GA GA - Cobb Co., WhtFem UP10724, 18-25, prior facial trauma, May'84

[Coffee56]

Not sure if any additional info but this UID is mentioned here

GONE COLD | The case of the missing dancer

That woman’s body was discovered in a wooded area near the Chattahoochee River in southwest Cobb County, according to National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs). The property’s owner found the skeletal remains on May 10, 1984 lying in a bed of pine straw and weeds that had grown up over the body. Officials believed she could have been dead for weeks or as far back as 1983.

Her estimated age was 18-25. She was approximately 5'4" and weighed 105 to 115 pounds. Her eye and hair color were unknown, however, she was discovered wearing a red wig.

Based on her remains, investigators determined that she had reconstructive surgery on her right eye, a metal pin in her left ankle due to an old fracture, as well as a metal plate in her left shoe.

She was wearing an over-sized, brown, corduroy jacket from "Rich’s" and a men’s shop shirt with the name "George" embroidered on the pocket, cowboy boots, a blue, short-sleeved, pullover shirt with a playboy bunny, a western-style, ruffled, long sleeve blouse and blue jeans.

According to NamUs, Cobb County Police investigators believe that she may have been a prostitute.

The cause of her death was not determined, but it was ruled a homicide.

 

[Nancy Drew RN]

I've seen several references that she could have been a prostitute but no reasoning as to why they would think that.

 

[Hyrax]

Anyone else think UP10724 could be a match to one of Samuel Little's so-far-unconfirmed victims? There is certainly something of a physical resemblance. Top picture is the reconstruction of UP10724; lower picture is Little's drawing of the woman he killed in Atlanta:

There are also a few other details about UP10724 and Little's description of his victim that seem to line up pretty well:

• Little believes he killed her in 1983 or 1984; UP10724 was found in May of 1984 wearing winter clothes, and could have been there as early as late 1983.
• Little describes her as a "heavyset woman of average height"; UP10724 was 5'0" to 5'4", and her Playboy Bunny t-shirt was a size large
• Little says he "drove the woman in his black Ford Thunderbird to a large wooded median between two roads"; UP10724 was found in a location that could match that description
• Little's drawing of the victim has her with a short red bob; UP10724 wore a "reddish colored wig" of apparently the same style
• UP10724 was believed, for some unknown reason, to be a prostitute; Little described his victim as a prostitute or topless dancer.

There are some discrepancies here -- she was found covered in a man's coat, and may have had some clothing on her body, with more items of clothing strewn about nearby, but Little remembers leaving her there naked, with clothes possibly scattered nearby. (Though some of UP10724's clothing, like her shirt, is described as having been found wadded up between her legs, which would support the idea that she was not wearing her own clothes when she was left there.) And Little described her as 26 years old, whereas UP10724's estimated age was 18-25. Also, her estimated weight is 105-115 lbs, which wouldn't match Little's description of a somewhat bigger woman (though she was found with that large sized t-shirt).

 

[carbuff]

The difference between 26 years old and estimated 25 years old isn't significant. And weight is always a guess.

From what I've read, Little remembers his victims in detail but isn't so accurate on things like dates and locations. I don't see anything that would rule out the match and a lot that points solidly to the possibility. I think you ought to send this one in.

 

[MadMcGoo]

7 Missing Person Exclusions
MP1582 Babette Alberti 10/20/1983 St. Charles LA
MP3127 Christine Huyer 07/03/1982 Orange FL
MP4982 Cynthia Woolard 02/01/1979 Lee FL
MP715 Kathleen Randall 10/24/1982 Clayton GA
MP42235 Rhonda Smith 02/27/1984 Fulton GA
MP7780 Rita Jolly 06/29/1973 Clackamas
OR
MP1868 Shannon Potter 03/03/1984 Baltimore MD

 

[chaddylex]

7 Missing Person Exclusions
MP1582 Babette Alberti 10/20/1983 St. Charles LA
MP3127 Christine Huyer 07/03/1982 Orange FL
MP4982 Cynthia Woolard 02/01/1979 Lee FL
MP715 Kathleen Randall 10/24/1982 Clayton GA
MP42235 Rhonda Smith 02/27/1984 Fulton GA
MP7780 Rita Jolly 06/29/1973 Clackamas
OR
MP1868 Shannon Potter 03/03/1984 Baltimore MD

Patty Lisa McDaniel was added to the rule out list The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

 

[DPoll]

I wanted to share quick update. I have been researching this case for the past 3 years. The first season of my recently released podcast focuses on this Doe. In February of 2019, I wrote a blog post that compared her to a sketch of one of Samuel Little's Atlanta victims. This post was widely circulated and generated a lot of interest. I believe Hyrax made the same comparison in a post above in May of 2019. Great minds think alike!
This sketch was later matched to Lee Ann Helms. Lee Ann had been strangled and dumped in a wooded area in Union City, GA. (just outside of Atlanta) in 1977.

Throughout the course of my research, I interviewed a retired Cobb County homicide and cold case detective. He investigated this case several times during his 30 year career. He answered all of my questions and shared details that had never been shared with the public before. During the interview, I asked him if he thought she could have been a victim of Samuel Little. He replied, “the most potential suspect in this case is Samuel Little”. As you can imagine I was shocked and thrilled to think that my theory about this Doe being a victim of Samuel Little might be correct.

Long story short, I located and contacted a woman who works with the SAKI task force that is responsible for matching GA unmatched homicides with Samuel Little confessions. We talked, she agreed to listen to the podcast and she asked me to send her my research on the case. After listening and reviewing the research, she sent me a message saying that the task force is reexamining this Doe’s case!

At the same time, I contacted the ME’s office, shared this information and they have committed to submitting her remains for DNA profiling and genetic genealogy research. After nearly 37 years, there is hope that she and her killer will be identified!

I can’t wait to hear what the the task force determines and more importantly to learn that she has been identified. I will update this post as I learn more.

 

[carbuff]

Oh my, this is good news! Fingers crossed that it doesn't take long.

And welcome to Websleuths!

 

[DPoll]

Oh my, this is good news! Fingers crossed that it doesn't take long.

And welcome to Websleuths!

Carbuff,
Hi, I know... I am not the most patient person, but I have a ton of faith in the authorities who are working on this case. I have been a member here for years. I used to post under the name Someone's Child. We have discussed cases in the past. I have always admired your passion and talent. My passion is missing and unidentified person's cases from the 70s, 80s, and 90s.

 

[carbuff]

Carbuff,
Hi, I know... I am not the most patient person, but I have a ton of faith in the authorities who are working on this case. I have been a member here for years. I used to post under the name Someone's Child. We have discussed cases in the past. I have always admired your passion and talent. My passion is missing and unidentified person's cases from the 70s, 80s, and 90s.

Oh, I remember you! You always have insightful interesting thoughts, and thanks for the kind words. Welcome back!

 

[DPoll]

Oh, I remember you! You always have insightful interesting thoughts, and thanks for the kind words. Welcome back!

Oh, thank you so much! Glad to be back.

 

[DPoll]

Yesterday marked 37 years since this Doe was found. I am hoping she will be identified this year.

 

[Mrs. Badcrumble]

Cobb county Doe's NamUs page was recently updated, but no new visible additional exclusions. Here's to hoping their forensic genealogy research goes well!


Their current exclusions:

MP34730
Patty McDaniel
09/15/1979
Broward
FL

MP42235
Rhonda Smith
02/27/1984
Fulton
GA

MP3127
Christine Huyer
07/03/1982
Orange
FL

MP1868
Shannon Potter
03/03/1984
Baltimore
MD

MP4982
Cynthia Woolard
02/01/1979
Lee
FL

MP7780
Rita Jolly
06/29/1973
Clackamas
OR

MP1582
Babette Alberti
10/20/1983
St. Charles
LA

MP715
Kathleen Randall
10/24/1982
Clayton
GA

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Unidentified Remains: Cobb County, White Female​

Case Info​

Date found: Thu, 05/10/1984 - 12:00
Race: White
Location: Wooded area near the Chattahoochee River in Southwest Cobb County
Weight: 105 - 115
Height: 5'0" - 5'4"
Eyes: Unknown
Hair Color: Reddish Color Wig
Sex: Female
Birth Range: 1959 - 1966
Contact Info: Cobb County ME's Office 770-528-2200
The victim had reconstructive Surgery on her right eye with a plastic orbital plate and an old fracture of the left ankle with a metal pin and a metal plate in the left shoe, suggesting a special shoe.
Victim was covered with a Brown Corduroy jacket from Rich’s size 40L, and a Men’s “shop” Shirt. Victim wore western boots with thick fleece like lining, blue short sleeve pull over shirt with a playboy bunny, size large, western style ruffled long sleeve blouse and blue jeans

Unidentified Remains: Cobb County, White Female

The victim had reconstructive Surgery on her right eye with a plastic orbital plate and an old fracture of the left ankle with a metal pin and a metal plate in the left shoe, suggesting a special shoe.Victim was covered with a Brown Corduroy jacket from Rich’s size 40L, and a Men’s “shop” Shirt...

gbi.georgia.gov

 

[citizen_sleuth]

Michael Szymanski, "Skeleton's identity still a mystery after investigation," Atlanta Constitution, 17 May 1984, 5G.

The body, which was covered with a rust-colored men's corduroy coat, might have been in the woods from 8 to 12 weeks, Burton said. Police are checking missing persons records across the nation for young women missing as far back as Jan. 1.

The dead woman had had major reconstructive surgery on the right side of her face, near the cheek and eye, Burton said.

Burton, who last week toured the site where the badly decomposed body was found by the owner of the land, said some of the winter clothes were found on the body, but others were strewn near the body.

"We can find no apparent cause of death, but we're handling it like a homicide," he said.

The woman was found about 10 feet off Nichols Drive near Riverview Road near the Chattahoochee River in southeast Cobb, said Cobb Homicide Sgt. Mike Corbin.

 

[Caring1]

Ruth Harriett Zornes-Elliott went missing 1/1/84 from Florida. She is wearing a wig in her photos. PMI timeline would be accurate. UID was wearing a reddish brown wig When found.

Age, weight and height are all off a bit but they are estimates.

Cheeks, chin and mouth area on the recon is similar to Ruth’s photo.

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

By bringing people, information, forensic science and technology together, NamUs helps resolve cases.

www.namus.gov

 

[Mrs. Badcrumble]

*Bump*

Cobb County Doe's NamUs page was recently updated, but no new (visible) ruleouts listed.