CANADA Canada - Vancouver, BC, Skytrain, WhtFem, 30-40, Brn hair, blue eyes, unpierced ears, Apr'98

[YaYa_521]

I'll send an email to submit Sheryl. I'll also make mention of this discrepancy so they can correct the record. They're looking for tips so here comes one!

ETA - I sent the email but did not mention the article's 1996 error. I realized after re-reading the article that those aren't direct quotes. Most likely this is an error on the part of the journalist.

 

[YaYa_521]

I received a reply from the BC Coroners Service. No tattoos on JD. Most likely Sheryl will be excluded after a DNA inquiry.

from: BCCS SIU PSSG:EX <BCCS.SIU@gov.bc.ca>
Aug 14, 2020, 3:28 PM
RE: Case Number: 1998-0240-0579 & MP Sheryl Sheppard Case reference: 2008015499

Good afternoon,

Thank you for your enquiry in to case 1998-0240-0579. I have access to scene photos here, as well as the autopsy report, and there is unfortunately no visual sign, as well as no mention of a tattoo on the ankle, or any tattoos for that matter, so unfortunately it’s not looking good on that front.

However, I shall check with Ontario investigators to see if they have a familial DNA sample for SHEPPARD uploaded to the National DNA databank and we can double check forensically, just in case.

Thanks again, and please don’t hesitate to send us any further associations.

Ian Charlton
Special Investigations Unit
BC Coroners Service

 

[bombardier]

She looks uncomfortably like Vancouver resident, Ruby Ann Hardy, last seen in in '97. Ruby was 32, 5'6" (other sources list her as shorter but im trusting the government site), of slender build, had brown wavy hair, and brown eyes. No tattoos are mentioned.
Question - did anyone ever find a conclusive PMI? Corneal cloudiness obscuring the eyes can occur in a few hours. Could it be possible that hazel eyes (they do look more green/hazel than brown) could be mistaken for blue?

psst...if any wish-granting genies are listening...i'd really like a Canadian version of NamUs where the rule-outs are clearly listed so I can still reaching out to LE with obvious suggestions and looking stupid edit - her Doe Network page says she wasn't reported missing until 2002 so it might not be too unlikely that she wasn't compared w/ this UID.

 

[Bit of hope]

I received a reply from the BC Coroners Service. No tattoos on JD. Most likely Sheryl will be excluded after a DNA inquiry.

from: BCCS SIU PSSG:EX <BCCS.SIU@gov.bc.ca>
Aug 14, 2020, 3:28 PM
RE: Case Number: 1998-0240-0579 & MP Sheryl Sheppard Case reference: 2008015499

Good afternoon,

Thank you for your enquiry in to case 1998-0240-0579. I have access to scene photos here, as well as the autopsy report, and there is unfortunately no visual sign, as well as no mention of a tattoo on the ankle, or any tattoos for that matter, so unfortunately it’s not looking good on that front.

However, I shall check with Ontario investigators to see if they have a familial DNA sample for SHEPPARD uploaded to the National DNA databank and we can double check forensically, just in case.

Thanks again, and please don’t hesitate to send us any further associations.

Ian Charlton
Special Investigations Unit
BC Coroners Service

Great! Now we know. Thanks. BTW what a nice reply.

 

[Bit of hope]

She looks uncomfortably like Vancouver resident, Ruby Ann Hardy, last seen in in '97. Ruby was 32, 5'6" (other sources list her as shorter but im trusting the government site), of slender build, had brown wavy hair, and brown eyes. No tattoos are mentioned.
Question - did anyone ever find a conclusive PMI? Corneal cloudiness obscuring the eyes can occur in a few hours. Could it be possible that hazel eyes (they do look more green/hazel than brown) could be mistaken for blue?

psst...if any wish-granting genies are listening...i'd really like a Canadian version of NamUs where the rule-outs are clearly listed so I can still reaching out to LE with obvious suggestions and looking stupid edit - her Doe Network page says she wasn't reported missing until 2002 so it might not be too unlikely that she wasn't compared w/ this UID.

Brings up another question about Jane Doe. Did she ever gave birth.

 

[Bit of hope]

Somehow Jane Doe looks so familiar....my brain is cracking.......

 

[bombardier]

Brings up another question about Jane Doe. Did she ever gave birth.

good point - I wonder how easy it is to tell, if a C-section wasn't done. I think I will send a quick e-mail to Ian Charlton about Ruby, he seems like a nice guy open to suggestion. Likely she has already been ruled out, but it would be nice to know!

 

[YaYa_521]

good point - I wonder how easy it is to tell, if a C-section wasn't done. I think I will send a quick e-mail to Ian Charlton about Ruby, he seems like a nice guy open to suggestion. Likely she has already been ruled out, but it would be nice to know!

I'm probably too late as you've already sent the email. Don't forget to ask him this question you brought up earlier in regards to her eye color.
Question - did anyone ever find a conclusive PMI?

 

[YaYa_521]

She looks uncomfortably like Vancouver resident, Ruby Ann Hardy, last seen in in '97. Ruby was 32, 5'6" (other sources list her as shorter but im trusting the government site), of slender build, had brown wavy hair, and brown eyes. No tattoos are mentioned.
Question - did anyone ever find a conclusive PMI? Corneal cloudiness obscuring the eyes can occur in a few hours. Could it be possible that hazel eyes (they do look more green/hazel than brown) could be mistaken for blue?

psst...if any wish-granting genies are listening...i'd really like a Canadian version of NamUs where the rule-outs are clearly listed so I can still reaching out to LE with obvious suggestions and looking stupid edit - her Doe Network page says she wasn't reported missing until 2002 so it might not be too unlikely that she wasn't compared w/ this UID.

It's weird for me when I compare Ruby to JD's composite. One moment I see a resemblance then I don't. The face shape is the strongest similarity followed by the hair and upper lip area. I get thrown off when I compare the eyes, eyebrows and bottom lip. JD's eyebrows appear to have a more defined arch to them whereas Ruby's seem to go straight across her brow line. I noticed too that JD's eyelids appear puffier (could be due to swelling) and her eyes are more rounded than Ruby's. I'm by no means an expert so I hope you take all of this with a grain of salt. Also, we've seen plenty of IDs where Doe's composite pretty much did not favor the MP so perhaps we shouldn't focus so much on the precision of every feature. Considering they've not ID'd JD and Ruby is still missing, I think it'd be a good move to bring her to their attention as a PM.

Now, about those wish-granting genies...Could you ask that they go update the rule outs and profile details on all the folks in NamUs. It's not a perfect system but I suppose it's better than nothing. Good luck!

 

[bombardier]

It's weird for me when I compare Ruby to JD's composite. One moment I see a resemblance then I don't. The face shape is the strongest similarity followed by the hair and upper lip area. I get thrown off when I compare the eyes, eyebrows and bottom lip. JD's eyebrows appear to have a more defined arch to them whereas Ruby's seem to go straight across her brow line. I noticed too that JD's eyelids appear puffier (could be due to swelling) and her eyes are more rounded than Ruby's. I'm by no means an expert so I hope you take all of this with a grain of salt. Also, we've seen plenty of IDs where Doe's composite pretty much did not favor the MP so perhaps we shouldn't focus so much on the precision of every feature. Considering they've not ID'd JD and Ruby is still missing, I think it'd be a good move to bring her to their attention as a PM.

Now, about those wish-granting genies...Could you ask that they go update the rule outs and profile details on all the folks in NamUs. It's not a perfect system but I suppose it's better than nothing. Good luck!

i get what youre saying! her face shape, top lip, nose, and cheekbones really resemble the facial reconstruction, but the eyes and eyebrows aren't a perfect hit. I think what's throwing me off is that this facial reconstruction almost looks like a photo or a still from CTV so im expecting this woman to look exactly in life as she appears there?? But I'm guessing it's just a well done (and unusually blurry) image done on a computer using the UID's features post-mortem (i don't think its an edited post-mortem photo since shes definitely standing up and at an angle, not lying down, unless they heavily edited it), so in that case I should be more "forgiving" with the features and consider the impacts of post-mortem changes and artistic license. Let me know if this makes sense
Also, I'm willing to bet that the photo of Ruby is a mugshot or something of the like, and she looks like she's pursing her lips and furrowing her brows a bit in discomfort, which could subtly change some of those features.
And true that, NamUs is by no means perfect, but you really appreciate it when youre trying to use the RCMP's Missing Persons database you can't even sort by gender! when i use it i have to sort by date and just scroll endlessly...

 

[dotr]

Trying not to forget that the image is computer generated..
Identity of woman found dead 22 years ago at Vancouver SkyTrain station remains unsolved - Vancouver Is Awesome

Photo courtesy BC Coroners Service
A facial reconstruction image was created to approximate what she may have looked like, however her identity still remains unknown.

Anyone with information that may help identify this woman is asked to contact either the Vancouver Police Department at 604 717-3321, or the BC Coroners Service’s Special Investigations Unit at 1 877 660-5077 or by email at: bccs.siu@gov.bc.ca

 

[YaYa_521]

Any possibility this is Marci? She went missing from Bellingham, WA which is only about 1.5 hours from Vancouver. She disappeared back in 1978 when she was 28yo. This would make her 8 years older than the high end of JD's estimated age range. Also, she's reported to be only 5'4" while JD is estimated at 5'6" -5'7". There are circumstances surrounding her disappearance that give the impression she very well may have left voluntarily. There are four pics of Marci. Only one tends to strongly resemble JD's composite, imo. In the other three photos Marci is smiling so widely that it's hard for me to compare. I see some similarities in her eyes, eyebrows, and her bangs. I don't see a strong likeness in the ears as Marci's ear, especially the ear lobe, seem to be a bit narrower than JD's. It doesn't look like Marci's ears are pierced in the only pic that shows her earlobe.

Marcia Lynn Joyce – The Charley Project

 

[bombardier]

reply from RCMP - Ruby Hardy is another rule-out
"Thank you for your enquiry. Unfortunately Ruby HARDY is excluded forensically from this UID by DNA analysis.


I unfortunately cannot give you a rule out list. I will say though that we probably have familial DNA for about 90-95% of women who went missing in the mid 90s, that are at least known/had a missing persons report filed. As is the case with most of these cold cases, its like finding the needle in the haystack.


No email ever sent to us is unhelpful and we look in to every one of them, so if you ever have any more associations please feel free to send them in, and I can tell you if they are ruled out or not.


Kind regards,


Ian Charlton

Special Investigations Unit

BC Coroners Service"

 

[Bit of hope]

reply from RCMP - Ruby Hardy is another rule-out
"Thank you for your enquiry. Unfortunately Ruby HARDY is excluded forensically from this UID by DNA analysis.


I unfortunately cannot give you a rule out list. I will say though that we probably have familial DNA for about 90-95% of women who went missing in the mid 90s, that are at least known/had a missing persons report filed. As is the case with most of these cold cases, its like finding the needle in the haystack.


No email ever sent to us is unhelpful and we look in to every one of them, so if you ever have any more associations please feel free to send them in, and I can tell you if they are ruled out or not.


Kind regards,


Ian Charlton

Special Investigations Unit

BC Coroners Service"

Again a lovely reply. So Ruby is ruled out. Thanks @bombardier for sending her in. I think he means to say that they checked the files of all missing women and there wasn't a match. Does this mean Canadian files/missing women? I think so, but I'm not sure. Does this mean we needn't look in the existing missing persons files from Canada anymore? We should look beyond, but if somebody isn't on file...yup, it would be like searching for a needle in a haystack. Maybe it's good to concentrate on missing females from America or outside Canada, those on file to start? All question marks......

 

[bombardier]

Again a lovely reply. So Ruby is ruled out. Thanks @bombardier for sending her in. I think he means to say that they checked the files of all missing women and there wasn't a match. Does this mean Canadian files/missing women? I think so, but I'm not sure. Does this mean we needn't look in the existing missing persons files from Canada anymore? We should look beyond, but if somebody isn't on file...yup, it would be like searching for a needle in a haystack. Maybe it's good to concentrate on missing females from America or outside Canada, those on file to start? All question marks......

hmm...good question. While CODIS is an international system I think this page (from 2013) implies that the RCMP only uses CODIS nationally, so would only see missing women within Canada. It probably takes agreements/warrants/security measures etc in order to share DNA info with other countries. (honestly I'm not sure if familial DNA is also searched using CODIS, but thats just what im assuming)
I like that Ian mentioned that they have familial DNA for most of the women reported missing; many women might not have been reported in the first place.
I think it's probably worth looking for American MP as well, just considering the proximity to the border and how Vancouver is a "popular" place to live when homeless or down in luck (big homeless community).
How easy was it to cross the border back then, in the 90s? My mum works in a street clinic in Kelowna so I asked her about the demographics, and she said most of her homeless patients are originally Canadian, she only knows a few who are American. It is probably much more work to cross the border now, though!

 

[dotr]

?
The Doe Network: Case File 907DFON
Case File 907DFON

Crystal Elizabeth Van Huuksloot
Missing since October 9, 1977 from Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

• • Date Of Birth: 1957
  • Age at Time of Disappearance: 20 years old
  • Height and Weight at Time of Disappearance: 5'7"; 120 lbs.
  • Distinguishing Characteristics: White female. Blue eyes; dark brown hair. Medium build and a fair complexion. Her teeth were in good condition at the time of her disappearance.''
  • Van Huukslot was last seen in Toronto in 1977. She left a friends home to catch a plane at Toronto International Airport. She was to return to her home in Edmonton. ''

 

[Sillybilly]

Could it be possible that hazel eyes (they do look more green/hazel than brown) could be mistaken for blue?

<rsbm>

My son had dark brown eyes, yet his autopsy report listed them as blue. When I asked the Coroner about it, he gave an explanation but I'm very sorry, I can't recall the specifics.

 

[dotr]

<rsbm>

My son had dark brown eyes, yet his autopsy report listed them as blue. When I asked the Coroner about it, he gave an explanation but I'm very sorry, I can't recall the specifics.

Sad about your son .
rbbm.
NCJRS Abstract - National Criminal Justice Reference Service
Annotation: In order to test Knight's assertion ("Knights' Forensic Pathology," third edition, 2004) that eye color changes after death before the eyeball is fully decomposed, the current research conducted a series of pilot experiments with enucleated (excised) Sus scrofa (domestic pig) eyes supplied by a local butcher 1 day after slaughter.

Abstract: All isolated blue eyes changed to brown/black within 48 hours at room temperature and higher. In addition to the isolated eyes a Sus scrofa head was obtained in order to observe postmortem change of eye color "in situ." The "in situ" blue eye turned brown/black within 72 hours at room temperature. Given that Sus scrofa eyes are anatomically similar to human eyes, if iris color consistently changes postmortem in humans, then this artifact must be incorporated into victim identification protocol, including disaster-victim identification software. Autopsy reports should also note this artifact in order to prevent inaccurate victim identification and unwarranted exclusion based on differences in postmortem and antemortem eye color.''

https://dying.lovetoknow.com/what-is-death-like/when-why-eye-colors-change-before-death
''Corneal Opacity
Corneal opacity is thought to help note the time of death of an individual. Corneal opacity tends to increase the longer someone has been deceased. According to a study of 174 male and female cadavers, regardless of gender, opacity increases in the eyes the longer someone has been passed away. By measuring opacity, one is then able to estimate the time of death.

Understanding Eye Color Appearance
Some people report that they notice their loved one's eyes change colors after they've passed away. Many liken it to the color of a newborn child's eyes- a dark blue. Unlike some newborns, whose eyes are blue due to the amount of melanin present at birth, a deceased individual's eyes will look blue or grayish because of corneal opacity. While the actual color of the iris does not change colors, a hazy film forms over the eyeball which can give it a blue or gray appearance.''

 

[bombardier]

<rsbm>

My son had dark brown eyes, yet his autopsy report listed them as blue. When I asked the Coroner about it, he gave an explanation but I'm very sorry, I can't recall the specifics.

I'm very sorry about your son thank you for using your experiences to educate and moderate. good to know to really take PM eye color with a grain of salt.

 

[Bit of hope]

Long stretch. Could she be missing Elke Kerll? A cold case from Germany.

District of Nienburg - By Johanna Müller. Despite a setback, the investigators do not give up in the case of the missing teenager Elke Kerll. The police and the public prosecutor are still looking for clues about the mysterious disappearance of the then 15-year-old, who was last seen on December 14, 1969. etc. Fall Elke Kerll: Ermittler vernehmen Zeugen im Ausland | Nienburg

She would be on the older site (44 yrs in 1998) BTW I'm still confused about the year this Jane Doe was found. Is it 1998 or 1996?