Longtime DC Radio Host John Lyon Dead At 85

ANNAPOLIS, MD — John Lyon, who worked more than two decades as a WMAL radio host in Washington, D.C. and spent years seeking justice after the 1975 disappearance of his daughters, died on June 26, according to his family. He was 85.

“He was a great father, a great model for us,” Jay Lyon said in an exclusive interview with WTOP. “The reality is still sinking in.”

Lyon started as a personality on Washington’s AM radio station WMAL, according to WTOP. Those who knew him said he described it as his "dream job."

But tragedy struck on March 25, 1975, when 12-year-old Sheila Lyon and 10-year-old Katherine Lyon were abducted from Wheaton Plaza in Montgomery County. Sheila and Katherine Lyon were the daughters of Lyon and his wife, Mary. They were on Easter vacation when the abduction occurred.

• RELATED: Lyon Sisters' Killer To Start Sentence For 1975 MD Murders

Detectives interviewed numerous witnesses and followed various tips. Hundreds searched stretches of woods for the sisters, but they did not turn up.

It wasn't until 2017 that Lloyd Lee Welch pleaded guilty to killing Sheila and Katherine. As part of the global plea, Welch also admitted to sexually assaulting two girls in Prince William County, Virginia, in 1996. He was sentenced to serve 48 years in prison.

• RELATED: Killer Of Lyon Sisters Begins Prison Time For 1975 MD Murders

Authorities believe Welch burned the girls' bodies on a remote mountain in Bedford County, Virginia, where his family owned land. The bodies were never recovered, and the case lay cold for more than 40 years.

Lyon dedicated his life to supporting crime victims, Montgomery County State's Attorney John McCarthy told WTOP. In the 1980s, he volunteered with the county’s Victim Services Center.

“You’ve got to remember when this was happening, we had no idea what happened to the (Lyon) girls. They were still missing and been for many, many, many years. And yet, here he was, coming to court all the time trying to assist other crime victims,” McCarthy said.

Lyon’s career at WMAL lasted until 1990, when WMAL changed to a talk format. His departure led to protests, and the station received "hundreds of calls and letters" demanding his return, the Washington Post reported.

Lyon's wife, Mary, died in 2024, and he lived in Annapolis until his death. A visitation is scheduled for July 14 at Collins Funeral Home in Silver Spring.

In lieu of flowers, Lyon's family said memorial contributions may be made to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in Alexandria, Virginia.