Found Deceased IN - Paula Ann Stewart, 15, homicide, Hobart, 28 June 1980 *found 2017 in unmarked grave*

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Richard

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Paula Ann Stewart
Missing since June 28, 1980 from Hobart, Indiana
Classification: Lost, Injured, Missing

Vital Statistics
Date Of Birth: September 13, 1964
Age at Time of Disappearance: 15 years old
Height and Weight at Time of Disappearance: 5'1" (155 cm); 125 lbs (57 kg)
Distinguishing Characteristics: White female.Brown hair; brown eyes.

Circumstances of Disappearance
Paula was last seen on June 28, 1980 when she left her home to go to the store. It is unknown if she ever arrived at the store.
She has not been seen or heard from since.

Investigators
If you have any information concerning this case, please contact:
Hobart Police Department 219-942-1125


Source Information:
National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
doenetwork.org Case File 2142DFIN
 
Paula Ann Stewart
Missing since June 28, 1980 from Hobart, Lake County, Indiana
Classification: Lost, Injured, Missing

Vital Statistics
Date Of Birth: September 13, 1964
Age at Time of Disappearance: 15 years old
Height and Weight at Time of Disappearance: 5'1" (155 cm); 125 lbs (57 kg)
Distinguishing Characteristics: White female.Brown hair; brown eyes.

Circumstances of Disappearance

Paula was last seen on June 28, 1980 when she left her home to go to the store. It is unknown if she ever arrived at the store.

She has not been seen or heard from since.

Investigators
If you have any information concerning this case, please contact:
Hobart Police Department 219-942-1125

NCMEC #: NCMC1056247
Please refer to this number when contacting any agency with information regarding this case.


Source Information:
National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
The Doe Network: Case File 2142DFIN

LINK:

http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/2147dfva.html
 
I see on the doenetwork that she has been located deceased.

Anyone have info about the discovery?
 
I live about 15 minutes from Hobart, and I have never heard of this case. I searched the online newspaper archives today, but they only go back to 1990. I will look at the library if I have time this week.
 
If my memory serves me well (that's 50/50 most days), a few bodies have been found recently in Indiana. Wonder if one was her?

It's sad not to see info about this in the media - maybe the family just doesn't want media??

Meggily, keep us updated if you find out anything.
 
It has been 27 years since Paula Ann disappeared. Recent reports are that she has been found. If anyone can find details, please post them here.
 
Richard said:
It has been 27 years since Paula Ann disappeared. Recent reports are that she has been found. If anyone can find details, please post them here.
Click to expand...

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,293213,00.html

Indiana Girl's Body Missing Since 1980 Found in Unmarked Grave


CROWN POINT, Ind. — A body buried in an unmarked grave has been identified through DNA evidence as that of a 15-year-old Hobart girl who vanished in 1980, police said.

Detectives were investigating the death of Paula Ann Stewart as a homicide, said Lake County Sheriff Roy Dominguez.

"We have suspects but need the public's assistance," Dominguez said Monday.

The Lake County coroner's office declined to discuss the cause of her death.

The body was buried in a cemetery operated by the Ross Township trustee's office in Merrillville, Domiguez said. Trustee John Rooda said the skeletal remains were discovered by police almost six months after Stewart's reported disappearance in June 1980. Authorities delayed burying the body until 1984 as investigators worked to identify the remains, police said.

The case was reopened in late 2006 after Stewart's sister contacted Hobart police asking about the investigation.
 
Indiana Girl's Body Missing Since 1980 Found in Unmarked Grave

CROWN POINT, Ind. — A body buried in an unmarked grave has been identified through DNA evidence as that of a 15-year-old Hobart girl who vanished in 1980, police said.

Detectives were investigating the death of Paula Ann Stewart as a homicide, said Lake County Sheriff Roy Dominguez.

"We have suspects but need the public's assistance," Dominguez said Monday.

The Lake County coroner's office declined to discuss the cause of her death.

The body was buried in a cemetery operated by the Ross Township trustee's office in Merrillville, Domiguez said. Trustee John Rooda said the skeletal remains were discovered by police almost six months after Stewart's reported disappearance in June 1980. Authorities delayed burying the body until 1984 as investigators worked to identify the remains, police said.

The case was reopened in late 2006 after Stewart's sister contacted Hobart police asking about the investigation.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,293213,00.html

Here is her missing thread:

http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1627717#post1627717
 
Body is NW Indiana girl reported missing in '80

Authorities in Northwest Indiana have used DNA to identify a body buried in an unmarked grave as that of a 15-year-old Hobart girl who vanished in 1980.

Lake County Sheriff Roy Dominguez said Paula Ann Stewart was a homicide victim. He plans to release more information about the case today.
 
From the sound of the ABC 7 news report that I just heard, the family of the victim was aware that the body might be Paula before it was buried. However since they could not Identify her positively she was buried as a Jane doe.

All the family could say was that the bathing suit top found with the body was 'similar' to the one that paula was wearing.

Full story at link http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=local&id=5568496

In 1980, there was no DNA technology. When a body was found that could be Stewart's, her family identified the bathing suit top, which was similar to the one she was wearing when she disappeared. A few months ago, Stewart's sister called police and asked them to try again for something more definite.
 
Thanks for the link, Gidget. I'm glad the family finally knows for sure and will be able to bury her.
 
It has been over two years since anyone has posted on this thread. Paula was found and identified, but has anyone heard if the cause of her death was ever determined? And has anyone been charged with her murder?
 
This is quite an old thread but it was quite an old case even before that. There should be a medical examiners report from 1980-81 on file somewhere. Seems like their should be fairly extensive records if there was three years worth of research even if a lot of it was unproductive and/or back-and-forths between police and the medical examiner's office.
 
evilwise said:
This is quite an old thread but it was quite an old case even before that. There should be a medical examiners report from 1980-81 on file somewhere. Seems like their should be fairly extensive records if there was three years worth of research even if a lot of it was unproductive and/or back-and-forths between police and the medical examiner's office.
Click to expand...

I just wanted to *wave*. Annie (her name was Paula but everyone called her Annie) - was my close cousin, we grew up together so we were more than cousins, we were friends. Her case has been a minor obsession for me for 40 years - thank you for remembering her.
 
Annie’sCuz said:
I just wanted to *wave*. Annie (her name was Paula but everyone called her Annie) - was my close cousin, we grew up together so we were more than cousins, we were friends. Her case has been a minor obsession for me for 40 years - thank you for remembering her.
Click to expand...
You are the reason I started posting here. This is the forum that people like you ultimately land on, people with true effect and who have been truly effected. It is astonishing to our current sensibilities that a 15 year old girl walking down the road in broad daylight could be taken and killed and literally nothing would ever come of it but it happened - and more than we like to think.

I beg you to go to the effort of becoming a verified insider on this case

Verification Process for Professional or Insider Posters

Once you've been verified by moderators you can post any and all information you feel could possibly be useful on this case, even just stories about Annie could be useful but photos would be great. Any information that came out in 2007. Was the bathing suit preserved? There may still be viable DNA evidence on it.

Crimes like this HAVE been getting solved using big genealogical databases but it takes a particular case getting the investigators' attention. The more we can remind the world that this was a real teenage girl the more likely it will be for her to get justice.
 
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