Identified! MD - Patuxent River SP, Human Remains, March 2010 - Tannessa Taylor

DEPARTMENT OF POLICE

MEDIA SERVICES DIVISION

2350 RESEARCH BOULEVARD ROCKVILLE, MARYLAND 20850-3294 240-773-5030

For Immediate Release March 7, 2010

Media Services Division, 240-773-5030

Human Remains Found in Patuxent River State Park

Detectives from the Montgomery County Police Major Crimes Division - Homicide/Sex Section are investigating the discovery of a body that was found yesterday in the Patuxent River State Park in upper Montgomery County, outside of Damascus.

On Saturday, March 6, at approximately 12:32 pm., a citizen reported finding human remains in the Patuxent River State Park. Maryland State Police, Maryland Natural Resources Police, and officers from the Montgomery County Police 6th District responded to the park on Brown Church Road.

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&tab=wl&q=Brown%20Church%20Road%20Damascus%20MD​

The preliminary investigation revealed a partially decomposed body in a shallow grave in a wooded area near the end of Brown Church Road. Due to the condition of the body, Homicide/Sex Section detectives were assisted by personnel from the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (AFIP) in their on-site investigation. The body has been identified as that of a woman, but her age and race remain unknown. Based on the stage of decomposition, investigators believe the body may have been placed there in the fall of 2009.

The body has been transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore in an effort to determine the cause and manner of death.

Anyone who believes that they may have information about this death is asked to call homicide detectives at 240-773-5070. Callers may remain anonymous.

Wow, I live in that county, and did not hear a word of this today!

lurkeyloo said:

Wow, I live in that county, and did not hear a word of this today!

Click to expand...

I get the news release directly from the Montgomery county police department .
I live in Mount Airy Maryland, but I've lived in Montgomery county for many years prior to this .
This is very close to home according to mapquest Driving directions to Brown Church Rd, Damascus, MD 20872 4.2 mi – about 9 mins.
I'm not directly familiar with that particular section of road, but I've driven passed that section of the park from the long corner road side of the park .
I will keep an eye on what's going on in the newspapers in the area. So far they're just quoting the Montgomery county police press release .

FrederickNewsPost.com

http://www.fredericknewspost.com/sections/news/display.htm?StoryID=102225​

Police search for clues to identify woman's body
Originally published March 09, 2010


By Pam Rigaux

Police search for clues to identify woman's body



A hunter found a body Saturday afternoon in a shallow grave about 100 yards from a parking area off Brown Church Road in a state park outside Damascus, Montgomery County Police said.


DAMASCUS -- Police are trying to determine the identity of a woman found Saturday afternoon in a shallow grave in a state park outside of Damascus, Montgomery County Police said.

Police do not know the woman's race and age, and are waiting to see if dental records, fingerprints or other identifying features can be obtained from the partially decomposed body, said Capt. Paul Starks, a Montgomery County police spokesman.

The woman is believed to have been placed in the grave -- about 100 yards from a parking area off Brown Church Road in Patuxent River State Park -- in late fall 2009, Starks said. The park is near Frederick and Howard counties.

Once police have an identifying feature, they will search law enforcement databases in Frederick, Montgomery and Howard counties to check for anyone reported missing, Starks said. Then, if necessary, they'll access a national database.

"We start small, then go big," Starks said.

Although the placement of the body in a shallow parkland grave is suspicious, Starks said no foul play has been determined and the investigation might reveal there was no foul play.

A turkey hunter was scouting the park Saturday when he saw what he thought were bones and made a report to police about 12:30 p.m., Starks said.

The hunter did not disturb any debris on top of the bones or around the body, which helped the investigation.

"The hunter did the right thing," Starks said. "Not only did he call police, he waited for us."

Maryland State Police, Maryland Natural Resources Police, and officers from the Montgomery County Police 6th District responded, Starks said.

The body has been transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore, where an autopsy will performed to try to determine the cause and manner of death, Starks said.

The Armed Forces Institute of Pathology has offered its expertise in dealing with a decomposing body, Starks said.

Anyone who with information about the death is asked to call homicide detectives at 240-773-5070. Callers may remain anonymous.the

interesting that they say no foul play has been determined, yet the body was found in a shallow grave.

Another body was found yesterday in Frederick County in Lake Linganore, near the dam. They haven't been able to retrieve the body yet. I posted a thread with links.

A decomposed woman's body was found last weekend in Montgomery County, PA.

The body was sent to the ME. The shallow grave was very close to the Patuxent River.

Rest in peace poor lady. I am so sorry you were left alone like that.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/bal-montgomery-body0309,0,3328813.story

I checked PA missing persons and the only woman I could find that was reported missing from that area last fall was Toni Lee Sharpless. Missing since August 23, 2009.

http://www.pennsylvaniamissing.com/females2000to2009.html

Toni has a pretty extensive thread here:

http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=88268&highlight=toni+lee

Isn't this Montgomery County, Maryland?

There's also a thread in the UID forum....I'd read the initial story from LE asking for help w/ ID - at that time they hadn't determined it was a woman's body....LE says they're not sure if foul play is involved ....so sad this woman was buried in a shallow grave unceremoniously - just left all alone.

MD MD - Human Remains Found in Patuxent River State Park - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community

DEPARTMENT OF POLICE
MEDIA SERVICES DIVISION
2350 RESEARCH BOULEVARD ROCKVILLE, MARYLAND 20850-3294 240-773-5030


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FOR MORE INFORMATION:
March 12, 2010 Media Services Division, 240-773-5030

Update Update Update Update

Detectives Identified Human Remains Found in
Patuxent River State Park​

Detectives from the Montgomery County Police Major Crimes Division – Homicide/Sex Section continue to investigate the discovery of a female body that was found Saturday, March 6, 2010, in the Patuxent River State Park in upper Montgomery County, outside of Damascus. The female has been identified, and the death is being investigated as suspicious.

The victim has been identified as Tannessa Victoria Taylor, age 19, from an unconfirmed address. The identification was made by fingerprints. The cause and manner of death have not yet been determined by the Medical Examiner’s Office in Baltimore.​

On Saturday, March 6, at approximately 12:32 p.m., a citizen reported finding human remains in the Patuxent River State Park. Maryland State Police, Maryland Natural Resources Police, and officers from the Montgomery County Police 6th District responded to the park on Brown Church Road.

The preliminary investigation revealed a partially decomposed body in a shallow grave in a wooded area near the end of Brown Church Road. Due to the condition of the body, Homicide/Sex Section detectives were assisted by personnel from the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (AFIP) in their on-site investigation.

Anyone who has any information about this death is asked to call homicide detectives at 240-773-5070. Callers may remain anonymous.

###

PRS/LEHBrs/lehb

Perhaps one of the mods could merge the threads since she has been identified.

The victim has been identified as Tannessa Victoria Taylor, age 19, from an unconfirmed address. The identification was made by fingerprints. The cause and manner of death have not yet been determined by the Medical Examiner’s Office in Baltimore.

Gazette.Net
Maryland Community Newspapers Online
http://www.gazette.net/stories/03122010/montnew174152_32573.php

Friday, March 12, 2010
Montgomery police identify body found in park near Damascus
State medical examiner rules death a homicide; no further details released
by Susan Singer-Bart | Staff Writer

Montgomery police have identified the decomposed body of a woman found last week in a park northeast of Damascus as that of Tannessa Victoria Taylor. The state medical examiner has ruled her death a homicide, said Capt. Paul Starks, police spokesman.

Montgomery County Police were able to identify Taylor through fingerprints, Starks said. The body showed signs of trauma, but Starks said police would not release any further information about the cause of death or the body while the investigation continues.

Investigators think she was buried in a shallow grave in Patuxent River State Park less than three months ago, he said.

Starks said he was not aware of a missing persons report filed for Taylor.

He said police could not confirm Taylor's address, but a state online court database lists Taylor, who was 19, with an address in Southeast Washington, D.C., in January 2009.

Taylor was charged in Prince George's County on Jan. 15, 2009, with attempted burglary, malicious destruction of property and disorderly conduct, according to online court records. A warrant was issued for her arrest on March 13, 2009, for failing to appear in court, according to the online records. She was arrested on Dec. 31 and released on bail on Jan. 1, according to the online court records.

No attorney was listed for Taylor on the online court records.

A hunter scouting out a good location to spot turkeys found the body in a shallow grave less than 100 yards from a dirt parking area in the park on Brown Church Road at about 12:30 p.m. March 6, Starks said. The park is wooded and undeveloped, with no walking paths, but horseshoe prints indicate the park is used for equestrian riding, he said.

Montgomery police are taking the lead in the investigation, which also includes the Maryland State Police and Maryland Natural Resources Police because the body was found in a state park.

Anyone who may have information about the death is asked to call county police homicide detectives at 240-773-5070.

http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local-beat/Police-ID-Woman-Found-in-Shallow-Grave-87490247.html

WRC/ NBC Washington/ channel 4

Transcribed from the video link

Interview with female family member; I just miss her and love her, I wish I was able to talk to her before anything was able to happen to her or say something to her, or tell her to come home or something like that.

News reporters voice (Pat Collins, ten time Emmy award winner)

Tannessa Victoria Taylor in the world of prostitution she was known as tasty cake. She said she always wanted to grow up and be a model, but she had a lot of things working against her. Her parents died when she was twelve years old. She had a bipolar disorder, she lived in a number of places here in south east (Washington DC). She tried to make it through high school but in order to survive she took to the streets to a life of prostitution, and that, that could’ve led to her death.

The body of nineteen year old Tannessa Taylor found last weekend in a shallow grave in the Patuxent River State Park near the Howard county line.

News reporter interviewing Montgomery county police captain

Is this a case of murder?

The captains reply; We are now investigating this as a homicide.

Reporter’s question; Cause of death?

Captains reply; Trauma to her body, we cannot specify the type.

Continuation of the interview with female family member

Female family members reply; Somebody killed her know, and it was wrong, and I hope they find out who really did it you know, they should be brought to justice, I think something should happen.

Reporter’s question; Do you think she ended up with the wrong crowd?

Female family member replies; Yea, pretty much, pretty much

End of video: transcribed by poster.