MD MD - Shannon Potter, 13, Baltimore, 3 March 1984

[Richard]

On the 15th of April 1985, the skeletal remains of a young girl was found in Campbell County, Tennessee. It was estimated that her death had occurred between 1 and four years earlier.

There has been some recent discussion in Websleuths unidentified section suggesting Shannon as a possible match to this girl. Here is a link to that thread:

TN TN - Campbell County - White Female 482UFTN, 9-15, April 1985 - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community

 

[alexina]

September 2011 News Article...



"There's very little information about her disappearance," said Melinda Stevens, director of NCMEC's missing-children division.

Authorities have said her death is considered suspicious and foul play is suspected.

Did I miss something? Did they find her body or this is just assumption, hypothesis?

 

[mamashawn]

She was last seen wearing "high khaki boots and possibly a white fur coat". Sorry to sound rude, but that sounds like something a "working girl" would be wearing, certainly not appropriate for a thirteen year old. She climbed out of her window, went to a party, and then was never seen again. This all sounds like a thirteen year old who was living a lifestyle way beyond the intellectual and emotional capacity of a child that age. She most likely met someone at that party who attacked, and disgarded her. The other thought that comes to mind (based on the description of her clothing), is that she was being pimped out. Do we know if there had been previous abuse in this child's life that would propel her towards accepting that type of "guidance" in her life?

Did she go to a party? I haven't read the whole thread. Another possibility is that she was naive and wanted to look older. If she was running away she would want to look older and sophisticated, especially if this was a planned runaway. I know when I was around that age and fantasizing about running away my outfit was one of the things I considered important to my "success".

 

[Richard]

Canada child murder suspect, Dennis Melvyn (or Melvin) Howe (Alias Michael Burns) had disappeared from Toronto, Ontario, Canada following the 23 January 1983 murder of 9 year old Sharin Morningstar Keenan.

Although it is a long shot, I wonder if he might have traveled to Baltimore.


LINK to Cold Case Websleuths thread on Howe:

Dennis Melvin Howe: Canada's Most Wanted - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community

 

[Richard]

Did I miss something? Did they find her body or this is just assumption, hypothesis?

I have read and re-read my earlier posting of the September 2011 News article. I cannot find the part about "her death being suspicious..." that you include in your quote.

Could you have been referring to a Jane Doe Case mentioned in a different post, that Shannon was being compared to?

As far as I know, Shannon's is an unsolved missing person case. She has not been found/identified.

 

[MissSunshine]

Bump for Shannon. Hopefully this is the year you come home.

 

[MissSunshine]

It has now been 29 years that Shannon's been missing. Hoping her family will eventually get some answers.

 

[amber1]

Thinking of Shannon. SO sad whenever I log on here to see all these families still hurting decades later. Wish I could bring back all of them, but the best we can do is remember them, not give up and pray.

 

[theshadow45]

Possibly Broward County Jane Doe (1988) NamUs: https://identifyus.org/cases/1211 and Doe Network: http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/936uffl.html? This UID was found on 19 January 1988 and is believed to have died in approximately 1985 to mid-1986. She is estimated to be 11-20 years old, had brown hair, 5'0"-5'4" tall, and possibly had previous injuries to her pelvis and lower back. From Shannon's NamUs page under Physical/Medical: "Shannon has scars on her abdomen and near her left eye. Surgical scars on her back and buttock from surgery concerning a cracked pelvis. Split mandible with surgical scars." Side-by-sides of BCJD (1988) and SP: View attachment Shannon Potter.jpg.

 

[theshadow45]

Thread for Broward County Jane Doe (1988): http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?290135-FL-Broward-Co-WhtFem-Skeletal-UP1211-11-20-silver-bracelet-Jan-88.

 

[theshadow45]

Submitted Shannon as a possibility for Broward County Jane Doe (1988) via NamUs.

 

[dmac72]

thank you Shannon was my sister

 

[theshadow45]

You are very welcome, Dmac72. We're sorry for the circumstances that brought you here but we're glad to have you. Welcome to Websleuths :welcome:!

 

[theshadow45]

Shannon Potter has been added to the rule out list for BCJD (1988).

 

[orangesandapples]

Has anyone requested that Shannon be excluded as the Altoona Jane Doe? It looks like a decent match.
Altoona-WhtFem-Skeletal-126UFFL-17-20-near-Lake-Dorr-Apr-84

 

[theshadow45]

Has anyone requested that Shannon be excluded as the Altoona Jane Doe? It looks like a decent match.
Altoona-WhtFem-Skeletal-126UFFL-17-20-near-Lake-Dorr-Apr-84

I know she has been previously mentioned as a possibility but I'm not sure if she was ever submitted.

 

[theshadow45]

Shannon has been missing for 34 years today.

 

[theshadow45]

Bumping for Shannon, today is her birthday.

 

[theshadow45]

Bumping, Shannon's updated Charley Project page: Shannon Lee Potter – The Charley Project.

 

[Moonwalker9]

Shannon Lee Potter

• 
• 
• 

Shannon, circa 1984; Age-progression to age 43 (circa 2013)

• Missing Since03/03/1984
• Missing FromBaltimore, Maryland
• ClassificationNon-Family Abduction
• Date of Birth07/20/1970 (48)
• Age13 years old
• Height and Weight5'5, 140 pounds
• Clothing/Jewelry DescriptionPossibly a white waist-length fur coat and high khaki boots.
• Distinguishing CharacteristicsCaucasian female. Brown hair, brown eyes. Shannon has a scar on her abdomen and a small scar above her left eye. She has previously fractured her pelvis and she has had plastic surgery. Her hair was collar-length at the time of her disappearance

Details of Disappearance
Shannon was last seen in Baltimore, Maryland on March 3, 1984. She resided in the 2300 block of Foster Avenue at the time. She apparently climbed out of her bedroom through a window in the middle of the night and went to attend a party. She has never been heard from again. She left a note behind.

Shannon's parents were separated at the time of her disappearance and she lived with her mother. Her father lived in Mississippi. Shannon was reportedly looking forward to visiting him there that summer, and she seemed happy.

Originally it was believed that Shannon had left of her own accord and gone to stay with her father or another relative, but now she is considered to be missing under suspicious circumstances.

Shannon's mother received a letter from her on March 8, five days after she disappeared; it was postmarked Orlando, Florida. No one has heard from Shannon since then.

Prior to her disappearance, she made several long-distance telephone calls to Florida, Colorado and Mississippi. It is unknown if the calls were related to her disappearance, which remains unsolved. Due to the lack of information in Shannon's case, it is classified as a non-family abduction.

What was written in the letter? was she the author? or was it a smoke screen? perhaps she did leave with someone but was met with foul play or someone killed her and wrote the letter just the lure her mother she was OK.

I would also like to know more about these calls. Who did she call,maybe she had a "long distance relationship" with somenbody that lured her to travel?