Overview

• Full name: Edith Irene Bonham
• Age at disappearance: 77
• Date of birth: March 4, 1902
• Date missing: October 8, 1979, according to California Department of Justice records; October 17, 1979, according to The Charley Project’s account of her last documented activity
• Last known location: Monrovia, Los Angeles County, California
• Classification: Endangered missing person
• Current status: Unsolved; still listed as missing in publicly available records
• Investigating agency: Monrovia Police Department
• Official police case number: 79-17683
• NamUs reference: MP24712, as reported by The Doe Network

Main circumstances: Bonham disappeared from the Monrovia area in October 1979. Her son discovered her absence on November 10, and her green 1970 Chevrolet Nova was missing. No signs of a struggle were reported inside her residence, but investigators reportedly did not believe she had left voluntarily.

Detailed Case Breakdown

Edith Irene Bonham: The Unsolved 1979 Disappearance of a 77-Year-Old Woman in Monrovia, California

In October 1979, 77-year-old Edith Irene Bonham disappeared from Monrovia, California, leaving behind a quiet life, unanswered questions, and a mystery that has remained unresolved for decades.

Bonham lived alone in a trailer park and participated in a local senior nutrition program. Her disappearance became particularly concerning when her son visited her residence in November and discovered that she was missing. Her green Chevrolet Nova was also gone, and the condition of her home raised questions about whether she had intended to leave.

Investigators have never publicly established exactly what happened to Bonham. Although authorities have reportedly doubted that she disappeared voluntarily, no conclusive evidence of a crime has been publicly identified.

One particularly important complication is the date of her disappearance. Official California records list October 8, 1979, while a more detailed account identifies October 17 as the date of her last documented community activity.

More than four decades later, the disappearance remains an unsolved missing-person case.

Case Summary

• Full name: Edith Irene Bonham
• Age at disappearance: 77
• Date of birth: March 4, 1902
• Date missing: October 8, 1979, according to California Department of Justice records; October 17, 1979, according to The Charley Project’s account of her last documented activity
• Last known location: Monrovia, Los Angeles County, California
• Classification: Endangered missing person
• Current status: Unsolved; still listed as missing in publicly available records
• Investigating agency: Monrovia Police Department
• Official police case number: 79-17683
• NamUs reference: MP24712, as reported by The Doe Network

Main circumstances: Bonham disappeared from the Monrovia area in October 1979. Her son discovered her absence on November 10, and her green 1970 Chevrolet Nova was missing. No signs of a struggle were reported inside her residence, but investigators reportedly did not believe she had left voluntarily.

Sources: California Department of Justice; The Charley Project.

Background: Edith Bonham’s Life in Monrovia

Edith Irene Bonham was born on March 4, 1902. By the autumn of 1979, she was 77 years old and living independently in Monrovia, a city in Los Angeles County, California.

According to The Charley Project, Bonham was divorced and had lived alone in a trailer park for approximately seven years. Neighbors described her as a private woman who generally kept to herself.

Despite her relatively solitary lifestyle, Bonham maintained a connection to the community through SNAP, the Senior Nutrition Activity Program. The program provided an opportunity for older residents to participate in community activities.

Her attendance at a SNAP meeting would later become an important detail in reconstructing the final known days before her disappearance.

Bonham was described as approximately 5 feet 2 inches tall and weighing 100 pounds. She had gray hair, brown eyes, and pierced ears. She wore eyeglasses and dentures.

California Department of Justice records also indicate that dental X-rays were available, potentially providing an important means of identification if unidentified remains were ever considered for comparison.

Source: The Charley Project; California DOJ.

The Disappearance in October 1979

Conflicting dates in the historical record

One of the unusual aspects of Edith Bonham’s case is the discrepancy surrounding when she was last seen.

The California Department of Justice identifies October 8, 1979, as her last-seen date. The Doe Network also uses October 8 in its missing-person profile.

However, The Charley Project reports that Bonham attended a SNAP meeting on October 17, 1979, nine days after the date recorded in the official state database.

The Charley Project further reports that her credit card was used to purchase gasoline in La Habra, California, on October 18, 1979.

Investigators reportedly believed the signature on the gasoline receipt belonged to Bonham.

If that assessment was correct, the transaction would suggest that Bonham was still alive and traveling after the official October 8 date. Nevertheless, a credit-card transaction alone does not establish who physically made the purchase.

The publicly available sources do not explain why the two dates differ or whether investigators have formally reconciled them.

Source: The Charley Project; The Doe Network.

November 10, 1979: Her son discovers she is missing

On November 10, 1979, Bonham’s son went to her residence after reportedly attempting to contact her for some time without success.

When he arrived, he discovered that his mother was gone.

According to The Charley Project, there were no obvious indications of a struggle inside the trailer. However, dirty dishes had been left in the kitchen sink, something described as unusual for Bonham.

The condition of the residence raised concerns about whether she had left unexpectedly or whether something had interrupted her normal routine.

Another significant detail was the disappearance of her vehicle.

Bonham owned a green 1970 Chevrolet Nova, which was missing when her son checked her residence.

The publicly available case summaries do not establish whether the car was ever recovered, where it might have traveled, or who last operated it.

These unanswered questions remain central to understanding the disappearance.

Source: The Charley Project.

Investigation History and Available Evidence

The Monrovia Police Department investigation

The Monrovia Police Department is identified as the investigating agency in California’s official missing-person database.

The department’s case number is 79-17683.

Although relatively few investigative details have been publicly released, The Charley Project reports that investigators did not believe Bonham left voluntarily.

That assessment is significant because it suggests that authorities considered her disappearance suspicious or inconsistent with her established habits.

However, the same source emphasizes that there was no conclusive evidence establishing that a crime occurred.

Consequently, her disappearance should not be characterized as a confirmed murder or abduction.

Source: California DOJ Case Record; The Charley Project.

The missing Chevrolet Nova

The disappearance of Bonham’s green 1970 Chevrolet Nova is one of the most important publicly documented circumstances.

The car’s absence creates several investigative questions.

Did Bonham drive away voluntarily? Did someone else have access to her vehicle? Was the vehicle connected to the gasoline purchase in La Habra?

The available sources do not answer these questions.

No verified public documentation located in the reviewed case profiles establishes the vehicle’s ultimate whereabouts.

Its significance therefore lies in its documented disappearance, not in any proven connection to criminal activity.

The gasoline purchase in La Habra

The reported October 18 gasoline purchase is another important element of the timeline.

La Habra is located in Orange County, southeast of Monrovia.

According to The Charley Project, investigators believed the signature on the transaction receipt was Bonham’s.

The available reporting does not identify the gas station, describe any witnesses to the transaction, or establish whether the vehicle was independently observed.

It also does not establish whether the signature was subjected to formal forensic handwriting examination.

The receipt is therefore a reported investigative lead, but not definitive proof of Bonham’s movements.

The condition of her residence

When Bonham’s son entered her home, there were reportedly no indications of a struggle.

The dirty dishes in the sink were described as inconsistent with her usual habits.

Although such details can help investigators understand whether someone departed unexpectedly, neither observation independently proves that a crime occurred.

No publicly verified evidence establishes forced entry, a physical confrontation, or the presence of an unidentified person inside the residence.

Dental records and forensic identification

The California Department of Justice lists dental X-rays as available for Bonham.

The state profile describes her as having a full upper denture and a partial lower denture, while The Charley Project provides additional information about a missing lower-right denture tooth.

These details could be useful in comparing dental information with unidentified remains.

The Doe Network’s profile, however, lists dental information as unavailable in its own identifiers section. That inconsistency should not override the more specific official California record.

The Doe Network also lists fingerprint and DNA information as unavailable. This does not establish that investigators never collected or retained such material; it only reflects what that database publicly reports.

No publicly confirmed DNA identification, genetic-genealogy breakthrough, or forensic match was located in the reviewed sources.

Sources: California DOJ; The Doe Network.

Theories and Unresolved Questions

The following possibilities are investigative questions rather than established conclusions. No publicly verified source identifies a definitive explanation for Bonham’s disappearance.

Could Bonham have left voluntarily?

The missing vehicle and reported gasoline purchase could be consistent with Bonham traveling away from Monrovia.

However, The Charley Project reports that investigators did not believe she left voluntarily.

There is no publicly documented explanation establishing why she would have permanently abandoned her residence or ceased contact with her family.

A voluntary departure remains a theoretical possibility, not a verified finding.

Could she have experienced an accident or medical emergency?

Bonham was 77 years old when she disappeared.

An accident, medical emergency, or other unexpected event while traveling is a possible explanation that cannot be ruled out from the available information.

However, no verified report establishes that she was involved in a traffic accident or suffered a medical emergency.

Her age alone should not be treated as evidence that either occurred.

Could another person have been involved?

Investigators’ reported doubts about a voluntary disappearance raise the possibility of outside involvement.

Nevertheless, the publicly available sources do not identify an official suspect, a person of interest, a confirmed abduction, or evidence establishing homicide.

No individual should be accused or implicated without reliable supporting evidence.

What happened to the car?

The Chevrolet Nova remains an especially important unresolved element of the publicly documented case.

If the vehicle was recovered, its location and condition could potentially help clarify Bonham’s movements.

If it was never recovered, that fact would present a different set of investigative questions.

The available sources do not establish which scenario applies.

Why do the disappearance dates differ?

The October 8 and October 17 dates are not a minor discrepancy.

They affect the interpretation of Bonham’s final known movements and the reported October 18 credit-card transaction.

Until the discrepancy is resolved through authoritative records, both dates should be presented with their respective sources rather than treating either as unquestionably correct.

Latest Publicly Available Investigative Updates

Case status as of October 2026

A review of available California Department of Justice records, The Charley Project, The Doe Network, and other publicly accessible information did not identify a confirmed resolution to Edith Irene Bonham’s disappearance.

Her case continues to appear in California’s missing-person database, with the Monrovia Police Department listed as the reporting agency.

The most recent identifiable updates in the reviewed case-reference sources include:

• April 10, 2019: The Charley Project updated Bonham’s profile, correcting the disappearance date and expanding the description of her disappearance.
• May 18, 2022: The Doe Network recorded an administrative update to its case listing. This was not identified as a new investigative development.
• October 2026: The California Department of Justice continues to display Bonham’s missing-person record, including the October 8, 1979 date and police case number 79-17683.

No publicly confirmed recent developments were located involving an arrest, identified suspect, recovery of remains, DNA match, forensic genetic genealogy, or a newly announced search.

Likewise, no verified public announcement was located confirming that Bonham’s missing Chevrolet Nova had been recovered.

These findings do not establish that police have stopped investigating. They mean that no additional investigative developments could be independently confirmed through the publicly available sources reviewed.

Sources: The Charley Project; The Doe Network; California Department of Justice.

Conclusion: A Disappearance That Still Needs Answers

Edith Irene Bonham’s disappearance remains a troubling mystery from 1979.

She was a 77-year-old woman living independently in Monrovia, maintaining her routines and participating in a local senior nutrition program. Then, sometime in October, her normal life apparently came to an abrupt and unexplained end.

The disappearance of her Chevrolet Nova, the reported gasoline purchase in La Habra, and the condition of her residence all provide pieces of the story. Yet none has publicly established what happened to her.

The conflicting dates in official and secondary records further complicate the reconstruction of her final movements.

Most importantly, there is still no publicly confirmed explanation for why Bonham disappeared or what ultimately became of her.

Anyone with credible information about Edith Irene Bonham, her movements in October 1979, or her green 1970 Chevrolet Nova is encouraged to contact the Monrovia Police Department.

The department’s official main number is (626) 256-8000, and its Detective Bureau can be reached at (626) 256-8040.

Even after decades, previously unreported information could help investigators clarify the circumstances of her disappearance and provide long-awaited answers.