Lora Skaggs

Lora Lorraine Skaggs Cains, born on February 27, 1920, in Elliott County, Kentucky, vanished under mysterious circumstances between 1948 and 1950 while hitchhiking in West Virginia. At the time of her disappearance, she was 27 years old, married to Leonard Theodore Cains, and the mother of three young children.

Lora was last seen in the Charleston, West Virginia area, reportedly hitchhiking either to pay a bill or to travel to Ohio for work. The exact date of her disappearance remains uncertain, but family accounts suggest it occurred around 1950. Her parents filed a missing person report; however, due to the record-keeping practices of the time, the original documentation may have been lost.

Following Lora’s disappearance, her husband Leonard married her sister, Dora Skaggs, in 1955. Dora subsequently raised Lora’s children. Family members have noted that Dora disposed of Lora’s personal belongings, a decision that has led to speculation and emotional distress within the family.

In recent years, Lora’s descendants have sought to revive the investigation into her disappearance. They have coordinated with the West Virginia State Police and the Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Department in Louisiana to file a new missing person report and initiate DNA testing for potential matches with unidentified remains. Notably, Lora has been excluded as a match for the Morgan County Jane Doe, a woman found murdered in West Virginia in 1950.

How You Can Help

If you have any information regarding Lora Skaggs Cains’ disappearance, please contact the West Virginia State Police at 304-258-0000. Her case remains open, and any leads could be crucial in uncovering the truth behind her disappearance.

Lora’s is listed in the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) under case number MP29446.