PA PA - Philadelphia, WhtFem 40-60, UP17721, upper denture w/D Spizzirri, frontal lobotomy, May'72

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NamUs UP 17721

https://www.identifyus.org/en/cases/17721

Unidentified Body/Remains (White Female)

Found May 7, 1972 in Philadelphia County, PA
Body Condition: Not recognizable - Traumatic injuries
Probable year of death: 1972
Estimated postmortem interval: 6 hours

Vital Statistics
Estimated age: 40-60 (Adult - Pre-60)
Approximate Height: 63 estimate
Approximate Weight: 138 estimate
Hair Color: Short brown with only scattered minimal gray hairs in it
Eye Color: Hazel; Left globe is traumatically ruptured and the dried lens is adherent to the back of the decedent.
The right iris is green-blue. The pupil is round and in mid dilatation
Scars and marks: 1.) A large oval hypo pigmentation on the lateral surface of the left upper arm, centered 11 cm. below the top of the head, measures 2.8 x 2.4 cm.
2.) A curvilinear lower abdominal incision, measuring 14 x 0.3 cm., is 2 cm. above the margin of the pubic hair.
3.) Irregular white and pink-white scars on the knees and lower legs range from 1.8 x 1 to 1 cm. and smaller.
4.) Irregular white linear scars on the dorsum of the left and right hands range from 2 x 0.2 cm to 1.2 x 0.1 cm
5.) A depression in the right frontal scalp underlies an oblique 6 x 0.2 cm scar, which extends from the center of the frontal hairline obliquely backward. An identical depression and scar are on the right side.
6.) on the center of the right side of the nose is a slightly depressed gray-white 0.4 x 0.3 cm scar; Mouth is edentulous and contains an upper denture with "D. Spizzirri" inscribed in it; Residual pale pink polish on nails of the hands; 1.) Bilateral Frontal Craniotomies with Pre Frontal Lobotomies.
2.) Laparotomy and Partial Right Oophorectomy
3.) Appendectomy
Blood Type "A"
Meckel's Diverticulum


Clothing & Accessories
Clothing: 1.) Short-sleeved, red, white, and blue blouse that zips down the front to a V-neck configuration; 2.) White, cotton bra; 3.) Blue slacks; 4.) Blue stretch-type material underwear
Jewerly: nothing
Footwear: Gold-trimmed black open-toed and no-heeled slippers
Accessories: Key case with 3 keys in it. One color combination key, 1 padlock key, and one additional house key


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

Case History:
A white female about 45, weighing 138 pounds, with brown hair and hazel eyes and wearing blue slacks and a multicolored blouse was found murdered in an abandoned burned-out building at 620 W. Montgomery Ave.
The name "D. Spizzarri" was inscribed on her upper dentures and head-scars indicate that she underwent a frontal lobotomy about 20 years ago, perhaps while a patient in a mental institution.
 
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I found this on Ancestry. In the lower part it says the highest grade completed was 4th grade. The birth year is close and Binghamton is less than 200 miles from Philadelphia.
 

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I found this on Ancestry. In the lower part it says the highest grade completed was 4th grade. The birth year is close and Binghamton is less than 200 miles from Philadelphia.
Oh that's a good find apearn! and according to this it would if made her 45 in 1972 which is in line with what they Say the UID is the only thing is there is no D but everything else seems to line up!!
 
4th grade seems pretty off for a 13 year old unless there was some developmental/emotional disabilities or something else that interferes with her schooling. The lobotomy used to be used for people who had mental disorders so that may line up.
Does anyone have access to old yearbooks from Binghamton area? I guess it would be in the mid 1930's that she (or maybe a sister with a name starting with D) would have been in school.
 
I found exactly the same information last week when I came across this on NamUs. The unusual name plus the lobotomy scars and this hospital record seemed so tantalizing that I called it into the Philadelphia Medical Examiner's office. They agreed it was intriguing and told me they'll look into it further. I'll post any updates here.
 
NamUs UP 17721

Unidentified Person Case

Unidentified Body/Remains (White Female)

Found May 7, 1972 in Philadelphia County, PA
Body Condition: Not recognizable - Traumatic injuries
Probable year of death: 1972
Estimated postmortem interval: 6 hours

Vital Statistics
Estimated age: 40-60 (Adult - Pre-60)
Approximate Height: 63 estimate
Approximate Weight: 138 estimate
Hair Color: Short brown with only scattered minimal gray hairs in it
Eye Color: Hazel; Left globe is traumatically ruptured and the dried lens is adherent to the back of the decedent.
The right iris is green-blue. The pupil is round and in mid dilatation

Scars and marks: 1.) A large oval hypo pigmentation on the lateral surface of the left upper arm, centered 11 cm. below the top of the head, measures 2.8 x 2.4 cm.
2.) A curvilinear lower abdominal incision, measuring 14 x 0.3 cm., is 2 cm. above the margin of the pubic hair.
3.) Irregular white and pink-white scars on the knees and lower legs range from 1.8 x 1 to 1 cm. and smaller.
4.) Irregular white linear scars on the dorsum of the left and right hands range from 2 x 0.2 cm to 1.2 x 0.1 cm
5.) A depression in the right frontal scalp underlies an oblique 6 x 0.2 cm scar, which extends from the center of the frontal hairline obliquely backward. An identical depression and scar are on the right side.
6.) on the center of the right side of the nose is a slightly depressed gray-white 0.4 x 0.3 cm scar; Mouth is edentulous and contains an upper denture with "D. Spizzirri" inscribed in it; Residual pale pink polish on nails of the hands; 1.) Bilateral Frontal Craniotomies with Pre Frontal Lobotomies.
2.) Laparotomy and Partial Right Oophorectomy
3.) Appendectomy
Blood Type "A"
Meckel's Diverticulum


Clothing & Accessories
Clothing: 1.) Short-sleeved, red, white, and blue blouse that zips down the front to a V-neck configuration; 2.) White, cotton bra; 3.) Blue slacks; 4.) Blue stretch-type material underwear
Jewerly: nothing
Footwear: Gold-trimmed black open-toed and no-heeled slippers
Accessories: Key case with 3 keys in it. One color combination key, 1 padlock key, and one additional house key


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

Case History:
A white female about 45, weighing 138 pounds, with brown hair and hazel eyes and wearing blue slacks and a multicolored blouse was found murdered in an abandoned burned-out building at 620 W. Montgomery Ave.
The name "D. Spizzarri" was inscribed on her upper dentures and head-scars indicate that she underwent a frontal lobotomy about 20 years ago, perhaps while a patient in a mental institution.

Thanks Romulus for bringing this up. There is so many things to know about this UID, but no identification....how sad.. I hope we can get a trace of her identity...
 
This lady makes me sad thinking all she went through in her life and up until her death.

Seems like she had house keys on her.

I sure hope they checked if the keys fitted the vacant house. Maybe she was just about to rent it and the killer handled her the keys....nahhhh no way that they would have missed that. Having keys makes me think she was functioning at a certain level.
 
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I sure hope they checked if the keys fitted the vacant house. Maybe she was just about to rent it and the killer handled her the keys....nahhhh no way that they would have missed that. Having keys makes me think she was functioning at a certain level.

I saw the house described as "Burned out" so I imagine it was either selected by the killer for the crime or as the body dump. I couldn't tell from the report if the murder occurred on the site. I'm intrigued by her clothing and accessories: the description doesn't suggest that she was homeless or unkempt, so that plus the keys suggest she had housing of some kind. The neighborhood was (and still is today) very impoverished and rough.
 
Name: Daurtha M Spizzirri
Birth Date: 22 Mar 1929
Birth Place: Windsor, New York, USA

NY state birth index

'Could "Daurtha" be correct or a variation of "Dorothy"?

Dorothy Spizzirri (age 1)
St Mary's Orphans Home (per 1930 census report)
Binghamton, Broome Co NY
and
Dorothy Spizzirri (age 11)
Rome State School - Mental Defectives (per 1940 census report)
Rome City, Oneida, NY

ETA: It also appears Dorothy could have had siblings (born in PA) residing at St Mary's... one of which might have been rejoined with parents in PA at a later time.
 
Last edited:
Name: Daurtha M Spizzirri
Birth Date: 22 Mar 1929
Birth Place: Windsor, New York, USA

NY state birth index

'Could "Daurtha" be correct or a variation of "Dorothy"?

Dorothy Spizzirri (age 1)
St Mary's Orphans Home (per 1930 census report)
Binghamton, Broome Co NY
and
Dorothy Spizzirri (age 11)
Rome State School - Mental Defectives (per 1940 census report)
Rome City, Oneida, NY

ETA: It also appears Dorothy could have had siblings (born in PA) residing at St Mary's... one of which might have been rejoined with parents in PA at a later time.

Interesting, the file saying mental defectives.
 

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