Identified! MO - Elsberry, Hatfield Landing, WhtFem 29-39, UP5295, cats eye ring, tattoo Dee, Mar'78 - Helen Renee Groomes

[othram]

Her NamUs page has been removed.

@othram any news? The link you posted above is not working anymore. I hope it's for a wonderful reason.

Update coming soon.

 

[Mrs. Badcrumble]

Identified as 16-year old Helen Groomes.

Who is Lincoln County Jane Doe (1978)?

Lincoln County Coroner's Office and Southeast Missouri State University Partner with Othram to Identify a 1978 Lincoln County Jane Doe

dnasolves.com

 

[kharismatic1]

Who is Lincoln County Jane Doe (1978)?

Lincoln County Coroner's Office and Southeast Missouri State University Partner with Othram to Identify a 1978 Lincoln County Jane Doe

dnasolves.com

 

[SleutherGirl]

Jeez she was just a kid. Where the heck did they get 29-39?

 

[jennytrevor]

'Every day I've thought about her': Identity revealed for 'Lincoln County Jane Doe' after nearly 45 years, giving closure to Iowa family

"There have been pretty exciting days of my life, this is one of them. I'm leaving with some peace, I can take her home," her uncle said.

www.ksdk.com

Here's an article with more info on Helen's life.

 

[HmmMysterious]

'Every day I've thought about her': Identity revealed for 'Lincoln County Jane Doe' after nearly 45 years, giving closure to Iowa family

"There have been pretty exciting days of my life, this is one of them. I'm leaving with some peace, I can take her home," her uncle said.

www.ksdk.com

Here's an article with more info on Helen's life.

Omg Helen's uncle says that her stepfather is the one responsible for her death. He described the stepdad as a monster who beat Helen's mother and her siblings. The stepdad confessed to killing Helen on his deathbed.

 

[boopboopshoop]

Not surprising that they thought she was older in my opinion, I don't think it was common for 15 year olds to have tattoos in the 1970s.

 

[Romulus]

Thanks @othram great job! RIP Helen

 

[AliceInPain]

Not surprising that they thought she was older in my opinion, I don't think it was common for 15 year olds to have tattoos in the 1970s.

They didn't think she was in her 20s either but specifially 29-39.
Isn't there a bone change or similar in the body that usually happens in our late 20s? I've heard 28 but Googling is not finding any good sources for that. Maybe that happened much earlier for her.
idk. RIP poor girl. Sad story.

 

[othram]

They didn't think she was in her 20s either but specifially 29-39.
Isn't there a bone change or similar in the body that usually happens in our late 20s? I've heard 28 but Googling is not finding any good sources for that. Maybe that happened much earlier for her.
idk. RIP poor girl. Sad story.

There is no substitute for DNA testing.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

The lab, Othram Inc., built a genealogical profile that helped generate new leads in the investigation, the sheriff's department said. The new evidence led the coroner's office to track down Kevin Groomes, Helen's brother.

Kevin Groomes told KSDK-TV that his sister went missing in 1977. He said he was the one who put the tattoo on her arm, which read “Del,” a nickname for her boyfriend at the time.

The Wapello County Sheriff's Office in Iowa has opened a new investigation into the death, the agency said

DNA evidence identifies body found in Missouri in 1978 as missing Iowa girl

Forty-six years after a Missouri hunter found a body in the Mississippi River, the victim has been identified as a 15-year-old girl from Iowa

ny1.com

 

[Blurgle]

They didn't think she was in her 20s either but specifially 29-39.
Isn't there a bone change or similar in the body that usually happens in our late 20s? I've heard 28 but Googling is not finding any good sources for that. Maybe that happened much earlier for her.
idk. RIP poor girl. Sad story.

The growth plates within bones fuse in one's late teens and early twenties. It isn’t easy to date remains between the point they’ve all fused and the beginning of noticeable aging, but at 15 the growth plates should have been obvious on X-ray. I suppose they didn’t bother.

 

[TwinkieDefense]

April 4, 2024 update

Family of missing Iowa teen find closure 46 years after her remains were found in Missouri

The teen's family says now they have some closure, nearly 50 years after she went missing.

www.kcci.com

[…]

Closure: Remains of missing Iowa teen return home 46 years after she was found dead in Missouri​

[…]

 

[LadyL]

gorgeous girl
I'm glad for the family that they finally have her home