Noel's Crime Book

Episode 2 : The Story Of The Chowchilla Bus Kidnapping

DISCLIAMER : If you're under the age of 13, or if you're sensetive to scary stuff and kidnapping, I suggest you don't read this for your own safety. Credit goes to Mr. Nightmare and Wikipedia for the information. Now enjoy.

On this day, 46 years ago, at 4:00 PM on the afternoon of July 15th 1976 in Chowchilla California, Ed Ray, a 55 year old school bus driver picked up students from Dairyland Elementary School from The Chowchilla Fairgrounds Swimming Pool to take them back home after a fun day. Unfortunately, what would happen to Ray and the 14 children on his bus would be an event so terrifying, that it would go down as the worst kidnapping in U.S. history...

On this day, 46 years ago, at 4:00 PM on the afternoon of July 15th 1976 in Chowchilla California. Ed Ray, a 55 year old school bus driver picked up students from Dairyland Elementary School from The Chowchilla Fairgrounds Swimming Pool to take them back home after a fun day. The children had a lot of fun at the public swimming pool, and they were even happier when they met up with Ray. Born on February 26th 1921, Ray was a stocky and humble bus driver who didn't talk much, but was friends with everyone and everyone loved for his laid back personality, his patience, and his reliability and always being on time.

At 4:00 PM that afternoon, he picked up all of the students from the swimming pool and began to drive them back home. Even though Ray's bus was acting routy that day, none of the students cared as they were happy he was driving them home and they were trying to calm themselves down after having a crazy day at the swimming pool. It was a typical bus ride home with students talking and singing to each other and enjoying the ride. However, none of them were aware of the horror that would unfold within a few minutes that would forever change their lives...

A few minutes after picking up the students from the swimming pool, the bus turned on to Avenue 21 when Ray saw a white van blocking the road with its doors open. Confused at what was happening, Ray attempted to drive around the van, when a man wearing overalls and a pantyhose covering his face suddenly jumped in front of the bus with a revolver gun. The man then walked to the side window and calmly asked Ray : "Could you open the door, please?".

Even though Ray and everyone else in the bus were a little freaked out, he opened the door and the man along with two other men walked into the bus. One of the men immediately withdrew another rifle and pointed it at Ray. Ray and the students were now scared as they all walked to the back of the bus as the only man who didn't have a rifle hijacked the bus and drove it away while the other two men hopped into the van and drove behind the bus.

The man then drove the bus another mile to a bamboo thicket which made everyone in the bus even more scared. The entire ride to the thicket was completely silent which only made the hijacking much scarier.

The man then parked the bus near The Chowchilla River and ushered 14 students into the white van with the other two men following the bus while Ray and the other 12 students were ushered into a green van that was parked next to the bus.

Ray and the 26 students spent the next 11 hours in both of these vans. There was a partition separating the front seats from the rest of the van and all the windows were sealed. Everyone was scared for their lives, completely unaware about what was happening to them.

The older kids attempted to cheer up the younger kids from the horrifying experience, such as singing songs like "If you're happy and you know it". Unfortunately, there wasn't much anyone could do for the next 11 terrifying hour ride in the vans.

A police search immediately began to find the missing 27 people only 15 minutes after Ray picked up the students from the swimming pool when none of the students came home and no one could get a hold of Ray. Especially when Ray was always on time when getting the students home. Everyone immediately began to worry and they knew there was a serious problem...