He was all set to drive to California to inherit a million dollar estate. He called a friend the night before his drive to let them know he was coming. The next morning, he had vanished without a trace.
Glenn Pennie was all set for a trip to California to settle his father’s estate (and to inherit a million dollar estate) in October of 2004 when he suddenly vanished. Now, two decades later, his family and investigators are still looking for answers to the questions surrounding his disappearance.
Right Before His Trip, Glenn Pennie Mysteriously Disappears
At 55, Glenn was living a quiet life in rural Polk County, southwest of Salem. His upcoming trip was important — he was due in California to handle probate proceedings for his father’s estate, which included several properties and a coin collection, together estimated to be worth a million dollars. Glenn had prepared for the journey, packing his bags and snacks into his truck and arranging for a neighbor to care for his cat. He was due to leave October 4th, 2004 and had called a friend the night of October 3rd to let them know he'd be leaving early the next morning for California. Yet, the next day his neighbor noted that his truck sat idly in his driveway, and he was nowhere to be found.
A sense of unease crept over the community as police were called to investigate. In Glenn’s home, his belongings were undisturbed. The packed suitcase and personal items left in his car hinted that his trip was interrupted before it even began. A thorough search of the property and 53-square miles of the surrounding area turned up no clues, leaving investigators puzzled.
"If Anything Happens To Me, Tell The Police To Look At My Brother."
Detectives considered the possibility that Glenn left his home and old life behind on his own, though it was deemed unlikely, especially given the inheritance he was set to collect and what friends and family said about his personality. Things were starting to look bad for Glenn, and detectives began to investigate the case as a potential homicide or abduction rather than just as a missing person. Officials combed through phone records, bank statements, and probate documents, seeking any indication of what might have happened. Despite exhaustive efforts, each lead turned up nothing.
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There was one lead that could shine light on the case. Glenn and his brother Dale were reportedly having a dispute over their father's estate, and Glenn told several people that if anything happened to him to tell police to look at his brother Dale. Authorities have repeatedly interviewed his brother Dale over the years, who has cooperated with police and answered their questions. Dale has stated repeatedly to authorities that he had nothing to do with his brother's disappearance.
What's more is that Dale was in Bandon, Oregon at the time of Glenn's disappearance. Witnesses corroborated his alibi, and Dale went as far as to state that Glenn bullied him, and that with the way he treated him and their father, that he wanted nothing to do with Glenn.
The lack of evidence in this case has been frustrating, as there has never been enough evidence one way or another to find out what really happened to Glenn Pennie.
What Happened To The Million Dollar Estate And Coin Collection Glenn Was Supposed To Inherit?
Without Glenn to settle his father's estate, his father's properties fell into disrepair, which made them worth less money. The estate was tied up in court and some of the inheritance went to pay legal fees. Eventually Glenn's daughter received six figures from the estate, and his brother Dale received $25,000 worth of coins from their father's coin collection—a far cry from the million plus dollars the estate was worth. A close family friend is also said to have received some money from the estate.
Since Glenn's disappearance in 2004, detectives have revisited the case regularly, hoping that renewed attention will bring new information to light. The Polk County Cold Case Team has been working on Glenn’s case since 2007 and has been hoping to turn up new leads. On the Polk County Cold Case unit's website, there are three cold cases listed. Two of them are marked as solved. The third one, the case of Glenn Pennie, remains unsolved today.
The hope is that someone knows what really happened to Glenn and will be willing to come forward with that information so that his family can have closure. Cold cases are solved all the time, even twenty years after the fact, when someone comes forward with new information. Information that seems insignificant can turn out to be important and useful. If you have any information, please leave a message for a detective at 503-623-9251, e-mail [email protected] or call the Polk County tip line at 503-623-1878, referencing case number 04-2879.
