MS MS - Biloxi, WhtFem 19-25, UP11582, poss pigeon-chest/humpback, poss played wind instrument, Nov'80

CarlK90245

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Here's a new listing for a cold-case young female UID whom I've never heard about until now:


NamUs UP # 11582 The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

Unidentified White Female


c8184a0f-8578-44d2-b97d-8a61c11f7392.jpg
145043ae-7462-467f-acb6-e22265358b91.jpg


Found on October 10, 1980 on a Logging Road off of White Plains Rd., Biloxi, Harrison County, Mississippi

Vital Statistics
Approx Age: 19-25 years​
Height (inches) 62-65, Estimated​
Hair : Medium length light brown hair​


Body Condition:
Not recognizable - Near complete or complete skeleton​
Probable Year of Death: 1979-1980​
Estimated postmortem interval: 18 Months​


Medical:
Deformities: possible pigeon chested and/or humpbacked (may not have been outwardly apparent during life)​
Skeletal findings
1. Open metopic suture​
2. Early fusion of all sternal elements​
3. Strong posterior bowing of the sternum​
4. Moderate Kyphosis​
The last three findings suggest that the individual was somewhat pigeon-chested​

Other Distinctive Physical Characteristics
* Remains had an extra flange for the external pterygoid muscle, which could be caused from playing a wind instrument.​
* Probably right-handed​
* Had no term or near-term children at time of death​


Circumstances
On November 10, 1980 hunters found the skeletal remains of a white female in the woods near a small creek. Anthropologist later determined that she was a white female, 5'2"-5'5", and had been in the woods approximately 3-18 months prior to discovery. Cause and manner of death are unknown but homicide is strongly suspected. Facial reconstruction available..​

Identifiers:
Fingerprints: Not available​
Dentals:​
Upper (R to L, 01-16) F F F N N NO NO NO NO NO NO F F F F N​

Lower (R to L, 32-17) N F N N N NO NO NO NO NO NO N F F F N


DNA: Not Available​
<MOD NOTE: Original link broken; edited to include current link as of October 8, 2022>​
 
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The teeth look very similar to Arrilla Naomi Webb-Vaul's teeth:
760aa547-7e58-4d1e-baae-b9179aba94ea.jpg
145043ae-7462-467f-acb6-e22265358b91.jpg



ArrillaWebb-VaulTeethComparison.jpg

Her height (61") is a little low.

But her age (23) is within range (19-25).
She is missing from an adjacent state.
The timeline (19 months) is pretty close to the estimated pm interval (18 months).
She had no children (as indicated in her divorce record - Source: Ancestry.com)


ETA:

Here's a photo from her Sophomore yearbook (1972 Friendswood TX High School). I don't see any indication of a pigeon chest.

c88fe1c2-3e3a-4c9d-96ab-6f66069cdb3d.jpg
 
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I talked to Helen at LSU this morning by telephone. She says that they have been unable to locate identifiers of any kind for Arrilla Webb-Vaul. There was supposed to be a "clump of hair" that belonged to her, but when they located it, there was only a single strand, and they were unable to extract any DNA from it.

Furthermore, as far as I can tell, she has no children, no siblings, and her parents are likely deceased. I found a woman listed in Ancestry who might be her maternal aunt, but she is likely deceased too. The best that we can probably hope for is to locate any descendants of that maternal aunt, who would be able to provide a mtDNA-compatible FRS.
 
This won't help to ID the decedant, but I wonder if she was a victim of Samuel McDowell aka Sam Little. He's a serial killer who was recently arrested in Kentucky, and was a suspect in the 1982 murder of Melinda LaPree in Pascagoula, MS. Her remains were found about 30 miles from the site of the Jane Doe's remains. Two women accused him of strangling them in 1980 and 1981. The Pascagoula detective on the case also has mentioned remains found in 1977 as possibly being a Little victim.
The suspected serial killer first showed up in Pascagoula in 1977, Versiga said, and local investigations discovered at least 2 women who claimed Little had attacked and strangled them in 1980 and 1981.
"So he was here in '77, we did have skeletal remains found in '77 we don't know if those are his or not we have to look at that. It's been unsolved," said Versiga, "They were found about four or five months after he left here."
http://blog.gulflive.com/mississippi-press-news/2013/01/pascagoula_cold_case_heats_up.html

http://www.fox10tv.com/news/local/coastal-ms/man-72-held-in-1980s-serial-killings

CA CA/MS/FL/AL + 20 - SUSPECT: Samuel McDowell aka Samuel Little - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community
 
I talked to Helen at LSU this morning by telephone. She says that they have been unable to locate identifiers of any kind for Arrilla Webb-Vaul. There was supposed to be a "clump of hair" that belonged to her, but when they located it, there was only a single strand, and they were unable to extract any DNA from it.

Furthermore, as far as I can tell, she has no children, no siblings, and her parents are likely deceased. I found a woman listed in Ancestry who might be her maternal aunt, but she is likely deceased too. The best that we can probably hope for is to locate any decendants of that maternal aunt, who would be able to provide a mtDNA-compatible FRS.


What about the husband? Also, if you have access to HS yearbook - did she play a musical instrument? Looks like a good possibility to me.
 
What about the husband? Also, if you have access to HS yearbook - did she play a musical instrument? Looks like a good possibility to me.

Her husband passed away in 2009. Her sophomore yearbook is the only one available in Classmates. I couldn't find her in the band section. There are a couple of photos of her in the Spanish Club.
 
The teeth look very similar to Arrilla Naomi Webb-Vaul's teeth:
760aa547-7e58-4d1e-baae-b9179aba94ea.jpg
145043ae-7462-467f-acb6-e22265358b91.jpg



ArrillaWebb-VaulTeethComparison.jpg

Her height (61") is a little low.

But her age (23) is within range (19-25).
She is missing from an adjacent state.
The timeline (19 months) is pretty close to the estimated pm interval (18 months).
She had no children (as indicated in her divorce record - Source: Ancestry.com)


ETA:

Here's a photo from her Sophomore yearbook (1972 Friendswood TX High School). I don't see any indication of a pigeon chest.

c88fe1c2-3e3a-4c9d-96ab-6f66069cdb3d.jpg

*BBM - Carl, my husband and son both have 'pigeon chest' (pectus carinatum). Both have learned to dress in a way that camouflages their condition. They have become so good at it that most people are only aware of the condition when they are bare chested. Also, they have a slight 'hump back' (kyphosis) caused from rolling their shoulders forward to offset the appearance of their chest. To most people, they would appear to just have poor posture. Please note that I am not in the medical field; only sharing observations from a personal point of view. Hope this helps.
 
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I am new to this forum.
Arrilla Webb-Vaul was my best friend in high school. Every now and then I google her name to see if anything has turned up with her missing. So this is new. It is really nice to see that she has not been forgotten.

Having known her so well, I can tell you she did not play in the band and never played a wind instrument. Her posture was straight and I have no recollection of her having any chest abnormality. If she did, she hid it really well.

While I look at the teeth comparison, and they seem similar, I am not positive they are the same. I pulled my senior yearbook, and have no clear picture of her smile in there to compare. I need to locate my box of high school pictures to see if I have any other ones that might help. I also have pictures my brother took of her at her wedding and he might have taken a close up.

Her mother was June and her father was Richard Webb (first name might have been John but I remember her mom calling him Richard). Her grandmother lived with them, and her name was Bertha. I know her mother passed away in 1988. Her father called me to let me know. At that time, they lived in Brookshire, Texas. I have no idea what happened to her father since then.

Arrilla was an only child.

I think about my dear friend often, and miss her dearly. I am thankful for those of you who continue to search.
 
I am new to this forum.
Arrilla Webb-Vaul was my best friend in high school. Every now and then I google her name to see if anything has turned up with her missing. So this is new. It is really nice to see that she has not been forgotten.

Having known her so well, I can tell you she did not play in the band and never played a wind instrument. Her posture was straight and I have no recollection of her having any chest abnormality. If she did, she hid it really well.

While I look at the teeth comparison, and they seem similar, I am not positive they are the same. I pulled my senior yearbook, and have no clear picture of her smile in there to compare. I need to locate my box of high school pictures to see if I have any other ones that might help. I also have pictures my brother took of her at her wedding and he might have taken a close up.

Her mother was June and her father was Richard Webb (first name might have been John but I remember her mom calling him Richard). Her grandmother lived with them, and her name was Bertha. I know her mother passed away in 1988. Her father called me to let me know. At that time, they lived in Brookshire, Texas. I have no idea what happened to her father since then.

Arrilla was an only child.

I think about my dear friend often, and miss her dearly. I am thankful for those of you who continue to search.

Welcome to WS; here is the link to her post , I'm going to copy your post over
 
Is it just me or is the title of that article just very, very silly? :silly:

Thanks for the update, MM!
 

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http://www.sunherald.com/2015/03/14/6123235/dna-fails-to-advance-probe-of.html

This article talks about two females discovered in the same year, a month apart. They refer to this UID as Ms. Harrison.

Ms. Harrison

The investigators have learned from experts the woman was white, 5-feet-2 to 5-feet-5 and had a curvature of her spine that may have made her appear slightly hunchbacked.

She likely died between May 1979 and August 1980.

She had 12 fillings but no other dental work and it was unlikely she ever gave birth.
 

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