On January 21, 1970 at about 4:20 a.m., neighbors in the area of the Maple Street Apartments in Junction City heard a female yelling. A witness reportedly saw a man dragging a screaming woman into a vehicle before leaving the area.   

Responding deputies canvassed the area looking for the car or the woman when they were alerted that the Junction City Fire Department was responding to a burning 1962 Buick on Prairie Road with a female underneath. It’s unknown whether the female was pinned under the vehicle or if she was unconscious and not able to get herself out. 

A nearby neighbor woke to the sound of an explosion, saw the fire out the bedroom window, and attempted to put the fire out with a fire extinguisher. Unfortunately it was too late. The female, identified as 20 year old Julie Dade, was pronounced deceased on scene. She had been beaten and strangled.

Julie’s husband, Terry Dade, was later found deceased in the couple’s Maple St. apartment where he had been beaten to death. Julie and Terry’s infant son was found unharmed in his crib in the apartment. 

Detectives worked tirelessly interviewing dozens of people but have been unable to determine who killed Julie and Terry Dade.  

If you have information about the murders of Julie and Terry Dade, please contact the Lane County Sheriff’s Office Cold Case Team at 541-682-4513 and reference case # 70-0646, or you may contact the Communications Center at 541-682-4150, then press 1. You may also submit a confidential email to soconfidential@lanecountyor.gov.

(Information Retrieved from LaneCounty.org)