CA CA - Nevada Co, Independence Trail, WhtFem 18-30, UP85674, opal ring, hanky on ankle, Jul'84

[Triss]

13 Missing Person Exclusions
MP27540 Denise Anderson 1971 CA
MP30882 Donna Lass 1970 CA
MP6982 Doris Scandalis 1960 CA
MP12755 Elaine Lehtinen 1976 CA
MP37683 Gail Cookson 1984 CA
MP7067 Jeraline Anderson 1983 CA
MP34451 Laura Davis 1974 CA
MP22091 Lorraine Chance 1948 CA
MP18126 Mary Boston 1968 CA
MP10351 Patrick Sturbaum 1960 CA
MP25291 Victoria Shoupe 1984 NV
MP38924 Wanda Loe 1968 CA
MP54111 Winifred Long 1962 CA

Thank you @MadMcGoo

 

[HopeRains]

35 days PMI is pretty darn specific, there must be a particular reason for that, like people being in the area at the time and her body was not there? Subtracting from date found, the begin date is June 3.

I think I may have a possible reason here given the article - she was found by hitchhikers, perhaps the area was last mowed or something 35 days prior to the body discovery. Homicide according to the article; The Fresno Bee, 10 July 1984, pg 2

 

[DaisyChains]

Unfortunately I can't register on NamUs as I'm not from the Us either. Tagging @BrownBear maybe you can help if you don't mind. TY

I once had a namus account,but since the change over to a gov funded system I can’t remember my dang name/password I was set up with and even if I could, would it still work now?

 

[carbuff]

I once had a namus account,but since the change over to a gov funded system I can’t remember my dang name/password I was set up with and even if I could, would it still work now?

Yes, it would still work. I've still got mine through several changes of management and software.

If you can remember the username, you could request a new password. Or you could just create a new account.

 

[branmuffin]

She is now on NamUs

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

#UP85674
ME/C Case Number 18405204

Sex Female
Race/Ethnicity White/Caucasian
Estimated Age Group Adult - Pre 40
Estimated Age Range (Years) 18-30
Estimated Year of Death 1984
Estimated PMI 35 Days
Height 5' 0"-5' 8"(60-68 inches) , Estimated
Weight Cannot Estimate

Date Body Found July 8, 1984
NamUs Case Created October 26, 2021
Location Found Map
Location Nevada City, California 95959
County Nevada County

Circumstances of Recovery Decomposing human remains were found by a hiker near the south fork of the Yuba River along CA Highway 49.

Inventory of Remains All parts recovered
Condition of Remains Not recognizable - Decomposing/putrefaction

Hair Color Blond/Strawberry
Head Hair Description 10 to 12 inches in length, further described as light brown to blonde colored.
Body Hair Description None
Facial Hair Description None
Left Eye Color Unknown
Right Eye Color Unknown

Clothing
Wearing "Calvin Klein" jeans size #30 (29in waist/29in length), white colored tube socks with red stripes, long sleeve burgundy colored shirt with image of a tiger embroidered on front, Large size "JC Penny" brand, men's long sleeve plaid shirt, blue, red, and tan in color, and tan colored "OP brand reversible vest.

Footwear
Size 5 "Nike" brand nylon tennis shoes, blue in color with white colored swoosh.

Jewelry
opal gem stone ring.

Other
Red, tan, and blue colored handkerchief wrapped around right ankle.

Just discovered this case. I'm 5 foot 2 and my inseam measurement for jeans is 29 inches just like this UID so based on that and her shoe size (5) which is pretty small I would say her height is on the shorter side.

The ring is beautiful. It looks like it might be a family heirloom. I wish they would show the hallmark inside to see if it is made from white gold. Opals are fairly fragile so they require a more stable setting than silver. The bezel setting is perfect for the opal which suggests it wasn't cheap.

I remember back in the 80's when Wham! was popular we all wore big tops, t-shirts and baggy sweaters, but we usually wore them with leggings. I do remember those frilly ankle socks, @Laughing, but I was a bit too old for that! When I look at that top with the embroidered tiger it makes me wonder whether it was home made. It doesn't look like a commercially made product where usually a machine does the stitching.

 

[Laughing]

Agree with you on the ring, and the tiger embroidery. (And the ankle socks. I was waiting & watching when MTV came on. Yes, back in the day, when Music TeleVision played -- music.)

Hopefully an experienced jeweler has examined that ring? More hopefully, the sort of experienced jeweler who would keep catalogs of ring blanks for decades....

jmho ymmv lrr

 

[theshadow45]

Following.

 

[carbuff]

Would white gold tarnish like that? It looks more like the way silver ages and weathers.

 

[branmuffin]

Would white gold tarnish like that? It looks more like the way silver ages and weathers.

Yellow gold doesn't tarnish at all but white gold does because of its content. I thought the ring just looked dirty but it could be silver, too.

 

[carbuff]

Yellow gold doesn't tarnish at all but white gold does because of its content. I thought the ring just looked dirty but it could be silver, too.

I didn't know that about white gold. Thanks.

 

[victoriarobinson642]

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)
Considering Teri Ann Walker as a match for this case - not sure if her piercings would rule her out.

 

[carbuff]

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)
Considering Teri Ann Walker as a match for this case - not sure if her piercings would rule her out.

After two to three weeks, it's likely though not certain that ears and nose would have decayed to the point where a piercing couldn't be detected. You would think they would have found the jewelry anyway, but not guaranteed. The timeline, though a bit uncertain, is compelling.

 

[theshadow45]

Nevada City Jane Doe has been unidentified for 38 years today.

 

[Juliahe]

Hello! I am from Sweden and I am new here on websleuths and also to Namus.

This is perhaps a long stretch but I find a lot of similarities between the unidentified and Lisa Addington who went missing May 16 1984 (53 days before the unidentified was found).

The height matches, the wavy shoulder-length hair, white socks, blue and red (not tan though) plaid shirt AND a ring.

The shoes of the unidentified are described as blue/white, but I think that they can be perceived as grey/white as the shoes Lisa wore?

Lisa disappeared in Oklahoma though which is far away from California...

 

[HopeRains]

Hello! I am from Sweden and I am new here on websleuths and also to Namus.

This is perhaps a long stretch but I find a lot of similarities between the unidentified and Lisa Addington who went missing May 16 1984 (53 days before the unidentified was found).

The height matches, the wavy shoulder-length hair, white socks, blue and red (not tan though) plaid shirt AND a ring.

The shoes of the unidentified are described as blue/white, but I think that they can be perceived as grey/white as the shoes Lisa wore?

Lisa disappeared in Oklahoma though which is far away from California...

Here are the ruleouts listed on Namus as of today. Ms. Addington is also on the Addington - CA DOJ website. On that website they indicate her jewelry as "Four turquoise rings on left hand." and that dental xrays are available. I'm not able to see in Namus for the Jane Doe if dentals are available. Physical stats and PMI do align well enough imo.

MP6427
Kelly
Morrissey
06/12/1984
Nassau
NY
MP25291
Victoria
Shoupe
05/19/1984
Douglas
NV
MP37683
Gail
Cookson
03/01/1984
Sacramento
CA
MP7067
Jeraline
Anderson
07/24/1983
Sacramento
CA
MP12755
Elaine
Lehtinen
06/14/1976
Napa
CA
MP34451
Laura
Davis
07/20/1974
Solano
CA
MP27540
Denise
Anderson
04/13/1971
Sacramento
CA
MP30882
Donna
Lass
09/06/1970
El Dorado
CA
MP18126
Mary
Boston
09/01/1968
Sacramento
CA
MP38924
Wanda
Loe
07/26/1968
Placer
CA
MP54111
Winifred
Long
06/10/1962
Yuba
CA
MP6982
Doris
Scandalis
11/07/1960
Sacramento
CA
MP10351
Patrick
Sturbaum
08/02/1960
Solano
CA
MP22091
Lorraine
Chance
01/03/1948
Sacramento
CA

 

[Juliahe]

Here are the ruleouts listed on Namus as of today. Ms. Addington is also on the Addington - CA DOJ website. On that website they indicate her jewelry as "Four turquoise rings on left hand." and that dental xrays are available. I'm not able to see in Namus for the Jane Doe if dentals are available. Physical stats and PMI do align well enough imo.

MP6427
Kelly
Morrissey
06/12/1984
Nassau
NY
MP25291
Victoria
Shoupe
05/19/1984
Douglas
NV
MP37683
Gail
Cookson
03/01/1984
Sacramento
CA
MP7067
Jeraline
Anderson
07/24/1983
Sacramento
CA
MP12755
Elaine
Lehtinen
06/14/1976
Napa
CA
MP34451
Laura
Davis
07/20/1974
Solano
CA
MP27540
Denise
Anderson
04/13/1971
Sacramento
CA
MP30882
Donna
Lass
09/06/1970
El Dorado
CA
MP18126
Mary
Boston
09/01/1968
Sacramento
CA
MP38924
Wanda
Loe
07/26/1968
Placer
CA
MP54111
Winifred
Long
06/10/1962
Yuba
CA
MP6982
Doris
Scandalis
11/07/1960
Sacramento
CA
MP10351
Patrick
Sturbaum
08/02/1960
Solano
CA
MP22091
Lorraine
Chance
01/03/1948
Sacramento
CA

Thank you for the latest rulout list! I don't have access to it, I guess I can't get registered on NamUs because I'm not a US citizen

 

[BigKeyManatee]

I think this is a case we can try to help resolve.
What a gorgeous opal ring. Perhaps a gift from her mother or grandmother?

A family member had a jewelry boutique when I was younger. I remember her stocking many rings of this type in the late 60’s and 70’s. They were made in Italy with a Florentine finish and often set with more inexpensive stones like garnets, moonstones, or lesser grade opals. They were popular for having an “antique” or heirloom style.
So yes, probably a gift from an older female relative. Makes me particularly sad for this young lady, as I had several of these rings..

 

[HopeRains]

I keep going back to this lady.

Everything she was wearing had the same colors - blue, red, tan man's plaid shirt; tan OP (Ocean Pacific) vest; blue/white Nikes (size 5 - if men's shoe, that's equivalent to about a 7 in women's sizes); Calvin Klein blue jeans; white tube socks with red stripes, red bandana around her ankle, and even the burgundy/maroon shirt was in the same color palette. She cared about how she presented and was modestly dressed.

I do note there were no undergarments mentioned - perhaps she didn't wear them. All clothing and jewelry is indicated as being on the body.

Avg lows-highs for the area in May-June 1984 were lower 50s (with some in the 40s) and highs in 70s/lower 80s.

The described location of her body is a popular area for hikers and river activities, as per this website: 49ER Crossing. I don't know the history of the park, but there is camping there now. South Yuba Recreation Area

Given her clothing with avg temps, the location/discovery of her body, LE's assertion that she was "transient, from out of the area", I'm wondering if she didn't go there to enjoy the park with someone who then took her life.

Concerts in Nevada County (at the fairgrounds) were ongoing. Grateful Dead played there in 83, and Crosby, Stills & Nash headlined Sierra Sun Music Festival in Sept 84. LE also mentioned she may have been in the area for a concert. I'm looking for historical archives for the time period she was discovered, please post if you find any

 

[carbuff]

Everybody who was anybody was touring in 1984, but the only two major bands I found who were near that part of California are:

Van Halen played in Reno on May 7 1984 (Van Halen 1984 Tour Dates - Van Halen)

Julio Iglesias was at Caesar's Palace at Lake Tahoe at the end of June: Julio Iglesias World Tour - Wikipedia

There were a couple in Sacramento, but I wouldn't consider that really nearby.

 

[HopeRains]

There were a couple in Sacramento, but I wouldn't consider that really nearby.

If you still have the Sacramento bands/dates, could you post those please? Assuming I'm mapping it correctly - from Nevada City - Sacramento is same or even less distance than either Reno or Lake Tahoe.