LA LA - Belle Chasse, WhtMale 16-17, UP88342, hanged, suicide note, Feb'75 #2

[Deleted member 341056]

Received a reply back from the DNA Doe Project..they will add this young man to their database of potential cases. Glad they acknowledged my email! Hopefully, they will be able to lend a hand in the near future..we will wait and see.

I found his case on NamUs and also Doe Network. As of yet I haven't found it on Pending Cases?? Looks like LSU Faces did the original recon. Doe Network has his suicide note etc. It did say no dentals - no DNA?? and no fingerprints (however the notes from the sheriffs dept said they had run his fingerprints??) Hopefully they will know where his remains are in order to get DNA as that would be the only way DNA Doe Project would be able to identify? His note left sounded very sad. 48 yrs probably parents no longer living. Mentioned parents but nothing about siblings. I think maybe an adoptee that was struggling with who he really was. Gonna be a difficult case for sure. If they kept clothing they could possibly get dna from that? Fingers crossed that LSU Faces and State Police kept that evidence in a safe place.

 

[Deleted member 341056]

Hello back! Haven't heard anything else. I'm just glad he was added to their "potential " list!

Haven't seen it on the pending cases yet. In the past when I ask about adding or looking into a case I was told that LE enforcement has to request? Because LE has all the info that they need to even start. Possible the contacted LSU Faces which is the contact on this case. The case that I had been researching for many years, the Law Enforcement Agency contacted DNA Doe Project and they accepted her case. She went through Pending - into Active - and funding needs - has finally made it to the Research process. Have high hopes that they will identify her with genetic genealogy.

 

[DoctorRose]

I hope they can narrow down who this John Doe is. He’s highly intelligent, that’s one clue. And had nothing negative to say about anyone but himself. Poor guy.

I find it intriguing that he both addressed his parents in the notes and told the police not to notify his parents. Unless the one to his parents was a “running away” note.

Finally he seems to at least have believed that he had a psychiatric condition. Hopefully those characteristics can be cross checked with the missing persons from that time.

This young man’s notes really struck a chord for me. I wish he would have been able to see that his troubles weren’t going to last forever and to see his potential.

 

[Sweetluv]

It's not a pending case with the DNA Doe Project...they added him to their potential list. It's for future consideration...

 

[summergirl1]

I found his case on NamUs and also Doe Network. As of yet I haven't found it on Pending Cases?? Looks like LSU Faces did the original recon. Doe Network has his suicide note etc. It did say no dentals - no DNA?? and no fingerprints (however the notes from the sheriffs dept said they had run his fingerprints??) Hopefully they will know where his remains are in order to get DNA as that would be the only way DNA Doe Project would be able to identify? His note left sounded very sad. 48 yrs probably parents no longer living. Mentioned parents but nothing about siblings. I think maybe an adoptee that was struggling with who he really was. Gonna be a difficult case for sure. If they kept clothing they could possibly get dna from that? Fingers crossed that LSU Faces and State Police kept that evidence in a safe place.

Unfortunately, a lot of the things relating to his case were destroyed in Hurricane Katrina. That's why there's no dental records on him now, as far as I understand. It is known where his remains are buried so presumably they would be locatable for DNA. He was buried in an unmarked pauper's grave at a local cemetery.

 

[ChatteringBirds]

He was buried in an unmarked pauper's grave at a local cemetery.

He deserves a marker. I hope it will be crowd-sourced. He touched a lot of people.

 

[Courtaine]

It's not a pending case with the DNA Doe Project...they added him to their potential list. It's for future consideration...

It's a huge step forward from nothing happening ever to potential future case.
I think both of our top persons believed to be this John Doe have living siblings, i have not checked beyond that.

Good to see we're all still hanging in there.

 

[beubeubeu]

How many suicide victims are found with no shoes but in socks while in a distance from pretty much everything that could make it possible to get there with these socks not ripped into shreds?
Also this alleged suicidal note note safely secured into a jar (so well thought of, to prevent it to get wet and fall apart in case of a late discovery), long, elaborate, eloquent letter but makeshift rope made of bedsheet?

Excuse me, English is not my first language but this note sounds like some kind of poet or young writer wrote it. And if I understand correctly he died on 1975's Valentine's day. I know it's only a sketch but he looks like a handsome young man. All that sounds like extremely memorable combo, yet nobody recognised him in so many years.

It makes me feel like someone (possibly romantically interested in him but rejected, or jealous of him) murdered him and made it look like suicide knowing that there wont be much of an investigation. Possibly knowing him well enough to suggest that he has caring parents who will be hoping for his comeback while knowing that they wont ever file missing person's report, as they already passed away.

Weather archiove for the area says 40ish to 50ish F tops on that day. And just a knit shirt?
Is that considered a normal outfit for outdoor escapades in such weather in Louisiana? Cause for me it's more like something what people would wear while indoors.

 

[Deleted member 341056]

How many suicide victims are found with no shoes but in socks while in a distance from pretty much everything that could make it possible to get there with these socks not ripped into shreds?
Also this alleged suicidal note note safely secured into a jar (so well thought of, to prevent it to get wet and fall apart in case of a late discovery), long, elaborate, eloquent letter but makeshift rope made of bedsheet?

Excuse me, English is not my first language but this note sounds like some kind of poet or young writer wrote it. And if I understand correctly he died on 1975's Valentine's day. I know it's only a sketch but he looks like a handsome young man. All that sounds like extremely memorable combo, yet nobody recognised him in so many years.

It makes me feel like someone (possibly romantically interested in him but rejected, or jealous of him) murdered him and made it look like suicide knowing that there wont be much of an investigation. Possibly knowing him well enough to suggest that he has caring parents who will be hoping for his comeback while knowing that they wont ever file missing person's report, as they already passed away.

Weather archiove for the area says 40ish to 50ish F tops on that day. And just a knit shirt?
Is that considered a normal outfit for outdoor escapades in such weather in Louisiana? Cause for me it's more like something what people would wear while indoors.

You have ask some good questions. I had not even wondered why socks BUT no shoes? Socks were not matched colors either. The note in the jar to make sure it would be intact? It does make one wonder if it was not a suicide but made to look like suicide. And LE not knowing his name would not have any way to look at other causes of death (foul play) Hard to investigate a death when you don't know who they are and where they came from. I am going to predict that when they identify him (and hope they do) he WILL NOT BE LOCAL. Maybe from out of state. Near New Orleans which draws alot of outsiders and tourists. Some interesting observations.

 

[Romulus]

How many suicide victims are found with no shoes but in socks while in a distance from pretty much everything that could make it possible to get there with these socks not ripped into shreds?
Also this alleged suicidal note note safely secured into a jar (so well thought of, to prevent it to get wet and fall apart in case of a late discovery), long, elaborate, eloquent letter but makeshift rope made of bedsheet?

Excuse me, English is not my first language but this note sounds like some kind of poet or young writer wrote it. And if I understand correctly he died on 1975's Valentine's day. I know it's only a sketch but he looks like a handsome young man. All that sounds like extremely memorable combo, yet nobody recognised him in so many years.

It makes me feel like someone (possibly romantically interested in him but rejected, or jealous of him) murdered him and made it look like suicide knowing that there wont be much of an investigation. Possibly knowing him well enough to suggest that he has caring parents who will be hoping for his comeback while knowing that they wont ever file missing person's report, as they already passed away.

Weather archiove for the area says 40ish to 50ish F tops on that day. And just a knit shirt?
Is that considered a normal outfit for outdoor escapades in such weather in Louisiana? Cause for me it's more like something what people would wear while indoors.

Unless it was the parents themselves who killed him and wrote the letter...many parents have also brutally killed their children...I wouldn't be surprised if this were also the case, it's obviously an alternative hypothesis, without accusing anyone.

 

[lightofmine99]

I thought about this hypothesis once. It’s not very common (or perhaps underreported for lack of better word) but murders are staged to look like suicides from time to time. The reverse of that also happens but is probably more rare.

Assuming this is a murder staged to look like a suicide, then there was a great deal of premeditation involved. I think that a strangulation/asphyxiation would be the “easiest” to stage like a hanging. Alternatively, poisoning. Once a body reaches a certain state of decomposition, it can be difficult to determine what a true cause of death was, and who is going to want to run toxicology on a decomposed body that was found hanging with a suicide note? But you don’t know when or if a body would be found, so you can’t bank on decomposition hiding injuries.

 

[beubeubeu]

You have ask some good questions. I had not even wondered why socks BUT no shoes? Socks were not matched colors either. The note in the jar to make sure it would be intact? It does make one wonder if it was not a suicide but made to look like suicide. And LE not knowing his name would not have any way to look at other causes of death (foul play) Hard to investigate a death when you don't know who they are and where they came from. I am going to predict that when they identify him (and hope they do) he WILL NOT BE LOCAL. Maybe from out of state. Near New Orleans which draws alot of outsiders and tourists. Some interesting observations.

I would not dare to wonder about mismatched socks unless I knew the person or heard a friend/family member saying that it would be completely out of character for someone to dress like that. Some people are like "socks had to match no matter what" cause they're so used to wearing matching socks. But many (very many, probably most people I know) are of the attitude "socks should match or at least look like they do"). So it doesnt set any alarm bells for me.

But everything else is odd as hell.
Note and jar points at it being suicide and very well planned and thought of decision.
No shoes, rope made of besheet, light clothing may point at the location being very close to the victims home (or place where he worked/stayed) but... NO, cause nobody recognised him. And it sounds like a story people, especially young people would want to share, talk about - that would (should) lead straight to someone who would recognise him. But it didn't happen.
Let's say he really didn't wanted to be identified, wasn't local, came from somewhere far, maybe drove there, possibly hitchhiked... with no shoes? With no jacket? Then how he carried the bedsheet rope and jar to the location? In hand? In his pockets? Size not mentioned but both of these things sound like bit too large to not take some kind of bag or backpack.

NamUs says: "off Hwy 23, on a farm road that is in between Hwy 23 and the Mississippi River, near Alliance, in Plaquemines Parish" -

I am going to predict that when they identify him (and hope they do) he WILL NOT BE LOCAL.

No DNA available, no dental records available, no fingerprints available, no picture available, no case file available...
Cases classified as suicides aren't really investigated. That's low, low priority to this day, and unless his burial location is known there isn't even much of a chance for him to be identified.

 

[Ciriii57]

Alternatively, poisoning. Once a body reaches a certain state of decomposition, it can be difficult to determine what a true cause of death was, and who is going to want to run toxicology on a decomposed body that was found hanging with a suicide note? But you don’t know when or if a body would be found, so you can’t bank on decomposition hiding injuries.

I would bet big money that no toxicology was performed. In fact I doubt whether the autopsy involved any kind of in depth looking. I think it was a basic once over by the local gynaecologist/coroner who confirmed he died by strangulation caused by hanging and ruled a suicide based on the evidence of the noose and suicide note.

 

[Ciriii57]

NamUs says: "off Hwy 23, on a farm road that is in between Hwy 23 and the Mississippi River, near Alliance, in Plaquemines Parish" -

His body was discovered in a teeny tiny little place called Naomi, just north of Alliance. Not many houses now, even less back then. It was mostly acres and acres of fields. The road he was found off was essentially a dirt track. It was close enough to the river that he could have easily tossed his shoes and a bag in before he ended his life.

All signs point to it being well planned, in his note he stated he'd been thinking about it for a year.
I don't put much stock in the mismatched socks either. If he'd been travelling they might have just been his last clean pair. Maybe he got one wet previously and decided to change it. Who knows.

unless his burial location is known there isn't even much of a chance for him to be identified.

Luckily it is known exactly where he is buried. Now we just need to get this young man exhumed.

 

[Rolypolyoly]

I think they did consider that he may not have got up there of his own volition but I remember seeing in one of the articles that the detective ruled out foul play due to the victim having moss stains on his trousers consistent with climbing the tree.

 

[Ciriii57]

I think they did consider that he may not have got up there of his own volition but I remember seeing in one of the articles that the detective ruled out foul play due to the victim having moss stains on his trousers consistent with climbing the tree.

Yes I remember reading that too!

 

[Romulus]

I'm about to say something unpopular but maybe it's not such a bad assumption...What if this guy has already been identified and for legal reasons they can't make an announcement yet? Maybe it's not like that because Othram is working on it now...This came to mind because I remember the Joseph Zarelli case, the Boy in the box...

 

[Himako14]

I'm about to say something unpopular but maybe it's not such a bad assumption...What if this guy has already been identified and for legal reasons they can't make an announcement yet? Maybe it's not like that because Othram is working on it now...This came to mind because I remember the Joseph Zarelli case, the Boy in the box...

Adding on to this. He could have been identified and his family asked/pulled strings for him to not be made public. My cousin was a John Doe for a few weeks after he committed suicide. My uncle pulled strings to not have him publicly named because we’re a local celebrity family.

 

[carbuff]

In my experience, with self-harm cases, they usually respect the request for privacy request from any family, not just the ones that can pull strings. But in those cases, the Doenetwork page just gets marked Identified with no further information. Namus quietly removes the page.

 

[beubeubeu]

I thought about this hypothesis once. It’s not very common (or perhaps underreported for lack of better word) but murders are staged to look like suicides from time to time. The reverse of that also happens but is probably more rare.

Assuming this is a murder staged to look like a suicide, then there was a great deal of premeditation involved. I think that a strangulation/asphyxiation would be the “easiest” to stage like a hanging. Alternatively, poisoning. Once a body reaches a certain state of decomposition, it can be difficult to determine what a true cause of death was, and who is going to want to run toxicology on a decomposed body that was found hanging with a suicide note? But you don’t know when or if a body would be found, so you can’t bank on decomposition hiding injuries.

Well, what's really uncommon is to any police force to spend significant amount of resources on investigating deaths that look like suicides. There are always many, way too many more urgent cases and it has (to this day) extremely low priority.
So... nobody knows, cause there is no data. It's rarely revealed cause if cops won't notice that something is "wrong" with the scene right away (or maybe through pretty basic questioning), then once it's classified as suicide, then only things like confession or connection to another (murder) investigation may reveal that suicide was staged.
Nowadays suicide means that there will be an autopsy. Back in the day it meant that case is closed - and people knew that it meant that case is closed.

He was fingerprinted, but autopsy isn't mentioned anywhere. So no telling if his injuries were even consistent with hanging...