“We’re still hoping someone out there has some information that can break this case loose. They can come forward and let us know what they know about the case. It may be important, it may not mean a whole lot to them but it may have some significant impact,” said Texas Ranger’s Cold Case Investigator, Jeffery Strain.

Midland’s oldest cold case, the 1980 disappearance of Kristy Lynne Booth remains unsolved after 43 years. Investigators have worked tirelessly on this case and now, through this exclusive report, are asking for the public’s help.

“She was a wild 19-year-old but she wouldn’t do that to mother and daddy. No, she wouldn’t do that to them,” said Kristy’s older sister, Kathy Booth about her beloved family member.

On February 2nd, of 1980, 19-year-old Kristy Lynne Booth disappeared from the Dimensions nightclub, a popular disco spot at the 400 block of Airpark Drive in Midland. She would be 62 years old today.

“During the course of the evening, people saw her out on the dance floor, having a few drinks and she left her coat and her shoes at the table they had been sitting at,” said Investigator Strain.

“Maybe she went out to smoke I don’t know, but leaving everything in there, obviously she intended to come back,” said Kathy.

The popular disco spot has since been demolished.

“She left her purse, she left her coat, she left her shoes, the girl liked to drive without shoes. So her going outside in February with no shoes on, nah that wasn’t weird at all. That was Kristy. She lived to be barefoot,” said Kathy.

Kristy lived with her parents on Monty Avenue in Midland, she grew up alongside her older brother, older sister, and two parents. She was a graduate of Lee High School.
Kristy worked as a waitress at The Great Gatsby, where Heavenly Cuts is now located, on Cuthbert Avenue.

“If we’re gonna live in their house, we have to follow rules. And she didn’t quite agree with that concept. She lived with our grandmother, she stayed with friends. She wanted to do what she wanted to do,” said Kathy.

Kristy left the nightclub that night and hasn’t been heard from since. That same night Kristy went missing, her friend, Ron Ferrengburg who has since died, had borrowed her car.
He allegedly dropped her and a friend off at the club and left. When Ferrengburg returned to pick her up around 11 o’clock that night, no one could find Kristy.
Ferrengburg for some time was considered a suspect in her disappearance, but he passed a polygraph test which at the time eliminated him as a suspect.

“Ron was a suspect at the time, he was interviewed extensively by law enforcement, and they basically discounted him as a suspect. He had Kristy’s car, but they don’t believe the disappearance of Kristy and him having her car is actually tied together,” said Investigator Strain.

“I don’t think Ron had anything to do with it. I just feel like it was somebody she met that night, I don’t know,” said Kathy.

Several days later Kristy’s car was found around 2 miles South on State Highway 349 on February 4th.

“It was parked on the side of the road, and when they talked to Ron he said he parked it there because of mechanical failure. When the car was recovered, it ran fine, so we don’t know why he stopped and left it there,” said Investigator Strain.

Another key point that still has no answer to this day, the vehicle had been driven 268 miles during that time.

“It had quite a few miles on it, and the reason we knew that is because that morning Kristy had had her car repaired at Murphy’s Service Station in Midland and they had recorded the miles on the receipt. Later when that car was found it had a lot of miles on it. Those miles were never really accounted for in this investigation,” said Investigator Strain.

She was reported missing soon after.

“She left home on Saturday ‘I’m going to work’, she didn’t come by on Sunday. I think it was Tuesday the police called and said we have your car you better go get it. So it’d been a few days since she left, but like I said she stayed with friends, she stayed with our grandmother, she was sort of all over, so nobody really knew that there was anything wrong,” said Kathy.

Her sister remembers that conversation with their father vividly.

“I was talking to my dad and he said ‘This is bad, this is really bad, this is bad,” said Kathy.

From there, her family never lost hope they would find out what happened.

“Of course, Mother would call me at the bank and say okay they found some remains were going to go, so they would, and then they’d come back and it’s like it was brand new again even if it had been 6 months or a year, it felt brand new all over again,” said Kathy.

“In this investigation, there have been numerous suspects, there have been hundreds of interviews done by Midland Police, Texas Rangers, talking to family and friends over the years. We’ve used advanced investigative techniques over the years, we’ve used forensic technology, hypnosis, everything we know of to be employed,” said Investigator Strain.

“I don’t know. I would like to think whatever it was, it was really quick. But I don’t know, there are so many different things to think about,” said Kathy.

“I’m hopeful that we’re able to continue this investigation and continue to progress this investigation until we find some answers to the questions they’ve had for 43 years, and to find justice and closure for the victim and the family,” said Investigator Strain.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Midland Crime Stoppers at (432)-694-8477, where you can remain anonymous or the Texas Rangers at (432)-498-2120 but sadly law enforcement has little information on what this 62-year-old would look like today.