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A Snake Creek Road story: The unsolved murder of Lindey Powell

Editor note: Wow! If you don't read anything else today, read this. Jason Harmon can tell a story in a way no one else can.

By Jason Harmon

Here is a story that is popular in our family about the murder of Aunt Lindey Powell.

I have never actually found a newspaper detailing her murder, but it's true as can be, according to my kin.


Toad and Clarie Harmon were building their final home

In the 1950s my great grandparents, Toad and Clarie Harmon built their final home on Snake Creek Road. Well, when I say on the road, I mean about a half of a mile off the road.

My grandparents, Ervin and Jewel Harmon, were spending their evening at the home which was still under construction. The walls were up, but the home had no electricity, windows or doors.

The men were off fishing for the night, leaving Clarie and Jewel to chat at home. As the night winded down, Jewel was ready to turn in and get some rest.

"I want to . . . tell you a story

Clarie came into the bedroom and laid down at the foot of the bed. "Jewel, I want to show you something and tell you a story."Grandma Clarie reached under the bed and produced a box. She emptied the box of its contents, an old and tattered dress. This was the dress that Aunt Lindey Powell was wearing the night she was robbed and beat to death.

Grandma was already nervous about sleeping in the house and it was obvious that this story wasn't the typical bed time story.Lindey Powell was actually Malinda Powell, the daughter of Jim Billy Harmon.

Lindey was married as young girl to Melvin Powell.

They had made their home in Adair County for awhile then removed to Champaign Co., IL for many years, then once again came back home and made their home in a one room house around Millerfield.

Lindey had distaste for children

Melvin and Lindey Powell never had any children of their own. Lindey had distaste for children and didn't really like the little fellers around.

After many years of working and saving pennies in Urbana, IL, it was a popular notion that the Lindey Powell was rich and was hoarding all their cash in her one room house.

It didn't take long for two unidentified men, according to legend, to devise a plan and steal the loot and kill Mrs. Powell.

The men placed soap inside of socks and savagely beat her. This method was used to hopefully disguise any bruising and make her death look like natural causes.So did they ever catch Lindeys killers and recover her stolen money? As far as memories can reach, the consensus is that Lindey's murder remains unsolved and no one was ever brought to justice.

As of now, no death bed confessions or jailhouse recollections have been made to the murder. It appears that some of us will always be wondering. What ever happened to Lindey Powell.

I guess it's just another story for A&E's Cold Case Files.
All rights reserved, Jason Harmon. For more stories by Jason Harmon, type his name in the Search Box under the ColumbiaMagazine.com menu


This story was posted on 2006-06-14 10:19:17
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