VA VA - Virginia Welch, 22, Roanoke, 12 July 1982

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Virginia Alice Welch, 22, Missing since July 12, 1982 from Roanoke, VA

Virginia Alice Welch
Missing since July 12, 1982 from Roanoke, Roanoke County, Virginia
Classification: Missing

Vital Statistics


Date Of Birth: March 15, 1960
Age at Time of Disappearance: 22 years old
Height and Weight at Time of Disappearance: 5'7"; 135 lbs.
Distinguishing Characteristics: White female. Blue eyes; natural curly dark hair.
Marks, Scars, Tattoos: A tattoo of a red rose on her right forearm, a tattoo of a hummingbird on her left breast, a tattoo of eagle wings on right shoulder, Rebel flag and the words "live to ride, ride to live", and a Cobra snake tattoo on her upper left leg.
Dentals: Not available
DNA: Available

Circumstances of Disappearance


Welch moved in with a friend in Roanoke and that was the last time her family heard from her. After three weeks of not hearing from her daughter, the mother went to the place Virginia was supposed to be living and was told that she had walked off carrying a plastic bag. However, the roommate couldn't seem to remember what week she left.

A couple of weeks later the family went to the Roanoke Police and a detective was assigned to the case. However the police never came up with any leads.

Welch had been enlisted the U.S. Army for a few months. She had gotten out on a medical discharge several years before she disappeared.

Investigators
If you have any information concerning this case, please contact:

Roanoke City Police Department
Detective L. P. Manning
Major Crimes Unit
540-853-5959
or
540-853-5305

Source Information:
Main Street Newspapers
Virginia State Police
The Doe Network: Case File 1502DFVA

LINK:

http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/1502dfva.html
 
Posting to follow. (Newbie here) I came across a page on Facebook for Ms. Welch (the same one Tulessa shared) and became interested in her case since I am also from Virginia. Hopefully I'll find something to add to this thread!
 
It has been 35 years since Virginia Welch went missing.
 
Unidentified Person Case

Back in 2012 there was talk this Jane Dow was Virginia Welch... no update.

"We believe that if she was from Frederick, we would have been able to identify her a long time ago," Chase said.

But now, perhaps, there has been a break.

"I had a conversation with a detective from Roanoke, Va.," Chase said.

He got a call about Virginian Alice Welch, who has been missing from Roanoke since August of 1982.

"At this time, the possibility of us having located this person, I think, is as good as it's ever been over the course of this investigation," Chase said.

He said the time frame, the height, the weight, and the appearances all match up.

"If you look at the three likenesses that you have and the photograph of the victim from Roanoke as posted on the Web page, the same similarities of her facial features are on the picture, are, in my opinion, very consistent with those similarities with those features existing on these artist renderings," Chase said.


L08p2rG.jpg
 
Virginia Alice Welch
  • virginia_alice_welch_1.jpg
  • virginia_alice_welch_2.jpg
  • virginia_alice_welch_3.jpg
Welch, circa 1982; Age-progression to an unknown age

  • Missing Since07/12/1982
  • Missing FromRoanoke, Virginia
  • ClassificationEndangered Missing
  • Date of Birth03/15/1960 (59)
  • Age22 years old
  • Height and Weight5'7 - 5'8, 110 - 135 pounds
  • Clothing/Jewelry DescriptionA burgundy top, a leather vest, blue jeans and possibly rings on all her fingers.
  • Distinguishing CharacteristicsCaucasian female. Brown hair, blue eyes. Welch has the following tattoos: a red rose on her right forearm, a hummingbird on her left breast, eagle wings on her right shoulder and a snake on her right hip. She may use the first name Jenny.
Details of Disappearance
Welch was last seen in Roanoke, Virginia on July 12, 1982. Shortly before her disappearance, she had moved to the southeast Roanoke area to live with a male roommate. She enlisted in the United States Army, but served for only a few months before being discharged for medical reasons.

Welch's boyfriend was involved with the Pagans, a motorcycle gang, and Welch disappeared shortly after some of the gang members were arrested in a drug raid. She may have been a federal informant.

She did have a history of engaging in drug activities to support herself, and she told her mother she was "in too deep." She kept a padlocked wooden box at home and told her mother it contained a letter which would explain everything if anything happened to her.

A week or two after Welch was last seen, her mother became concerned because she had not heard from her in three weeks and asked Welch's roommate where she was. The roommate said Welch had walked away from their residence, carrying a plastic bag, and had not returned.

Several weeks later, the police began investigating Welch's disappearance. Her mother went to open the locked wooden box, and discovered it had been broken open and the letter was missing.

Police stated Welch's roommate has been ruled out as a suspect in her disappearance, but her sister said his story was inconsistent and she thought he might have been involved. Her case remains unsolved.
 
(same info with a few additions to her distinguishing marks/features)

Distinguishing Marks/Features: Tattoo of a red rose on her right forearm, a tattoo of a hummingbird on her left breast, a tattoo of eagle wings on the right shoulder, Rebel flag and the words "live to ride, ride to live", and a Cobra snake tattoo on her upper left leg

Dentals: Available
Fingerprints: Available
DNA: Available

12 Unidentified Person Exclusions
UP8427 07/17/1982 Washoe NV
UP6796 11/18/1985 Alleghany VA
UP6642 08/07/1986 Chesterfield VA
UP1567 06/01/1987 Knox TN
UP6629 02/03/1991 Frederick VA
UP2551 09/03/1991 San Bernardino CA (x3)
UP4764 04/09/1992 Mahoning OH
UP6149 01/22/1996 Halifax VA
UP6150 11/07/1998 Stafford VA
UP12683 06/06/2014 Newport News VA
 
This girl was eliminated for her information... surely that plastic with which the roommate saw her for the last time was for herself without knowing it...
rest in peace vicky
 

virginia_alice_welch_1.jpg

Virginia Alice Welch, age 22, Missing since 12 July 1982​

 

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