Missing Persons of America -Catherine Tornquist: Missing from South Dakota

UPDATE 2014: Judge Jeff Davis sentenced Matthew to a life sentence without parole at a hearing in the Fall River County Courthouse last Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2014, according to the Hot Springs Star. Forensic DNA showed Catherine’s blood with with Matthew’s on a pair of jeans. The jeans were found in his dorm room at National American University along with a stolen .22 caliber Browning rifle with a home-made silencer in the drop down ceiling of his dorm room. Collected evidence also showed Catherine’s blood on a sheet of siding found outside her residence and inside the hose of her CPAP machine. Authorities believed she was shot and died in her bed after two .22 caliber bullets were found in her bed.

Also, the Rapid City Journal reported that a “blood-illuminating agent in her home revealed a path of blood from her bed in the living room through the kitchen and out the door. The blood trail continued down the steps before disappearing at the spot investigators theorize her body was rolled up a sheet of plywood and into the trunk of her son’s car.”

UPDATE: July 13, 2012 – Matthew Charles Tornquist, 26, has been handed down a 3-count indictment on July 12, 2012 which included first-degree murder in connection with the disappearance of his mom, Catherine. Matthew was also indicted on a grand theft charge for a large amount of cash that went missing and was in Catherine’s possession at the time of her disappearance.

Catherine is still missing.

Previous story:

Catherine Tornquist, 56, was last seen early Oct. 5 in Hot Springs, South Dakota. Catherine’s friend Don Lytle, who has known Catherine for 7 years, said he last saw Catherine on October 4 after they spent the day going to thrift stores.

Catherine had told him he was going to Rapid City to pick up a motor home at Midstates Camper the next day.

Catherine’s son, Matthew was waiting for his mother to pick him up so they could both go to get her motor home, but when she never showed up. Matthew called Don and Don reported Catherine missing.

Catherine’s car was found at her home in Hot Brook Canyon, but the motor home was not. Don said he talked to employees at Midstates Camper and they said Catherine never showed up for her appointment.If you know the whereabouts of Catherine, please call the Fall River County Sheriff’s Dept at 605-745-4444.