Identified! NV - Reno, WhtFem 35-45, UP7713, 'Oakridge 1992' ring, plate in jaw left side, Jun'97 - Lorena Gayle Mosley

[Irish_Eyes]

998UFNV

This Unidentified Female was discovered June 9, 1997 in Washoe County, Nevada. DOD is estimated to be sometime in 1997.

Estimated age: 33-45 years old
Approximate Height and Weight: 5'2"
Distinguishing Characteristics: Brown hair. Left side of mandible had been fractured and repaired during her life.
Clothing: Black padded long sleeve jacket with bright orange inner lining; western style multicolored shirt, Camel Cigarette T-shirt, blue jeans, Braxton, size 10, light gray and white athletic shoe on left foot, size 5.5; white sock on left foot.
Jewelry: Yellow-colored oval small Elgin watch, a white metal necklace with metal whistle attached, yellow and copper bracelet, Dream catcher earring, black Bolo tie with arrowhead stone, black and silver colored metal ring with magenta colored stone-bears inscription "1992" and "oakridge.", silver colored ring in shape of two hearts.
Dentals: Available. Distinctive dental characteristics; metal orthopedic plate in jaw.
Fingerprints: Available
DNA:Not available.
Case History
The decomposed remains were found, partially buried in a rock pile, off Hoge Road, in Washoe County, Nevada on June 9, 1997.


Case is also in NamUs:

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

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

www.namus.gov

Namus has details on dentals...many fillings.

<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>

 

[Irish_Eyes]

Naturally the ring sounds like a high school ring. But the age estimate is 33-45. So is this the ring of a daughter or niece or someone who passed young? Is this a college ring of some sort? A ring for a coach of a championship team perhaps? Just trying to think out loud about what purpose a 27-40 year old woman would recieve a ring like this....

There is an Oakridge High in El Dorado, CA, which seems closest to here.

Really looking for input/ideas into what Oakridge 1992 would signify....

 

[micheleonelonly]

It sounds like a class ring, but I suppose another possibility is a wedding ring (last name Oakridge?) or some other ring of romantic significance

 

[deca]

If it was a WOMAN's class ring-- those really just look like regular rings with a stone and a thicker band. So she could have simply been wearing it as a piece of jewelry. She had plenty of jewelry on already and nothing really high end so I can see that happening.

 

[MissSunshine]

I was thinking class ring but is the stone in class rings the school colors or can you put any color in that you want? If it is supposed to be the school colors, I can't find an Oakridge school with magenta as it's color.

The "bolo" that was found with the body....is that what cowboys wear?

 

[CarlK90245]

I was thinking class ring but is the stone in class rings the school colors or can you put any color in that you want? If it is supposed to be the school colors, I can't find an Oakridge school with magenta as it's color.

The "bolo" that was found with the body....is that what cowboys wear?

The bolo ties are more popular with the Native Americans in Arizona, Utah and Nevada, and New Mexico.

 

[Irish_Eyes]

I was thinking class ring but is the stone in class rings the school colors or can you put any color in that you want? If it is supposed to be the school colors, I can't find an Oakridge school with magenta as it's color.

The "bolo" that was found with the body....is that what cowboys wear?

Well, it's a ring from 1992. At that time, people usually got their class ring with their birthstone in it....not necessarily the school colors....or some people just got whatever stone they liked the best....you could have 30 different kids in the same graduating class all with different rings...different ring shapes, stone colors, different metals, and personalized symbols for accomplishments in sports or arts or academics....so in the end, I think the Oakridge and the '92 may be the only 2 valuable things we have to work with.

 

[MissSunshine]

Why would someone have white metal necklace with a metal whistle? Is there a purpose for it or is (was) it a fashion thing?

 

[Jacie Estes]

Why would someone have white metal necklace with a metal whistle? Is there a purpose for it or is (was) it a fashion thing?

Some women who have TROs or OoPs [Temporary Restraining Orders or Orders of Protection],use whistles as a protective measure. If her jaw had been reconstructed, she may have had a prior incident of abuse.

 

[Sleuthster]

Another possibility, although I'm not sure how she would have gotten from NM to Reno area of Nevada.

Gloria Jean King – The Charley Project

The time frame is close and age. She had scaring/missing earlobe? Could explain why only one earring listed in possessions. Can't find anything about oakridge having to do with albuquerque. Could have been a souvenier from NM. Car was found in Gallup NM at El Rancho hotel, which is past where they had lunch and where she lived, Near Arizona boarder.

 

[webrocket]

I would use as a starting point that it was a HS class ring, 1992 meaning the UID was about 18 y.o. then. add about 5 yrs and that gives us an estimated age of 23.

I realize these experts have some reason for giving the age brackets stated but they are not always correct. there is no reference to any gray hair so I really doubt that the UID is even 35 y.o. as most people have some gray hair at that time.

Hoge Road in Washoe County is in Reno or the immediate northern suburb of Reno. it is not exactly a remote location. someone could have gotten into Reno by way of I-80, killed/dumped her, then gotten back to the highway which is only a few miles away.

robbery was not a motive here as all the jewelry was left with the body. so we have either someone who wanted her dead as in a domestic abuser, or someone who picked her up hitchhiking and then decided to kill her for whatever reason.

 

[Swamp Fox Trot]

Well, it's a ring from 1992. At that time, people usually got their class ring with their birthstone in it....not necessarily the school colors....or some people just got whatever stone they liked the best....

Not at my school.

 

[Swamp Fox Trot]

Some women who have TROs or OoPs [Temporary Restraining Orders or Orders of Protection],use whistles as a protective measure. If her jaw had been reconstructed, she may have had a prior incident of abuse.

I'm also thinking domestic violence, whatever happened I am again disgusted by so-called human beings. This forum is giving me PTSD.

 

[Sleuthster]

There's only 3 high schools named Oakridge.

One is actually not far from Reno, El Dorado Hills,Ca. 20 miles east of Sacramento. 2 hours straight east on interstate 80? I believe that's what it says hard to read mapquest.

Another in Orlando,FL and another in Oregon.

BTW I deleted my prev post as I think I miss used the word "bears" in the first post. I believe it means the other bears not the animal.

 

[Sleuthster]

http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/1693dfnv.html

Terri Ann Fourcher
Missing since August 10, 1996 from Reno, Washoe County, Nevada
Classification: Endangered Missing

Vital Statistics

• 
  [*]Date Of Birth: December 31, 1967
  [*]Age at Time of Disappearance: 28 years old
  [*]Height and Weight at Time of Disappearance: 5'3"-5'5"; 115-130 lbs.
  [*]Distinguishing Characteristics: White female. Blonde or brown hair; blue or hazel eyes.
  [*]Marks, Scars: Pierced ears.
  [*]Dentals: Available
  [*]Medical: Terri was diagnosed with Hepatitis C and is reportedly involved in drugs and prostitution.

Circumstances of Disappearance
Fourcher was last seen walking away from the Flamingo Hilton (now the Golden Phoenix) Hotel in downtown Reno, Nevada on August 10, 1996. The majority of her personal possessions were left behind. She had lived in Reno for just nine months before she vanished.
According to friends she was supposed to go on a date with a man who is now wanted for questioning as an investigative lead.
She has family ties in Oregon, California and North Carolina. She phoned her parents in North Carolina each week, but stopped calling her relatives at the time of her disappearance.


Has family in California and Oregon


She is not listed as a ruled out.

 

[Swamp Fox Trot]

There are schools named "Oak Ridge" in Tennessee and NC. Whoever typed up the reports did not bother to capitalize the name so I wouldn't be surprized if a space was left out as well. The Tennessee school seems to use an amber stone and the NC school is a military academy for boys.

 

[Swamp Fox Trot]

A photo of Terri Ann Fourcher: The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

 

[Sleuthster]

There are schools named "Oak Ridge" in Tennessee and NC. Whoever typed up the reports did not bother to capitalize the name so I wouldn't be surprized if a space was left out as well. The Tennessee school seems to use an amber stone and the NC school is a military academy for boys.

Oak Ridge is also a National Laboratory Facility in TN, near Knoxville. Something to do with bombs.

I'm thinking that Terri Fourtner disappeared from the same county this doe was found, height close, hair, and she was a prostitute which could explain the fractured jaw if she had a pimp. Like said in prior post, age may not be correct. Especially after some time on the street. Ring could be the does or could have found it or given it at some point never know.

 

[CherBearSTL]

There's only 3 high schools named Oakridge.

One is actually not far from Reno, El Dorado Hills,Ca. 20 miles east of Sacramento. 2 hours straight east on interstate 80? I believe that's what it says hard to read mapquest.

Another in Orlando,FL and another in Oregon.

BTW I deleted my prev post as I think I miss used the word "bears" in the first post. I believe it means the other bears not the animal.

There is also an Oakridge High School in Muskegeon (sp?) Michigan.

 

[micheleonelonly]

Another possibility, although I'm not sure how she would have gotten from NM to Reno area of Nevada.

Gloria Jean King – The Charley Project

FWIW, I once made the drive from Albuquerque to Reno in 1 VERY long day I left at 7am Mountain time and got home around midnight Pacific time.

Regarding class rings, it seems about 50/50 here in Reno between getting a birthstone or getting a school color stone in a class ring. My brother and I both got our birthstones, and my 2 boyfriends in high school with rings had a school color. So it would not surprise me either way to have a stone of any color, really.