The opening of Rites of Spring claims:

“In the spring of 1984, five teenagers went missing, including Mississippi Beauty Queen Tara Grinstead. Then suddenly, it stopped. The following Spring, it began again with the disappearance of a string of young girls, most notably Wendy Mullins, honor student and valedictorian of her graduating class.

No bodies were ever recovered.”

While we know (or are pretty sure) that Wormface doesn’t actually exist, and while the film never claims that this is “based on a true story”, is any of this legend connected to reality?

Coincidentally, YES.

See how below, and at the same time, perhaps assist in cracking open a cold case that has yet to be solved….

While Rites of Spring is an edgy and exciting thriller/horror film, noting the rise of a new fictional serial killer referred to as “Wormface” – it opens to a prologue screen denoting the information above – that this has been going on mysteriously since 1984. It drops two names in particular. Tara Grinstead, a Beauty Pageant queen from Mississippi, and Wendy Mullins, a valedictorian and honor student.

Always curious about reality and how it connects to a good horror film, I did some quick investigating on those two names and locations and came up with something quite interesting.

While I found no disappearances connected to the name “Wendy Mullins” I did find a treasure trove of information behind the name Tara Grinstead.

As stated by Wikipedia, “Tara Grinstead (born November 14, 1974) is a high school history teacher who lived in Ocilla, Georgia, USA, and has been missing since October 22, 2005. She has not been found dead or alive. Neither police nor the Georgia Bureau of Investigation ever identified any suspects.”

The night before her disappearance, Tara had coached at a local beauty pageant and attended a barbecue. The next morning, she was nowhere to be found – missing without a trace. Her car was in the driveway, and her cell phone in the house, but her keys and purse could not be located. No sign of forced entry. No sign of a struggle.

Somewhat coinciding the theme of Rites of Spring, wherein its fictional horrors continued mysteriously every March equinox – the reality with this case is that CBS News and 48 Hours Mystery brought to the investigation’s attention (in 2008) that a very similar disappearance of a young girl happened in Orlando, Florida. Only it was three months later.

While I couldn’t help but speculate and assume that perhaps these real tragedies acted as an inspirational foundation for Padraig Reynolds to imagine and write Rites of Spring – I contacted him and asked him if this were true. The surprising response I got back was: “I’d never heard of these girls at all.”

The main lead thus far in this case?

Police revealed that they had found DNA on a latex glove which was found in Grinstead’s yard, “just a stone’s throw from her front stoop,” according to a 2008 interview with Gary Rothwell of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

Rothwell said the DNA has been analyzed and agents know it’s a man’s DNA. But they haven’t identified the man. Over the course of the investigation, he said, agents have compared the DNA to dozens of men who knew Grinstead or who were associated with her. “None of them matched,” Rothwell said. The DNA also has been entered into Georgia and national databases, but still no matches.” – Wikipedia

Below are four links leading to all the information you’ll need to further investigate on your own. Below those are also the numbers to call if you have any information on this cold case. just please, don’t call or write in mentioning Wormface. This is a real person, and a real family that is hurting.

Otherwise, I’m challenging Bloody Disgusting’s readers to bring something forth to the table, and crack this case wide open.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disappearance_of_Tara_Grinstead
http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/criminal_mind/forensics/tara_grinstead/1.html
http://www.findtara.com/
http://www.facebook.com/findtaragrinstead

Report a Tip to help Answer the Question: Where is Tara?
GBI – (478) 987-4545
Local Tipline – (229) 468-TIPS (8477)
Toll Free – 1-800-597-TIPS (8477)
Email -tips@findtara.com