MS MS - Pascagoula, Horn Island JD, WhtFem 35-50, UP14820, clothing remnants, blanket, Dec'71

[folieadeuxnola]

Horn Island Jane Doe

Date Discovered: Friday, December 31st, 1971
Discovery Location: Pascagoula, Jackson County, Mississippi



Physical Description:
Race:
Sex: Female
Age:
Height: 5’1”-5’4” (61”-64”)
Weight:
Hair: Light Brown, Long
Eye Color: Unknown
Clothing: Undetermined remnants of clothing
Jewelry:
Characteristics/Medical/Scars:
Condition of Remain: Not recognizable, all parts recovered
Transportation: Location can only be reached by watercraft
Postmortem Interval: (3) Months
Estimated Year of Death: 1971 – 1972
Fingerprint Status: Not Available
Dental Status: Not Available
DNA Status: Not Available

Circumstances:
An unidentified body was found on New Year’s Eve about a mile from the east end of Horn Island. The body was buried underneath sand with only the legs from knee to ankle were exposed. A quantity of long light brown hair was found along with a blanket that was underneath the body.

The body had not washed ashore as that it was found lying on a blanket and was 10 ft above the level of the water and 1000 ft from the water’s edge.

All missing persons from surrounding areas were checked and cleared by LE.

Horn Island is uninhabited that is 10 miles long by ¾ of a mile wide just 8 miles offshore from Ocean Springs and Pascagoula Mississippi it can only be reached by watercraft. It was once home to a lighthouse that was manned by keeper Charles Johnsson along with his wife and daughter. During the hurricane of 1906 Charles and his family were killed. The body of Charles was recovered after the storm, but his wife and daughter were never found. The last inhabitants of the island whom raised cows and hogs left the island in the 1920’s. The island was utilized by the military and closed to the public from 1943 to 1945.

Investigating Agencies:
Jackson County Sheriff’s Office
3104 Magnolia Street
Pascagoula, MS 39567
Tele: 228.769.3063
Contact: Dt Darren Versiga
Web: Jackson County - Sheriff

Jackson County Coroner
4111 Amonett Street
Pascagoula, MS 39567
Tele: 228.769.3197

Information Sources:
NAMUS
MP Case # 14820: Unidentified Person Case

News/Blogs:
01/05/72 - The Daily Herald
*Few more articles about the UID behind paid wall

 

[ghoulnextdoor]

Was DNA collected?

 

[folieadeuxnola]

Was DNA collected?

NAMUS did not indicate having any identifiers in their system however it could be possible that the local agency may have it just unsure at this point.

There is very little info out there on her I find it a very interesting case thou.

 

[jbsb344]

I was just at Horn Island two weeks ago. I have never heard of this case and my husband is in Law Enforcement in Jackson County, MS. I am definitely going to be doing some ground work researching this!

I will update when I have more.

 

[folieadeuxnola]

I was just at Horn Island two weeks ago. I have never heard of this case and my husband is in Law Enforcement in Jackson County, MS. I am definitely going to be doing some ground work researching this!

I will update when I have more.

I as you had never heard of it either found it very interesting. The original detective in the case was actually born on Horn Island. Their were a few families that lived their at one time but left in the 1920's.

Please query your husband would love to know more.

 

[folieadeuxnola]

Was DNA collected?

I looked at lost and found their was no identifiers listed and now with NAMUS removing UID/MP identifiers to non-public view we would not know any way unfortunately.

So very unhappy with NAMUS removal of identifiers for public view ....

 

[folieadeuxnola]

***BUMPING***

 

[MadMcGoo]

NamUs #UP14820
Unidentified Person

Date Body Found: January 1, 1972
Location Found: Pascagoula, Jackson County, Mississippi
GPS Coordinates: Lat 30.235901 log -88.669948
Inventory of Remains: All parts recovered
Condition of Remains: Not recognizable - Decomposing/putrefaction
Estimated Year of Death: 1971-1972
Race / Ethnicity: White / Caucasian
Sex: Female
Estimated Age Range (Years): 35-50
Estimated Height: 5' 1"-5' 4" (61-64 inches)
Weight: Cannot Estimate
Hair Color: Brown; long
Clothing: Pics of body are Polaroid and poor quality. Appears to be clothing or remnants of the blanket on body. Blanket under the body

Circumstances of Recovery: This body was not washed ashore and may have been buried. Was found under the sand laying on a blanket with only a leg protruding from the sand. Hair found under the body. No clothing noted in the article

 

[MadMcGoo]

“...found on a sand dune about a mile from the east end of Horn Island...decomposition was advanced and they could not immediately determine its sex.”

“A quantity of long light brown hair, possibly a wig, was found under the body”

“They emphasized the phrase “early to late 40s”...the dead woman had perfect teeth and there was no fractures or other damage to her bone structure. These factors virtually eliminate possibility of tracing the woman’s identity through dentists’ or physicians’ records.”

“They found the body, in a attitude of repose - arms crossed on the lower chest, head turned to one side - lying on a blanket. The blanket appeared to have been carefully arranged beneath the body. Part of the blanket formed a pillow under the body. There was no jewelry, handbag or papers that could identify the dead person.”

 

[DS2021]

Still no ruleouts

 

[victoriarobinson642]

1675UFMS

Added to the Doe Network

 

[imstilla.grandma]

The woman's body was found partially buried in a dune on Horn Island, located in Pascagoula, Mississippi. Her leg was the only exposed portion of the body, which was in a supine position with the arms folded across the chest, and the head turned to one side. A blanket was in place beneath the body, and it was folded to support the skull.
Following her autopsy, pathologists were still working towards determining the cause of death and when she died. No further information is available. It is known, however, that the body had not drifted to the location from the nearby body of water.
https://www.fanatical.com/en/pick-a...num_collection_june&utm_content=platinum_june
Missing persons from Florida, Rhode Island, North and South Dakota, and Texas were compared to the woman early into the investigation. All were later excluded.
Her body was photographed at the time, but the images are described to be of low quality.

Characteristics​

• Long brown hair.
• Teeth in perfect condition.
• No apparent signs of abnormalities or injuries to her bones.

Clothing​

• A pair of slacks.
• Photographs of the body possibly depict additional clothing, although its description is unavailable.

Sources​

• Jackson County Jane Doe at NamUs
• Jackson County Jane Doe at the Doe Network

Notes​

1. ↑ Newspaper coverage states the body was found on December 31, 1971, where NamUs lists January 1, 1972, as the date of discovery.

https:///wiki/Jackson_County_Jane_Doe_(1971)

 

[imstilla.grandma]

*Explanation of discovery dates

https://www.mmup.info/_files/ugd/6a1c14_b5822aa899ab41048cff1e485fa42e5f.pdf

 

[John/Jane Doe]

@Caring1 Hey could you post the NamUs exclusion list for this Jane Doe?

 

[DS2021]

@Caring1 Hey could you post the NamUs exclusion list for this Jane Doe?

Zero ruleouts in NamUs.

 

[DS2021]

DBM

Sorry about that Caring. I wasn't sure when you would be available to check, so I figured I'd do it myself.

 

[Caring1]

Sorry about that Caring. I wasn't sure when you would be available to check, so I figured I'd do it myself.

That‘s quite alright. I appreciate it. Please go ahead and post them if you come across the request.

 

[lightofmine99]

This is how I found out that "the sleepy little town of Paskagoolah" mentioned in the Ray Stevens song "Mississippi Squirrel Revival" is actually real. Wow. I always assumed it was a made-up name. That song was part of my childhood, lol.

Bumping for 2024. Still no comparisons on NamUs.