By Lindsey Stimpson
Libertarian candidate for the Utah House of Representatives, Jule Caylor, remains the only person under investigation in the 1985 disappearance of Dorothy “Dottie” Rusnak Caylor, his former wife.
The couple lived in Concord, Calif., and had been married 10 years when Dottie disappeared June 12, 2003.
Kurt Messick, a detective in the Concord Police Department, said there is no one else being investigated in the case.
“We are looking into new leads that came this month,” Messick said. “A news reporter interviewed a neighbor who said there was a concrete patio poured in Jule”s backyard around the time Dottie disappeared. We are investigating the possibility of Dottie being under the patio.”
“We may eventually contact him, but there are no immediate plans to do so,” Messick said. “Depending on what we find under the patio, we may eventually want to talk to him.”
According to a report in the Contra Costa Times, the couple was preparing for a divorce. On June 12, 1985, Jule told police he took his wife to the Pleasant Hill Bay Area Rapid Transit station. Dottie took an overnight bag with her “with everything she considered important.” That was the last reported sighting of her.
Jule called police five days later to report Dottie was missing. Later that month, Jule moved to Salt Lake City, as part of a job transfer within the U.S. Forrest Service.
In a report by the Associated Press, Jule maintains he is innocent and has no intention of pulling out of the race for House District 47.
“It is a travesty that my family and I are being made to suffer again for this matter long past,” Caylor told the Associate Press.
Republican Rep. Steve Mascaro, 58, of West Jordan, currently holds the seat for which Caylor is challenging. Mascaro says he and the Caylors have been neighbors for about eight to ten years.
“We see each other, smile and wave,” Mascaro said. “He”s cordial, but we”ve never said more than ”hi, how are ya.” He”s a real private individual — doesn”t visit much with the neighbors.”
Mascaro said he knew Caylor filed papers to run in the election, but has not seen flyers or advertisements publicizing his campaign or position.
The Libertarian platform is known for being conservative. The Libertarian Party of Utah runs on the motto, “Less Government! Lower Taxes! More Freedom!”
General Elections will take place in November, 2004.
Executive Director of the state Libertarian Party, Charles Bonsall, told the Associated Press he will not discourage Caylor from running.
