Identified! CA - Delano, Hisp/Ntv Fem 59UFCA, 30-34, 'Shirley, Seattle' tattoo, Jul'80 - Shirley Ann Soosay

[Julessleuther]

This woman should be so easy to name, there is alot of info about her, esp. the tattoos!!

http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/59ufca.html


The Doe Network:
Case File 59UFCA


Unidentified White, Native or Hispanic Female

• The victim was discovered on July 15, 1980 in Delano, Kern County, California.
• The victim was stabbed to death.
• Estimated Date of Death: July 14, 1980

Vital Statistics

• Estimated age: 30 - 34 years old
• Approximate Height and Weight: 5'4"; 115 lbs.
• Distinguishing Characteristics: Brown eyes; brown hair. 4" scar on abdomen, scar on left buttock.
• Tattoos: Tattoos on each arm, one is a tattoo of a heart with the name "Shirley" in the center and it had the words "Love You" above and "Seattle" below it.
• Dentals: Available
• Clothing: Pink blouse, blue denim pants, size 28. White shoes, blue socks, size 6.
• Other: She may have once worked picking apples and her first name may have been "Becky" or "Rebecca". Bloodgroup O Positive.

Case History
The victim was found on July 15, 1980 in a field in an almond orchard in Delano, California. She may have been from Washington.

 

[badhorsie]

Have searched and can find nothing about this young woman, no pictures, recons, news, nothing.....

 

[masnitram]

*WARNING Post-Mortem Photo*

A photo of her face (post mortem) and case information is available at the following link. (Go to the bottom of the page)

http://www.kernsheriff.com/Investigations/Detective/MostWanted/CrimeSolver/Pages/default.aspx

 

[masnitram]

VERY interesting article that mentions a suspect who admitted to possibly having relations with the UID.


http://www.bakersfield.com/news/local/x2143248893/Unsolved-crimes-fall-victim-to-budget-cuts

 

[CarlK90245]

Here is a recon that I had started quite a while ago, but never finished. I decided to finish it up and post it here.

I'm not sure if her right temple and the bridge of her nose looked that way in life. Perhaps she was bludgeoned (in addition to being stabbed) at the time of her death. But I straightened her nose and right temple out.

 

[alllads]

I wonder if Shirley is her mother's name, or maybe the name of a daughter?

 

[jjohnston0827]

I've been researching the tattoos on this woman and it looks like a group called The Cheers had a song called "Mother, I Love You". Don't know if she was a fan of the band, but I would think a tattoo in memorial of one's mother would say be worded more like "I love you Mom" or something more informal. "Mother I Love You" just seems too scripted. I searched for musical links to the Shirley tattoo, especially since it includes Seattle which has a large music scene, but couldn't come up with any connection. Any thoughts on this?

Also, I was considering the thought that this woman could've been a Mexican national, but I doubt her tattoos would've been in English if that were the case. Just throwing that out there.

 

[SilentSleuth]

https://www.findthemissing.org/en/cases/22715/451/

Mary Burns


She had green eyes, the UID had brown. And no tattoos, but three years is plenty of time to get them.

 

[jjohnston0827]

Her story on the Doe Network indicates she was most likely killed the night she vanished.

http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/b/burns_mary.html

She also had green eyes, the UID's are listed as brown.

 

[SilentSleuth]

Thank you, I totally skipped Doe Network.

I doubt it is her then.

 

[jjohnston0827]

I try to always check Doe because they typically have a much better history. There are definitely similarities between Mary and the UID, so I see why you spotted her!

 

[cvaldez1975]

I've been researching the tattoos on this woman and it looks like a group called The Cheers had a song called "Mother, I Love You". Don't know if she was a fan of the band, but I would think a tattoo in memorial of one's mother would say be worded more like "I love you Mom" or something more informal. "Mother I Love You" just seems too scripted. I searched for musical links to the Shirley tattoo, especially since it includes Seattle which has a large music scene, but couldn't come up with any connection. Any thoughts on this?

Also, I was considering the thought that this woman could've been a Mexican national, but I doubt her tattoos would've been in English if that were the case. Just throwing that out there.

it probably is a tribute to their mother, even if it was from a song. i have seen a tattoo that said "i'll always love my mama, she's my baby girl" and "dear mama" too.

is it possible that "shirley" was her girlfriend?

 

[cvaldez1975]

VERY interesting article that mentions a suspect who admitted to possibly having relations with the UID.


http://www.bakersfield.com/news/local/x2143248893/Unsolved-crimes-fall-victim-to-budget-cuts

i wish i could read this.... link won't open -_-

 

[bessie]

Photos Released in Effort to ID Victims in 1980 Cold Case (Warning: Graphic Images)
Posted 12:50 PM, September 30, 2015, by Tracy Bloom and Steve Kuzj

The Ventura County Sheriff's Office renewed its plea for the public's help in identifying two women who were killed in 1980 on Wednesday, when the victims' suspected killer was arrested.

Wilson Chouest, 63, was arrested on suspicion of murder after DNA evidence linked him to the two female victims, the Sheriff's Office stated in a news release.

At the time he was identified as a suspect, Chouest was serving a life sentence in state prison for the kidnap, robbery and rape of one female victim, and for kidnapping and robbing another woman, the release stated. The crimes occurred in Tulare County in August and September of 1980.

In addition to announcing the cold case arrest, Ventura County authorities released photos and descriptions of the two deceased female victims in an effort to identify them.

Related thread

http://www.websleuths.com/forums/sh...-UP11249-19-20-Pregnant-HS-Parking-Lot-Jul-80

 

[bessie]

http://ktla.com/2015/09/30/photos-r...ims-in-1980-cold-case-warning-graphic-images/

https://www.facebook.com/ktla5/photos/pcb.10153724570204614/10153724553849614/?type=3&theater

 

[bessie]

http://www.turnto23.com/news/local-...-suspects-named-in-1980-cold-case-from-delano

 

[FiveFelines]

Thanks! Lots of good info. The Westlake victim has her own thread if you want to merge or copy to it.

http://www.websleuths.com/forums/sh...80&highlight=Westlake&p=11929435#post11929435

Thanks! Lots of good info. The Westlake victim has her own thread if you want to merge or copy to it.

http://www.websleuths.com/forums/sh...80&highlight=Westlake&p=11929435#post11929435

 

[carbuff]

Poor woman. She looks like she'd had a hard life.

 

[zelda_s]

On the unidentified wiki it said this case was having a major lead processed?
also I think the title of this thread should have the word 'graphic' in it as a postmortem photo is clearly posted here with no censorship.

 

[Al Ka]

The Kern County Jane Doe was found stabbed to death in an almond orchard at Zerker Road and Merced Avenue in Delano July 15, 1980. Kern County Sheriff Sgt. Gary Williams told KGET 17, the victim had a prosthetic leg due to a femur injury.

(Just posting it here as it seems that this very relevant information seems to be omitted from most of this JD websites)

http://www.kerngoldenempire.com/new...in-decades-old-cold-case-murders-of-two-women

Not that it might be related in any way, but Kern State Prison is just 5 min drive away from where she was found and an hour drive from Lemoore,Ca where W.Chouest was staying at some woman's place at the time.

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Lem...a23fdc5a13b56!2m2!1d-119.1518385!2d35.7760401