Identified! DE - Bear, WhtFem 16-25, UP7097, pregnant, in laundry bag, Mar'67 - NamUs removed

[Alleykins]

She wasn't linked to Family in VA and NC through DNA genealogy sites. There was a mitochondrial DNA hit on her in CODIS. A mitochondrial hit is not as definitive as an autosomal (nucDNA) hit. The common maternal ancestor could be their mother, or their 10th great grandmother who lived 400 years ago. mitochondrial DNA results cannot estimate the proximity of the relationship.
And the relatives connected to her by mtDNA were in Trenton, New Jersey. Not VA or NC.

Is this article from 5 years ago incorrect, by chance? Because it states genealogy sites were searched and potential relatives were found in VA and NC, and I believe it's the same case.
(RBBM and snp'd by me for clarity)

..unidentified white female whose body was found dumped in rural New Castle County, Delaware on March 18, 1967. Her body was partially stuffed inside a bag belonging to a Trenton laundry company that has since closed. . .
In late 2011, Brown’s search for additional evidence was rewarded, when the box was taken out of an evidence room and he found it had a vial of the woman’s blood inside it.
“Well, I was extremely excited because to me this represented the possibility of developing a DNA profile,” he said.
Though the blood had dried, Brown was able to take cells from it and found success in recovering DNA. By matching the information with genealogy websites, some of which were complete with genetic profiles put up by people seeking lost relatives, the medical examiner was able to contact relatives in Virginia and North Carolina on the mother’s side of Jane Doe’s family.
“They don’t know how they’re related, but they’re related biologically,” Brown said.
So far, the family members have been no help in securing an ID.

Delaware officials look to Trenton in attempt to solve 1967 cold case
Posted & updated Apr 10, 2013

 

[Ibiz]

Back in these olden days, (late 60s,) there were traveling religious groups that would move from town to town, and hold tent revivals. Basically it was more or less a scam run by cunning con men who would wear nice clean fancy suits, (that would need to be laundered.) Their goal was to con and gather money from town people who would attend the religious services after seeing a flyer or whatnot.

Sometimes these religious revivals would go on for days at a time. The preachers/pastors would claim to be able to heal people who might be sick, by preying in tongues and using other spiritual gifts. It was all stage hypnosis/brainwashing/trickery. Many of the women who showed up for these revivals, often had marriage/health or other home life problems. Many times as a result, they were conned in to leaving with these religious men of god, who made healing promises.

Most commonly, these women would be left off in the next town or two. Sometimes with a bus ticket to get back home.

The laundry bag probably doesn't hold any clues to this Jane Dows identity.

In all probability, the DNA would be the only key here.

 

[MOTORUNNER]

I just feel so bad for women/men back in these days... was a thorough investigation ever done? Did they just see this soapy residue and say yeah I guess it was botched abortion, case closed!
She was obviously well taken care of, her eyebrows are in great shape, she took care of them. As well as her teeth.

 

[T rex]

What baffles me about this case is that she was linked to family members in Virgina and North Carolina through DNA genealogy sites and none of the relatives know who she is. Is it possible DNA Doe Project could take on her case and figure out those loose ends? Only thing I can think of is she was adopted and the blood family was in the dark. Like a scenario of a unwed teen mother who was discreetly sent to a girl's home until she gave birth. Doe's birth would have been in the 40's or 50's where that happened due to stigma of unwed pregnant girls. I've seen cases like that on Unsolved Mysteries.

Another thing that gets me is why she wouldn't get medical attention for an infection (especially while pregnant) if she was noted as taking very good care of her teeth and had visited a dentist recently prior to her death. Also if she died from natural causes than why did someone dump her body like her death had been in a criminal matter? Maybe the father of her child was controlling and refused to allow her to seek medical treatment or some other reason like her being underaged or at one time was a runaway that's case was later closed. There was a case of a missing girl that ran away to live with an adult boyfriend at 16 years old. She started using an alias and they posed as a married couple. They later had a daughter and he killed his 'wife' after an argument and concealed her body under their trailer. When she was found and he was arrested she was buried under her alias. It wasn't until years later that she was discovered to be a missing teen, if my memory is correct it was her daughter that found relatives names when she was going through her mother's belongings. I can't recall her name but her story makes me think of a scenario that could have happened to this Doe.

I have a friend that was suffering from strep throat. No big deal, we've probably all had it. But in his case the infection spread to his brain and caused permanent damage. He was placed in a nursing home at a young age and it all just happened overnight.
My point is maybe this person didnt realize how serious her situation was because it came on or worsened all of a sudden. Or perhaps she was hiding the pregnancy and a trip to the doctor would have exposed it. But this still wouldnt explain why she was disposed of in this manner. Unless it could have just been shame. Maybe it was incest or something a pimp might do. I dont know.
Another thing that occured to me is that if the first cause of death was wrong then the infection could be wrong too. She could have been poisoned or died of a drug overdose.
Im not all the way up to speed on this case but these are just some thoughts after reading the most recent posts.

 

[Bluerae63]

I'm leaning toward the adoption scenario.

She wasn't linked to Family in VA and NC through DNA genealogy sites.

There was a mitochondrial DNA hit on her in CODIS. A mitochondrial hit is not as definitive as an autosomal (nucDNA) hit. The common maternal ancestor could be their mother, or their 10th great grandmother who lived 400 years ago. mitochondrial DNA results cannot estimate the proximity of the relationship.

And the relatives connected to her by mtDNA were in Trenton, New Jersey. Not VA or NC.

She wasn't linked to Family in VA and NC through DNA genealogy sites.

There was a mitochondrial DNA hit on her in CODIS. A mitochondrial hit is not as definitive as an autosomal (nucDNA) hit. The common maternal ancestor could be their mother, or their 10th great grandmother who lived 400 years ago. mitochondrial DNA results cannot estimate the proximity of the relationship.

And the relatives connected to her by mtDNA were in Trenton, New Jersey. Not VA or NC.

I understand the ties to NJ, but why would the article specifically state maternal ties to NC & VA?

 

[carbuff]

Is this article from 5 years ago incorrect, by chance? Because it states genealogy sites were searched and potential relatives were found in VA and NC, and I believe it's the same case.
(RBBM and snp'd by me for clarity)



Delaware officials look to Trenton in attempt to solve 1967 cold case
Posted & updated Apr 10, 2013

I think the people who did the earlier analysis didn't fully understand the nuances of geneological research and may have jumped to some conclusions that weren't true.

 

[Sweetluv]

Can they check for DNA on the red hair ribbon? The unborn child? Also, that area then was very remote. I believe the person was familiar with the area. Also, that stretch of area is very close to maryland and new jersey.

 

[Sweetluv]

The laundry bag is important in my opinion. It was stamped NJ, a state which borders DE.....straight drive off the delaware memorial bridge...to route 13....which runs into Bear, where the body was found. Remote area though, so the person was possibly familiar with that area. Why did they dump her body...what were they scared of? Why not seek medical trmt....unless (scared) because of the attempted abortion?

 

[Sweetluv]

Do we know if LE ever researched companies, hotels, medical practices, ect that would have used the Trenton laundry facility? Also, what about their employees....?

 

[Sweetluv]

Since this case dates back to the 60's......do we know if the red hair ribbon still exists for DNA testing? Or samples from the fetus ?

 

[Bluerae63]

I really dont know at this point. And I've also wondered if DNA was taken from the unborn child. As far as DNA linking possible family in VA & NC to JD, someone earlier explained that the type of DNA run didnt narrow it down enough. It could be say a grandmother or someone in the family from generations before. I really need to go in person to speak with whoever has this case now. Things have been so busy. But I have a couple thoughts I'd like to share with them to see if they had been considered before.

 

[Bombshell]

The dna available was taken from a small amount of old dried blood in a tube. Burial records were lost in a fire, so obtaining a new sample from the fetus isn’t likely.

I asked Hal Brown for an update a few months ago. They were looking at miss x as a potential match to a missing girl from NH and trying to find living relatives for dna comparison....fingers crossed

 

[T rex]

The dna available was taken from a small amount of old dried blood in a tube. Burial records were lost in a fire, so obtaining a new sample from the fetus isn’t likely.

I asked Hal Brown for an update a few months ago. They were looking at miss x as a potential match to a missing girl from NH and trying to find living relatives for dna comparison....fingers crossed

When I saw your post I just automatically assumed that any missing person known to LE would have been entered into Namus. So I started looking for missing person cases in NH from around the time of this one and when I found something that looked possible I was gonna check it out at some of the other missing sites and see who didn't have DNA already, but I couldn't find any female that fit this timeline.

 

[T rex]

Edited misquote.

I was just going to say I know most of you have probably had NH covered from way back regarding this case and I wasn't going to find anything new any way but still wondering why this person wouldn't be in the databases.

 

[Bluerae63]

I did the same this afternoon, looked
at NH unsolved cases online. I'm guessing there must be someone recently looking for her that previously thought she just left home & lived her life. Hoping anyway.

 

[Bombshell]

When I saw your post I just automatically assumed that any missing person known to LE would have been entered into Namus. So I started looking for missing person cases in NH from around the time of this one and when I found something that looked possible I was gonna check it out at some of the other missing sites and see who didn't have DNA already, but I couldn't find any female that fit this timeline.

Her name is Janice Taylor from Warner, NH. I have a picture of her but not sure if I’m allowed to post it here? She is not in Namus.

 

[Bluerae63]

It would be so awesome to get her name back & her story! Any bits or pieces you can share?

 

[Bit of hope]

Her name is Janice Taylor from Warner, NH. I have a picture of her but not sure if I’m allowed to post it here? She is not in Namus.

Is she on any other missing persons site? An article from a credible source where she is mentioned missing? A cry for help from a family member?

 

[Mrs. Badcrumble]

Is she on any other missing persons site? An article from a credible source where she is mentioned missing? A cry for help from a family member?

See post #472.
(The Hal Brown mentioned in Bombshell's post is the Deputy Director of the Forensic Sciences Laboratory at Delaware’s state medical examiner’s office.)

ETA: Where Hal Brown got Janice Taylor from, I do not know, but since he is an official, we just have to trust he got it from a credible source!

 

[Bit of hope]

I say post the picture.