Unidentified Female 2004 PA

[anthrobones]

http://doenetwork.us/cases/507ufpa.html



Unidentified Female



The victim was discovered on August 12, 2004 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Estimated Date of Death: Based on the clothing worn, the Medical Examiner’s Office estimates the subject may have been in the water since the late winter of 2003, or early summer of 2004.
Cause of Death: Drowning
Formerly Hot Case # 311




Vital Statistics


Estimated age: 25-35 years old
Approximate Height and Weight: 5’ 5”; 133 lbs.
Distinguishing Characteristics: Her race is uncertain - maybe mixed race; tattoos: the letters HAL on her abdomen, and a Chinese character on her right calf.
Clothing: She was wearing men’s GAP brand top and bottom thermal underwear; men’s blue jeans (size w31 L32); ankle-high Converse sneakers with red or pink laces and trim (size 8).
Dentals: Available
Fingerprints: Not Available
DNA: Available




Case History
The victim was located in the Schuylkill River, at 61st and Passyunk Streets, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on August 12, 2004.
Around her neck was a red and blue lanyard with a keychain, initialed "PCOM," (possibly Philadelphia College Of Osteopathic Medicine), and four keys.
Officials at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine thought the keys might belong to one of the residents at Overmont House, a 12-story apartment building for senior citizens on the PCOM campus near City Avenue. One of the keys appeared to be the same make used in Overmont's mailbox system. Investigators tried the key in one box after another until they found one it fit. They went straight to the corresponding apartment unit. But the wheelchair-bound man who lived there said he did not recognize the woman whose body had been pulled out of the Schuylkill. He did not know anyone named "Hal," or anyone who was missing. Investigators have found no reason to question his veracity.

http://doenetwork.us/cases/images/507UFPA2.jpg http://doenetwork.us/cases/images/507UFPA3.jpg
Left: Red and blue lanyard with keychain Right: Converse sneakers

[LisainWV]

HMMMMMMM.....that's definitely an interesting story.

I wonder if this woman was living as a man? she had men's clothing on....wonder what clues they have about her hair??

Also, I wonder about the mental capacity of this man?

[CCJD]

HMMMMMMM.....that's definitely an interesting story.

I wonder if this woman was living as a man? she had men's clothing on....wonder what clues they have about her hair??

Also, I wonder about the mental capacity of this man?
Hi All...I've been lurking for a pretty long time, but thought I'd come out of hiding to answer this.

I spoke with Philly's coroner's office...the lady was in the river for an extended period of time with severe decomposition. I asked if she had a head (which would explain lack of hair color noted). The body was intact, head was present, but decomp was so severe in that area that there was no hair. You can see on the "HAL" tattoo where decomp obliterated part of it.

The gentleman in the wheelchair was the superintendent of the building. He'd ended up in a wheelchair after being shot years before. But mentally he was fine.

Thermals and jeans were men's. I see what you're saying Lisa, but I know I wore mens jeans for years simply because they fit me better than women's. You could be on to something - I'm just throwing in my two cents worth.

http://pennsylvaniamissing.com/

[LisainWV]

Hi All...I've been lurking for a pretty long time, but thought I'd come out of hiding to answer this.

I spoke with Philly's coroner's office...the lady was in the river for an extended period of time with severe decomposition. I asked if she had a head (which would explain lack of hair color noted). The body was intact, head was present, but decomp was so severe in that area that there was no hair. You can see on the "HAL" tattoo where decomp obliterated part of it.

The gentleman in the wheelchair was the superintendent of the building. He'd ended up in a wheelchair after being shot years before. But mentally he was fine.

Thermals and jeans were men's. I see what you're saying Lisa, but I know I wore mens jeans for years simply because they fit me better than women's. You could be on to something - I'm just throwing in my two cents worth.

http://pennsylvaniamissing.com/

Hi, just "chatted" with you over on CCJD's thread.

I agree with the clothing, I still wear more men's stuff than woman's, especially when I want something comfy.

That thought just hit me when the man said he couldn't think of a "girl" who would have the keys... maybe she was more "masculine." I often wondered how many missing people are living as the opposite gender out there.

So, what are the reasons she would have a key to a mailbox there.... don't know the rules, but I guess she could have been a resident with an elderly relative or friend, possibly she was a caretaker for someone there (checked in on them, brought the mail in), maybe she found them or stole them at some point...???

Is this a suspected case of failing in the river and drowning or did she have help?

Anybody know what that chinese symbol means?

Do you think "Hal" may have been a child she had since the tat was on her abdomen?

Just thinking out loud here...

[LisainWV]

Something else just struck me, she had the key for the super's mailbox? Not just a random resident?


How long had this man been the super? Was it possible she was linked to someone who previously held that position?


Had it always been the box for the super?

[annemc2]

Interesting about the gender thing. Don't they usually list the undergarmets in the clothing description? For instance, there is no mention of a bra here. Kind of leads more to the thought that this could be a more "masculine" female.

totally random aside: I was born at PCOM!

[fmw63]

Maybe the key didn't just fit only that one mailbbox. It happens with cars.

[fmw63]

The tattoo is the Chinese symbol for love.

[MeoW333]

Do they know if the tattoo of "HAL" is in a specific font/style professionally done or was it more homemade looking? Would decomp have altered the "HAL" from anything else it may have said? The chinese symbol for love seems like a common tattoo.
Maybe she was transient and had taken a key for the mailboxes nearby to have somewhere to get mail at if she either couldn't afford a PO box or didn't want to get one for some reason. She sounds like she was dressed more practically for the weather and for comfort; they estimated she had been in the water since the late winter of 03' early summer 04'.
If she is a female who was living as a male, it's possible her family had disowned her so her being missing was never reported, and the drowning could have been a suicide. Homosexual youths are known to have a higher suicide rate than their heterosexual peers.

[Soonerbabie]

It stands for love/affection.. found this link
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.tattoofashion.com/acatalog/section_chinese_symbol_small_medium_love_symbol.gi f&imgrefurl=http://www.tattoofashion.com/acatalog/Tattoo_Shop_Chinese_Symbol_Tattoos_10.html&h=114&w=78&sz=5&hl=en&start=9&um=1&tbnid=vVqYNzmfEsgPOM:&tbnh=87&tbnw=60&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dai%2Blove%2Bchinese%2Btattoos%26um%3D 1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN (http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.tattoofashion.com/acatalog/section_chinese_symbol_small_medium_love_symbol.gi f&imgrefurl=http://www.tattoofashion.com/acatalog/Tattoo_Shop_Chinese_Symbol_Tattoos_10.html&h=114&w=78&sz=5&hl=en&start=9&um=1&tbnid=vVqYNzmfEsgPOM:&tbnh=87&tbnw=60&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dai%2Blove%2Bchinese%2Btattoos%26um%3D 1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN)

sorry.. didnt know it was already figured out

[Soonerbabie]

I wonder if those are intials.. not a name? Seems likely to me. My friend has the intials of her mom that passed away on her ankle.

[Soonerbabie]

http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/l/lawrence_ann-marie.html

Could this be a possibility, even though shes from across the country?

I wonder if jane does hair was short?

[MeoW333]

I think the weight is off on this one. Her jeans were waist size 31 mens and she had on thermal underwear underneath her jeans. I can wear a size 32 in men's jeans and i am 5'5 115lbs yet to wear a size 31 with thermal underwear underneath, that lady had to be small.
I wonder when exactly she went missing; as to just be wearing a thermal top in the winter is cold, and in summer the thermal bottoms and jeans together is too warm.
If the decomp was so bad, is it possible that "HAL" may be something else? Otherwise, i would have to agree with Sooner that it may be initials.

[fmw63]

CCJD, do you think they will give you more info about the other keys and the key card? Maybe some photos even?

[fmw63]

Seems there were several rapes/murders that happened near Fairmount Park in Philly in 2003/2004. Fairmount Park is around the corner from PCOM's Overmont House at City Avenue...:waitasec:





http://www.amw.com/fugitives/case.cfm?id=28718
http://www.nbc10.com/news/2358659/detail.html

[fmw63]

http://doenetwork.org/cases/507ufpa.html

http://doenetwork.org/cases/images/507UFPA2.jpg
http://doenetwork.org/cases/images/507UFPA3.jpg

http://www.ppdonline.org/pdf/pressreleases/2006/013106.pdf