MS MS - Olive Branch, WhtFem 20-40, UP8675, smoker, nail biter, tatts, surgical scar, Jan'85 - Lorie Ann Mealer Pennell

[Springrain]

I really think she's a strong possibility, especially after this comparison was posted in Brenda's thread.

View attachment 361980

I think they look really similar for sure, my hesitation is more with the time and circumstances. Although definitely not impossible, I have to side-eye the circumstances because it sounds likely to me that Brenda died when she disappeared. I'm not ruling it out, though, because they look a lot alike and the tattoo lining up with the exact initials is notable.

 

[q64ceo]

I think they look really similar for sure, my hesitation is more with the time and circumstances. Although definitely not impossible, I have to side-eye the circumstances because it sounds likely to me that Brenda died when she disappeared. I'm not ruling it out, though, because they look a lot alike and the tattoo lining up with the exact initials is notable.

El Dorado Jane Doe left her family in Virginia in 1986. She was killed in Texas in 1991, 1,500 miles away and 5 years later. Her life was very problematic, maybe not to the extent of Brenda's, but enough for her to just cut her family off from all communication. I do understand your hesitation. But if this is Brenda, she wouldn't be the only one.

 

[Nate_Bro]

To me she looks a little like Micheline Chailler

2344DFQC - Micheline Chailler

 

[ProductiveOne]

After scouring the missing persons database, I highly suspect that the Olive Branch, MS unidentified female is Oklahoma City's missing person Gwendolyn Susie King. These cases have been submitted to NamUs, and both investigating agencies.



Visual similarities:
-Same eyebrow shape, thinness, and path
-Same spacing from eyebrow to eye
-Same nose shape
-Same narrow mouth with a thinner upper lip

Description similarities:
-Age (close enough)
-Height and weight
-Hair color and eye color (according to coroner)

Note that it is possible she is a victim of human trafficking, or a runaway, and that she may have acquired tattoos before the unidentified was found (Jan 24, 1985).


Gwendolyn Susie King
The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)
OK - OK - Gwendolyn Susie King, 16, Oklahoma City, 1 September 1982

 

[Mrs. Badcrumble]

Identified as Lorie Ann Mealer Pennell, who was born on September 6th, 1962, in Missouri.



Lorie was last seen at a West Memphis Truck Stop in 1982. Her family filed a missing persons report in West Memphis, Arkansas, but she was never found.

Desoto County Jane Doe (1985) is now Identified

Mississippi Office of the State Medical Examiner & Desoto County Sheriff Team with Othram to Identify 1985 Homicide Victim

dnasolves.com

 

[HmmMysterious]

Rest in peace Lorie. So sad that her missing person's report didn't get enough attention.

I hope her killer left enough DNA to identify them through genealogy too.

Lorie's case is similar to Sherri Jarvis. Both were: likely killed by truck drivers, sexually assaulted, strangled, and their faces were so distorted by severe beatings that their recons don't look quite right.

And Lorie's eyes really do seem they were gray. I remember reading there was debate over whether her eyes were brown or gray.

 

[chaddylex]

So glad she was finally identified. I track the Jane Doe side of the case in NamUs. The profile was modified a few times in the last month, but no other rule outs/exclusions were added. I was hoping they were close to identifying her.

 

[carbuff]

snipped

And Lorie's eyes really do seem they were gray. I remember reading there was debate over whether her eyes were brown or gray.

She looks to me like the right eye is gray and the left one is light brown, but that could be because of the lighting. My youngest has eyes like that--depending on the lighting they can look gray, brown, green, hazel, or even pick up color from the background.

Poor woman. I'm glad she's got her name back.

 

[Alleykins]

This is amazing to read. RIP, Lorie, glad you have your name back.

 

[victoriarobinson642]

She looks to me like the right eye is gray and the left one is light brown, but that could be because of the lighting. My youngest has eyes like that--depending on the lighting they can look gray, brown, green, hazel, or even pick up color from the background.

Poor woman. I'm glad she's got her name back.

Mine are like that too. I have them listed as green on my legal ID, though.

 

[Mrs. Badcrumble]

Lorie was last seen at a West Memphis Truck Stop in 1982.

...but was killed in 1985, if I've understood this correctly? What happened during those three years she was MIA? Did she live a transient lifestyle, but eventually crossed paths with the wrong person? Was she in a position where she was unable to contact her friends and family all those years? I hope we get her story one day.

 

[victoriarobinson642]

...but was killed in 1985, if I've understood this correctly? What happened during those three years she was MIA? Did she live a transient lifestyle, but eventually crossed paths with the wrong person? Was she in a position where she was unable to contact her friends and family all those years? I hope we get her story one day.

Her brother has a post on social media (which I don't think I can link due to TOS) that suggests she was involved in sex work to support drug uses at the time. Would not shock me if she was transient. He posted this alongside the unedited version of the photo Othram used in their ID announcement.

 

[carbuff]

Mine are like that too. I have them listed as green on my legal ID, though.

I think youngest lists hers as hazel.

 

[Mary-Belle]

Her brother has a post on social media (which I don't think I can link due to TOS) that suggests she was involved in sex work to support drug uses at the time. Would not shock me if she was transient. He posted this alongside the unedited version of the photo Othram used in their ID announcement.
View attachment 487623

Was the post on his personal page or in a group? I went looking but didn’t find him or a post about her.

 

[victoriarobinson642]

Was the post on his personal page or in a group? I went looking but didn’t find him or a post about her.

Personal page.

 

[phantomstrider]

Othram has done it again. I'm glad that Lorie has gotten her name back. May she rest in peace.

 

[SleutherGirl]

Mine are like that too. I have them listed as green on my legal ID, though.

Mine too. I have them listed as Hazel on my ID just to cover all of my bases.

 

[DeDee]

This is about the 18th Unidentified Missing Person Death that a philanthropist from Mississippi has funded via Othram. I think Carla Davis worked at or with Othram for a period of time.

"In 2022, working with the Desoto County Sheriff’s Office, the Mississippi Office of the State Medical Examiner submitted forensic evidence to Othram in The Woodlands, Texas to determine if advanced DNA testing could help identify the murdered woman. Previous attempts at DNA testing for forensic genetic genealogy had failed. Funding to support this case was provided by Mississippi native and philanthropist Carla Davis, who is committed to resolving the backlog of cold cases in Mississippi." - DNA Solves

Feb 20, 2024 For example, she funded the DNA for this person, a veteran
Hinds County John Doe (2023) is now Identified

 

[Blurgle]

Carla Davis is Othram's Chief genetic genealogist. She's also personally paying for tons of Mississippi cases to go through Othram, and in most of the solved cases she's done the genealogical work herself.

She is a treasure.