Identified! NV - Las Vegas, 'Sahara Sue', WhtFem 17-25, UP159, dentures, jewelry, clothes, Aug'79 - Gwenn Marie Story

[Friday Fan]

The sister publicly stated the sketch of a possible suspect looked like one of the male friends.

But then why would they say they dropped her off in Las Vegas when she could then be easily found? As opposed to letting everyone think she's in California?

They could have been not very bright and didn't anticipate anyone identifying her 50 years later.

 

[Adrian_Almost_Sleuth]

I was wondering the same thing. In some other pics of her I have seen circulated as a younger kid and teen she clearly had her own real teeth. I wonder when she got them pulled.

Yeah, that's my main question because an autopsy would know if the teeth were extracted during the road trip (why they would be? idk). You'd think family would remember a significant physical characteristic like that. If one of my family members had gotten all their teeth extracted, especially at such a young age, that would be something to remember.

 

[Springrain]

Yeah, that's my main question because an autopsy would know if the teeth were extracted during the road trip (why they would be? idk). You'd think family would remember a significant physical characteristic like that. If one of my family members had gotten all their teeth extracted, especially at such a young age, that would be something to remember.

I feel like they MUST have been pulled before the road trip imo. I would assume it happened in between her leaving high school and the start of the road trip, going by the photos and what seems to be logical reasoning, but that is all MOO and just a guess.

In the school photos released of her as a teenager and a younger kid it was very clear IMO that those were her real teeth. At what point she had them pulled I assume it must be after her most recent HS photo (which I assume is from her senior year, though I may be way off base). Some of the photos circulating of her showed that she had some dental issues, though I would say that to me as a layperson looking it didn't appear like they were in anywhere near bad enough shape to necessitate them all being pulled. I would guess that she had a lot of pain and that it would cost a lot of $ to repair her teeth so it would be cheaper and more efficient to pull them, but again, I am totally guessing.

She came from a very large family, lots of kids, so I wouldn't be shocked if either her sister didn't think to publicly mention them at this point because it's probably low on her list of concerns with Gwenn's ID, or that she may have forgotten. JMO

 

[Springrain]

BTW I just wanted to add that Carl did such a beautiful job with her reconstruction. I feel like she had a very distinctive lower half of her face (and beautiful brown eyes) and I feel he did a great job at capturing that. Her and Tammy Terrell (FKA Arroyo Grande Jane Doe) who were both killed in Vegas so close together chronologically both had really great reconstructions that captured their likenesses so well.

Here are a couple more pics of Gwenn courtesy of the Unidentified Wiki.

 

[rylie113]

I'm so glad she was able to be identified! Does anyone have any insight into why her family never reported her missing? I know she was 19 so therefore an adult and LE is generally notorious for not wanting to write up missing persons reports but...surely they were concerned? All I can find is that her family never saw her again...

 

[mtlupy]

I'm so glad that Gwenn finally has her name back. Thank you, Othram!

 

[othram]

I'm so glad that Gwenn finally has her name back. Thank you, Othram!

Our pleasure!

 

[Puzzleworth]

Our pleasure!

I apologize if this isn't answerable: The article states Gwenn was last seen departing her hometown to search for her bio-father. Were you guys able to find out if they ever met?

 

[othram]

I apologize if this isn't answerable: The article states Gwenn was last seen departing her hometown to search for her bio-father. Were you guys able to find out if they ever met?

We don't know. We assisted in identifying Gwenn but the follow up investigation is being led by LVMPD.

 

[nerosleuth]

I believe in the coming years there will be more new advancements in DNA technology which will lead to more unidentified persons being identified and more cold homicide cases being solved.

I'm glad that Gwenn has been identified and I hope that there will be justice for Gwenn.

 

[Betty P]

Managed to get access to newsbank finally

August 15, 1979, The Las Vegas Review Journal, pg 1
View attachment 447862

August 16, 1979, The Las Vegas Review Journal, pg 3
View attachment 447863

"The suspect is a white male about 28 years old, 5'11 inches to 6" tall, weighing about 165 pounds, and having a thin build, light complexion, dark blond hair and a mustache. He was also believed to have been wearing faded blue jeans pants and a shirt."

Coincidentally, my only trip to Las Vegas was about 3 months before this murder happened. Our group stayed at the Sahara, across the street from where her body was found. This was a very busy area of the strip back then, a nice area. Jerry Lewis was headlining there along with some other big acts at the Sahara. Ceasar's Palace and other big casinos were just a few doors down.

This killer was very bold to attack and murder a woman in that location, JMO.


It would be a risky place to attack and murder a young woman, even late at night. There were usually people out walking at all hours of the night.

 

[Fairy1]

This particular end of the Strip - the north end - has never had as much foot traffic as further south. Even still! And, IIRC, the stretch of desert in which Gwenn was found extended from Las Vegas Boulevard back to Paradise to the east at the time. Not a huge area but certainly more than a vacant lot. And dark! And, not to seem sensational or morbid but it wasn't uncommon for remains - often of young women - to be found in the desert all around Vegas at the time. Vegas was much smaller back then than it is now so dumping a body on the "outskirts" of town wasn't a difficult thing to accomplish.

While it certainly seems logical to believe the guys with whom she was travelling killed her then hightailed it back to OH, it's just as likely, IMO, she met someone in town who harmed her. I'd sure like to know what their full story was upon returning to Ohio. You're not just going to say, "oh yeah, we left her there," and leave it at that.

 

[LucyOso]

Yeah, that's my main question because an autopsy would know if the teeth were extracted during the road trip (why they would be? idk). You'd think family would remember a significant physical characteristic like that. If one of my family members had gotten all their teeth extracted, especially at such a young age, that would be something to remember.

The pictures look like she had many deciduous teeth/baby teeth. Those can easily rot, get weak. It is not uncommon to have them pulled.I am not sure how long she was on her road trip, but usually mouths must heal before getting dentures. I am guessing it occurred before her trip.

 

[Friday Fan]

The pictures look like she had many deciduous teeth/baby teeth. Those can easily rot, get weak. It is not uncommon to have them pulled.I am not sure how long she was on her road trip, but usually mouths must heal before getting dentures. I am guessing it occurred before her trip.

I lost a tooth and had to get a bone graft. It was routine. I'm getting a bridge, not implant. Anyway, there is a healing time. Did she have full or partials? They can make partials for the front teeth, that are attached to a retainer.

 

[SimsGuy67]

I lost a tooth and had to get a bone graft. It was routine. I'm getting a bridge, not implant. Anyway, there is a healing time. Did she have full or partials? They can make partials for the front teeth, that are attached to a retainer.

While she only had an upper denture, she had no teeth.

 

[Springrain]

IMO I've heard that a lot of people without any teeth only use upper dentures because they are more necessary than lower dentures and automatically attach to the top of the mouth whereas lower dentures would require denture glue. Maybe Gwenn had the same approach?