KY KY - Lexington, WhtMale 24-35, UP85, burned, Levi jeans w/"Vivian Jacobs" bracelet on belt loop, cowboy boots, female clothing nearby, Apr'86

[MadMcGoo]

Unidentified Person / NamUs #UP85
Male, White / Caucasian​

Date of Discovery: April 17, 1986
Location of Discovery: Lexington, Fayette County, Kentucky
State of Remains: Not recognizable - Charred/burned
Cause of Death: Homicide
Estimated PMI: Hours
Estimated Age: Adult - Pre 40; 24-35
Measured Height: 5' 6"
Estimated Weight: 140 lbs.
Hair: Undetermined due to thermal changes

Clothing/Jewelry found on the body
- Levi's brand blue jeans
- Belt with metal buckle (charred)
- White long underwear pants
- Light brown/tan cowboy boots (nearly knee-high with holes measuring 7/8" in diameter around top portion)
- White socks with green-yellow upper stripes
- Pale gray metal bracelet with the words "Vivian Jacobs" in script looped around a belt loop of the jeans, above right back pocket.

Clothing found near the body
- Beltless purple-violet women's pants
- Light red/pink female blouse with a green/red/yellow/blue weave pattern
- Short-sleeved female shirt with blue and white squares and label "Nancy Green NY 16"
- Portions of a white shirt

Other personal items
- Leather knife holder with a folding single-edged knife
- Gray metal fingernail clippers
- Comic book
- Black plastic comb
- Food stamp coupons:
1 dollar-A08796650S; E37600631G, E37819140G 5 dollar-/c25515952S

Circumstances of Discovery
The victim was found in a burned house at 323 Jefferson Street in Lexington, Kentucky.

Investigating Agencies
Kentucky Medical Examiner's Office:
Amy Burrows-Beckham (502) 489-5209
Fayette County Coroner's Office (859) 455-5700 or (502) 852-5587
Agency Case Number: ME-86-04-099
NCIC Case Number: U194052844

Dentals: Available
Fingerprints: Not available
DNA: Available in FBI NMPDD

Regional Program Specialist: Amy Jenkinson (817) 304-8873
0 Missing Person Exclusions

Sources
NamUs
The Doe Network

 

[MadMcGoo]

@transdoetaskforce this may be presumptuous of me, but something about this case inclines me to think it might be worth keeping on your radar? Before creating the thread, I tried to find newspaper articles and such that would provide more details about “Vivian’s” discovery, but my efforts were fruitless.

The clothing/personal item descriptions were (IMO) quite different even between the two sources I listed. I thought the addition of “women’s pants” or “female blouse/shirt” could even be considered subjective, especially considering that some of the items were not found on the body, but rather near the body. And I made sure to separate the two in the OP.

That being said, the items of clothing found on Vivian’s body (and the fact that I could find no other sources) had a lot to do with my decision to put some emphasis on the other articles of clothing. The boots seem to be something that not many men wear. “Vivian Jacobs” also doesn’t appear to be a brand or at least I couldn’t find anything online that would link the name to any particular company or manufacturer. So, I think that might be something that was personalized for Vivian.

Someone may come along and prove me wrong on every point I just made, LOL, I’m quite used to that. I’ve come to expect it actually But I’m not offended by that - it’s how I learn and part of what makes this site great. I just wanted to bring it to your attention just to be safe. I admire the work being done by the TDTF!

JMOO, for what they’re worth...

 

[MadMcGoo]

I came across a missing young man from Pennsylvania who reminded me of this case. Not only the name but a little of the circumstances, for some reason.

Robert Geer Jacobs

- Missing since March 21, 1983 (April 17, 1986)
- 20 years old (24-35)
- 5’9” - 6’0” (5’6”)
- 150 - 155 lbs. (140 lbs)
- Blond/Strawberry hair & brown eyes (unknown)

- (per NamUs)

Believed to have met foul play. He had neither a girlfriend or a job when he disappeared. JACOBS lived with his parents and was in good health, both physically and mentally. The day he disappeared he told his parent that he would be home for dinner. He hasn't been seen since.

- (per The Charley Project)

Jacobs was last seen in Warminster, Pennsylvania on March 21, 1983. He told his parents he would be home for dinner that night, but he never arrived and has never been heard from again.

Jacobs lived with his parents at the time of his disappearance and was in good health and didn't seem to have any problems in his life. The week before he went missing, he sold his car for between two and three thousand dollars. His family believes he was a victim of foul play, but the circumstances of his disappearance are unclear.

 

[Keiri]

Not likely unless he lost all his upper teeth before being found. The decedent, according to his autopsy report as stated in the local newspaper, said he was missing all upper teeth but had some lower teeth.

 

[branmuffin]

@transdoetaskforce this may be presumptuous of me, but something about this case inclines me to think it might be worth keeping on your radar? Before creating the thread, I tried to find newspaper articles and such that would provide more details about “Vivian’s” discovery, but my efforts were fruitless.

The clothing/personal item descriptions were (IMO) quite different even between the two sources I listed. I thought the addition of “women’s pants” or “female blouse/shirt” could even be considered subjective, especially considering that some of the items were not found on the body, but rather near the body. And I made sure to separate the two in the OP.

That being said, the items of clothing found on Vivian’s body (and the fact that I could find no other sources) had a lot to do with my decision to put some emphasis on the other articles of clothing. The boots seem to be something that not many men wear. “Vivian Jacobs” also doesn’t appear to be a brand or at least I couldn’t find anything online that would link the name to any particular company or manufacturer. So, I think that might be something that was personalized for Vivian.

Someone may come along and prove me wrong on every point I just made, LOL, I’m quite used to that. I’ve come to expect it actually But I’m not offended by that - it’s how I learn and part of what makes this site great. I just wanted to bring it to your attention just to be safe. I admire the work being done by the TDTF!

JMOO, for what they’re worth...

Those boots are considered a vintage type boot for men and women with holes at the top to allow you to take them on and off easier. Like these:

I don't think we can assume that the clothing found with the deceased belonged to him. I'd like to know whether or not the house was empty or abandoned and whether homeless people squatted there or kids hung out there. There's no mention of anyone living in the home. It's possible that more than one person was in that home before it was burned, perhaps by a women, to hide a homicide.

Like you, I checked the name Vivian Jacobs. It's not a common name but there's enough of them. I found one in Manitoba and several more in the States but their ages don't line up.

Why does the young man Robert Jacobs interest you? I found it odd that the missing information mentioned he didn't have a girlfriend. At the age or 22, I would think lots of guys don't have girlfriends unless it was a veiled inference that he was gay or something.

Edited to add: Are we certain that the UID is male? It has happened before where remains have been incorrectly identified by sex.

 

[Bit of hope]

Interesting....from what I read I do not necessary think this has anything to do with cross dressing, gender identity or whatever it's called today. (sorry if it's sounding bold)

 

[MadMcGoo]

Those boots are considered a vintage type boot for men and women with holes at the top to allow you to take them on and off easier. Like these:

I don't think we can assume that the clothing found with the deceased belonged to him. I'd like to know whether or not the house was empty or abandoned and whether homeless people squatted there or kids hung out there. There's no mention of anyone living in the home. It's possible that more than one person was in that home before it was burned, perhaps by a women, to hide a homicide.

Like you, I checked the name Vivian Jacobs. It's not a common name but there's enough of them. I found one in Manitoba and several more in the States but their ages don't line up.

Why does the young man Robert Jacobs interest you? I found it odd that the missing information mentioned he didn't have a girlfriend. At the age or 22, I would think lots of guys don't have girlfriends unless it was a veiled inference that he was gay or something.

Edited to add: Are we certain that the UID is male? It has happened before where remains have been incorrectly identified by sex.

It’s been awhile since I looked into Robert. I’m not sure exactly what it was, but he stood out to me. It would be very nice to know more about both cases, indeed.

Thanks for the boot info. I didn’t know they were equally as popular between men and women.

 

[John/Jane Doe]

1872UMKY

 

[bflocket]

Interesting....from what I read I do not necessary think this has anything to do with cross dressing, gender identity or whatever it's called today. (sorry if it's sounding bold)

Things always evolve in some way on crime websites over time. I remember reading of this guy possibly being a cross- dresser or transgender years ago and that is still there in MadMcGoo's 1/2020 link. It was long enough ago that DoeNet was the only such website that would have even around then and it no longer suggests that to be the presumption. I just remember reading that 20-or-so years ago.

If the guy had on jeans and long underwear, why (how?) would he be wearing the purple women's pants? Suggesting him to be a cross-dresser because there were female clothes near his body is needlessly distracting to any kind of investigation into who he is. He already had pants on... Unless there was some other reason that they haven't released?

 

[Oakie]

Back in the 1980s that area was a dodgy neighborhood filled with dodgy characters, some of them pretty rough. Eastern State Mental Hospital (which is now at a different location) was less than a mile north of there; patients would often check themselves out to go on drinking binges, or wander around homeless. It wasn't unusual to see folks walking down the sidewalk, having animated conversations with themselves, or imagined companions. This fellow may have been such a person, which might account for why no one knew who he was. Families often abandoned patients after they entered the institution, or were too poor (and living too remotely) to visit.

 

[branmuffin]

Here's the up to date NAMUS file on this UID.

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

By bringing people, information, forensic science and technology together, NamUs helps resolve cases.

www.namus.gov

Not one comparison in 36 years. They have DNA and dentals. Not one missing person was run through the data base in 36 years?

I wish LE had taken pics of the bracelet. Gray metal could be anything; tarnished silver, alloy, etc. It's unusual to have a first and last name on a bracelet unless it's used as a form of identification. Did it look like this?

I can't make up my mind whether the bracelet had more to do with a relationship the UID had with an unknown VJ or it was a mememto from his mother. Depending on the size of it it could be the id bracelet of a child.

There is one UID on WS who died with a small child's id bracelet attached to a home made bracelet. I always wondered if it was a bracelet that related to himself if he was given up for adoption. Could this be the UID's identification bracelet when he was a child? Vivian used to be a man's name until it fell out of disfavour. Now it is almost exclusively a female given name. Male Vivian's are usually of British descent or from areas of the former British empire.

 

[NJEverCurious]

I wondered if Vivian Jacobs (name on the bracelet found with the UID) could be the mother of the UID, and I wanted to see if I could connect Robert Greer Jacobs (MP mentioned above) to a Vivian Jacobs in the Warminster, PA area.

I found a Vivian Lola Jacobs age c. 96, formerly of Reading, PA, which is about an hour from where the MP was last seen. I couldn't find any birth records or birth announcement to connect her to Robert Greer Jacobs, but it's an interesting possibility.

 

[MadMcGoo]

UP85 Unidentified male 1986 KY

Clipping found in Lexington Herald-Leader published in Lexington, Kentucky on 4/18/1986. UP85 Unidentified male 1986 KY

www.newspapers.com

UP85 Unidentified male 1986 KY

Clipping found in Lexington Herald-Leader published in Lexington, Kentucky on 4/20/1986. UP85 Unidentified male 1986 KY

www.newspapers.com

They had lower teeth but no upper teeth.

UP85 Unidentified male 1986 KY

Clipping found in Lexington Herald-Leader published in Lexington, Kentucky on 4/22/1986. UP85 Unidentified male 1986 KY

www.newspapers.com

Cause of death was blunt force injuries to the head (suspicious circumstances).

ETA: I can’t believe I wasn’t able to find these 4 years ago.

 

[?!?]

I wondered if Vivian Jacobs (name on the bracelet found with the UID) could be the mother of the UID, and I wanted to see if I could connect Robert Greer Jacobs (MP mentioned above) to a Vivian Jacobs in the Warminster, PA area.

I found a Vivian Lola Jacobs age c. 96, formerly of Reading, PA, which is about an hour from where the MP was last seen. I couldn't find any birth records or birth announcement to connect her to Robert Greer Jacobs, but it's an interesting possibility.

FWIW -- a VJ in KY:

https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/nky/name/vivian-jacobs-obituary?id=12158265

 

[NJEverCurious]

FWIW -- a VJ in KY:

https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/nky/name/vivian-jacobs-obituary?id=12158265

No date of birth on that obituary. I wonder if she could fit, age-wise.

 

[?!?]

No date of birth on that obituary. I wonder if she could fit, age-wise.

I noted that it was very light on useful info -- only name is her deceased hubby, and no key dates -- but with "nieces and nephews" many could be wearing their aunts (or grannys) bracelet; so almost any date/s can be seen as possible; would proby need genealogical search to solidify....

 

[Friday Fan]

No date of birth on that obituary. I wonder if she could fit, age-wise.

She was born in 1923

Vivian Moree Bramlage Jacobs (1923-2019) - Find a...

Vivian M. Jacobs July 23, 1923 - December 30, 2019 Vivian M. Jacobs, Together at Last! These words were with Vivian on December 30,2019 as she left to join her beloved husband Jake (John) Jacobs. She will be happy to see her parents, her brother and sisters. She has nieces and nephews...

www.findagrave.com

But since there is no mention of children, I don't see how she relates to this case.

She couldn't be anyone's mother or grandmother.

I can't picture someone wearing a bracelet with their aunt's name?

 

[branmuffin]

She was born in 1923

Vivian Moree Bramlage Jacobs (1923-2019) - Find a...

Vivian M. Jacobs July 23, 1923 - December 30, 2019 Vivian M. Jacobs, Together at Last! These words were with Vivian on December 30,2019 as she left to join her beloved husband Jake (John) Jacobs. She will be happy to see her parents, her brother and sisters. She has nieces and nephews...

www.findagrave.com

But since there is no mention of children, I don't see how she relates to this case.

She couldn't be anyone's mother or grandmother.

I can't picture someone wearing a bracelet with their aunt's name?

There's a missing woman on WS who disappeared after attending a party at a coed college. A lot of the information suggests that she disappeared intentionally even going so far as LE found her and the parents were advised. When her parents died, neither her mother or father mentioned having a daughter in the obituary. She had a younger brother and when he passed away, his obituary didn't mention her either. So we could consider similar situations here with this case. A son was born prior to marriage and he was given up for adoption and was never spoken about or a wayward son was written off for some reason. And there's always the possibility that there is absolutely no link at all between the deceased and this woman.

 

[?!?]

There's a missing woman on WS who disappeared after attending a party at a coed college. A lot of the information suggests that she disappeared intentionally even going so far as LE found her and the parents were advised. When her parents died, neither her mother or father mentioned having a daughter in the obituary. She had a younger brother and when he passed away, his obituary didn't mention her either. So we could consider similar situations here with this case. A son was born prior to marriage and he was given up for adoption and was never spoken about or a wayward son was written off for some reason. And there's always the possibility that there is absolutely no link at all between the deceased and this woman.

I am aware of several situations where 'certain people' are intentionally NOT mentioned in an obituary.

 

[cheemsg]

Was James Lewis Faye ruled out @Myrrh
The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)