Person: Norma Louise Houghland
Justice for Norma Louise Houghland (age 27) and her sons Thomas and Richard — the trail went cold in 1978, but the truth hasn't.
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Key leads to think about
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vehicle
Lead #1Where is the light blue 1965 Pontiac LeMans (CA plate 254SBI)? This is the only item missing from the apartment and may be key to locating the family.
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evidence
Lead #2Why was the welfare check left uncashed and the apartment left in such orderly condition? What does this suggest about the circumstances of their departure?
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timeline
Lead #3What happened in the days between July 15 and July 24 when relatives last made contact and when the apartment was discovered?
Norma Louise Houghland, a 27-year-old mother of two, vanished from Sacramento, California on July 15, 1978, along with her young sons Thomas and Richard. When relatives discovered their apartment nine days later, everything remained in place—clothing, belongings, bicycles, and an uncashed welfare check—except for Norma's light blue 1965 Pontiac LeMans, which has never been recovered. Despite decades of investigation, the circumstances of their disappearance remain a mystery, and anyone with information about the missing vehicle or the family's whereabouts is urged to come forward.
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Official wording
Source Narrative
NamUs case MP33282. Missing person: Norma Louise Houghland.
Last known contact: 1978-07-15 in Sacramento, Sacramento, CA. Circumstances: Norma and her sons Thomas (NamUs 33819) and Richard (NamUs 33817) disappeared from Sacramento, California on July 15, 1978.
Relatives had not been able to make contact with Norma for several days and on July 24th, relatives went to the Houghlands' apartment and found it intact, with all their clothing and belongings inside and some dishes in the sink. The children's bicycles were inside and there was an uncashed welfare check.
The only thing that was missing was Norma's car, a light blue Pontiac LeMans (1965, CA plate 254SBI). It has never been found.
Demographics: 27 years, Female, White / Caucasian. Physical description: 5 ft 5 in, 135 lbs, hair: Blond/Strawberry, eyes: Hazel.
Clothing and accessories: Jewelry: Norma was known to wear turquois jewelry (rings and bracelets).. Investigating agency: Sacramento Police Department | 13-9105.
Timeline of Events
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1978-07-15
Norma and sons disappear
Norma Louise Houghland and her two sons Thomas and Richard disappeared from Sacramento, California.
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1978-07-24
Apartment found vacant
Relatives discovered the family's apartment intact with all clothing, belongings, and children's bicycles inside. An uncashed welfare check was present. Only Norma's light blue 1965 Pontiac LeMans (CA plate 254SBI) was missing.
Key Locations
Interactive map showing important locations related to this case
Case Information
Incident:July 15, 1978
Last Updated:September 27, 2026
Have Information?
Any information, no matter how small, could be crucial to solving this case.
Phone: 9168080560
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Case Information
Incident:July 15, 1978
Last Updated:September 27, 2026
Have Information?
Any information, no matter how small, could be crucial to solving this case.
Phone: 9168080560
You can remain anonymous