On Easter Sunday 1994, Heidi Allen, 18, was taken while working a part-time shift at the D & W Convenience Store in New Haven, New York. Her investigation led to the arrest of Gary and Richard Thibodeau, the last people to see her alive. Richard was exonerated on all counts, while the former was convicted and given the death penalty.
Over time, the case — which authorities and the FBI believe is still open — grew stranger. Unsettling information kept coming to light, indicating that the situation was more complicated than first appeared.
As the search for Allen goes on, her story continues to rank among the most puzzling mysteries. In advance of the upcoming Dateline: Secrets Uncovered program, which will air on Oxygen on Wednesday, November 16, 2022, at 7:00 p.m. ET, this article will discuss some of the important issues and details surrounding Heidi Allen’s decades-long missing case.
1) Heidi Allen’s boyfriend was with her the morning she disappeared, according to five key details of the ongoing litigation.
Page Contents
- 1 1) Heidi Allen’s boyfriend was with her the morning she disappeared, according to five key details of the ongoing litigation.
- 2 2) As soon as Allen’s case was investigated, authorities suspected foul play.
- 3 3) Richard and Gary Thibodeau were the company’s last two clients before it closed its doors.
- 4 4) A year following the disappearance of Heidi Allen, Gary Thibodeau was found guilty.
- 5 5) Allen was serving as a young drug informant at the time of her kidnapping.
At 5:45 a.m., Allen allegedly opened the convenience store where she had a part-time job. When others arrived, her boyfriend who was with her at the moment left.
The convenience store’s cash register last logged activity at 7:42 in the morning. At around 8:15 a.m., a bystander flagged down the sheriff’s patrol car outside the establishment and said that the shop was open but unattended. After a thorough investigation, authorities came to the conclusion that Heidi Allen had mysteriously left her shift.
She had left her jacket, wallet, and car keys in the parking lot, along with her maroon station car. Additionally, nothing was taken from the counter or cash register, indicating no effort at a robbery, leading authorities to suspect Allen was kidnapped from the business.
3) Richard and Gary Thibodeau were the company’s last two clients before it closed its doors.
At 7:30 a.m., Richard Thibodeau and his brother Gary were said to have arrived at the company. He allegedly bought two packs of cigarettes before leaving. Eventually, both people were taken into custody and charged with the crime.
Before she unexpectedly departed, they were the only ones to have seen Allen alive. They were also seen operating a vehicle outside the business when the incident happened.
4) A year following the disappearance of Heidi Allen, Gary Thibodeau was found guilty.
Gary Thibodeau was found guilty of first-degree kidnapping in Allen’s case in June 1995, and he was given a 25-year to a life sentence. Contrarily, Richard was cleared in September of the same year.
Gary then tried to appeal his sentence, but the courts rejected his appeal in 1999. He, on the other hand, has consistently acted innocently. In 2018, Gary passed away.
5) Allen was serving as a young drug informant at the time of her kidnapping.
Prior to being kidnapped, Heidi Allen was employed as a young drug informant by a deputy who unintentionally dropped an identity card containing Allen’s name, photo, and designation as an informant on the ground at her place of employment.
Authorities believe that this may have played a role in her disappearance. Additionally, Gary’s unsuccessful retrial appeal was submitted using this information.
Also Read: Without A Partner, Lori Pretty Feels Lonely
