Dianna Bedwell, Sister Of Victim In Horrific 1965 Murder Case, Goes Missing

Dianna Bedwell, 67, and Cecil Knutson, 79, went missing on the drive from Valley View casino in San Diego to their son’s home in La Quinta for a Mother’s Day celebration.

While elderly people in admittedly poor health — son Robert Acosta says they both suffer from diabetes — go missing more often than you’d think, this case stands out because of the female subject.

Bedwell, who is not wanted for any kind of crime, was nevertheless linked to one of Indiana’s most horrific murder cases.

The crime happened 50 years ago. The victim was 16-year-old Sylvia Likens. Likens died at the hands of her caretaker, Gertrude Baniszewski, in October 1965, CBS News reports.

Dianna Bedwell was her older sister.

At the time of Likens’ death, Bedwell was married and living with her first husband at just 18 years of age.

She also had two brothers, who were living with their grandparents. Likens and her younger sister Jenny had the unfortunate fate of living with Gertrude, who almost immediately targeted Sylvia and brought in other children on the torture and humiliation.

When Likens died from the constant abuse, Gertrude tried to pass her body off to police as if she was selling herself as a prostitute and the wounds and markings visible were sustained as the result of an orgy gone wrong.

At this point, Jenny reportedly spoke up and said, “Get me out of here and I’ll tell you everything.”

According to Jenny, Gertrude put Sylvia Likens on a steady diet of torture and abuse that resulted in burn marks over much of her body and the inscription, “I am a prostitute and proud of it,” carved into her stomach. Jenny said Sylvia was beaten and starved regularly. This resulted in her death from a brain hemorrhage, shock, and malnutrition.

Gertrude’s trial took the national stage and went on to inspire several portrayals in pop culture, most notably in the films An American Crime starring Catherine Keener as the murderess and The Girl Next Door starring Blanche Baker. (The latter was based on the Jack Ketchum bestseller of the same name.)

As for Dianna Bedwell, she was not living near where her sister was tortured and murdered, but family and friends say that the crime continued to haunt her even at 67, and with good reason.

Sylvia and Dianna were very close in age and likely had a close relationship before their parents sent Sylvia and Jenny to live with Sylvia’s killer.

Kristen Smith, Bedwell’s stepdaughter, calls it a “really heart-wrenching subject” for her stepmom.

Bedwell married Knutson 25 years ago and have by all accounts had a strong marriage. Their children are now desperate to find them.

“If there is a traffic accident, and they’re at the bottom of some canyon and no one can find them, they don’t have insulin,” said Acosta. “I will not stop until I find my mom and my dad, I just won’t. They would never just not show up, they would never just not call.”

Authorities are still on the lookout for Cecil Knutson and Dianna Bedwell. The couple were last seen driving in a Hyundai Sonata, 2014 model, with the California license plate 7EHE981. Tipsters are encouraged to call the San Diego Sheriff’s Department at (858) 565-5200.