MA MA - Newburyport, WhtMale 11-17, UP11797, severely impacted molar, clothes, Nov'92

[canadianamericanprincess]

Michael Hammond is not a match for the John Doe. According to LE : "I reviewed the dental radiographs and the formation of his third molar was just starting and therefore a dental age of 12-13 years, not 16, the age Michael was when he went missing."

Kind of discouraging but really helpful in narrowing down what his age was when he died...

I've been looking at Jeffery Gordon Murray as a potential match for the John Doe. He was thought to have run away from home in 1986, putting him right in the range LE has for the John Doe's death. He could have hitched rides along 95 on his way down through Canada. To me, his face and the reconstruction look extremely similar, not to mention he falls into the new age range and had "stained teeth" which seems like an indication of poor dental care too. Height and weight match too.

 

[bluejeanbaby]

Has anybody considered Matthew Ferris or Taj Narbonne as potential matches? Dates seem pretty aligned to me, as well as the resemblance each bears to the reconstruction.

 

[bluejeanbaby]

Just out of curiosity, if someone wanted to check their dna against this UID, what steps would they need to take? Does their missing loved one need to be in NamUs or any of the other sites? Once upon a time a report was filed for a 'missing loved one', but years later when they did a follow up, the family were informed that there was no missing persons report. To say they'd been disillusioned and disappointed with the whole process and handling of the MP case might be an understatement?!

Would appreciate the feedback.

This person may not be a match for them, but at least they'll have a step process for future reference.

Is your question specific to this case?? I'm just wondering because I might be able to help.

 

[bluejeanbaby]

Me again! I got my hands on some articles from the local newspaper down in Newburyport and took a little road trip. Some interesting details include:
- "a single size 11 sneaker was found near the body" (I had previously assumed the sneakers were on the body)
- the original suspicion was that the body had been there only for "several months"
- the body was "partially submerged in a swampy area" off of the highway and was missing several finger bones
If you drive to the area of the highway where they found him, it is still very swampy, with a bridge overhead and tall marsh grass. There's a neighborhood with houses that abut the highway, only about fifty feet from there. Only two exits away is where the highway merges onto I-495 which moves west all the way to New York, and of course I-95 goes all the way from Canada to Florida. Truly he could have been from anywhere.

 

[bluejeanbaby]

It's been 27 years that this Doe has gone unidentified. RIP

 

[Blurgle]

Michael Hammond is not a match for the John Doe. According to LE : "I reviewed the dental radiographs and the formation of his third molar was just starting and therefore a dental age of 12-13 years, not 16, the age Michael was when he went missing."

Kind of discouraging but really helpful in narrowing down what his age was when he died...

I've been looking at Jeffery Gordon Murray as a potential match for the John Doe. He was thought to have run away from home in 1986, putting him right in the range LE has for the John Doe's death. He could have hitched rides along 95 on his way down through Canada. To me, his face and the reconstruction look extremely similar, not to mention he falls into the new age range and had "stained teeth" which seems like an indication of poor dental care too. Height and weight match too.

Stained teeth could also be a result of having been given tetracycline as a child.

 

[Fuuro]

He was so young. I think that it's not out of the question that this was not a runaway, but a victim of some sort of child neglect or abuse. At the same time, for all we know, his parents are still out there and are desperate to find him.

 

[ChatteringBirds]

Here's what I have for potential matches, and I'd love to know what other people think.
Chipley Sanders, Kenneth Dailey, Michael Hammond. All of them were young enough where I think it would make sense for the tooth to have been the way that it was, and all were suspected to be runaways so maybe whoever was in charge of taking care of them wasn't necessarily doing so. I see a strong resemblance to the UID in each of them but I'd love to know if it's just me who sees that or not.

I'm new to following this case, so responding months later. I don't think Chipley looks like the reconstruction, but reading his story is so incredibly sad. Adopted at age 10, probably had a rough early childhood? Then in a group home already at age 13, where he feels he needs to leave... At 13... And never heard from again.

Chipley doesn't seem to have a case on Websleuths. (Edit: Sorry, there is a thread for him and James Bess, who also went missing with him.)

I hope he and James went to a nice relative or another nice family secretly. Can only hope.

 

[bluejeanbaby]

He was so young. I think that it's not out of the question that this was not a runaway, but a victim of some sort of child neglect or abuse. At the same time, for all we know, his parents are still out there and are desperate to find him.

I agree. I'm not sure how expensive Reeboks' or Levi's were around this time, but I do know that they're relatively expensive now and considered "brands" which makes me think that he didn't come from an entirely poor background. There are just so many possibilities in this case.

 

[bluejeanbaby]

I'm new to following this case, so responding months later. I don't think Chipley looks like the reconstruction, but reading his story is so incredibly sad. Adopted at age 10, probably had a rough early childhood? Then in a group home already at age 13, where he feels he needs to leave... At 13... And never heard from again.

Chipley doesn't seem to have a case on Websleuths. (Edit: Sorry, there is a thread for him and James Bess, who also went missing with him.)

I hope he and James went to a nice relative or another nice family secretly. Can only hope.

I agree, I don't think it's him either. The Chipley case reminds me a lot of Jonny Lee Mills, another system runaway, it's just so sad.

 

[apearn]

I scrolled through the thread and didn't see this juvenile mentioned.

He was a runaway found in Missouri -
Date of Discovery: September 21, 1990
Location of Discovery: Maryland Heights, Saint Louis County, Missouri
Estimated Date of Death: N/A - Living

Part of the info says: "Johnny" was not forthcoming with information and indicated that he had been on his own for a long time and "worked" the truck stops.

The lack of dental care and being found by I95 certainly fits that scenario.

111UMMO

 

[bluejeanbaby]

I scrolled through the thread and didn't see this juvenile mentioned.

He was a runaway found in Missouri -
Date of Discovery: September 21, 1990
Location of Discovery: Maryland Heights, Saint Louis County, Missouri
Estimated Date of Death: N/A - Living

Part of the info says: "Johnny" was not forthcoming with information and indicated that he had been on his own for a long time and "worked" the truck stops.

The lack of dental care and being found by I95 certainly fits that scenario.

111UMMO

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Thank you for posting!! It makes me so happy to see other people looking into this! I was thinking that there's strong potential that the UID and "Johnny Lee Mills" are the same person, but what I hate is that we'll never know because there's no DNA of "Johnny" anywhere.

 

[MarziPanda]

Thank you for posting!! It makes me so happy to see other people looking into this! I was thinking that there's strong potential that the UID and "Johnny Lee Mills" are the same person, but what I hate is that we'll never know because there's no DNA of "Johnny" anywhere.

Not unless the UID is identified and there's still family alive that can visually identify 'Johnny' as the same person, if indeed they are...

Here's hoping 2020 is the year this lad gets his name back.

 

[Reasonable & Just]

Here's hoping 2020 is the year this lad gets his name back.

Amen to that.

I had not heard of this poor kid, and before him had never given a thought about how homeless/poor/neglected teens might struggle with wisdom teeth and other dental issues. It's pretty common for young people to need those teeth removed, yet it's so expensive. Man Dies From Toothache, Couldn't Afford Meds

It's heartbreaking to think of the pain and infection this child would have suffered on top of all of the other struggles in his life.

 

[bluejeanbaby]

I've been wondering what else I can do to spread awareness. A Facebook page? The NAMUS case manager said that this is still open, does that mean I can't go to the MA State Police and ask for information?

 

[Melt71]

I've been wondering what else I can do to spread awareness. A Facebook page? The NAMUS case manager said that this is still open, does that mean I can't go to the MA State Police and ask for information?

Maybe encourage them to submit this case for genealogical follow up (and get the body exhumed/full DNA taken if they haven't already - often the DNA in the system is insufficient for genealogy).

What about contacting media in your area to do a follow up story? Or one of the larger Missing Person FB groups?

Note also the information from authorities at post #101 above that this is a child of 12-13, not the broader age range published previously.

 

[apearn]

I've been wondering what else I can do to spread awareness. A Facebook page? The NAMUS case manager said that this is still open, does that mean I can't go to the MA State Police and ask for information?

A Facebook page is a great idea! Make sure you talk about how old he would have been now so people of similar ages think about classmates or kids they knew in their neighborhoods.

Isotope testing would be nice if that hasn't been done but the genealogy will probably be the identifier.

 

[sonz82]

Has anybody considered Matthew Ferris or Taj Narbonne as potential matches? Dates seem pretty aligned to me, as well as the resemblance each bears to the reconstruction.

Matthew Ferris seems like a good possible match to me.

Are there any rule outs?

 

[bluejeanbaby]

Last I checked, the ruleouts were Joseph Helt, Christopher Kerze, Mark Seelman and Kenneth Allan Dailey. I was also told Mark Hammond. Matthew Ferris looks so similar but the only thing that gives me pause is the age, him being 20 years old and multiple factors pointing to the UID being around 11-14 (12yr molar & unfused bone shafts). I don't know whether you can have unfused bone shafts and be 20, anatomy has never been my subject LOL

 

[rhore3]

What about James Hendrickson?

James A. Hendrickson – The Charley Project
He matches age, height and features are similar to the recon. The only think is distance but it isnt too far if you think that James may have initially run away only to end up as UID.