The last update Gwen Tranum received about her brother, Clarence Lynn Wilson, dates back to 1985 when he was living in Texas with his wife. A family visit to Modesto, California took a turn for the worse as an argument erupted, resulting in Clarence leaving and disappearing without a trace, according to Tranum’s interview with USA TODAY.
Decades later, a detective from the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office contacted Tranum about remains discovered in 1986 in Crater Lake, approximately 40 miles north of Houston. The unidentified victim had tattoos on his upper arms reading “Liz” and “Baby Dawn.” These details matched Tranum’s brother’s wife and daughter’s names, prompting her to provide a DNA sample for analysis. In October, the confirmation arrived: Clarence Lynn Wilson had been murdered.
The grim details surrounding Wilson’s demise emerged through the autopsy report. He had been shot twice, once in the shoulder and once in the head, before being weighed down with a cinder block. The circumstances of his death remained a mystery for 37 years until recent advancements in forensic technology and genealogy assessments allowed for the identification of the remains.
Wilson’s body was initially found partially submerged in Crater Lake by individuals who reported the discovery to the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office. When deputies arrived, they retrieved the body, which had been anchored with two cement cinder blocks and an electrical cord. Despite exhuming the remains in 2015 and 2023, Wilson’s identity remained unknown until the recent breakthrough.
Tranum expressed shock upon learning about her brother’s fate and immediately sought answers about the events leading to his death. Wilson’s physical description at the time of discovery did not align with Tranum’s recollection of her brother, who she described as heavier and with poor dental health. The police suggested Wilson may have been involved in drugs, a claim supported by his wife, according to Tranum.
Born in Arkansas, Wilson spent much of his early life in Modesto, California, with his seven siblings. Known as “Red” due to his reddish-brown hair, Wilson left home at 18, exploring Los Angeles before settling in Texas, where one of his sisters resided. Despite Wilson’s shyness and quiet nature, his disappearance went unnoticed for years, even after his parents attempted to locate him.
Tranum assumed her brother was living his life, unaware that he was missing or had met a tragic end. Her search for him began around 20 years ago, but it yielded no results until detectives reached out to her this year. Additionally, Wilson spent time in prison in 1982 for burglary, which Tranum believed might have changed him significantly.
Reflecting on her brother’s life, Tranum recognized the impact of prison and the challenges he faced, emphasizing the potential transformation it could bring to an individual. The family’s closure, though bittersweet, now allows them to commemorate Clarence Lynn Wilson’s memory and gain some understanding of the circumstances surrounding his untimely death.
The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, having successfully solved this cold case, continues its efforts to bring justice to victims and closure to their families.