PA PA - Fort Indiantown Gap, WhtFem 12-20, 609UFPA, extensive dental work, covered w/ plastic, Oct'73

CarlK90245 · Feb 1, 2012

The Doe Network:
Case File 609UFPA 609UFPA

Reconstruction of Victim

Unidentified White Female

The victim was discovered on October 10, 1973 in Fort Indiantown Gap Military Reservation, Pennsylvania
Estimated Date of Death: September 1973
Decomposed from the waist up.

Vital Statistics

Estimated age: 16-20 years old
Approximate Height and Weight: 5'6"-5'8"
Distinguishing Characteristics: Light brown/blonde hair.
Dentals: Available
Clothing: Nude. No jewelry
Skeletal Findings: No previous fractures.
Fingerprints: Available
Dentals: Available
DNA: Not Available

Case History
Remains were not buried but covered with tree branches, brush and a 48"x32.5" piece of plastic.
A white seal on the plastic read "National Sanitation Foundation, Testing Laboratory, Number "8505".

<MOD NOTE: Several original links throughout the thread were broken and have been edited to include the current link (when available) and images as of January 16, 2024>

CarlK90245 · Feb 1, 2012

For the longest time, I've been trying to find info on Barbara Jean Aleksivich (Maiden Name Jones) from Bath NY. All that has been out there is the NamUs no photo casefile with no indication of the circumstances of her disappearance.

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

By bringing people, information, forensic science and technology together, NamUs helps resolve cases.

www.namus.gov

I contacted Investigator Heather Wheaton of the Village of Bath PD. She sent me a photo of Barbara Jean Aleksivich.

She also gave me a brief summary of the circumstances of her disappearance. She was last seen taking a two-block walk home from the local Elks lodge. She was never seen again. There is a local man who was convicted of another murder in which he burned the body of the victim. He has served his sentence on that crime, and is still living in the area. They suspect that he might have been involved in Barbara Jean's disappearance, but they have not been able to come up with enough evidence to charge him with her dissapearance/murder.

Looking at the UID's from that time period, this Jane Doe seems to fit reasonably close - enough so that I think it warrants a look.

• The Jane Doe was found only seven days after Barbara’s disappearance.
• Her height (5’6” – 5’8&#8221

is consistent to Barbara’s height.
• Her estimated age (16-20) is a little low, but not excessively so.
The drawing is of poor quality, so I wouldn’t put too much reliance on the comparison to her photo, but like the drawing, Barbara appears to have a prominent nose and strong chin.

ETA: Submitted by e-mail to Investigator Wheaton

CarlK90245 · Feb 1, 2012

Investigator Wheaton replied to my e-mail and said that she sees nothing in the casefile to indicate that Barbara Aleksivich was ever compared to this Jane Doe.

Donjeta · Feb 1, 2012

What does it mean, Decomposed from the waist up? Why weren't the lower parts decomposed?

CarlK90245 · Feb 1, 2012

Donjeta said:
What does it mean, Decomposed from the waist up? Why weren't the lower parts decomposed?

Just guessing, but perhaps due to the plastic wrapping, her upper body was more exposed to the elements and wildlife than the lower half.

distracted 1976 · Feb 1, 2012

I would love to know where the guy who did time on the other murder lived, I am assuming Bath NY. This area where the UID was located is pretty much a straight shot down Hwy 15 just 3 and a half hours away. Looking at the map, seems as though there would be a million places to dump a body closer to Bath NY, but I can't ever seem to figure these killers out. Probably a good thing! Please let us know what happens!

masnitram · Jul 4, 2014

She's been added to Namus

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

By bringing people, information, forensic science and technology together, NamUs helps resolve cases.

www.namus.gov

UP12689

Migmuu · Oct 15, 2014

Sandra Hopler fits pretty well.

Age (18) fits in the 16 - 20 age range
Race (Caucasian) matches
Height is within 3 inches
Hair (long, light brown) matches the UID's
Timing lines up very well. Sandra went missing on September 29, which is 11 days before the UID's discovery. UID's postmortem interval was one week
Distance (114 miles) is reasonable

Her dentals aren't in NamUs, so no automatic comparison could be made.

taramarie · Oct 15, 2014

I submitted Sandra Hopler as a potential match to this UID about 4 years ago to the Pennsylvania State Police, who are in charge of Sandra's case. They had already been compared & were not a match.

Here is a link to Sandra's thread, along with that information if you want to read more:
http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?97814-PA-Sandra-Lee-Hopler-18-LaPlume-29-Sept-1973

Migmuu · Mar 20, 2015

A girl named Helen Allison, missing since May 1972, was just added to NamUs yesterday. The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

I was able to find a thread her sister started on a people-finding forum three years ago, and a PA state trooper actually responded in December of last year because Helen matches the description of a UID found in 1973. He didn't really elaborate past that, but I'm 99.999% sure he's talking about this one (609UFPA).

- Her age (16) would be within range
- Race (Caucasian) matches
- Height (5'3) is within 3 inches
- Her hair (long, light brown/strawberry blonde) matches the description
- Distance between Fairfax, VA and Lebanon, PA is only 154 miles
- Timing (Almost 1 1/2 years between date LKA and the UID's date of discovery) doesn't rule her out, since there's no indication that Helen was killed soon after she disappeared.

The circumstances are pretty vague; all I know is that she disappeared after being dropped off at a Jack in the Box and that her case was apparently classified as a runaway. Based on that info only, there isn't really anything to rule her out.

The state trooper posted a little over three months ago and I don't know if Helen's dentals or DNA have been compared to this UID yet. She isn't on the rule-out list in NamUs, though.

Gourami Watcher · Oct 6, 2015

Jane Doe was added to the NCMEC today:http://www.missingkids.com/poster/NCMU/1184545/1/screen

CCJD · Oct 6, 2015

I've got the third view (opposite profile) on PA Missing
http://pennsylvaniamissing.com/609ufpafortindgap.html

amateur_sleuth · Oct 9, 2015

There's some new information on this case, as well as a recent recon. There's also a possible ID, but nothing has been confirmed yet.
Info is at this link:
http://m.wgal.com/news/new-tech-may-crack-lebanon-county-cold-case-42-years-later/35745278

catherine. · Oct 14, 2015

<modsnip: broken link>

Law enforcement's possible lead is alive and well.

I don't know if it's just me but their recon makes her seem a lot older than 16-20.

DD Byrd · Oct 14, 2015

This Doe's DNA is currently being tested against Jan Cotta's - missing in 1973 from NJ.

amateur_sleuth · Oct 15, 2015

I know this post is from a few years ago, but was Barbara Aleksivich ruled out? I didn't see anything that said she had been.

CarlK90245 · Oct 15, 2015

amateur_sleuth said:
I know this post is from a few years ago, but was Barbara Aleksivich ruled out? I didn't see anything that said she had been.

Not that I know of.

catherine. · Oct 15, 2015

DD Byrd said:
This Doe's DNA is currently being tested against Jan Cotta's - missing in 1973 from NJ.

I just read up on Jan Cotta. She was 5-7 months pregnant at the time. Wouldn't they be able to tell if Jane Doe was pregnant or had given birth when they discovered her?

EmmaliLucia · Nov 1, 2015

If theyvwere able to get fingerprints from her then they'd be able to tell if she was pregnant. Especially 5-7 months so.

Gourami Watcher · Jan 5, 2016

NCMEC released their rendering:

PA PA - Fort Indiantown Gap, WhtFem 12-20, 609UFPA, extensive dental work, covered w/ plastic, Oct'73

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