Newsline – Washington Springs, Washington
March 28, 1995
Gruesome Murder Disturbs Community
Today, at approximately 3:15 PM, the body of young
Sophie Andrews was found at the now infamous
Washington Springs Camping Resort. The camp, already under review for odd occurrences, has officially been closed again in the wake of the murder. When asked for a comment on the case, lead investigator Thomas Carlan of the Washington State Police said, “It’s by far one of the most bizarre things that I’ve ever seen. I’ve seen murderers before, but… this girl suffered something worse than I’ve ever seen.” No further information was to be gleaned from the detective, but it is known that the search for a culprit has been, so far, fruitless.
Looking back through time, this is not the first piece of interest in the history of the
Washington Springs Camping Resort. The area that composes the camp was originally settled in the mid 1700’s by a group of “pilgrims” led by one Ezekiel Blackthorne. While there was nothing terribly unusual about the pilgrims themselves, constant rumor had it that Blackthorne was not only an ex-pirate but also a student of the occult. According to urban legend, tunnels were carved beneath the compound of the camp where various occult experiments were done upon persons, willing or not. For reasons unknown, the settlers all left the area, leaving their settlement abandoned, as it remained until the year 1919 when it came under new ownership as a camping resort.
Between the years of 1919 and 1968 there were many accounts of odd occurrences and disappearances around the camp, but those hit their crux with what is now known as the “Scissor Killing” in 1968. The victim, one
Katherine Abbot was found with the majority of her head severed off. Investigations showed that the wound was caused with a bladed weapon, most likely a pair of scissors or hedge clippers. The primary suspect was a man only known as ”Bobby.” The man apparently worked at the camp as a gardener and was often seen trimming hedges with a scissor-like tool that were NOT hedge clippers.
At the time of the murder, the camp’s owner was reported as saying, “I don’t know where everyone is getting this idea that I hired this ‘Bobby’ fellow. If you look at our spending records not a single cent was ever paid his way.” Despite this, common belief was that he had been paid cash, under the table. The camp’s owner was sued for the murder, and the costs were so great that the camp, once again, closed. A large manhunt was undertaken to find the individual named “Bobby,” but he had seemingly disappeared off of the planet. The manhunt was called off, although a bounty does still exist on any information about the man.
Artist Rendering of "Bobby", as described by witnesses
Over time ghost stories popped up involving the camp, ranging from the mundane (people finding pairs of rusted hedge clippers) to the extraordinary (including the alleged “Bobby Black” rhyme often chanted on Halloween).
For a third time the camp was inhabited in 1978 and it was transformed into a luxury camp, aimed at serving as a camp for richer clientèle looking for an escape from the cities. Unfortunately, it would seem that the camp’s sordid history has caught up with it once again, resulting in one of the most mysterious and terrifying tales in Washington state history.
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