The person at the center of this case
Simone S. Ridinger
Violent Crime · Open - Unsolved
48 years waiting · since 1977
SIMONE S. RIDINGER - SHERBORN, MASSACHUSETTS
Justice for Simone S. Ridinger — the trail went cold in 1977, but the truth hasn't.
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Key leads to think about
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witness
Lead #1Who picked up Simone hitchhiking on September 2, 1977? Did anyone see a young woman in blue jeans and white sneakers with a gray duffel bag on Route 9 or roads toward Sherborn, Framingham, or Cape Cod?
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person
Lead #2Who were Simone's housemates in Framingham at the time? Could any of them provide information about her plans or contacts?
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evidence
Lead #3Simone wore distinctive 'spoon rings,' bracelets, and turquoise stone jewelry—has any such jewelry been recovered or reported?
On September 2, 1977, Simone Ridinger, a 20-year-old waitress, left work at the Rainbow Restaurant in Natick, Massachusetts to hitchhike to her family home on Martha's Vineyard and vanished without a trace. She was last seen between noon and 4 p.m. wearing distinctive clothing and silver jewelry, carrying a gray duffel bag with her work uniform. Nearly 50 years later, her disappearance remains unsolved, and investigators seek anyone who may have seen her hitchhiking or given her a ride that Labor Day weekend.
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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.
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location
Lead #4Why did investigators specifically ask about sightings in Natick, Sherborn, and Framingham if her destination was Martha's Vineyard? Did she plan an intermediate stop?
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clue
Lead #5What was Simone's relationship with coworkers and regular customers at the Rainbow Restaurant? Could anyone from there have offered her a ride?
Have information about any of these leads?
Even the smallest detail could be the key to solving this case.
Official wording
Source Narrative
September 2, 1977 Sherborn, Massachusetts On Friday, September 2, 1977, (Labor Day weekend) between 12:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m., Simone Ridinger was seen leaving work at the Rainbow Restaurant, 9 South Main Street, Natick, Massachusetts, to hitchhike to her family’s home in Martha’s Vineyard, Cape Cod.
Simone was wearing blue jeans with rips and patches, a white t-shirt, white high top sneakers and a lot of silver jewelry. Also, Simone was carrying a gray duffel bag with her waitress uniform inside, a dark blue polyester skirt and vest top.
Simone has not been seen or heard from since. The Sherborn Police Department is seeking information regarding: person(s) who lived with Simone as a housemate in Framingham; those who frequented the Rainbow Restaurant while Simone was employed there, and anyone who may recall seeing a female hitchhiker in the Natick area and dropping her off in Sherborn, Framingham or Cape Cod.
For additional information regarding this victim, please refer to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) database, case report number MP # 2779. Remarks: Ridinger wore the following jewelry: “spoon rings”, bracelets, and turquoise stones.
Timeline of Events
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1977-09-02
12:00Last Sighting at Work
Simone Ridinger seen leaving the Rainbow Restaurant in Natick to hitchhike to Martha's Vineyard
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1977-09-02
16:00Last Known Contact Window Closes
Simone was expected to arrive at family home but never appeared; last confirmed sighting between noon and 4 p.m.
Key Locations
Interactive map showing important locations related to this case
Case Information
Incident:September 2, 1977 at 12:00 PM
Last Updated:April 29, 2026
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Case Information
Incident:September 2, 1977 at 12:00 PM
Last Updated:April 29, 2026