LA LA - Belle Chasse, WhtMale 16-17, UP88342, hanged, suicide note, Feb'75

[Ciriii57]

Random thought but can anyone in the US recognise anything distinctive in the language used in the letter? Regional accent, words, something that a southerner or northerner wouldn't say for instance?

 

[Lexiintoronto]

The Namus file for BCJD was created almost exactly two years ago from today and in a few weeks it will be 50 years since he was found hanging from a tree with no identification.

I think 100% that it’s Charles Wallace. I think it’s statistically impossible that you’d find two young men who look the same, both recently missing, matching dental records, matching big scar that took 40 stitches to close in a very unusual place, etc. The search for the Wallace’s son is non-evident, and they consider him deceased. The clincher for me was seeing the photo of who I believe is his father who looks just like the sketch, imo.

In his note he told the police it would be better for his parents to live with the hope that he was missing than to know what he had done. So that may be why his mother insisted that she view the remains alone, not with her husband, and why she didn’t confirm it was him, imo. At least her husband could live with that faint hope.

 

[ChatteringBirds]

View attachment 477983

That’s a section from the newspaper clipping posted here previously.

Reading this just now, that he received this injury at age 10, makes me wonder if he was bullied. Also I think a 10-year-old would experience some significant mental trauma from this. Certainly a part of you wouldn't forget the physical/mental pain you felt that day.

 

[ekardh]

I think 100% that it’s Charles Wallace. I think it’s statistically impossible that you’d find two young men who look the same, both recently missing, matching dental records, matching big scar that took 40 stitches to close in a very unusual place, etc. The search for the Wallace’s son is non-evident, and they consider him deceased. The clincher for me was seeing the photo of who I believe is his father who looks just like the sketch, imo.

I'm also leaning towards this. I don't quite see the resemblance, but those are quite distinctive characteristics to ignore.

There's also the fact that Charles Wallace never turned up elsewhere, and it doesn't appear that the parents kept up the search for him.

Whether as a defense mechanism, to avoid social stigma, or to spare her husband's feelings, I believe the mother refused to identify her son.

 

[Rolypolyoly]

I'm also leaning towards this. I don't quite see the resemblance, but those are quite distinctive characteristics to ignore.

There's also the fact that Charles Wallace never turned up elsewhere, and it doesn't appear that the parents kept up the search for him.

Whether as a defense mechanism, to avoid social stigma, or to spare her husband's feelings, I believe the mother refused to identify her son.

I feel like in the photo of Charlie you can see he has quite full lips and a strong philtrum and these look emphasised on the sketch too. JMO

 

[carbuff]

Thanks, Ivan, I'd forgotten about that pic!

I don't see it though - and BCJD was missing a scar on his leg that CW had, according to his mother.

I dunno - I'm 70/30 on CW not being BCJD. It has do with 'vibey' things rather than 'actual facts', so with a lot of salt: his suicide note doesn't sound like a person who is a) a drug addict or b) a member of Future Farmers of America; in fact, regardless of the agricultural nature of FFA , CW was 'President' of his local chapter, which implies a degree of social confidence and acceptance BCJD didn't seem to have.

But a bright kid in a leadership position in his community with the approval of friends and family is exactly the kind of person who would be completely torn up inside if he was feeling "unacceptable" feelings like fearing he was insane, gay, trans (we didn't even have the vocabulary to articulate that in 1970), or otherwise "not normal." The discrepancy between the accepted facade and the internal reality can be devastating.

 

[theshadow45]

Belle Chasse John Doe has been unidentified for 49 years today.

 

[lightofmine99]

All that can happen is that you will shatter the domestic peace and order of two innocent lives. Do not deprive them of the hope that their 'missing' son will return...

Not to be that guy, but constantly waiting and wishing for your missing child to return home, wondering if they're dying or already dead, etc. doesn't sound like it would be a fun thing to have for the rest of your life. I would personally want to know what happened to my kid and be able to bury them.

 

[MadMcGoo]

I’m going to create a new thread for BCJD, so this one will close soon.

 

[MadMcGoo]

Please continue the discussion on Thread #2.

LA - LA - Belle Chasse, WhtMale 16-17, UP88342, hanged, suicide note, Feb'75 #2

3832UMLA I ran across this while researching something else. On Valentine's Day in 1975, the body of a 16-17 year old white male was found in Belle Chasse, Louisiana. He had committed suicide by hanging himself from a persimmon tree using a bedsheet. He was wearing a maroon and yellow knit...

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