SC SC - Charleston Co, WhtFem 15-20, UP9998, Skeletal of unknown origin, July 1973

[Hochman]

Now a NCMEC case.

Have you seen this child? Jane Charleston County Doe 1973

Missing From: Charleston County , SC. Missing Date: July 12, 1973. Skeletal remains of an unidentified female were found at the Charleston County Coroner’s Office from an unknown origin. The only identifying information with the remains suggest that she was initially found on or before July 12...

www.missingkids.org

Reconstructions


Date Found: July 12, 1973
Location Found: Charleston County , SC, US
Estimated Age: 14-17 Years Old

"Skeletal remains of an unidentified female were found at the Charleston County Coroner’s Office from an unknown origin. The only identifying information with the remains suggest that she was initially found on or before July 12, 1973. Specifics of where and when the remains were originally discovered is undetermined. Forensic assessments of the skull reveal that the decedent is a Caucasian female, approximately 14 to 20 years old at the time of death. She stood approximately 4’8" to 5’0" tall. Hair and eye color cannot be determined. Dental restorations were observed in her teeth indicating that she had received dental treatment in life. Foul play is suspected. The images shown are a facial reconstruction completed by a NCMEC Forensic Artist and depicts what the female may have looked like in life."

 

[Opee]

I noticed this case in NamUs today - there is very little info:

NamUs UP Case 9998

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

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

www.namus.gov

Unidentified White Female

Approx Age: 15-20

Date Found: Before 1992 in Charleston County SC - Nearly complete skeleton in good preservation.

Circumstances:
This is a purged medical examiner case from South Carolina. The ME gave it to an anthropologist in 1992. Upon retirement, the anthropologist gave it to the county of origin, which was Chaleston County. We do not have any law enforcement or autopsy information or the anthropological report, so we therefore do not know when the ME originally got the case, date or year of death, or the original condition to estimate postmortem interval.

Dental Info: Fillings in two upper molars (#3 and #14), and one lower left molar (#19).

<MOD NOTE: Several original links throughout the thread were broken and have been edited to include the current link (when available) and images as of July 26, 2023>

Samuel Little was around back then. So was Randell Taylor. Samuel Little took 93 lives.
He said at least one victim came from Charleston, SC. Perhaps more. Also, Randell Taylor
was active and found out in 1998. Many believe he was active several years earlier. FYI.

 

[Opee]

I noticed this case in NamUs today - there is very little info:

NamUs UP Case 9998

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

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

www.namus.gov

Unidentified White Female

Approx Age: 15-20

Date Found: Before 1992 in Charleston County SC - Nearly complete skeleton in good preservation.

Circumstances:
This is a purged medical examiner case from South Carolina. The ME gave it to an anthropologist in 1992. Upon retirement, the anthropologist gave it to the county of origin, which was Chaleston County. We do not have any law enforcement or autopsy information or the anthropological report, so we therefore do not know when the ME originally got the case, date or year of death, or the original condition to estimate postmortem interval.

Dental Info: Fillings in two upper molars (#3 and #14), and one lower left molar (#19).

<MOD NOTE: Several original links throughout the thread were broken and have been edited to include the current link (when available) and images as of July 26, 2023>

Samuel Little was in the area back then. Took 93 lives over 30 years. From Charleston to Ca.
Many of places in between girls / ladies went missing via him.
Randell Taylor we know took Shannon McConaughey in 1998. Many believe he was
active long before that. FYI

 

[John/Jane Doe]

Now a NCMEC case.

Have you seen this child? Jane Charleston County Doe 1973

Missing From: Charleston County , SC. Missing Date: July 12, 1973. Skeletal remains of an unidentified female were found at the Charleston County Coroner’s Office from an unknown origin. The only identifying information with the remains suggest that she was initially found on or before July 12...

www.missingkids.org

Reconstructions
View attachment 466726View attachment 466727

Date Found: July 12, 1973
Location Found: Charleston County , SC, US
Estimated Age: 14-17 Years Old

"Skeletal remains of an unidentified female were found at the Charleston County Coroner’s Office from an unknown origin. The only identifying information with the remains suggest that she was initially found on or before July 12, 1973. Specifics of where and when the remains were originally discovered is undetermined. Forensic assessments of the skull reveal that the decedent is a Caucasian female, approximately 14 to 20 years old at the time of death. She stood approximately 4’8" to 5’0" tall. Hair and eye color cannot be determined. Dental restorations were observed in her teeth indicating that she had received dental treatment in life. Foul play is suspected. The images shown are a facial reconstruction completed by a NCMEC Forensic Artist and depicts what the female may have looked like in life."

Possible matches:

Paula Ann Pope
The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

Barbara Jean Paciotti
The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

Renee Bruhl

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

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

www.namus.gov

Lynn Bernadette Luray

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

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

www.namus.gov

Linda Kay Britton

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

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

www.namus.gov

 

[Sheryl Locke Holmes]

It says July 12, 1973 now

Sun-News from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina - Newspapers.com
Looks like a body of a female was found on that date but in Myrtle Beach, but I don't have a newspapers membership

There was a later article stating that the unidentified female found was identified as Elizabeth Bates Handy, aged 17. She was the adopted daughter (adopted out of an orphanage in Germany at 13 months old) of the late Frances Wall Handy (died in 1971) and Philip Dustin Handy, who has also passed away since. Her remains were sent to Charleston County for identification. She was identified days after her body being found by way of dental work done in August 1971 by Dr Joseph Henry Westmoreland of Myrtle Beach. She had been missing since July 1972, nearly a year before her remains were found.

 

[Sheryl Locke Holmes]

Also forgot to mention that the alleged killer of Elizabeth Bates Handy was Donnie Burl Lemmons, an Air Force seargent and a serial killer responsible for the murders of several other women, two of them in the Myrtle Beach area, and one in Arizona. Elizabeth's body was discovered after Lemmons drew a map denoting the location of another body while he was in jail for the murder of the girl from Arizona. Elizabeth's remains were found within 30 feet of the location noted on that map. I don't know if Lemmons was ever brought up on charges in Elizabeth Bates Handy's slaying despite the evidence. I have not found any articles stating he was brought up on charges in her death. Donnie Burl Lemmons later died in 2014.

 

[Sheryl Locke Holmes]

Also a memorial service was held for Elizabeth Bates Handy on July 16, 1973. There's a findagrave record for her at the Frederick Memorial Gardens in Gaffney, South Carolina.

 

[Sheryl Locke Holmes]

Is it possible that those unidentified remains are actually those of the previously identified decedent Elizabeth Bates Handy? Especially given that her remains were given Charleston County for identification, she was 17, had dental work just like those of the remains, perhaps her remains were never given back to the Handy family because the killer was never charged, and maybe because they lost this info that went along with her remains and evidence they had against Lemmons in her murder.

 

[cheemsg]

Is it possible that those unidentified remains are actually those of the previously identified decedent Elizabeth Bates Handy? Especially given that her remains were given Charleston County for identification, she was 17, had dental work just like those of the remains, perhaps her remains were never given back to the Handy family because the killer was never charged, and maybe because they lost this info that went along with her remains and evidence they had against Lemmons in her murder.

Absolutely possible given they were handling skeletal remains obviously things could get misplaced. You should call this in.

 

[victoriarobinson642]

Elizabeth has a gravestone. I guess it's possible that it's a cenotaph.

Elizabeth Bates Handy (1955-1972) - Find a Grave...

www.findagrave.com

 

[John/Jane Doe]

Elizabeth has a gravestone. I guess it's possible that it's a cenotaph.

Elizabeth Bates Handy (1955-1972) - Find a Grave...

www.findagrave.com

Could anyone get a photo of Elizabeth? maybe in some yearbook.

 

[Sheryl Locke Holmes]

Elizabeth has a gravestone. I guess it's possible that it's a cenotaph.

Elizabeth Bates Handy (1955-1972) - Find a Grave...

www.findagrave.com

Exactly what I was thinking. And because there was a memorial service and not a funeral where they have a loved one's body to bury, it could be they only have her gravestone and her remains are elsewhere.

 

[victoriarobinson642]

Could anyone get a photo of Elizabeth? maybe in some yearbook.

Couldn't find any.

 

[Sheryl Locke Holmes]

When her mother Frances passed away in 1971, Elizabeth was attending Socastee High School. I couldn't locate a 1971 yearbook for Socastee High School.

Couldn't find any.

 

[Sheryl Locke Holmes]

I can't find the article now that specifically states they had a memorial sevice for Elizabeth Bates Handy only days after her remains were found. I just find this very strange that I can't locate that news article.

 

[Sheryl Locke Holmes]

Okay, I found it! It was mentioned in two news articles from 1996 and 1997. I was searching in the years of 1973 thinking it was mentioned then. There is no mention of there ever being a funeral/burial service, just a memorial service.

March 13, 1997
A Publisher Extra® Newspaper

Sun-News from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina • 48​

Publication:Sun-Newsi
Location:Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Issue Date:Thursday, March 13, 1997
Page:48

This is the OCR text from the article.

Elizabeth Bates Handy wrote a paper titled Happiest I Have Ever. She wrote that it was probably when she was taken out of an orphanage at 13 months old the day her mother and father came to get her and bought her a lot of new clothes. She recall where she lived at the time but she knew she most likely was happy to be out of the orphanage and wrote that die still had some of her baby clothes and pictures Libby was bom in Germany in 1933 and adopted by an American serviceman and his wife They lived in several places overseas and in the United States before moving to Horry County Her mother Frances Handy died in 1971 while Libby was a student at Socastee High School On July20 1972 when she was 17 and living at Murrells Inlet Libby became one of three women brutally murdered by a sergeant at the former Myrtle Bleach Air Force Base Two bodies were found but Libby was missing for almost a year When her body was finally discovered a memorial service was held July 16 1973 at the First Baptist Church in Myrtle Beach In 1993 rather the late Phil Handy ana his wife Susan Handy set up a scholarship at Christ the Servant Lutheran Church in memory of Libby Since Phil death Susan Handy has continued to contribute funds and funds have been contributed by the Lutheran Men in Mission This annual Elizabeth Bates Handy scholarship is available only to members of the church who are '97 high school graduates The 97 scholarship will be awarded to one recipient a first-year full-time student in a program of study beyond the high school.

 

[Kamiko123132]

Could anyone get a photo of Elizabeth? maybe in some yearbook.

I can try and see if i can find any really even tho some people already checked ill go back and see
Not really much so like yea no but is there a chance she was at another highschool before she went to this one?

 

[Nate_Bro]

I'm intrigued. Is it possible that the remains are unidentified because she was adopted?