| Age at missing | 23 years old |
| Case ID | linda-lou-taylor |
| City en | Reno |
| City geo ID | 5511077 |
| City slug | reno |
| Classification | Endangered Missing |
| Classification en | Endangered Missing |
| County en | |
| County fips ref | 32031 |
| County slug | washoe-county |
| Created at | 2026-01-16T16:23:17.046178+00:00 |
| Date of birth | 1955-08-01 |
| Disappearance details | Taylor was last seen in Reno, Nevada on March 7, 1979. Earlier that day she had gone to the First National Bank of Nevada to have something notarized, met a young man there and made a lunch date with him. She went to the shoe store on South Sierra and bought a pair of shoes before her date. The man she was going to meet is described as in his twenties, with light-colored hair. He worked as a self-employed locksmith in Reno and was going to travel to Aspen, Colorado. Taylor spoke to him about backpacking. A receipt indicates she bought groceries at the Raley's store on Keystone on March 8. She may have been sighted at her apartment complex in the 3800 block of Wixom Drive on March 9. She has never been heard from again. On March 18, her station wagon was found abandoned in the parking lot of the Raley's store on Pyramid Way. It had been driven 23 miles that couldn't be accounted for. Inside the car were the leotards and shirt she normally wore when she worked out at a health spa, which was nearby. After Taylor's disappearance, the locksmith she made a date with quit his job, shaved his beard and moved out of town. A private investigator hired by Taylor's family located him in Missoula, Montana in the summer of 1979. He denied any knowledge of Taylor's whereabouts. Taylor is described as a responsible woman whose unexplained disappearance is uncharacteristic of her behavior. She had moved to Reno from Minnesota the previous autumn and taken a job as a bartender at Gold Dust West bar. In the days prior to her disappearance, she was upset because she had had a disagreement with someone at work, and didn't plan to return to her job. She kept in regular touch with her loved ones and had never missed a car payment. Investigators believe Taylor may have been murdered. Her case remains unsolved. Investigating Agency Reno Police Department 775-334-2175 Source Information NamUs Reno Police Department The Reno Gazette-Journal Updated 1 time since October 12, 2004. Last updated January 16, 2024; casefile added. |
| Disappearance details en | Taylor was last seen in Reno, Nevada on March 7, 1979. Earlier that day she had gone to the First National Bank of Nevada to have something notarized, met a young man there and made a lunch date with him. She went to the shoe store on South Sierra and bought a pair of shoes before her date. The man she was going to meet is described as in his twenties, with light-colored hair. He worked as a self-employed locksmith in Reno and was going to travel to Aspen, Colorado. Taylor spoke to him about backpacking. A receipt indicates she bought groceries at the Raley's store on Keystone on March 8. She may have been sighted at her apartment complex in the 3800 block of Wixom Drive on March 9. She has never been heard from again. On March 18, her station wagon was found abandoned in the parking lot of the Raley's store on Pyramid Way. It had been driven 23 miles that couldn't be accounted for. Inside the car were the leotards and shirt she normally wore when she worked out at a health spa, which was nearby. After Taylor's disappearance, the locksmith she made a date with quit his job, shaved his beard and moved out of town. A private investigator hired by Taylor's family located him in Missoula, Montana in the summer of 1979. He denied any knowledge of Taylor's whereabouts. Taylor is described as a responsible woman whose unexplained disappearance is uncharacteristic of her behavior. She had moved to Reno from Minnesota the previous autumn and taken a job as a bartender at Gold Dust West bar. In the days prior to her disappearance, she was upset because she had had a disagreement with someone at work, and didn't plan to return to her job. She kept in regular touch with her loved ones and had never missed a car payment. Investigators believe Taylor may have been murdered. Her case remains unsolved. Investigating Agency Reno Police Department 775-334-2175 Source Information NamUs Reno Police Department The Reno Gazette-Journal Updated 1 time since October 12, 2004. Last updated January 16, 2024; casefile added. |
| Disappearance details word count | 356 |
| Distinguishing marks | White female. Brown hair, brown eyes. Taylor has a skin discoloration on her chin. |
| Distinguishing marks en | White female. Brown hair, brown eyes. Taylor has a skin discoloration on her chin. |
| Full name | Linda Lou Taylor |
| Full name en | Linda Lou Taylor |
| Height | 5'10 |
| ID | 11551 |
| Investigating agency | Reno Police Department 775-334-2175 Source Information NamUs Reno Police Department The Reno Gazette-Journal |
| Missing since | 1979-03-07 |
| Official last updated | 2024-01-16 |
| Official update count | 1 |
| Official update history | casefile added. |
| Path | nevada/washoe-county/reno |
| Race | White |
| Race en | White |
| Sex | Female |
| Source info | NamUs Reno Police Department The Reno Gazette-Journal |
| State en | Nevada |
| State ref | NV |
| State slug | nevada |
| Status | active |
| Updated at | 2026-01-16T16:23:17.046178+00:00 |
| URL path | nevada/washoe-county/reno |
| Weight | 145 pounds |
Taylor was last seen in Reno, Nevada on March 7, 1979. Earlier that day she had gone to the First National Bank of Nevada to have something notarized, met a young man there and made a lunch date with him. She went to the shoe store on South Sierra and bought a pair of shoes before her date. The man she was going to meet is described as in his twenties, with light-colored hair. He worked as a self-employed locksmith in Reno and was going to travel to Aspen, Colorado. Taylor spoke to him about backpacking. A receipt indicates she bought groceries at the Raley’s store on Keystone on March 8. She may have been sighted at her apartment complex in the 3800 block of Wixom Drive on March 9. She has never been heard from again. On March 18, her station wagon was found abandoned in the parking lot of the Raley’s store on Pyramid Way. It had been driven 23 miles that couldn’t be accounted for. Inside the car were the leotards and shirt she normally wore when she worked out at a health spa, which was nearby. After Taylor’s disappearance, the locksmith she made a date with quit his job, shaved his beard and moved out of town. A private investigator hired by Taylor’s family located him in Missoula, Montana in the summer of 1979. He denied any knowledge of Taylor’s whereabouts. Taylor is described as a responsible woman whose unexplained disappearance is uncharacteristic of her behavior. She had moved to Reno from Minnesota the previous autumn and taken a job as a bartender at Gold Dust West bar. In the days prior to her disappearance, she was upset because she had had a disagreement with someone at work, and didn’t plan to return to her job. She kept in regular touch with her loved ones and had never missed a car payment. Investigators believe Taylor may have been murdered. Her case remains unsolved. Investigating Agency Reno Police Department 775-334-2175 Source Information NamUs Reno Police Department The Reno Gazette-Journal Updated 1 time since October 12, 2004. Last updated January 16, 2024; casefile added.