Almost five decades after 12-year-old Sheila and 10-year-old Katherine Lyon vanished from Wheaton Plaza in Wheaton, Maryland, the man found guilty of their murders has started serving his prison sentence.
Lloyd Lee Welch, who is now 68 years old, was recently transferred from a Delaware prison—where he served 33 years for child sex offenses—to Virginia’s Department of Corrections. He will now begin serving his 48-year sentence for the Lyon sisters’ first-degree felony murders in Bedford County, Virginia, as well as a series of sex crimes involving two young girls in Prince William County in 1996.
Welch was moved on Tuesday, and by Wednesday morning, Virginia corrections officials were assessing him to determine the facility that best fits his security, medical, and programmatic needs.
Bedford County prosecutor Wes Nance remarked in December 2024 that justice was finally served, even if it took decades to hold Welch accountable.
The disappearance of Sheila and Katherine in March 1975, during Easter vacation, shook the region and highlighted concerns about child safety and abduction. The daughters of former WMAL broadcaster John Lyon and his wife, Mary, were never found, but prosecutors believe their bodies were likely disposed of in Bedford County.
Prosecutors alleged Welch burned at least one of the sisters’ remains in a fire on property owned by his relatives on Taylor’s Mountain in Thaxton, Virginia.
Why Welch Faced No Charges in Montgomery County
Despite admitting to kidnapping the Lyon sisters from Wheaton Plaza in 1975, Welch was not prosecuted in Montgomery County at the request of the victims’ parents.
Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy explained that the only charges the county could pursue involved the initial abduction and false imprisonment. Welch never admitted to sexually abusing the girls or directly killing them.
McCarthy said he consulted with the Lyon family, who agreed to forego additional charges in Montgomery County to ensure Welch’s guilty plea in Bedford County.
“A largely symbolic prosecution in Montgomery County wasn’t the priority,” McCarthy said. “The focus was on securing justice and keeping Welch in prison.”
Possibility of Parole
Because of when the crimes occurred, Welch could be eligible for parole in his mid-80s. However, then-Prince William County prosecutor Paul Ebert stated in 2017 that it was highly unlikely any parole board would grant his release.
“I don’t think anyone will ever see him on the street again,” Ebert said.
