Found Deceased PA - White Haven, 'Beth Doe' & Unborn Baby 169UFPA, 16-22, Dec'76 *Evelyn Colon* *Arrest* #3

[margarita25]

Suspect arrested in the death of a teenage girl who disappeared in 1976
Evelyn Colon, who disappeared in 1976 at age 15, identified as "Beth Doe" murder victim nearly 45 years later - CNN

 

[Reasonable & Just]

I just don't understand the viciousness of this killing. I know DV can get there, but they were both young. How could he hate this innocent young girl so much? Is there more to the motive, like gang involvement and drugs, where he might have thought she informed on him?

 

[Susikatze]

Wow, the article again gives a clue how controlling and abusive the boyfriend was.

"She said Evelyn’s boyfriend was often outside the school watching her throughout the day waiting until she got out.

“Everybody knew it was her boyfriend,” Caruso said, noting it was common to see girls with older boyfriends back then. “He would just stand there by his car and watch her.”

He obviously treated her as his property. She likely was tired of his behavior and wanted to move back to her mom, also for the upcoming delivery. He got into a rage because she wanted to leave him and killed her.

That sadly still happens today many many times. And the abusive men never become serial killers and lead fairly regular and peaceful lives afterwards... but continue to abuse their partners.

 

[Susikatze]

She was from Puerto Rico, many Latinx women (and others, of course) back then married very young when they were still in the homeland, so it was not terribly off when she fell pregnant at 15 by her steady boyfriend. She was a first generation immigrant and maybe initially she felt safe having a boyfriend from the same cultural background. Also the family probably at first was happy for her. Until he turned out to be controlling and abusive.

 

[jessr927]

That CNN article is interesting. It states:

"Evelyn would have turned 60 on April 17, which is also Colon-Veltman's birthday. She said she's not sure when the family will be able to honor Evelyn in person, between Covid-19 and her aunt in Puerto Rico needing a passport."

You do not need a passport to travel from Puerto Rico to the states, as Puerto Rico is a commonwealth of the United States. Wondering if this was a misprint.

 

[janewall]

That CNN article is interesting. It states:

"Evelyn would have turned 60 on April 17, which is also Colon-Veltman's birthday. She said she's not sure when the family will be able to honor Evelyn in person, between Covid-19 and her aunt in Puerto Rico needing a passport."

You do not need a passport to travel from Puerto Rico to the states, as Puerto Rico is a commonwealth of the United States. Wondering if this was a misprint.

This puzzled me as well, unless she means the aunt has no other form of ID suitable for flying. Maybe the aunt doesn't have a driver's license – and not all drivers' licenses are equipped with RealID yet. (They need to be by the end of 2021 for flying purposes.) Many people now carry their passports as flight ID even when traveling domestically, just to ease the process, but if someone doesn't have a passport or another Federal ID, they may just know they now have some logistics to deal with if they want to cross state or other territorial borders.

 

[Susikatze]

A drivers license is only a valid travel document in the US. Not sure about Puerto Rico, but where I am in Europe, you need a passport or an ID card, which is sort of a mini passport, in order to travel. You cannot travel with your drivers license.
So I understand she needs to renew or apply for her passport, which during Covid and in a southern country with loads of buerocracy may take many weeks or months. She may on top of that also have to apply for a visa.

Edit: just saw Puerto Rico is considered commonwealth of the US, so the process may be considerably easier and no need for a visa... but still I guess there is loads of buerocracy involved if you are not an US citizen. She may not have a valid ID, lots of people let their ID expire if they are not traveling.

This puzzled me as well, unless she means the aunt has no other form of ID suitable for flying. Maybe the aunt doesn't have a driver's license – and not all drivers' licenses are equipped with RealID yet. (They need to be by the end of 2021 for flying purposes.) Many people now carry their passports as flight ID even when traveling domestically, just to ease the process, but if someone doesn't have a passport or another Federal ID, they may just know they now have some logistics to deal with if they want to cross state or other territorial borders.

 

[janewall]

A drivers license is only a valid travel document in the US. Not sure about Puerto Rico, but where I am in Europe, you need a passport or an ID card, which is sort of a mini passport, in order to travel. You cannot travel with your drivers license.
So I understand she needs to renew or apply for her passport, which during Covid and in a southern country with loads of buerocracy may take many weeks or months. She may on top of that also have to apply for a visa.

Edit: just saw Puerto Rico is considered commonwealth of the US, so the process may be considerably easier and no need for a visa... but still I guess there is loads of buerocracy involved if you are not an US citizen. She may not have a valid ID, lots of people let their ID expire if they are not traveling.

Puerto Ricans are native US citizens by birthright. It shouldn't be any different for her traveling to one of the US states than it is for me to travel from the state where I live to another. But states and US possessions are free to specify their own forms of ID, and not all of them (yet) meet federal standards, which is where airline travel requirements come in.

It's like if you (hypothetically) are a native of Guernsey and want to fly to London. Different region, vastly different language and customs, different local administration, but same country.

 

[Susikatze]

Very interesting!

 

[imstilla.grandma]

The long-awaited answers stemmed from decades of investigation and one critical breakthrough--a DNA match with Evelyn's nephew, Luis Colon Jr.

"Is this really happening, is this really it?"

Those were the questions racing through Colon Jr.'s head, as a detective told him the DNA he submitted online four years ago was a match for the girl who is buried under a "Beth Doe" grave in Carbon County.

"I always was curious and I wanted to see if I could get in touch with her or my cousin," said Colon Jr.

For decades, Luis, and the rest of the Colon family, thought his aunt, was a teenage runaway. She had been missing since the 1970's.

"I found it hard to believe growing up that she would abandon the family permanently," he said.

Last week, the family, along with the rest of the world, found out from Pennsylvania State Police that she, and her unborn baby girl, were instead the victims of a 1976 cold case murder.

"There's no happy ending in this story. The whole point of me doing the DNA was to connect with one of them, build a relationship, find out what happened," said Colon Jr.

Court documents say what happened is Evelyn's then 19-year-old boyfriend, Luis Sierra, allegedly strangled and shot the mother of his child. He then cut off her arms, legs, and ears, before stuffing the remains in three suitcases. They were found a day later along a river bank under the Interstate 80 bridge near White Haven. Authorities say the suitcases were thrown from the bridge to the ground below

"He murdered two children, a 15-year-old and a full-term baby," said Colon Jr.

Once in contact with the Colon family, investigators learned the girl was last seen in Jersey City, where she was living with Sierra.The couple had moved out of their apartment and Evelyn had told her mother Sierra was abusive. She said if anything ever happened to her, he was likely involved.

But the family never reported her missing.They received a letter saying she and the baby were doing well. Authorities now believe Sierra wrote that letter.

"There is no other person on this planet who has a motive to harm her besides him, it's clear as day," said Colon Jr.

The case sparked national interest over the last 44 years, leading to the creation of the "Carbon County Beth Doe" Facebook page. The "Beth Doe" story haunted followers like Stacy Solomon of western Pennsylvania, who was born December 20, 1976--the exact day Evelyn's remains were found.

"Knowing that her daughter would have probably been born on my birthday or shortly after my birthday so that was truly a haunting thing for me and I felt a deep connection to that," said Solomon.

Weatherly resident Bette Rambaran lives near the cemetery where Evelyn and her daughter, who the Colon family has named Emily, are buried. She and her family are some of the many who visit the grave from time to time.

"He picked probably what to him was a random place to throw her, and we put a lot of love around her," said Rambaran.

"My goal in all this is to get the closure and the closure would be seeing him serve time and I am glad he is alive to face justice and to face us as a family and I'm looking forward to that day," said Colon Jr.
Family Speaks After Missing Relative is Identified as Victim of "Beth Doe" Cold Case Murder

 

[Feme98]

I've just listened to an interview with Evelyn's brother and apparently, Evelyn moved in with Luis the very same month she was murdered and that the letter that they received in January 77' was a lie created by Luis.

Apparently she was never reported missing and when her family tried to file a missing person report, the police told them that it couldn't be filed as she was "living" with Luis / they didn't know where she was staying in case that she was being held hostage.

 

[Susikatze]

Wow, what a massive glitch in the law enforcement system!

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Numerous flowers, a stuffed animal, a child's toy and other markers and signs now adorn their grave in the Laurytown Road Cemetery in Lehigh Twp., near Weatherly.

The pinks, reds and yellows provide a bright spot in the rows of weathered, white crosses in the countryside cemetery, which once served Carbon County's poor house.

Former deputy coroner and retired funeral director Phil Jeffries placed a temporary marker with Evelyn's and her daughter's names next to a wooden cross with the name Beth Doe on it.
Locals mourn murdered New Jersey teen, baby, 44 years after death

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Evelyn Colon was one of five siblings in Jersey City, New Jersey, when she got pregnant in 1976 at age 15 by her 19-year-old boyfriend, Luis Sierra.

"Back then, things were a little different," said Miriam Colon-Veltman, Evelyn's niece. "It was a different culture, a different time, in the 70s. You get your girlfriend pregnant, you move out, and that's how it is."

Colon-Veltman said the couple moved into an apartment together soon thereafter and Colon's mother would often stay in touch with the two to see how they were doing. One day, though, her mother went to the apartment to visit and nobody answered the door.

"She just left," Colon-Veltman said. "People around the neighborhood, they said, 'Oh, they moved away.' So that's the story that we grew up learning."
Evelyn Colon, who disappeared in 1976 at age 15, identified as "Beth Doe" murder victim nearly 45 years later - CNN

*How many other young teenagers have their own similar story. In the early 70’s, legal abortions weren’t commonplace. At all. I had two friends in 1973 that felt their only option was to travel out of state for an illegal procedure. I know at least one of them regrets her decision to this day. If your boyfriend tells you: “It’s your problem and I’ll deny it if you tell anyone. This will ruin my future. I don’t want to get a job. How are you gonna pay for it? Why didn’t you know how to not get pregnant? We only did it once, maybe it’s someone else’s kid...” Then what do you do if you’re a young girl who doesn’t even know about real life yet?

 

[MissLaura]

I've just listened to an interview with Evelyn's brother and apparently, Evelyn moved in with Luis the very same month she was murdered and that the letter that they received in January 77' was a lie created by Luis.

Apparently she was never reported missing and when her family tried to file a missing person report, the police told them that it couldn't be filed as she was "living" with Luis / they didn't know where she was staying in case that she was being held hostage.

Will this be enough for people to finally stop judging this family? I tried to tell people LE wouldn't give a about this girl if they tried to report her. The cruel things I've seen said about Evelyn's family is unbelievable. People, particularly on FB, want to sit on their high horse and cast aspersions and blame at this family. I guess it makes them feel better about themselves somehow.

 

[Triss]

Will this be enough for people to finally stop judging this family? I tried to tell people LE wouldn't give a **** about this girl if they tried to report her. The cruel things I've seen said about Evelyn's family is unbelievable. People, particularly on FB, want to sit on their high horse and cast aspersions and blame at this family. I guess it makes them feel better about themselves somehow.

I noticed it happens very often when a cold case is solved. Family and friends often get accused of not looking hard enough for their loved one. But the truth is that in most cases family and friends did try to find their missing relative/friend. Buckskin Girl, Grateful Doe, Sumter county Does and Lori Erica Ruff are just a few examples of people who were unidentified for many years and whose families were looking for them.
People are just so judgemental.

 

[Beekarina]

The thing is, we keep reading "Evelyn's MOTHER." We never hear about her father.

I think it is VERY possible there was more to this. i.e. "You're pregnant now. You are with the father of your child. That is what you have done, etc." I wouldn't be surprised if the mother hasn't allowed to go looking for her, and everyone was simply told "They moved away." and that was that.

And no, I'm not judging. Just trying to look at it from a different perspective of what may have been possible. One man's household vs another man. Different era, cultural differences, etc.

 

[MissLaura]

The thing is, we keep reading "Evelyn's MOTHER." We never hear about her father.

I think it is VERY possible there was more to this. i.e. "You're pregnant now. You are with the father of your child. That is what you have done, etc." I wouldn't be surprised if the mother hasn't allowed to go looking for her, and everyone was simply told "They moved away." and that was that.

And no, I'm not judging. Just trying to look at it from a different perspective of what may have been possible. One man's household vs another man. Different era, cultural differences, etc.

To be clear, this is not the type of thing I am frustrated about. You are taking into account different factors and the fact that things were much different 44 years ago.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Familial DNA eventually led investigators to Luis Colon Jr., Evelyn Colon's nephew.[48] Colon's identity was released on March 31, 2021. She was fifteen at the time she was allegedly murdered by then-19-year-old Luis Sierra. Sierra was subsequently charged with the victim's murder; at the time of his arrest, he was residing in Ozone Park, New York and was 63.[6] Extradition is pending.[49]

At the time of her murder, Colon, who was of Puerto Rican origin, was dating and living with Sierra, the father of her unborn child, in Jersey City. One day, Colon contacted her mother saying she was not feeling well and asking her to bring her soup, but when Colon's mother arrived, nobody was there. Neighbours told Colon's family that she and Sierra had moved away. Later, the family received a letter in Spanish from Sierra, stamped from Connecticut, telling them Colon had given birth to a boy and not to worry, because she would contact them if she needed anything. Colon's family never reported her missing because, according to her brother Luis Colon, they thought she was safe with Sierra and had cut contact deliberately.[48][50]
Murder of Evelyn Colon - Wikipedia

 

[Susikatze]

That is very true.
I also remember what nasty stuff people said about Vance Rodriguez family. Because they stayed lowkey about the case and did not make a big media thing out of it they were harassed and accused by strangers. They have not had contact with him for a decade or more by his very own choice. How are they to blame?

Actually, I find Evelyns family very vocal and very outgoing with information on the case. The niece and nephew are both media savy and seem to be really nice and willing to answer all questions.

Blaming the mom, who is likely long dead, is really nasty. I mean how many moms visit their adult children every day if they moved out (back then a 15 year old in a stable relationship expecting a child was considered adult in many cultures, there is a reason why a quinceanera or confirmation are rites of passage). They kept in close contact and the mom was caring, bringing soup and all. And if, what I think now is true, Luis is not the same Luis as in the kidnapping case and never got into trouble before, how should she have protected her daughter? Yes he was jealous and abusive but to this very day many women see that as a plus (a "strong" man...).
You cannot blame the mom at all. Not sure if there was a father in the picture. I think back then they did what they could. And LE did not care about the case when they tried to search for her later.

Will this be enough for people to finally stop judging this family? I tried to tell people LE wouldn't give a **** about this girl if they tried to report her. The cruel things I've seen said about Evelyn's family is unbelievable. People, particularly on FB, want to sit on their high horse and cast aspersions and blame at this family. I guess it makes them feel better about themselves somehow.