IL IL - Cynthia Day, 38, National City, 10 Aug 1990

[amber1]

Hoping her family gets to lay her to rest soon.

 

[alllads]

What a frustrating situation for her poor family, I think there are going to be more and more of these it's-probably-them-but-we-can't-get-DNA cases, when it comes to remains from before the consist use of DNA.

 

[chaddylex]

It is almost 4 years since I turned in the possible match to be compared to Cynthia Day. The family has been given every run around... They need dentals, (which they can't locate) they can't extract DNA from the bones since they were boiled... I feel horrible that they can't bring their mom home and put her to rest.

I went to high school with a girl who owns a DNA cousulting business out in California. She was actually home this past week and we had dinner. I reached out to her before a few years back about Cynthia's case, and she made a few calls to contacts she has with people from NamUs, but had no luck getting anything else done about DNA testing. She thinks they should be able to extract DNA from the teeth and are not sure why they haven't tried. She suggested that Cynthia's family request that the bones are sent to a private company and to see if they can get Mitochondrial DNA along with STR's and mini STR's. A private company will charge more, (she said probably a little over $1000), but it might finally give them the answers they need.

 

[JusticeWillBeServed]

Cold Case Spotlight

Cynthia Louise Day's Daughters Convinced Her Remains Have Been Found

Now, those answers may be closer than ever but one main hurdle remains. While strong circumstantial evidence suggests remains in a box labeled "Jane Doe" may be those of Melody's mother Cynthia Louise Day, there is no absolute proof they belong to the distinguished blonde with a warm smile.

Attempts to identify the bones, years before DNA testing was widely available, destroyed any tissue that could have been compared to her daughters for a positive identification, an issue that has grown ever more frustrating for Cynthia's loved ones.

Little to their knowledge, just two weeks after Cynthia vanished, the decomposing remains of an unidentified woman were discovered at the bottom of a ravine just off Highway 79 in Pike County, Missouri. The cause of death was homicide, blunt force trauma to the head, but there was nothing linking the woman to any missing persons cases in the area.

There were too many similarities for Melody to ignore, she's adamant the remains are her mother's'. "The woman's reproductive organs were missing, my mother had a full hysterectomy. There were breaks in the pelvis. My mother broke her pelvis giving birth to me and again slipping on ice years later," Melody said. "It has to be her. It's the best lead we've ever gotten."

 

[chaddylex]

Cold Case Spotlight

Cynthia Louise Day's Daughters Convinced Her Remains Have Been Found

It's been over 6 years since I turned this possible match in. The poor family has tried just about everything to locate Cynthia's dental records and Xrays since they weren't able to extract enough DNA from the remains. I wish they could get answers so they can have closure and bring their mom home.

 

[Alleykins]

It's been over 6 years since I turned this possible match in. The poor family has tried just about everything to locate Cynthia's dental records and Xrays since they weren't able to extract enough DNA from the remains. I wish they could get answers so they can have closure and bring their mom home.

A couple of things, Chaddylex, that I hope you can please clarify?
The original Doe case file listed here a long time ago states that Cynthia was 5 foot 2. The same link now shows 4 foot 2 to 4 foot 8.
Was Cynthia a little person by chance?
It also it originally states that her eyes were green but it now reads they were blue.
It also states she was last seen getting into a semi. Was she hitchhiking or was her then bf a trucker? Or is this a new lead of some kind?
Did she by chance have ties to NYC?
We're asking because we're researching the case of a UP found on 08/20/1990 in Brooklyn, NY of what we believe is a little person. Some of the characteristics match and some don't but the UP case is a little vague on the details and so far Cynthia is the only one we found that is remotely close. I'll post the link here shortly.

ETA link to UP and further remarks: http://www.websleuths.com/forums/sh...-arms-amp-legs-Aug-90&p=12735612#post12735612

 

[chaddylex]

A couple of things, Chaddylex, that I hope you can please clarify?
The original Doe case file listed here a long time ago states that Cynthia was 5 foot 2. The same link now shows 4 foot 2 to 4 foot 8.
Was Cynthia a little person by chance?
It also it originally states that her eyes were green but it now reads they were blue.
It also states she was last seen getting into a semi. Was she hitchhiking or was her then bf a trucker? Or is this a new lead of some kind?
Did she by chance have ties to NYC?
We're asking because we're researching the case of a UP found on 08/20/1990 in Brooklyn, NY of what we believe is a little person. Some of the characteristics match and some don't but the UP case is a little vague on the details and so far Cynthia is the only one we found that is remotely close. I'll post the link here shortly.

ETA link to UP and further remarks: http://www.websleuths.com/forums/sh...-arms-amp-legs-Aug-90&p=12735612#post12735612

Hi Alleykins,

I believe Cynthia was 5'2, she wasn't a little person.
Cynthia was last seen with her boyfriend who was abusive and her family wanted her to get away from him.
I don't know of her having any ties to NYC
Cynthia's family is almost certain that the remains found in Missouri are those of Cynthia. They haven't been able to locate Cynthia's dental records to do a dental comparison.
They are now trying to get mitochondrial DNA, when they tried to extract reg DNA from the UP, they weren't able to get enough for a comparison.

 

[yorick]

Here's a link to the thread which is the Jane Doe Cynthia's daughters think could be their mom (MO - St Louis Co., WhtFem UP5294, 31-35, below scenic lookout, Aug'90):

http://www.websleuths.com/forums/sh...tFem-UP5294-31-35-below-scenic-lookout-Aug-90

Here's a link to a similar Jane Doe listed here on Websleuths, which might have similarities to the above Jane doe(IL - Jarvis Twp, WhtFem 42UFIL, 25-40, in bean field, upper denture, Jul'90):

http://www.websleuths.com/forums/sh...UFIL-25-40-in-bean-field-upper-denture-Jul-90

The Jarvis Township Jane Doe listed doesn't fit the timeline for Cynthia, but there could be other connections. It's just a hop, skip, and a jump away from the East St. Louis area.

 

[Alleykins]

Hi Alleykins,

I believe Cynthia was 5'2, she wasn't a little person.
Cynthia was last seen with her boyfriend who was abusive and her family wanted her to get away from him.
I don't know of her having any ties to NYC
Cynthia's family is almost certain that the remains found in Missouri are those of Cynthia. They haven't been able to locate Cynthia's dental records to do a dental comparison.
They are now trying to get mitochondrial DNA, when they tried to extract reg DNA from the UP, they weren't able to get enough for a comparison.

Thank you for your input.
Would you happen to know why there's such a discrepancy in height, by chance? Someone had to have changed it because it appears the Doe link was altered between then and now. A couple of inches, I could understand, but we're talking almost a foot difference if you're looking at if from the lower end of the most recent information.

 

[Alleykins]

Here's a link to the thread which is the Jane Doe Cynthia's daughters think could be their mom (MO - St Louis Co., WhtFem UP5294, 31-35, below scenic lookout, Aug'90):

http://www.websleuths.com/forums/sh...tFem-UP5294-31-35-below-scenic-lookout-Aug-90

Here's a link to a similar Jane Doe listed here on Websleuths, which might have similarities to the above Jane doe(IL - Jarvis Twp, WhtFem 42UFIL, 25-40, in bean field, upper denture, Jul'90):

http://www.websleuths.com/forums/sh...UFIL-25-40-in-bean-field-upper-denture-Jul-90

The Jarvis Township Jane Doe listed doesn't fit the timeline for Cynthia, but there could be other connections. It's just a hop, skip, and a jump away from the East St. Louis area.

Yes, I read through the thread and saw that it is suspected this JD might be Cynthia, but the way I see it is it can't hurt to keep options open and check around in the meantime.

 

[chaddylex]

I am thinking the height difference is a typo, which I have seen many times.

Here is Cynthia's Charley Project profile - it lists her as 5'2 http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/d/day_cynthia.html

 

[Alleykins]

If it were a typo, why was changed to the shorter height in Doe Network? That's what I'm trying to determine. Someone copied and pasted her page from Doe in 2010 and it states 5 foot 2. Between then and now, it was changed after that post.

 

[chaddylex]

If it were a typo, why was changed to the shorter height in Doe Network? That's what I'm trying to determine. Someone copied and pasted her page from Doe in 2010 and it states 5 foot 2. Between then and now, it was changed after that post.

Here is an article about Cynthia - her daughter's were interviewed - it states that Cynthia was 5'2 http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/illinois-family-wants-to-put-woman-s-remains-to-rest/article_77cc369a-b40c-5150-9905-a57a665cf65b.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=user-share

 

[Alleykins]

I'm not disputing her height. I'm trying to figure out why it was changed AFTER the doe network page was created, that's all, but thank you, though.

 

[phishphan420]

Not sure if I'm doing this right but wanted to share this since I'm somewhat local. Body found in Pike County, Missouri identified after 26 years http://khqa.com/news/local/body-found-in-pike-county-missouri-identified-after-26-years

 

[Alleykins]

I'm glad they ID'd her, but it appears that this is the same set of remains I think Chaddylex turned in like in 2010, the same one with the boiled bones that the family was certain was her but they were having difficulty extracting DNA. I find it odd that the article is citing that it was a phone call from this year as the catalyst for making a positive ID.

 

[JusticeWillBeServed]

Overlooked fingerprint was key to finding Metro East woman missing for 26 years

http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/overlooked-fingerprint-was-key-to-finding-metro-east-woman-missing/article_93b9cd90-0c16-5231-8118-deed723c9053.html

Pike County Sheriff Stephen Korte said Tuesday that an overlooked single thumbprint was discovered in Highway Patrol files, unbeknownst to his investigators.

A match was confirmed with an Illinois misdemeanor arrest file, and the sisters were told Monday. They said it felt like a slap in the face.

“We told them to look for fingerprints,” said Melody Day, 44, in an interview at her home Tuesday. “And all this time, this thumbprint has been sitting there.”

They believe their mother’s bones are still in a forensic lab in Colorado. The family plans to have them cremated, and to divide the ashes among them.

Kimberly Day, 42, is struggling with the transition from having a missing mother to a murdered mother.

“It’s like I’ve got to start life over,” she said, tears welling in her eyes. “You get used to people saying, ‘Oh, she’s just missing,’ and you’re living off that hope. Now you’re not living off that hope.”

 

[chaddylex]

Cynthia's daughter messaged me on FB on Monday and told me they had a positive ID with the thumbprint. (She messaged me a few weeks go and said the received a call from the Missouri Highway Patrol to state they found a thumbprint for the remains but were waiting to be matched up with Cynthia's) The Missouri Highway Patrol had the thumbprint the entire time, I don't know who it was that called them this year, it wasn't me. I was the one who originally called in Dec 2009 and then got in touch with her family and have been in contact with the family ever since.

I am glad they finally have closure, and are able to bring her home. What makes me sad is this could have been solved way back in 2009.

 

[Alleykins]

Cynthia's daughter messaged me on FB on Monday and told me they had a positive ID with the thumbprint. (She messaged me a few weeks go and said the received a call from the Missouri Highway Patrol to state they found a thumbprint for the remains but were waiting to be matched up with Cynthia's) The Missouri Highway Patrol had the thumbprint the entire time, I don't know who it was that called them this year, it wasn't me. I was the one who originally called in Dec 2009 and then got in touch with her family and have been in contact with the family ever since.
I am glad they finally have closure, and are able to bring her home. What makes me sad is this could have been solved way back in 2009.

I agree, I'm glad they have closure and it is sad that they could have solved this years ago.

 

[GeeEm]

September 14, 2016
12:41 PM

26 Years Later, Remains Identified as Missing Mother Cynthia Louise Day

Authorities in Missouri announced yesterday that remains discovered at the end of August 1990, have been positively identified to be those of Cynthia Louise Day, who vanished that same month from National City, Illinois.

In the end, it was a single fingerprint that made the match, authorities said.

"Emotions are all over the place," Melody Day, one of Cynthia's daughter, told Dateline Tuesday night. "The thought of what actually happened is the saddest."

The announcement was a small comfort for Cynthia's two daughters, but it was no surprise. The sisters have long believed the decomposed remains long kept in a box labeled 'Jane Doe' were their mother's remains.

<SNIP>

Cynthia's death was ruled a homicide and is still an open investigation. If you have any information regarding the case, you are urged to call the Pike County Sheriff's Office at (573) 324-2020

http://www.nbcnews.com/feature/cold...ntified-missing-mother-cynthia-louise-n647781