The Intriguing Murder of Celia (Beth) van Zanten

Summary

The website details the tragic murder of 18-year-old Celia (Beth) van Zanten, who disappeared in December 1971 in Anchorage, Alaska, while going to a convenience store and was found dead three days later.

Abstract

In December 1971, Beth van Zanten left her home in Anchorage, Alaska, to buy soda from a nearby Bi-Lo store and never returned. Despite being reported missing two days after her disappearance, her body was discovered on the third day. The investigation revealed that she had been brutally beaten, sexually assaulted, and slashed with a knife before dying from exposure to the winter elements. The case is explored by The Veritas 7 — True Crime Podcast, which delves into the possibility of her being a victim of one of two serial killers active in the area or if the crime was perpetrated by someone closer to her. The podcast invites listeners to engage with the case evidence and participate in discussions across various social media platforms.

Opinions

The podcast suggests the potential involvement of one of two serial killers operating in Anchorage at the time of Beth's murder.
There is an implication that the attacker could have been someone known to Beth, as indicated by the question of whether the answer to the crime lies closer to home.
The use of FOIA requests by Wild Orchid Media to obtain images and maps indicates a pursuit of transparency and thoroughness in reporting the case.
The creators of the podcast encourage active listener engagement and interaction, offering multiple channels for discussion and further information.
The mention of the podcast's dissection of the case into its component parts suggests a methodical and detailed approach to analyzing the crime.

In this case, The Veritas 7 — True Crime Podcast brings you back to Anchorage, Alaska, in December 1971, and presents the story of an 18-year-old girl who left her home to grab a soda from a local convenience store — never to return

Image of Celia (Beth) van Zanten obtained via FOIA request by Wild Orchid Media — a company wholly owned by author/owner Kurt Dillon — Republished with permission by the Alaska State Police

Shortly before Christmas, in 1971, Beth van Zanten was watching a movie with her brothers in the home they shared in Anchorage, Alaska. She was waiting to begin a babysitting assignment she had agreed to do that night there in her house, and she decided to run to a local “Bi-Lo” convenience store and pick up some soda before her client dropped the child off to be watched in about 30 minutes.

Beth set out on foot but never returned — she also never made it to the store some three blocks away.

Overhead map of the area between the van Zanten residence and the Bi-Lo convenience store obtained via FOIA request by Wild Orchid Media — a company wholly owned by author/owner Kurt Dillon — Republished with permission by the Alaska State Police

For some reason we can only speculate, Beth wasn’t reported missing for two full days after her disappearance that night.

Her body was eventually found on the third day. She had been beaten, sexually assaulted, and slashed with a knife, but managed to flee her attacker and ultimately died from exposure to the elements, running, mostly naked, through Anchorage, Alaska during the height of winter.

Was Beth van Zanten the victim of one of the two serial killers working in the area at that time? Or does the answer to this crime lay a little closer to home?

Listen in by clicking the link below and learn how our team dissects this case, breaking it down into its component parts.

The Intriguing Murder of Celia (Beth) van Zanten

That’s all for now. Until next time, we hope you enjoy the show, and look forward to interacting with you in our Facebook chats, on our official Facebook fan page, on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, or Tik Tok, and be sure to check out the photos, case evidence, and other facts pertaining to these cases on our website www.theveritas7.com as well as the fascinating information we also have posted on our new YouTube Channel!