Really interesting unsolved mystery-- Michael Riemer and Diana Robertson

I want to know what happened to these people.

After getting finished with my every-Tuesday drugs and health assignments, I was browsing around Charleyproject.org. I used to do this a lot when I was in middle school. For some reason I've always had an interest in people's cases, both resolved and more interestingly, unresolved. This case in particular was under resolved, and states:

Michael L. Riemer Jr.

Riemer, 36, disappeared from Pierce County, Washington on December 12, 1985. He went missing with his girlfriend, Diana Robertson, and their two-year-old daughter. The child turned up wandering around a local store, alone, later that same day. Robertson's body was found on an old logging road south of Elbe, Washington in February 1986; she'd been stabbed 17 times and strangled with a sock. Her murder remains unsolved. Riemer remained missing until April 2011, when his skull was found near Mineral, Washington, about one mile from where Robertson had been located. Authorities have been unable to determine a cause of death. The first thing I notice is that this case is quite close to home. Pierce country neighbors Yakima county, and is only a couple hours away from here. Interested, I went to a website that provided more information.

http://blog.seattlepi.com/seattle911/2011/04/12/police-link-skull-to-1985-cold-case-komo/

The jist, if you don't want to go to the site. The couple and their child disappeared from Pierce County in 1985. The couple had a history of abuse, and had a two year old daughter together. At one point Michael signed a restraining order from his girlfriend, as it was reported that he threw her down some stairs. On the presumed day of the murder, their two year old daughter was found wandering alone in a K-Mart in Spanaway-- where I'd assume they come from, as Spanaway is in Pierce county. A year later, Diana Robertson, the mother of the toddler was found on a snow-covered logging road in Lewis County in a town called Elbe. Next to her was a note that said "I love you, Diana." Neither the prime suspect of the murder, Michael Rieme, or Robertson had been seen since the day their daughter was found in the K-Mart.

The note. If you'd like a more in-depth and personal story on the case, check this site out. Warning, somewhat gruesome. http://www.unsolved.com/ajaxfiles/mur_diana_robertson.htm

Just recently (April 2011), Rieme's skull was found in Mineral, WA, a little town just a mile from where Robertson's remains were found.

What makes this case interesting to me is how, one would obviously say that Rieme would be the prime suspect because of their history of abuse, and the note which would point out that there was some sort of bond between the murderer and the homicide victim. But because his skull was found, and because of his own disappearance, perhaps this was a double homicide and Rieme did not kill Robertson or have any involvement in her murder.

In finding the skull, they now know Rieme's whereabouts, which was a mystery for about twenty five years. However, all this tells investigators is that he's not out living his life. This does not give any information on what happened to the couple on that day.

Another major problem is that they have no witnesses. Their only source of information regarding the case is their two year old, who needless to say had no idea what was going on and couldn't give any information. All she said was, "My mommy is out in the trees." Sounds like typical two year old talk and probably doesn't mean anything. However, coincidentally, both parents were found in a heavily wooded area. Could it be possible that their daughter witnessed the murder but did not realize what she was seeing? Perhaps she was dropped off at K-mart before or after the deed was done.

Another VERY interesting fact about this case is that Reimer is not only the prime suspect in his girlfriend's murder, but also of two neighboring campers two months earlier in the same area. But it's very possible that Reimer himself is a victim.

The two theories behind this is that either A) Reimer is a serial killer and killed his girlfriend and left that note behind, as well as two other people before taking his own life, or B) A serial killer got all of them and the couple wasn't involved in eachother's murders.
Personally, I lean more toward Reimer killing his girlfriend based on his history of blaming her and domestic violence, BUT I would want to know if the skull had any sort of evidence of trauma. Because if their was evidence of blunt trauma to the head, then he was most likely murdered. If he would of killed himself, he would of probably shot himself in the head, not in the heart or another vital organ in fear of the shot missing and causing a slow and painful death instead of a quick painless one. So I can't help but ask what condition they found the skull.

The news did not include the facts that Diana's body was found near Michael's truck, and their were blood stains on the truck's seat.

All the evidence points at Michael but with no other evidence and no witnesses or leads, the case will probably never be solved unless their daughter decides she wants closure and looks to find out what happened to them. Otherwise, I doubt investigators have this case on the top of their list, because they have no way of talking to the prime suspect. Perhaps if they examined Robertson's body they could get evidence of foul play with Michael, but it's not likely.

Just thought I'd share that with you guys. So interesting.

yours,
Emily