CA CA - Los Angeles, WhtFem UP4317, 55-75, in King Edward Hotel, “Vivian”, Jan'82

Romulus · Apr 7, 2017

Namus UP 4317

https://www.identifyus.org/en/cases/4317

Unidentified Body/Remains (White Female)
Found January 9, 1982 in Los Angeles County, CA
Body Condition: Recognizable face
Probable year of death: 1982 to 1982

Vital Statistics
Estimated age: 55-75
Approximate Height: 62 estimate
Approximate Weight: 84 estimate
Hair Color: Grey
Eye Color: Blue
Scars and marks: old surgical abdominal scar

Clothing & Accessories
Clothing: unknown
Jewerly: nothing
Footwear: nothing
Accessories: Nothing

Identifiers
Fingerprints: Fingerprint information is available and entered
Dentals: Dental information / charting is available and entered
DNA: Sample submitted-tests complete

Case History: On 1/9/1982 the decedent was found in a hotel room that she shared with a man. The man only knew her as "Vivian" Found at the King Edward Hotel in L.A.

Doe Network case link

http://www.doenetwork.org/hot/hotcase1587.html

Romulus · Aug 30, 2017

Vivian Wynell Ashley?

http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/3262dftx.html

digitective · Sep 16, 2017

Romulus said:
Vivian Wynell Ashley?

http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/3262dftx.html

Seems like too big of a size difference -- Vivian was 6 feet tall and 170 lbs, while the UP was only about 5'2" and 84 lbs.

Laughing · Sep 17, 2017

Any idea what the King Edward Hotel was like in 1982?

Sounds like an interesting place today:

https://www.yelp.com/biz/king-edward-hotel-los-angeles

if this is indeed the same King Edward Hotel.

digitective · Sep 17, 2017

Laughing said:
Any idea what the King Edward Hotel was like in 1982?

Sounds like an interesting place today:

https://www.yelp.com/biz/king-edward-hotel-los-angeles

if this is indeed the same King Edward Hotel.

Downtown LA is still pretty shady, although it's getting more gentrified lately...can only imagine how bad DTLA would have been back then.

Laughing · Sep 17, 2017

digitective said:
Downtown LA is still pretty shady, although it's getting more gentrified lately...can only imagine how bad DTLA would have been back then.

In general, we expect that this was an inexpensive place for people to stay, with many guests here long term? No longer used much by vacationers or business travelers?

(Trying to avoid those inflammatory, value-laden terms....)

Romulus · Sep 18, 2018

1445UFCA - Unidentified Female

Date of Discovery: January 9, 1982
Location of Discovery: Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California
Estimated Date of Death: Recent
State of Remains: Recognizable face
Cause of Death: Unknown

Physical Description
Estimated Age: 55-75 years old
Race: White
Sex: Female
Height: 5'2"
Weight: 84 lbs.
Hair Color: Gray
Eye Color: Blue
Distinguishing Marks/Features: Old surgical scar on abdomen.

Identifiers
Dentals: Available. No upper teeth.
Fingerprints: Available.
DNA:Unknown.

Clothing & Personal Items
Clothing: Unknown
Jewelry: Yellow-metal class ring reading "Mission Bay Buccaneers 1976," a yellow-metal band and a yellow-metal chain with a locket.
Additional Personal Items: Unknown

Circumstances of Discovery
The decedent was discovered at the King Edward Hotel, 121 East 5th St., in Room #226. She had previously checked in with a man who knew her only as "Vivian."

She claimed to be homeless and didn't have any family.

Investigating Agency(s)
Agency Name: Los Angeles County Coroner
Agency Contact Person: Daniel Machian
Agency Phone Number: 323-343-0512 or 323-343-0754
Agency E-Mail: dmachian(at)coroner.lacounty.gov
Agency Case Number: 1982-00430

Agency Name: California Department of Justice
Agency Contact Person: Jeannine Willie
Agency Phone Number: 916-227-3405
Agency E-Mail: jeannine.willie(at)doj.ca.gov
Agency Case Number: Unknown

NCIC Case Number: U034765435
NamUs Case Number: 4317
Former Hot Case Number:1587

Information Source(s)
NamUs
Los Angeles County Coroner
1445UFCA

folieadeuxnola · Sep 18, 2018

Mission Bay HS is in San Diego, given her age estimate doubt she would have graduated in 1976. She may have come across the item at some point found it stole it etc... but it also may give an indication of the area she may have been prior to her death.

Thought of Joyce Harper one of her alias was Vivian, however her eyes were brown where as the uid's are blue.

folieadeuxnola · Sep 18, 2018

Laughing said:
Any idea what the King Edward Hotel was like in 1982?

Sounds like an interesting place today:

King Edward Hotel - Downtown - Los Angeles, CA

if this is indeed the same King Edward Hotel.

From what I've read it was located on East 5th street in the heart of Skid Row a well know homeless area of the city.

Skid Row, Los Angeles - Wikipedia

digitective · Oct 22, 2018

Wonder if the "old surgical abdominal scar" was a C-section scar, in which case she would be a mom...

MadMcGoo · Sep 27, 2020

Refreshing her thread...

Bit of hope · Sep 28, 2020

From the coroner site. Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner Not much new....

Tattoos
No tattoos Abdominal scar
Jewelry
y/m "class ring" (mission bay buccaneers 1976) w/ amber stone yellow metal band yellow metal chain & locket
Comments
On 1/9/1982 the decedent was found unresponsive in her hotel room @ 121 E 5th St room #226 in Los Angeles. She had been staying with a man who rented the room and he let her stay with him, as she had no family and no home. Possible first name of "Vivian" She did not have any upper teeth.

Sadly there is no pm picture of her, although she had a recognizable face when she was found.

MadMcGoo · Sep 29, 2020

I sure wish they’d release some sort of reconstruction. Her age has been bothering me for some reason. She was in possession of a class ring that obviously belonged to someone much younger than her. And it just seems unusual for a woman her age to be staying with a random male stranger. Even if she were homeless.

Maybe it wasn’t that unusual back then or in that area, I don’t know. I was going to look through yearbooks, but I have no idea where to start given that it couldn’t have been her ring.

MadMcGoo · Sep 29, 2020

There are two missing women in NamUs from 1978-1982 whom have last names that match a 1976 graduate of Mission Bay HS:

Leona Jean Larson – The Charley Project

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

Neither seem too likely.

Bit of hope · Sep 30, 2020

I compared the names of the 1976 graduates from that school with graves from people who died young (around 1976) in the San Diego area (thinking maybe she lost a child and was wearing the ring in remembrance) but I didn't find something relevant.

Bit of hope · Sep 30, 2020

MadMcGoo said:
There are two missing women in NamUs from 1978-1982 whom have last names that match a 1976 graduate of Mission Bay HS:

Leona Jean Larson – The Charley Project

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

Neither seem too likely.

Leona has brown eyes where Jane Doe has blue eyes. Margaret? Maybe, but her height is 5 inches off. Although older people "shrink" I think the gap is to big.

Keane · Sep 30, 2020

I found a MBHS Memorial page on Facebook.
It may not be complete, but there are up to 7 people from the Class of '76 who died before 1982. (Two people's entries are missing death dates.)

Perhaps our UID is one of their mothers?

TheBlackParade · Sep 30, 2020

It's frustrating that there's no reconstruction or a least drawing of her face since she was found in recognizable condition... and I doubt that's going to happen anytime soon. I'm sure this case is low on their priority list at this point. The ring seems like a dead end. And no DNA available, potentially? It's like they gave up... how is anyone supposed to solve this case?

Bit of hope · Oct 1, 2020

Keane said:
I found a MBHS Memorial page on Facebook.
It may not be complete, but there are up to 7 people from the Class of '76 who died before 1982. (Two people's entries are missing death dates.)

Perhaps our UID is one of their mothers?

@Keane Hi, thanks! can you lead us to it with a link? Never mind I just found it.

Mission Bay High School Memorial | Facebook

There are a couple of people who died before 1982. I'm going to look into them.

Edited and added

CA CA - Los Angeles, WhtFem UP4317, 55-75, in King Edward Hotel, “Vivian”, Jan'82

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