Forty-six years ago, the bodies of two unidentified males were discovered dead in a marshy area on St. George's Island. One had been shot multiple times, while the other had drowned with his head submerged in the mud. The gruesome discovery puzzled investigators and set off a series of events that would captivate the nation.
Former Sheriff Voorhaar, reflecting on the case in a 1983 Enterprise article, recalled, "We weren't even sure he had a head." The victims remained unidentified; their identities were shrouded in mystery. All they carried in their pockets were car keys. The victim who had been shot had keys from a 1977 Oldsmobile, reported stolen from the National car rental company.
This lead brought investigators to the Take It Easy Ranch in Callaway, where the "11th Annual Brute Music Festival: One Nation Under A Groove" took place that weekend. Billed as the "biggest celebration of the nation's 201st birthday going on in America," the event attracted soul music's biggest and best acts, including the Brothers Johnson, The Sylvers, Kool and the Gang, The Commodores with Lionel Richie, and many others.
Attendance at the festival was staggering, with an estimated 15,000 people in the crowd. Tickets for the four-day extravaganza were a mere $15, resulting in gate receipts approaching a quarter of a million dollars. However, amidst the vibrant atmosphere, a dark secret was waiting to be unraveled.
The stolen Oldsmobile was discovered near the festival entrance, and the keys found in the victims' pockets fit perfectly. Inside the car, authorities found a wallet belonging to the first victim, Theodus McNair from Washington, DC. They uncovered a shotgun and a gray-haired, full-faced mask in the trunk, adding a chilling layer of intrigue to the case.
It was not until Tuesday that the second victim, Thomas Hornsby Brown, also from DC, was identified. His car remained in the parking area as the concert weekend came to a close, and the keys found on him matched the vehicle. Sadly, nothing of value was found inside Brown's car.
The Medical Examiner's findings revealed that McNair had died from gunshot wounds, while Brown had drowned. Despite their efforts, the Sheriff's Office and the Washington DC Metropolitan Police Department could not crack the case and bring the culprits to justice.
Then, less than two months later, a startling twist shook the investigation. The owner of the production company responsible for the concert, Washington DC disc jockey Bob "Nighthawk" Terry, failed to show up to pick up his son at a DC airport. Terry's abandoned and burned car was discovered in North Carolina shortly after. To this day, Terry's body remains missing, further deepening the case's mystery.
According to a 1983 article in Washingtonian magazine, it was suggested that McNair, Brown, and Terry, who were working the gate at the concert, had become entangled in a dispute over ticket receipts. It is believed that this dispute may have cost them their lives, leaving behind unanswered questions and shattered families.
The case remains unsolved, haunting the memories of those involved and their loved ones. Lieutenant Mike Boyer, who is now leading the investigation, urges anyone with information, whether fact or rumor, old or new, to come forward. If you have any details about this case, don't hesitate to contact Lieutenant Mike Boyer at michael.boyer@stmaryscountymd.gov. No matter how small, each piece of information may be crucial in finally bringing closure to this long-standing mystery.
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