IA IA - Polk Co, WhtFem UP10846, 19-25, in Des Moines River, ''Avon'' medallion, May'80

[Romulus]

NamUs UP 10846

https://identifyus.org/cases/10846

Unidentified Body/Remains (White Female)
Found May 26, 1980 in Polk County, IA
Body Condition: Not Recognizable - Partial skeletal parts only
Probable year of death: 1980

Vital Statistics
Estimated age: 19-25 (Adult - Pre-30)
Approximate Height: cannot estimate
Approximate Weight: cannot estimate
Hair Color: Possibly red or auburn
Eye Color: Unknown
Scars and marks: Severe lumbar curvature at L5

Clothing & Accessories
Clothing: Tube Top-unknown color
Jewerly: Ring-white metal with turquoise stone and "coils" around the center. Size 8.
Necklace-white metal with cross medallion "Avon" brand. Hair pins
Footwear: Pink/black sneakers with blue laces
Accessories: nothing

Identifiers
Fingerprints: Fingerprint information is not available
Dentals: Dental information / charting is available
DNA: Sample is not available

Case History: Found in the Des Moines River in southeast Des Moines on 5/26/1980.

Doe Network link case

http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/1209ufia.html

 

[Shin Masamura]

Missing Person / NamUs #MP3859
Cheryl Ann Scherer, Female, White / Caucasian

• Missing Since 04/17/1979
• Missing From Scott City, Missouri(7 hours away)
  
• Classification Endangered Missing
• Date of Birth 08/19/1959 (58)
• Age 19 years old
• Height and Weight 5'0 - 5'1, 100 pounds
• Clothing/Jewelry Description A light blue pullover sweater with white trim, a dark blue zip-up windbreaker with a thin white lining and the hood trimmed in white, brown corduroy pants, tiny earrings, a silver ring with a tiny diamond, and a yellow gold necklace with a one-inch cross pendant.
• Distinguishing Characteristics Caucasian female. Red hair, blue eyes. Scherer has a mole half an inch from her navel and a dime-sized dark brown birthmark between her shoulder blades. Her ears are pierced.

Missing Person Case

*UID Jewelry

 

[Bit of hope]

NamUs UP 10846

Unidentified Person Case

Unidentified Body/Remains (White Female)
Found May 26, 1980 in Polk County, IA
Body Condition: Not Recognizable - Partial skeletal parts only
Probable year of death: 1980

Vital Statistics
Estimated age: 19-25 (Adult - Pre-30)
Approximate Height: cannot estimate
Approximate Weight: cannot estimate
Hair Color: Possibly red or auburn
Eye Color: Unknown
Scars and marks: Severe lumbar curvature at L5

Clothing & Accessories
Clothing: Tube Top-unknown color
Jewerly: Ring-white metal with turquoise stone and "coils" around the center. Size 8.
Necklace-white metal with cross medallion "Avon" brand. Hair pins
Footwear: Pink/black sneakers with blue laces
Accessories: nothing

Identifiers
Fingerprints: Fingerprint information is not available
Dentals: Dental information / charting is available
DNA: Sample is not available

Case History: Found in the Des Moines River in southeast Des Moines on 5/26/1980.

Doe Network link case
The Doe Network: 1209UFIA

What a badly registered case, isn't it? Doe network is talking about a recognizable face.....strange contradiction.

 

[Owutatangledweb]

Missing Person / NamUs #MP3859
Cheryl Ann Scherer, Female, White / Caucasian

• Missing Since 04/17/1979
• Missing From Scott City, Missouri(7 hours away)
  
• Classification Endangered Missing
• Date of Birth 08/19/1959 (58)
• Age 19 years old
• Height and Weight 5'0 - 5'1, 100 pounds
• Clothing/Jewelry Description A light blue pullover sweater with white trim, a dark blue zip-up windbreaker with a thin white lining and the hood trimmed in white, brown corduroy pants, tiny earrings, a silver ring with a tiny diamond, and a yellow gold necklace with a one-inch cross pendant.
• Distinguishing Characteristics Caucasian female. Red hair, blue eyes. Scherer has a mole half an inch from her navel and a dime-sized dark brown birthmark between her shoulder blades. Her ears are pierced.

Missing Person Case

*UID Jewelry

Dental charting is available for the UID. I wonder if it's available for this girl.

 

[Bit of hope]

Dental charting is available for the UID. I wonder if it's available for this girl.

I'm sorry, I can't see that anymore since Namus took away the identifiers from the site. The MP (Cheryl Ann Scherer) missing doe network file states that there is DNA available, though.

 

[Bit of hope]

I hope LE made sure that this UID is not Alice Mae Van Alstine | Iowa Cold Cases

Older and story doesn't add up, because she was already missing in 1974 and probably killed by her abusive husband, but still. Just a thought.

 

[folieadeuxnola]

Here is a little more info on Cheryl, it was also thought she may possibly be a victim of Lucas and O'Toole however during that era they were possible suspects on nearly every missing person and murder victim across the country.

Mother hopes missing daughter will be found 32 years later
The Doe Network: Case File 338DFMO

Cheryl has per the Doe Network ... thank goodness there is a record somewhere of an MP & UID's identifiers now that were not able to view via NAMUS. Like to see what info moving forward Doe will be able to acquire from NAMUS since the change.

• • Dentals: Available
  • Other: DNA available.

 

[Gardener1850]

Pic of the cross and ring:

Unidentified Person Case

That type of cross is called an Ankh: Ankh - Wikipedia

Googling "Avon Ankh" brings up some images of the necklace:
Vintage Avon Ankh Pendant & Neckchain 18"
Vintage 1977 Tribal Boho Signed Avon Ankh Pendant Size LARGE Mixed Metal Gold Silver Tone Chain Mens Necklace Accessory in Original Box NIB

Several sources say it's from 1977.

 

[Laughing]

Has anyone figured out, was this ankh necklace something you could buy from the Avon catalog, or a prize/incentive for sales or for being a party hostess???

Wonder how many were distributed....

 

[Bit of hope]

Isn't it strange that after all this time there is nothing to go on...

Edit: thought that there was a possibility for a recon but there wasn't

 

[Bit of hope]

Has anyone figured out, was this ankh necklace something you could buy from the Avon catalog, or a prize/incentive for sales or for being a party hostess???

Wonder how many were distributed....

Vintage Baubles & Bits: Avon - A Brand History

It wasn't until 1963 that Avon began offering jewelry to customers, but it wasn't for sale, the jewelry was offered as a gift with purchase. The jewelry became popular among Avon's client and a demand began building for the jewelry as a separate purchase from the perfume and skin care products.

Avon began experimentally selling a few pieces in 1965, but until 1970 most pieces were only available with an Avon product. After 1970 the pieces became more and more popular and the costume jewelry became it's own section of products available in the Avon catalog.

 

[Bit of hope]

Native American Navajo Vintage Sterling Silver Turquoise Cuff Signed Paul Chee Artisan

This a cuff with the same pattern as the ring.

"Authentic Vintage Old Pawn - Hand made Native American cuff. This beautiful cuff features a large triangular shape cabochon of Turquoise set in a sawtooth bezel framed with twisted and coiled sterling silver. This dynamic cuff will be a treasured addition to your collection of fine vintage Native American jewelry.

The artisan of this piece is Paul Chee, Navajo.

And here is a 70's ring made by the same person. Paul Chee

 

[Bit of hope]

I wonder if Jane Doe's ring was signed with Paul Chee on the flipsite. If it was original it would be.

 

[Bit of hope]

Bumping for Polk County Jane Doe.

Jane Doe found in Des Moines River area

 

[MadMcGoo]

Refreshing the thread ...

 

[John/Jane Doe]

Polk County Jane Doe on The Doe Network:

1209UFIA

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Jane Doe​

Unidentified Body​

Jane Doe
Estimated Age: 19-25
Race: White / Caucasian
Height: Cannot Estimate
Weight: Cannot Estimate
Des Moines River Area SE
Des Moines, IA
Investigating Agencies: Polk County Medical Examiner’s Office and the Des Moines Police Department
NCMEC Case Number: 10-77-1490
Des Moines PD Case Number: 1980-20704
NamUs Case Number: 10846
Body Found: May 26, 1980
Estimated Year of Death: 1980

An unidentified female body was found in the Des Moines River in southeast Des Moines on May 26, 1980. The Polk County Medical Examiner’s Office classified the conditions of remains as “Not recognizable – Partial skeletal parts only.”

Polk County in Iowa

Des Moines in Polk County
Further testing, however, classified the victim as a white caucasian female between 19 and 25 years of age. The decedent’s hair may have possibly been red or auburn.

A “tube top” of unknown color was discovered near the victim’s body.

Jewelry near or on the victim included one size 8 ring — white metal with a turquoise stone and “coils” around the center — along with hair pins and a white metal cross medallion necklace with the “Avon” brand.

Jane Doe found in Des Moines River area

An unidentified caucasian female body, approx. 19-25 years of age, was found in the Des Moines River in southeast Des Moines on May 26, 1980.

iowacoldcases.org

 

[Earth]

Looking at the jewellery, is it possible that she was a Wiccan? I am a Wiccan and I have seen ankhs frequently, so I know what I mean. I'm not sure how widespread Wicca would have been in rural Iowa more than forty years ago.