Identified! FL - Davie, WhtFem 21-35, 554UFFL, in canal, blonde, gapped teeth, Feb'84 - Lori Jane Kearsey

[Mensch]

WOW! That was exactly what I said when I saw these two side by side. Then I scrolled up and looked at all of the sketches. While this one screams "match", what are we to do with the two drawings on the left?
One portrays a long nose, large eyes and mouth and squared chin. The other has a very narrow nose, small mouth and deep set eyes. It is the structure and placement that are important in a reconstruction, so how is it we have the two on the left so different. It cannot be merely an artist interpretation, there has to be a reason for the core of the construction to have these characteristics. For this reason, I do not think it is the same person, based on this one sketch.

 

[chaddylex]

Looking for PM's to this UID, I came across Tammy Leppert, and said to myself that they had to have looked at her as a possible for this UID. Both she and the UID were suspected of being victims of Christopher Wilder.

Tammy Lynn Leppert
http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/l/leppert_tammy.html

But this seems to be a perfect match. Her age is slightly under the estimate, but everything else is spot-on. Same color hair, same color eyes, the height is right.

And the resemblance is amazing - The chin, jawline, browline, bridge of the nose, tip of the nose, eye-spacing - even the hairline looks the same.

I went through the Tammy Leppert thread in the Missing But Not Forgotten forum, and this UID is mentioned several times throughout the thread, but all I can see is that her sister (WS member Ms Suzanne) heard that she had been ruled out based on the UID having a gap between her front teeth.

Obviously from the photos, Tammy doesn't have a gap between her teeth. But it doesn't say anything about a gap between the UID's teeth (or for that matter, anything about the teeth) either in DoeNet or NamUs. And Tammy is not listed as a rule-out in NamUs (nor is anyone else).

At the bottom of Tammy's Charley Narrative, it says:



Maybe they did a full dental comparison before the records were lost, but it looks to me like this was ruled out on dentals based only on a visual comparison of tooth spacing between her photos and the UID's dental records.

BTW, this is not the only young UID female with (allegedly) gapped teeth found floating in a canal in Davie FL (See link below).

http://doenetwork.org/cases/295uffl.html

When they did their quick and easy rule-out, I hope they compared her to the right UID!

Carl,

Are you going to contact LE? I think they need to take another look. And the drawings of the UID all look different, they don't even portray the same person at all!

 

[CarlK90245]

... While this one screams "match", what are we to do with the two drawings on the left?

One portrays a long nose, large eyes and mouth and squared chin. The other has a very narrow nose, small mouth and deep set eyes. It is the structure and placement that are important in a reconstruction, so how is it we have the two on the left so different. It cannot be merely an artist interpretation, there has to be a reason for the core of the construction to have these characteristics.

I disagree with you that it "cannot be merely an artist interpretation". There is the possibility that all three are inaccurate, but all three cannot be equally accurate. If any are accurate, one or two must be more accurate than the third.

Looking at the one on the very left, I would say that it doesn't appear that the artist spent a lot of time on it. Her nose is much smaller than the others, but that was not more than a few lines, and doesn't resemble a real nose. No effort was made to depict contour, but compared to the image that I used in the side-by-side, the chin and jawline, and placement of eyes, nose, and mouth are identical, even if the overall look is quite different.

As for the second one from the left, it seems to be the outlier. Three different artists looked at the same subject. Two depicted a very pointy chin, and this one depicted a broader, less contoured jaw and chin outline. Also this artist depicted her with wider-set eyes than the other two, and a larger nose than the other two.

When you have three artists working independently, and two come up with similar outline and placement, and the third comes up differently, I would discount the third as the outlier.

 

[CarlK90245]

Carl,

Are you going to contact LE? I think they need to take another look. And the drawings of the UID all look different, they don't even portray the same person at all!

I could, but I will have to think through how I should approach this before calling them. Several months ago I tried to submit a possible (Phylis Eleanor Berry) for the other Davie FL canal girl , and got pretty short-shrift from Broward County. I then took it to TX DPS, and they contacted Broward County and they said it was a CODIS rule-out by default.

Fair enough, but I got the impression that Broward County is not a tipster-friendly jurisdiction. They could have kicked me back a quick e-mail saying it was a DNA rule-out without me having to do the roundabout via TX DPS.

 

[Mensch]

I disagree with you that it "cannot be merely an artist interpretation". There is the possibility that all three are inaccurate, but all three cannot be equally accurate. If any are accurate, one or two must be more accurate than the third.

Of course all are interpretations. I was not clear in that a true forensic artist does not render an 'interpretation' outside of some basis in fact. So I would have to consider each of the drawings, just as I would have to consider each of the missing persons photos, which by the way do not look exact. No photo does unless it is a negative.

As for the second one from the left, it seems to be the outlier. Three different artists looked at the same subject. Two depicted a very pointy chin, and this one depicted a broader, less contoured jaw and chin outline. Also this artist depicted her with wider-set eyes than the other two, and a larger nose than the other two.

This is what I find interesting; the difference yet seemingly more detailed sketch. I find it more interesting that NamUS used it as their UP photo for display. I think they would have a reason. I just wish I knew who that artist was. What I find more puzzling is that if the UID had a space between her teeth, that would be the major identifier, yet none show the teeth.

It may sound weird to some, but if I had a possible match this close, I would not take the word of a family member. I have one now who is in denial a former unidentified is indeed her family member. Sometimes denial is easier to live with for some. It is certainly worth a check especially since the UID is said to have a gap between her teeth.

 

[carbuff]

All the chins look different. I wonder if there was some damage to that part of her face.

 

[CarlK90245]

All the chins look different. I wonder if there was some damage to that part of her face.

She was found in water, so there was probably some bloating.

 

[CarlK90245]

I sent a message to Todd Matthews from NamUs outlining the information that I stated above. He promptly replied with the following message.

Hi Carl,

Actually the Davies canal Jane Doe is one of several possible match scenarios suggested by the NamUs auto-match feature (for Leppert). So the potential connection is not yet considered "excluded" in the NamUs database.

Eventually, they will be marked through the process of elimination. But with your note in mind I can ask officials to give me a status update sooner as opposed to later.

Hang tight and I'll see if I can put things into fast forward. I'll try to find out if the match has already been excluded in the local databases.

ETA: I was just reading through Tammy's thread in the Missing But Not Forgotten forum. According to Tammy's sister (Ms Suzanne), the argument with the man who last saw Tammy was supposedly because she wanted him to drive her to Fort Lauderdale, and he didn't have the time to do that. He dropped her off at a gas station, and she was never seen again. Interesting info in the context of this discussion because Davie is a suburb of Fort Lauderdale.

 

[Donjeta]

Namus link
https://identifyus.org/cases/1258

Only Eleanor Parker is listed as an exclusion.
Doe Network says that DNA is available and Namus that it isn't.

 

[Persephone]

I agree that Tammy Lynn Leppert sounds like a definite possibility. The UID look way more bloated in the face, but that could have happened post mortem, I guess.

What about Sherry Lynn Rail? http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/531dfbc.html
Exact height and weight matches, green eyes vs hazel eyes on the UID, and she could have bleached her hair. Disappeared from Canada in January 1984(at the age of 27, right in the middle of the estimated age group), she could have travelled a long way and met some bad people.
She resembles the first sketch, if any, in my opinion.
Sherry Lynn is not smiling with her teeth in the picture, and the case file does not say anything special about her teeth.

She does have a tattoo, but as long as it doesn’t say that the UID does NOT have any tattoos, it’s not enough to definitely rule her out yet, in my opinion.

Today Shari Lynne Ball was added to Charley Project, and I think she’s an even better match than Sherry Lynn Rail.
http://charleyproject.org/cases/b/ball_shari.html
Blonde hair, hazel eyes, 5’4, disappeared from Florida June 1983, the UID was found in Florida February 1984…

Made a list of missing women with fitting age, height and eye color that could also be possibilities (most of them have brown hair, but it doesn’t say if the UIDs hair is natural or bleached)

Myra Mandley http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/2105dfpa.html
Her scar on the right hand and dental work would probably have been noted?

Theresa Lorraine Davis http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/3061dfok.html

She disappeared from Oklahoma slightly more than a year before the UID was found.

Kathy Mae Brownfield Goad http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/976dftx.html

disappeared from Texas November 1982

Marcia Estelle Remick http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/227dfva.html

She would have been 22 when the victim was found. She hitchhiked a lot, and there was reported that she had gone to Florida.

Kimberly Rae Doss http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/800dffl.html

Last seen in Florida nearly five years earlier at the age of 16..

Paulette Susan Jaster http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/108dfmi.html

Disappeared from Michigan May 1979.

Lorraine Rea Herbster http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/1412dfnj.html

The circumstances make this look unlikely.

Sandra Lee Hopler http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/1436dfpa.html
In that case, a lot of time passed between when she disappeared and when the UID was found.

 

[chaddylex]

I agree that Tammy Lynn Leppert sounds like a definite possibility. The UID look way more bloated in the face, but that could have happened post mortem, I guess.

What about Sherry Lynn Rail? http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/531dfbc.html
Exact height and weight matches, green eyes vs hazel eyes on the UID, and she could have bleached her hair. Disappeared from Canada in January 1984(at the age of 27, right in the middle of the estimated age group), she could have travelled a long way and met some bad people.
She resembles the first sketch, if any, in my opinion.
Sherry Lynn is not smiling with her teeth in the picture, and the case file does not say anything special about her teeth.

She does have a tattoo, but as long as it doesn’t say that the UID does NOT have any tattoos, it’s not enough to definitely rule her out yet, in my opinion.

Today Shari Lynne Ball was added to Charley Project, and I think she’s an even better match than Sherry Lynn Rail.
http://charleyproject.org/cases/b/ball_shari.html
Blonde hair, hazel eyes, 5’4, disappeared from Florida June 1983, the UID was found in Florida February 1984…

Made a list of missing women with fitting age, height and eye color that could also be possibilities (most of them have brown hair, but it doesn’t say if the UIDs hair is natural or bleached)

Myra Mandley http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/2105dfpa.html
Her scar on the right hand and dental work would probably have been noted?

Theresa Lorraine Davis http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/3061dfok.html

She disappeared from Oklahoma slightly more than a year before the UID was found.

Kathy Mae Brownfield Goad http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/976dftx.html

disappeared from Texas November 1982

Marcia Estelle Remick http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/227dfva.html

She would have been 22 when the victim was found. She hitchhiked a lot, and there was reported that she had gone to Florida.

Kimberly Rae Doss http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/800dffl.html

Last seen in Florida nearly five years earlier at the age of 16..

Paulette Susan Jaster http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/108dfmi.html

Disappeared from Michigan May 1979.

Lorraine Rea Herbster http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/1412dfnj.html

The circumstances make this look unlikely.

Sandra Lee Hopler http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/1436dfpa.html
In that case, a lot of time passed between when she disappeared and when the UID was found.

I think Shari Lynne Ball is good match. It looks like she even has a dimple in her chin like the drawings of the UID.


Carl, what do you think? Can you do a side by side? If this isn't Shari Ball, I am still not convienced she is not Tammy Leppert!

 

[Ms Suzanne]

I have worked with Davie police department with a match to my sister Tammy a long time ago several times.I recieved a post mortem picture of this Jane Doe and this Jane Doe is similar.But she does not really look like Tammy in the post mortem picture.I was told they do have DNA on this Jane Doe.He said if there was a match it would come up.I would like to make sure they positively have DNA on this Jane Doe and it's mtDNA.I have requested this Jane Doe be checked many times with my sister.

 

[chaddylex]

I have worked with Davie police department with a match to my sister Tammy a long time ago several times.I recieved a post mortem picture of this Jane Doe and this Jane Doe is similar.But she does not really look like Tammy in the post mortem picture.I was told they do have DNA on this Jane Doe.He said if there was a match it would come up.I would like to make sure they positively have DNA on this Jane Doe and it's mtDNA.I have requested this Jane Doe be checked many times with my sister.

I wish so much you would find out what happened to Tammy, Suzanne. I remember seeing her story on Unsolved Mysteries years ago.

Maybe if you happen to talk to the Davie Police Dept, ask them if they have a list of ruleouts, maybe they will be a little more receptive to you since your sister is missing, than to one of us strangers.

 

[CarlK90245]

I think Shari Lynne Ball is good match. It looks like she even has a dimple in her chin like the drawings of the UID.


Carl, what do you think? Can you do a side by side? If this isn't Shari Ball, I am still not convienced she is not Tammy Leppert!

I don't see this UID as being Shari Rail. There are too many stretches.

For one, she doesn't have blonde hair. She could have bleached it, but that's a stretch.

Secondly, the tattoo would have probably been mentioned. It's possible, but a stretch to think that they neglected to mention it.

Thirdly, it's possible, but a stretch to think that she re-located to Florida from Vancouver.

I've made stretches before in trying to connect a MP to a UID, but when you have to make multiple stretches of faith, the stretches become more difficult to rationalize.


As for Tammy Leppert, her sister (WS member Ms Suzanne) was told by a detective that (1) there was a gap between the UID's 8&9 teeth (which is mentioned nowhere in DoeNet or NamUs), and (2) that this should be a CODIS rule-out by default because both cases are in CODIS.

However, I've already pointed out the problems with the gapped teeth issue, and we just found out that the other Davie canal young white female UID with gapped teeth from 1975 (wearing a puka shell necklace) was allegedly in CODIS, and they blew-off a comparison of that UID to Phyllis Berry for that reason. But we now know that the Puka Shell Girl is not in CODIS. Is it also possible that they are also wrong about this UID being in CODIS?

Pardon my continued skepticism, but I don't have a whole lot of faith in Broward County LE to take these things seriously. I recently read the book Bringing Adam Home about the Adam Walsh kidnapping and murder, and the book painted a stunning narrative of a Broward County LE culture of incompetence, ego issues, butt-covering, and an overall unwillingness to consider ideas that strayed from their own unproven theories. The result was that Adam's case remained unsolved for over 25 years, and his killer died without ever being held to account for Adam's murder.

Granted - this was the Hollywood Florida PD, and Davie might be in a different jurisdiction within Broward County. But given that they blew-off the Phyllis Berry comparison to the Puka Shell Girl, I don't entirely rule-out the possibility that they were BS'ing Ms Suzanne to get her out of their hair.

 

[chaddylex]

I don't see this UID as being Shari Ball. There are too many stretches.

For one, she doesn't have blonde hair. She could have bleached it, but that's a stretch.

Secondly, the tattoo would have probably been mentioned. It's possible, but a stretch to think that they neglected to mention it.

Thirdly, it's possible, but a stretch to think that she re-located to Florida from Vancouver.

I've made stretches before in trying to connect a MP to a UID, but when you have to make multiple stretches of faith, the stretches become more difficult to rationalize.


As for Tammy Leppert, her sister (WS member Ms Suzanne) was told by a detective that (1) there was a gap between the UID's 8&9 teeth (which is mentioned nowhere in DoeNet or NamUs), and that this should be a CODIS rule-out by default because both cases are in CODIS.

However, I've already pointed out the problems with the gapped teeth issue, and we just found out that the other Davie canal young white female UID with gapped teeth from 1975 (wearing a puka shell necklace) was allegedly in CODIS, and they blew-off a comparison of that UID to Phyllis Berry for that reason. But we now know that the Puka Shell Girl is not in CODIS. Is it also possible that they are also wrong about this UID being in CODIS?

Pardon my continued skepticism, but I don't have a whole lot of faith in Broward County LE to take these things seriously. I recently read the book Bringing Adam Home about the Adam Walsh kidnapping and murder, and the book painted a stunning narrative of a Broward County LE culture of incompetence, ego issues, butt-covering, and an overall unwillingness to consider ideas that strayed from their own unproven theories. The result was that Adam's case remained unsolved for over 25 years, and his killer died without ever being held to account for Adam's murder.

Granted - this was the Hollywood Florida PD, and Davie might be in a different jurisdiction within Broward County. But given that they blew-off the Phyllis Berry comparison to the Puka Shell Girl, I don't entirely rule-out the possibility that they were BS'ing Ms Suzanne to get her out of their hair.

I was talking about Shari Lynne Ball.. here is her link http://charleyproject.org/cases/b/ball_shari.html

 

[CarlK90245]

I was talking about Shari Lynne Ball.. here is her link http://charleyproject.org/cases/b/ball_shari.html

Oops :doh: Sherry Lynn Rail is pretty close to Shari Lynn Ball, but I guess I need to get my eyes checked.

Here's the comparison of Shari Lynn Ball to this UID:

http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/b/ball_shari.html

She has quite a prominent pointy nose, which is much different from the small nose depicted of the UID.

 

[chaddylex]

Oops :doh: Sherry Lynn Rail is pretty close to Shari Lynn Ball, but I guess I need to get my eyes checked.

Here's the comparison of Shari Lynn Ball to this UID:

http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/b/ball_shari.html

She has quite a prominent pointy nose, which is much different from the small nose depicted of the UID.

I think all of those drawings of the UID look different... Other than the nose, what do you think?

 

[CarlK90245]

I think all of those drawings of the UID look different... Other than the nose, what do you think?

Everything else looks close. Different hairstyle, but that's neither here nor there.

I went through a list of UID's a couple of days ago when Shari's Charley file was created. I thought that she fit fairly closely to this UID in Greene County TN:

TN TN - Greene County - White Female 264UFTN, 15-17, April 1985

 

[CarlK90245]

By the way, I just read back on the previous posts, and see that Ms Suzanne looked at the actual postmortem photo of this UID, and doesn't think that she looks like her sister Tammy. So we should probably let this one go, and take her word for it.

 

[chaddylex]

Okay I just looked at the mileage between Boca Raton FL where Shari Ball was last seen and Davie FL where the UID was found.... 30 miles... ahhh... I would hope that LE would have made the comparision already??? Do you think it's worth a shot to turn it in?


I also think Shari resembles the UID from TN that you posted about yesterday.