LA LA - Belle Chasse, WhtMale 16-17, UP88342, hanged, suicide note, Feb'75 #2

[Beekarina]

I'm about halfway through the initial thread--thanks carbuff for the suggestion--and a few things stand out to me so far:

If not Bayard Cousins, I think a PROFILE of someone very much like him makes the most sense.

One of the earlier members who was very involved, I think Bessie, shared some maps of the immediate area. There is a lot of water. I wonder if BCJD drove very near his site and vehicle, possibly shoes, and perhaps ID and even another person could be in nearby body of water? Perhaps this is explored later in the thread, I plan to continue reading. Am curious though if we know of any recovery efforts on the part of any of the dive teams in the news working that area?

Last thought: I was running bits of his letter through Google to see if the style mirrors any particular author(s). Some possibilities, but nothing that really stands out as striking. Does anyone following use AI in a way that might be helpful? The reason I ask is if our UID may have drawn inspiration, and maybe even plucked some direct lines from someone else, the way he sourced Durkheim. This could be another small clue--maybe a friend or relative would remember a missing person who was really interested in a certain author. Worth a go, IMO.

 

[Beekarina]

Another takeaway from @Tony1902 is that death certificates are available 50 years post mortem. IF this i still unsolved Feb 14, 2025 making a note here.

 

[Beekarina]

Re: the mismatched socks

Likely does not mean anything at all, however if you're traveling, this increases the chances IMO. You're down to the last 2 that are relatively clean and in good condition, others are lost, etc. A small thing that for me I would put in my checklist for not being local. And a teenage boy probably cares even less than a middle aged woman.

 

[JSolt1210]

(Post #1,041 in Thread #1): Random thought but can anyone in the US recognise anything distinctive in the language used in the letter? Regional accent, words, something that a southerner or northerner wouldn't say for instance?

I'm in the Northeast of the US, and nothing in his letter strikes me as regional. It just reads to me like generic, though formal, English.

And the formality is what makes it distinctive to me. I wasn't alive in the '70s but I doubt teenagers spoke like this back then. The fact that he was able to articulate his ideas like a school essay betrays his education. He also writes in "threes" (e.g., "advantages and privileges and experiences"; "sacrifices, time and support") which is a well-known tool in rhetoric. If he wasn't into public speaking, he was at least well-read.

 

[Ciriii57]

I'm in the Northeast of the US, and nothing in his letter strikes me as regional. It just reads to me like generic, though formal, English.

And the formality is what makes it distinctive to me. I wasn't alive in the '70s but I doubt teenagers spoke like this back then. The fact that he was able to articulate his ideas like a school essay betrays his education. He also writes in "threes" (e.g., "advantages and privileges and experiences"; "sacrifices, time and support") which is a well-known tool in rhetoric. If he wasn't into public speaking, he was at least well-read.

Thanks, nice insight. I have often debated in my mind if this was genuine or copied from something else. His writing screams of being extremely well educated, also his actual handwriting and grammar. And I would also suggest that placing his letter in a jar also suggests a keen mind. How many of us would have the forethought to think about water damage to our suicide note right before we commit the act?
But then we have this appearance of someone homeless or escaped from a sanitarium!

Although his writing seems to suggest someone who felt cut off, isolated, unable to feel a part of society and his family I don't think we should necessarily assume he wasn't high functioning, had a job, spoke in public etc
It strikes me that he was self aware enough to know that "something" was psychologically wrong with him and he chose to end his life before he did something wrong. I think he was also regularly seeing a psychologist/psychiatrist but the treatment wasn't working.

 

[carbuff]

I'm about 4-5 years older than this John Doe; he's a type I recognize from my high school and college classes. The angst-laden intellectual, often with sexual and/or family issues, looking for meaning, often despairing. Think Holden Caulfield, for instance.

One of my classmates who used to quote Durkheim, Kant, and Schopenhauer in English class (and at one point pursued a solipsistic line of argument with our teacher to the point where he had almost convinced her that she was a figment of his imagination--but I digress). He went on to be a lawyer and judge, so not everybody of that mindset came to a bad end.

Also, top students were still being taught formal English grammar and writing in the seventies, so that part doesn't surprise me.

 

[Amateur Web Sleuth]

just curious to see if

James B. Zapolski was ever ruled out? Very smart, rode off on a bike in 1966 never to be seen again.​

Not sure if his circumstances match up, just thought I’d ask

 

[Beekarina]

=
But then we have this appearance of someone homeless or escaped from a sanitarium!

=

Maybe I'm a old enough myself--early 50s--but I have noticed this mentioned fairly often in what I have read of the initial thread as well, and to me, what he was wearing seems fairly normal/typical.

Mismatched socks are easily explained to me, and his clothing seems like it was fairly good quality and in good condition. The outfit choice itself is keeping with the times.

I'm not sure why people feel he looked homeless?

 

[Beekarina]

just curious to see if

James B. Zapolski was ever ruled out? Very smart, rode off on a bike in 1966 never to be seen again.​

Not sure if his circumstances match up, just thought I’d ask

James disappeared in 1966 at 15, so that puts him several years older than this UID. Not impossible, but from reading through the initial thread it seems review of the initial age range was judged to be accurate.

Also, James seems more likely to me to have met with foul play near his home as his bike was found in a canal (another teen found it and kept it for awhile before realizing James was missing) . James was known to be training for an eventual long distance ride. Seems like a bad person may have been watching him, and took advantage. James B. Zapolski – The Charley Project

 

[Beekarina]

Question for locals concerning the waterways nearby: Is this an area BCJD could have travelled to by boat? Something small, like a kayak or canoe? I'm thinking of an explanation aside from a car of how he made his way there, and also a reason for keeping his note in the jar. He certainly could have folded the note and put it in his pocket, unless he feared he would not be found for some time and rain would destroy it. It seems to me though that he chose an area where he knew he would be discovered--it is somewhat remote, so he had enough privacy to act, but his body was found within hours, not weeks, months, etc.

Also, my main takeaways are : 1.) I think to help solve this it would be great if we could somehow determine if any agency still has his prints. Probably beyond an individual here, but there must be some organization or other than could do so. 2.) Have same reconfirm that funeral home knows where the remains are. This way if more details come together, and/or a relative ever does come forward, at least there would be some method to help confirm or rule out.

The stuff with Charlie Wallace's mom is just odd. I'm not sure what to think. I fear we might be reading into things a bit based on the newspaper articles and the way they were written. For example, we are assuming she chose not to ID her son to save face, yet the same articles note her neighbors are the ones who alerted the Wallaces to BCJD, so everyone knew Charlie was struggling. Likewise, her husband is also quoted saying (roughly) "Let me go to identify him." Yet Mrs Wallace felt she needed to see the BCJD herself. (Understandably.) So I do not personally believe we can read as much into as protecting Mr. Wallace, and letting him have hope his son was alive.

The wording is also somewhat vague with respect to Charlie's dentist, and also a lesser extent, the scar inside BCJD's mouth. We know both young men had a scar, and I agree that is very compelling. There may also be an explanation for it, however. And if both men had ordinary enough dental records, could they "match"? What exactly does it mean that they were a "match"? I feel we do not know. I would feel more confident with more specific details about the dental match, as we have seen in some modern discussions here.

I feel it would be very difficult to go view remains to begin with and then if they actually were your son, to smile and say they were not your son? While I know anything is possible, this just seems so strange. She is described as being relieved, even.

 

[carbuff]

Thread 1 incudes pointers to the various agencies involved in this case. I remember the FACES lab at LSU being one of them. Look for posts by @Tony1902, who put in many many hours of work trying to track down the remains.

 

[Amateur Web Sleuth]

James disappeared in 1966 at 15, so that puts him several years older than this UID. Not impossible, but from reading through the initial thread it seems review of the initial age range was judged to be accurate.

Also, James seems more likely to me to have met with foul play near his home as his bike was found in a canal (another teen found it and kept it for awhile before realizing James was missing) . James was known to be training for an eventual long distance ride. Seems like a bad person may have been watching him, and took advantage. James B. Zapolski – The Charley Project

Good points. Think I may have found a better match just researching a few more things

 

[Ciriii57]

Maybe I'm a old enough myself--early 50s--but I have noticed this mentioned fairly often in what I have read of the initial thread as well, and to me, what he was wearing seems fairly normal/typical.

Mismatched socks are easily explained to me, and his clothing seems like it was fairly good quality and in good condition. The outfit choice itself is keeping with the times.

I'm not sure why people feel he looked homeless?

I will take your word for it in terms of what he was wearing. But I think it was the idea of him wandering around with no shoes, odd socks and carrying a bed sheet and a glass jar that conjured up the image is all.

Regarding the socks, it's nothing definitive and of course a young man with mismatched socks might not be all that unusual, but this particular young man it does for some reason to me. For some reason the contents of the letter and way its written and the socks seem at odds to me. This young man seems so ordered somehow.
But i dont really know, its just an impression.

 

[Beekarina]

Just to make sure I am correct on the socks: one was blue and one was grey, right? I think we probably just have a very different opinion here, but having teen and young adult sons, I've seen them grab ones that do not match often. I've also had them help with laundry folding sorting and you know how you group/roll socks together in pairs? I could see a young man pairing 2 dark colors. Honestly, I've done this myself when tired or in a hurry. If he did travel any distance, he could have simply grabbed a goofy pair when he left home and not realized it until they were the ones he had left to wear.

Personally I think if he had been homeless, the papers would have included language indicating he looked like a vagrant, or had "been on the road", or "clothes were torn/dirty", etc. but maybe not?

ReL the sheet, I think that was opportunity and probably swiped from a clothesline. He looked slender, so his belt likely was not long/strong enough to hang himself with.

The glass jar may have served as his water bottle if traveling. Just a thought.

 

[Beekarina]

Thread 1 incudes pointers to the various agencies involved in this case. I remember the FACES lab at LSU being one of them. Look for posts by @Tony1902, who put in many many hours of work trying to track down the remains.

Her posts are excellent.

 

[Beekarina]

Sorry for serial posts, but one other thing caught my attention in Thread 1. One of the posters noticed BCJD attributed the thoughts about suicide being a homicidal act to Durkheim, when that specific line of thought was someone else.

I find this interesting, especially paired with the length of the letter. Was this a young man who was bright, but maybe also used to throwing around names and a nice vocabulary to impress? That seems more like a teenager to me, vs a young adult. As does leaving a 4 page note.

I know the majority opinion is BCJD was CW. I feel there are more ticks in the column for someone similar to Bayard Cousins, but a bit younger.

 

[Beekarina]

William S. Burroughs — 'When you stop growing you start dying.'

BCJD: ""When you stop growing you are dead."

 

[Beekarina]

Few more thoughts:

BCJD took his life on Valentine's Day. This was clearly planned, so I believe the date is also significant.

His quote about suicide as " "an inner direction of homicidal feelings against someone else." : Who was he feeling this level of rage and anger TOWARDS? It would seem he was very hurt and angry, and not simply self-loathing, IMO.

Re: "what frustrated me most in the last year was that I had built no ties to family or friends." and "I didn't tell jokes - I was a joke".

I think we have a really bad case of unrequited affection here, complicated by other things. It isn't as simple as he was in love with someone and they thought he was "a joke", HOWEVER I think ultimately their continued mocking, rejection of him was the final straw, especially given the date he chose. I also think he had been "missing", as he puts it, for awhile. I think his relationship with his family wasn't the best either, even if it may have appeared everyone else involved was normal to others.

We have a young teen who has been treated badly for quite awhile, and never fit in, IMO. This was an act of last resort.

 

[Rolypolyoly]

Sorry for serial posts, but one other thing caught my attention in Thread 1. One of the posters noticed BCJD attributed the thoughts about suicide being a homicidal act to Durkheim, when that specific line of thought was someone else.

I find this interesting, especially paired with the length of the letter. Was this a young man who was bright, but maybe also used to throwing around names and a nice vocabulary to impress? That seems more like a teenager to me, vs a young adult. As does leaving a 4 page note.

I know the majority opinion is BCJD was CW. I feel there are more ticks in the column for someone similar to Bayard Cousins, but a bit younger.

I have always strongly leaned towards Bayard Cousins, and if not for the dental and the mouth scar I don't think I would be swayed, although Charles Wallace does look very similar around the mouth area too.

Re the socks, I wonder if it could be something as simple as the victim being colour blind?

 

[Beekarina]

I cleaned up the yearbook images of Charles Wallace, shared previously. One is still B&W, the other a color edit, may be slightly off. It seems CW may have had a "lazy eye"? I thought it might be useful/interesting.