Nancy Diane Wyckoff (murdered) - Corvallis, OR
N 44° 33.968 W 123° 16.545
10T E 478103 N 4934792
This memorial tree is located on the campus of Oregon State University in front of Kidder Hall in Corvallis, OR.
Waymark Code: WMFJH7
Location: Oregon, United States
Date Posted: 10/26/2012
Views: 3
This memorial tree is dedicated to Nancy Diane Wyckoff who lived from 1954-1972. There's a plaque in front of the tree that also has an inscription that reads:
NANCY DIANE WYCKOFF
1954 - 1972
"IN WILDNESS IS THE PRESERVATION
OF THE WORLD."
THOREAU
This quote is from Henry David Thoreau. I did some online research on Ms. Wyckoff and discovered that she was murdered in her dorm room. I found an online newspaper article of her murder that says the following:
Oregon State Coed Stabbed to Death in Dormitory Room
CORVALLIS, OR (AP) - An 18-year-old california girl was stabbed to death in her dormitory room early Tuesday in the thrid assault on Oregon State University freshman coeds in the past six days. Many female students admit they're fearful, and OSU president Robert MacVicar has invoked tight new security measure. The dead girl was identified by university officials as Nancy Diane Wyckoff, a mathmatics major from Glendale, Calif. Benton County Dist. Atty, Frank Knight said an autopsy revealed she died of a stab wound to her heart. She also received a superficial neck would, he said. Two other OSU coeds were attacked last Thursday and Sunday, but both girls said their screams drove their assailants away. Miss Wyckoff's body was found by other coeds on the floor of her room, No. 333, on the third floor of Poling Hall, part of a quadrangle composed of four living units. The fellow students reported they heard a scream come from Miss Wyckoff's room and then heard the sound of someone running down the hallway.
I also found another online newspaper article that mentions the individual who murdered Ms. Wyckoff. His name was Marlowe James Buchanan, and was arrested for her murder on March 15th. He was 17 years of age and his defense hinged upon proving that he was not mentally responsible for his actions at the time of the murder. More details of his arrest and of Ms. Wickoff's death can be found here. There is also another website that discusses Ms. Wyckoff's murder as well as the murder of another coed, Roberta Kathleen Parks, by the hands of the infamous serial-killer, Ted Bundy. She lived in Sackett Hall, just across the street from Poling Hall, where Ms. Wyckoff was murdered (her abduction happened years later). The web page discusses so-called 'hauntings' that have occurred over the years on the OSU campus from these murders.
As a former student and alum of Oregon State ('89-'94), I don't ever remember hearing anyone talk about hauntings, but I do remember fellow students talking about the Ted Bundy abduction of Kathleen Parks.