Identified! IL - Jefferson Co, Wht Fem 30-50, 166UFIL, wry neck syndrome, Jan'93 - Susan Hope Lund

[Ms. Sleuth]

From what I found it’s 300 acres of heavily wooded area.

I think that its possible that they could be connected. I would have to read more about the body that was found. Do we know if the body was identified as someone?

 

[Lil Quirky]

I think that its possible that they could be connected. I would have to read more about the body that was found. Do we know if the body was identified as someone?

I have not found anything else. I personally knew the investigating officer but he passed away last year. I will keep digging.

 

[Lil Quirky]

They did ID the body as Lynn D Matchen-Thomas.
I’ll search for photo/obit

 

[Bit of hope]

They did ID the body as Lynn D Matchen-Thomas.
I’ll search for photo/obit

In this article it seems that Lynn was a light skinned black woman. I can't read it myself due to privacy laws. Chicago Tribune - We are currently unavailable in your region
a community seeks justice for murdered woman dumped in park
22 jan. 1996 - But since the Illinois murder charge fell through, "we fully intend to reindict him in our next ... Her name was Lynn Matchem-Thomas, a light-skinned black woman who had ... Even so, a computer search of FBI files had not found a match. ... "I didn't think I'd find Montgomery County, Alabama, circa 1955.".

 

[Lil Quirky]

This seems kinda odd!

 

[Lil Quirky]

In this article it seems that Lynn was a light skinned black woman. I can't read it myself due to privacy laws. Chicago Tribune - We are currently unavailable in your region
a community seeks justice for murdered woman dumped in park
22 jan. 1996 - But since the Illinois murder charge fell through, "we fully intend to reindict him in our next ... Her name was Lynn Matchem-Thomas, a light-skinned black woman who had ... Even so, a computer search of FBI files had not found a match. ... "I didn't think I'd find Montgomery County, Alabama, circa 1955.".

I just found that also. They first had her listed as white.

 

[cory6010]

Hello there. I’ve been looking at this case for a couple of weeks and wanted to add a few potential names for who she might be. These are tentative at best, but I think they are worth looking into.

Barbara Ann Hilton

Missing From: Montrose, IL (8/4/1972)

Age At Time Of Disappearance:23

Source: Barbara Ann Hilton – The Charley Project


This one is a stretch, but I figured I should add her due to her similar appearance and the fact that she had a 3-inch long scar on the right side of her neck. Same state, but she does not fit the age estimate.

Angela Spaulding Hilbert

Missing From: Louisville, Kentucky (6/3/1989)

Age At Time Of Disappearance: 22

Source: Angelia Spaulding Hilbert - Kentucky Missing Person Directory


Again, this one is a stretch, but she had a metal rod implanted in her spine, and a scar on her back remained from the surgery. She was also pregnant when she disappeared. If she was actually this Jane Doe, the method of dumping would make sense. However, even I'll admit that this one is unlikely due to her age and the timing of her disappearance.

Pamela Jean Mitchell

Missing From: Nashville, TN (8/19/1992)

Age At Time Of Disappearance: 30

Source: 605DFTN - Pamela Jean Mitchell


She fits with the lower end of Jane Doe's age range, and has very similar facial features. However, I haven't been able to find any history of injuries or medical conditions that resembled Jane Doe's.

Vikki Lynn Vukelich

Missing From: Glenwood, IL (2/23/1991)

Age At Time Of Disappearance: 32

Source:Vikki L. Vukelich – The Charley Project


Similar face shape, disappeared from the same state Jane Doe was found in, and did so within 2 years of her. Vukelich's husband was also accused of killing his second wife, which police investigated more recently.

Missing From: Butte, MT (11/25/1992)

Age At Time Of Disappearance: 35

Source: http://charleyproject.org/case/patricia-margaret-sullivan


She fits the age range, race, and appearance of Ina Doe. The time between when she went missing and Doe was found is only about 2 months. However, they went missing/were found several hundred miles apart. I also could not find any information indicating that she had wry neck syndrome or was in any accidents.


What do you all think?

 

[cory6010]

I just wanted to state that I live in this area and in 1993 I was making frequent trips to Chicago. There is a rather large rest area and truck stop for sleepy drivers (on both the North and South bound lanes) where the remains were found. In addition, the rest stop bathroom and refreshment building is totally run by handicapped adults through some employment agency. A friend of mine adopted a child with fetal alcohol syndrome and she worked there. It would be interesting to know if it were off the North Bound or South Bound Lanes?

That's really good to know! Was it the Love's station that is over there now, or did it have a different name?

 

[Bit of hope]

Hello there. I’ve been looking at this case for a couple of weeks and wanted to add a few potential names for who she might be. These are tentative at best, but I think they are worth looking into.

Barbara Ann Hilton

Missing From: Montrose, IL (8/4/1972)

Age At Time Of Disappearance:23

Source: Barbara Ann Hilton – The Charley Project


This one is a stretch, but I figured I should add her due to her similar appearance and the fact that she had a 3-inch long scar on the right side of her neck. Same state, but she does not fit the age estimate.

Angela Spaulding Hilbert

Missing From: Louisville, Kentucky (6/3/1989)

Age At Time Of Disappearance: 22

Source: Angelia Spaulding Hilbert - Kentucky Missing Person Directory


Again, this one is a stretch, but she had a metal rod implanted in her spine, and a scar on her back remained from the surgery. She was also pregnant when she disappeared. If she was actually this Jane Doe, the method of dumping would make sense. However, even I'll admit that this one is unlikely due to her age and the timing of her disappearance.

Pamela Jean Mitchell

Missing From: Nashville, TN (8/19/1992)

Age At Time Of Disappearance: 30

Source: 605DFTN - Pamela Jean Mitchell


She fits with the lower end of Jane Doe's age range, and has very similar facial features. However, I haven't been able to find any history of injuries or medical conditions that resembled Jane Doe's.

Vikki Lynn Vukelich

Missing From: Glenwood, IL (2/23/1991)

Age At Time Of Disappearance: 32

Source:Vikki L. Vukelich – The Charley Project


Similar face shape, disappeared from the same state Jane Doe was found in, and did so within 2 years of her. Vukelich's husband was also accused of killing his second wife, which police investigated more recently.

Missing From: Butte, MT (11/25/1992)

Age At Time Of Disappearance: 35

Source: http://charleyproject.org/case/patricia-margaret-sullivan


She fits the age range, race, and appearance of Ina Doe. The time between when she went missing and Doe was found is only about 2 months. However, they went missing/were found several hundred miles apart. I also could not find any information indicating that she had wry neck syndrome or was in any accidents.


What do you all think?

Hi cory6010, welcome.

 

[MinnieVanMommie]

Earlier thread for this UID

IL - IL - Jefferson Co., WhtFem Head 166UFIL, 30-50, wry neck syndrome, Jan'93

was this ever put through as a potential match?

 

[victoriarobinson642]

That reconstruction is not very flattering.

 

[YaYa_521]

Mary Elizabeth Rico seems to have something going on with her right cheek which appears similar to Jane Doe. Her head tilts a bit to her left but it could be the way she posed for the photo. Notice too the part through the middle of her hair. Overall she just seems to favor JD especially the composite sketch. Of course all of this is MOO.

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)
Mary Elizabeth Rico – The Charley Project
CA - CA - Mary Elizabeth Rico, 50, Oceanside, 02 April 1992

 

[Laughing]

ERROR ALERT!

I did report this, thanks to Mrs. Badcrumble for pointing out that I'd misread the attached article!

Edited above to add correction. [Embarrassed]

Reported post with newspaper link, asking that IDENTIFIED and the deceased' name be added to the thread title.

RIP, Ms. Matchem-Thomas, peace and comfort to your loved ones.

 

[Mrs. Badcrumble]

Reported post with newspaper link, asking that IDENTIFIED and the deceased' name be added to the thread title.

RIP, Ms. Matchem-Thomas, peace and comfort to your loved ones.

Is it the same woman, though, or am I missing something here? Lynne went missing from St. Louis in May 1993, was found in Chicago same month, remained a Jane Doe until 1996, whereas Ina Jane Doe was discovered in January 1993?

 

[Laughing]

Is it the same woman, though, or am I missing something here? Lynne went missing from St. Louis in May 1993, was found in Chicago same month, remained a Jane Doe until 1996, whereas Ina Jane Doe was discovered in January 1993?

Maybe I'm the one who is confused -- that link above belongs in another thread?

ACK! Well I'll report this, and say apparently I've missed the boat here....

Thanks, @Mrs. Badcrumble!

 

[YaYa_521]

They did ID the body as Lynn D Matchen-Thomas.
I’ll search for photo/obit

Reported post with newspaper link, asking that IDENTIFIED and the deceased' name be added to the thread title.

RIP, Ms. Matchem-Thomas, peace and comfort to your loved ones.

I'm confused. How can this be Lynn Matchem-Thomas? The remains for Jefferson County Jane Doe were discovered Jan 1993. Lynn wasn't reported missing until May 1993. Also, according to reports Lynn's ex said he cemented her head in a bucket. Wasn't it suspected that JeffCo Jane Doe's head was thrown and landed in a tree?

#
Janie Doe was a 35-year-old clerical worker from St. Louis reported missing May 6, 1993--two days before the headless body was found.

Her name was Lynn Matchem-Thomas, a light-skinned black woman who had been reported missing to St. Louis police by her mother, Shirley Matchem, and by her estranged husband, Curtis Thomas, 39, a mental health counselor.

Snip

The girlfriend said Thomas told her that he had killed his wife and put her body in a packing box in the basement. After St. Louis police nearly discovered her there, he had cut off his wife's head and put it in a bucket filled with cement.

Thomas told her he had put the bucket "where police will never find it," the girlfriend told Sheeley.

 

[Mrs. Badcrumble]

Maybe I'm the one who is confused -- that link above belongs in another thread?

ACK! Well I'll report this, and say apparently I've missed the boat here....

Thanks, @Mrs. Badcrumble!

I read it as the body that was ID'ed was the headless body, not the bodyless head, but reading upon Lynne's case, it seems like she was reported missing quite early on, but information between St.Louis and Chicago about a respective mp and UID weren't exchanged and she remained a Jane Doe for nearly two years.

ETA: Referencing post #38, where @Lil Quirky wonders if there's any connections between IJD and Lynne.

 

[YaYa_521]

Is it the same woman, though, or am I missing something here? Lynne went missing from St. Louis in May 1993, was found in Chicago same month, remained a Jane Doe until 1996, whereas Ina Jane Doe was discovered in January 1993?

Thank you for saving me from a trip to the crazy house. Lol I'm reading through this thread thinking 'what am I missing in this convo' yet almost afraid to post the question out of looking foolish (or more foolish than usual ).

 

[YaYa_521]

Maybe I'm the one who is confused -- that link above belongs in another thread?

ACK! Well I'll report this, and say apparently I've missed the boat here....

Thanks, @Mrs. Badcrumble!

as usual, sleuthers always have each other's back. Here's a life vest. Welcome aboard!

 

[YaYa_521]

Mary Elizabeth Rico seems to have something going on with her right cheek which appears similar to Jane Doe. Her head tilts a bit to her left but it could be the way she posed for the photo. Notice too the part through the middle of her hair. Overall she just seems to favor JD especially the composite sketch. Of course all of this is MOO.
[Snipped pics]
The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)
Mary Elizabeth Rico – The Charley Project
CA - CA - Mary Elizabeth Rico, 50, Oceanside, 02 April 1992

Bringing this forward and adding this clearer pic of Mary Elizabeth (from NamUs).