Identified! CA - Los Angeles - White Female *Hot Case 1367*, 18-30, Dec'70 - Shannon F. Capriola

capoly · #1 04-05-2009, 09:12 AM

Anyone know if this UID has been ruled out for Robin Graham? Seems a mite strange a connection wouldn't have been established already but there appears to be a resemblance.

CA WF 1970

Case Number 1970-13781
Sex F
Ethnic Group White
Ht unk
Wt unk
Eyes Unknown
Hair Black
Age 25+ (Doe Network Estimated age: 18-30 years old)

Tattoos:
Jewelry: NONE
NO CLOTHING DESCRIPTON AVAILABLE
Comments: The decedent was found on 12/31/1970 at 740 S. Manspiel Ave. in L.A. Age range between 18-30. No further information available.

http://coroner.co.la.ca.us/htm/uipli...TOKEN=36940610

http://doenetwork.org/hot/hotcase1367.html

Robin Ann Graham

Missing since November 14, 1970 from Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California
Classification: Endangered Missing

Vital Statistics

* Date Of Birth: June 22, 1952
* Age at Time of Disappearance: 18 years old
* Height and Weight at Time of Disappearance: 5'6; 125 lbs.
* Distinguishing Characteristics: White female. Brown hair; brown eyes.
* Clothing: Red blouse, blue jeans, red clog shoes, dark blue corduroy jacket.
* Dentals: Available

http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/980dfca.html

Please use links to view photos. Thank you.

SewingDeb · #2 04-05-2009, 10:02 AM

I see some resemblance but one is listed as having black hair and the other is listed with brown hair. I guess it could have been dyed.

TripleA · #3 04-05-2009, 11:35 AM

Hair color is a bit subjective. Some call me blonde, some light brown. My husband has black hair IMO, but many call it dark brown. Why is there no height/weight on the UID? The photo seems that she was found immediately following her death, so that info should be available.

I see some resemblance. I think that in death, the lack of facial muscles changes a persons facial appearance. Even when sleeping we have control over our muscle movements, both voluntary and involuntary. I think that those muscles lift our face up and make it look less elongated. This is just my non-professional opinion.

Boyz_Mum · #4 04-05-2009, 12:44 PM

I think there are similarities in the looks and shape of the face (the nose looks similar to me as well). I agree with Triple A as per the hair color. I have a cousin with black hair that takes on a blue sheen, so I would call her hair black. Other people whos hair is "black" could have brown tones.

This is JMO.

cheko1 · #5 04-05-2009, 01:11 PM

I see some similarity.....but its awful hard when there is no weight & height.

Moggie · #6 04-05-2009, 02:24 PM

I think they are very similar. Robins photo. looks like it was taken in High School. She's off to college the first things most girls do is change hair color and pluck eyebrows, we all did....lol
If I were family I would definitely want the unidentified girl ruled out.
nice find!

jmho.

Fairy1 · #7 04-05-2009, 06:36 PM

Gosh, I do see some similarities in the faces. Timeline and location are right on too. It makes no sense they don't have at least an estimated height and weight on the UID! Maybe we need to rattle a cage there....

I agree that logic says this would have been checked out, but you never know. If it has been, we should be able to get a pretty quick response. Go for it!

capoly · #8 04-05-2009, 06:38 PM

Agree with all of you...thanks for your quick input.

Even though there is very little information on the UID, I've sent an inquiry to both agencies asking whether this UID has been considered/ruled out as a match for Robin. Mainly because I am expecting replies from both saying that a match was ruled out in Dec. 1970.

The URL below gives a little more insight into Robin's disappearance. Her family didn't fade quietly away so it would seem that a deceased young woman found 6 weeks later in the same city Robin disappeared from would have been investigated thoroughly.

At least I'm hoping that's the case.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robin_Graham

ETA lol Fairy1....we were having the same thought

Fairy1 · #9 04-05-2009, 06:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by capoly

Agree with all of you...thanks for your quick input.

Even though there is very little information on the UID, I've sent an inquiry to both agencies asking whether this UID has been considered/ruled out as a match for Robin. Mainly because I am expecting replies from both saying that a match was ruled out in Dec. 1970.

The URL below gives a little more insight into Robin's disappearance. Her family didn't fade quietly away so it would seem that a deceased young woman found 6 weeks later in the same city Robin disappeared from would have been investigated thoroughly.

At least I'm hoping that's the case.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robin_Graham

ETA lol Fairy1....we were having the same thought

Well, this is enlightening - thanks capoly. I have to agree that Robin's family and LE would have ruled this UID out at the time. But Lord knows we've all seen things fall through the cracks on some of these cases, so I suppose anything is possible. I do expect you'll receive a swift response!

capoly · #10 04-06-2009, 11:48 PM

Have not received a reply from either agency. But, based on an archived news article, a young woman was identified on Jan. 2, 1971 as the victim found at 740 S. Mansfield Ave. Could not find a Manspiel Ave in L.A.

Her name was Shannon Caprola, age 23, from Talmadge, Ohio.

Police in L.A. Identify Victim of Bludgeoning

Los Angeles Times (1886-Current File) - Los Angeles, Calif.
Date: Jan 2, 1971

Slain Woman Identified as Ohio Visitor

Los Angeles Times (1886-Current File) - Los Angeles, Calif.
Date: Jan 2, 1971

capoly · #11 04-07-2009, 02:17 AM

Sent the following email to Daniel Machian, UID's contact at the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office. Hope he doesn't find me too annoying but it be good to have this cleared up......

Dear Mr. Machian,

While searching for further information on your UID Case #1970-13781 I came upon a 1971 L.A. Times article which stated that a young woman found slain at 740 S Mansfield Ave was identified as Shannon Caprola, age 23, from Talmadge, Ohio on Jan 2, 1971. (article attached) I could not find a S Manspiel Ave listed as a public/private way in L.A.

I did a search for Shannon Caprola on the L.A. database for unclaimed identified persons with 0 results.

Would you be able to clarify this for me? If Shannon is #1970-13781 than you might want the word to get out so you are not bombarded with ID submissions.

Or perhaps by clerical error Shannon Caprola's information was mistakenly listed as pertinent to another unidentified young woman? The UID does bear a resemblance to Robin Ann Graham. (side-by-side attached)

Thank you, etc etc

capoly · #12 04-07-2009, 10:47 AM

Received the following reply from Daniel Machian, UID's contact at the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office.

To: ,

Thank you for the information that you provided, I will follow through
on this information and I will get back to you with the results from my
search.

Sincerely,
Inv. Daniel Machian

MadeaBecBec · #13 04-08-2009, 10:27 AM

Strange how alot of us are on the same search at the same time! I was searching for a possible match to this Jane, I totally skipped over Missing females close to Los Angeles, simply because I assumed (I hate that word) that ME and Investigators had SURELY cross referenced with them. I even thought, alot of the parents/family had probably been called to view this girls body! Anywho, here's a side by side of Jane and Robin, while we wait to hear back from ME.....
Just a note: The pic of Jane, it has been airbrushed, probably to mask bruising or injuries, so the Jane's face appears a bit longer! Alot of the reasons that there is no clothing description, they are nude when found and depending on coroner or assistant that enters the info (especialy on the web) will not state that, I am guessing here, probably out of compassion for family that may come across the report!

Boyz_Mum · #14 04-08-2009, 12:02 PM

With the side by side, it looks like the eye's line up fairly well (size wise).

capoly · #15 04-08-2009, 07:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MadeaBecBec

Strange how alot of us are on the same search at the same time! I was searching for a possible match to this Jane, I totally skipped over Missing females close to Los Angeles, simply because I assumed (I hate that word) that ME and Investigators had SURELY cross referenced with them. I even thought, alot of the parents/family had probably been called to view this girls body! Anywho, here's a side by side of Jane and Robin, while we wait to hear back from ME.....
Just a note: The pic of Jane, it has been airbrushed, probably to mask bruising or injuries, so the Jane's face appears a bit longer! Alot of the reasons that there is no clothing description, they are nude when found and depending on coroner or assistant that enters the info (especialy on the web) will not state that, I am guessing here, probably out of compassion for family that may come across the report!

What is your thought on similarities between Robin & Uid, MadeaBecBec? Have a photo of Robin smiling but it is very grainy and hard to truly see her teeth.

Plus it is an image in an old news article....tried to attach the 2 articles so just a link was present but they kept coming up with the thumbnails. Was concerned re copyright.

Finally got cut & paste to work.

BethInAK · #16 04-09-2009, 01:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MadeaBecBec

Strange how alot of us are on the same search at the same time! I was searching for a possible match to this Jane, I totally skipped over Missing females close to Los Angeles, simply because I assumed (I hate that word) that ME and Investigators had SURELY cross referenced with them. I even thought, alot of the parents/family had probably been called to view this girls body! Anywho, here's a side by side of Jane and Robin, while we wait to hear back from ME.....
Just a note: The pic of Jane, it has been airbrushed, probably to mask bruising or injuries, so the Jane's face appears a bit longer! Alot of the reasons that there is no clothing description, they are nude when found and depending on coroner or assistant that enters the info (especialy on the web) will not state that, I am guessing here, probably out of compassion for family that may come across the report!

The nose looks VERY similar to me.

capoly · #17 04-09-2009, 04:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by capoly

Have not received a reply from either agency. But, based on an archived news article, a young woman was identified on Jan. 2, 1971 as the victim found at 740 S. Mansfield Ave. Could not find a Manspiel Ave in L.A.

Her name was Shannon Caprola, age 23, from Talmadge, Ohio.

Police in L.A. Identify Victim of Bludgeoning

Los Angeles Times (1886-Current File) - Los Angeles, Calif.
Date: Jan 2, 1971

Slain Woman Identified as Ohio Visitor

Los Angeles Times (1886-Current File) - Los Angeles, Calif.
Date: Jan 2, 1971

Quote myself to save time.

It's possible that Shannon's last name was Capriola rather than Caprola.

A Shannon Faye Capriola is listed in the CA Death Index as deceased in December 1970. And, while an Ohio obituary specific to Shannon couldn't be found, there was a 2005 obituary for a James Guy Capriola of Tallmadge in the Akron-Beacon Journal. He was preceded in death by a daughter, Shannon Faye. This Shannon was also listed as preceding her grandmother in death in the grandmother's 1999 obituary.

If the Shannon identified as the victim found on 12/31/1970 in L.A. is the same Shannon listed in the obituaries, imo, it would seem unlikely that her family would have left her unclaimed in CA.

MadeaBecBec · #18 04-10-2009, 02:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by capoly

What is your thought on similarities between Robin & Uid, MadeaBecBec? Have a photo of Robin smiling but it is very grainy and hard to truly see her teeth.

Plus it is an image in an old news article....tried to attach the 2 articles so just a link was present but they kept coming up with the thumbnails. Was concerned re copyright.

Finally got cut & paste to work.

These two look so much alike, I am please you submitted this!
The differences I see are the foreheads are a bit different, but then Jane's hair is brushed back away from her face, so that's not a big question, IMO! The other is the eyebrows, but then as Moggie, suggested, the fashionable trends that females tend to follow, when first going to college or moving away from home, could explain that!
I'm sure you all know this and just haven't commented much about it, but we've all realized that back in the days before instant access online, much of the investigations into deaths like this one, were mostly investigated within the jurisdiction of LE where the UID was found, this particular case, I'm pretty sure, there wasn't faxes and other tools for the investigators to employ, to get the info out to statewide agencies! Alot of the cases that were solved, were done so, because a investigator just happened to see someones photo or news article and put two and two together! California is so large and has so many out-of-towners, back then, it would've been extremely difficult job to do!
Also, Ms. Capriola and Ms. Graham look an awful lot alike, too! That said, I really don't think that the ME site would still have this Jane listed as a UID, if for no other reason than Ms. Capriolas family insisting it be removed, if this were her! These UID's on this site were entered after the supposed ID, too! I would think that her file wouldn't be among them to enter, soooo.... We'll just have to wait for the response to Capoly, to know for sure, in the meantime If this is ruled out as Ms. Graham, we should continue to sleuth for her identity until then.........

capoly · #19 04-10-2009, 02:46 PM

Received information from Ohio that Shannon Capriola's body was returned to, and buried in, Ohio. Will post verification when obit received.

That rules out Shannon as an UID even though the circumstances listed for UID 1970-13781 match the circumstances of Shannon's murder.

MadeaBecBec · #20 04-10-2009, 03:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by capoly

Received information from Ohio that Shannon Capriola's body was returned to, and buried in, Ohio. Will post verification when obit received.

That rules out Shannon as an UID even though the circumstances listed for UID 1970-13781 match the circumstances of Shannon's murder.

Was just coming back to say, I had found an article in the Hamilton News archives, Shannon was never an unidentified, she was found deceased in a driveway of the friends home where she was staying!

I am truly praying this is Ms. Graham, so they may have no more wondering and the investigation into the "who" did this can go forward and be resolved. My instincts tell me that whoever did this to Jane, is already behind bars or dead!
I wonder if Ms. Grahams case made it to the deck of cards distributed to prisons???? I will research and see what I can find....

capoly · #21 04-10-2009, 03:53 PM

Information provided through the kindness of the Akron-Summit County Public Library Thank you!

Due to scans the article and photo are a mite hard to view. After viewing the photo of the UID, the feeling of 2 persons local to the story is that the UID photo is likely (ETA 'likely' as that was my initial intent and conveys their opinion correctly) of Shannon.

Will be forwarding this information onto Inv. Machian.

.......

Hi MadeaBecBec,

The pdf re Slain Woman in post #17 is from LA Times. That info was sent to Inv. Machain and it is what he is researching.

Shannon was actually murdered/found in a driveway a few blocks down from where she was staying with friends. So for a short period of time...about 24 hours+/-...she was 'unidentified'.

Hopefully, this issue will be resolved shortly and we will learn if there is a UID person to research!

ETA Sorry...cannot get the obituary readable size.

MadeaBecBec · #22 04-10-2009, 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by capoly

[IMG]

Hi MadeaBecBec,

The pdf re Slain Woman in post #17 is from LA Times. That info was sent to Inv. Machain and it is what he is researching.

Shannon was actually murdered/found in a driveway a few blocks down from where she was staying with friends. So for a short period of time...about 24 hours+/-...she was 'unidentified'.

Hopefully, this issue will be resolved shortly and we will learn if there is a UID person to research!

How would UID's file still be open, when the info was entered on Website, some 25 years or more, later? Misfiled? I hope they answer these questions as well... Thanks for all the info, I can blow up the newspaper, just enough to read it! I copied it and sharpened it some, put on my reading glasses,too!
I'll just patiently wait on the answers!!!

capoly · #23 04-10-2009, 05:12 PM

See if this is better....it is sent as an image which is part of the sizing problem for me.

MadeaBecBec · #24 04-12-2009, 02:26 PM

Fairy1 said

Quote:

I agree that logic says this would have been checked out, but you never know. If it has been, we should be able to get a pretty quick response. Go for it!

You know that Nikki Trollinger was found in the same state (CA) as she went missing, but wasn't ID'd until 24 years later, thread here:http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=81874
I know the detectives (in each jurisdiction ) didn't have the communication tools that we do today and California has so many folks, it would be hard to put them together, even today!
Just putting my thoughts out there!

Fairy1 · #25 04-12-2009, 02:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MadeaBecBec

Fairy1 said

You know that Nikki Trollinger was found in the same state (CA) as she went missing, but wasn't ID'd until 24 years later, thread here:http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=81874
I know the detectives (in each jurisdiction ) didn't have the communication tools that we do today and California has so many folks, it would be hard to put them together, even today!
Just putting my thoughts out there!

So very sad, but so very true. We should never overlook the obvious!