Ogden police seek tips on 1946 cold case, other unsolved mysteries

Frances Taylor Shurtleff Sessions. File photo from Ogden City Police

OGDEN, Utah, May 20, 2024 (Gephardt Daily) — The Ogden City Police department is looking for tips in a cold case first reported 78 years ago today.

Frances Taylor Shurtleff Sessions was hiking in Weber County with her son and nephew, both 6, on May 20, 1946, when they slipped on loose shale.

“Frances, who was sliding herself, tried to grab the boys, but was unable, resulting in the boys falling over some cliffs,” says a news release issued by the Ogden City Police Department.

“Frances was able to carry her son down the mountain, but he died while she was carrying him. The other boy was able to walk part of the way down where he was picked up by Lee Shurtleff,” Frances’ father.

Sessions’ nephew was taken to the hospital and survived. Two hours after her son’s death, Sessions, still wearing the clothing from the accident, left her father’s home, at 916 26th St., Ogden. She was never seen by her family again.

“Ogden Police investigators pursued numerous leads across the United States, but Frances has never been located and remains a missing person,” the statement says. “To provide a tip https://bci.utah.gov/coldcases/frances-shurtleff-sessions/.”

For a list of our other Ogden cold cases click here https://www.ogdencity.com/2666/Cold-Cases. The page features 23 missing person and unsolved homicides cases, with incident dates falling between Sessions’ and and the discovery of two bodies in 2019.

“Gone but never forgotten,” the police statement says. “Together we uncover, together we solve.”

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