MI MI - New Buffalo, "Betty the Bag Lady", WhtFem 65-75, UP8224, wrapped in sheet/towel/2 bags, Aug'92

[Lurkey Lou]

I remember this, it was about 7 miles from my house. I can't believe no one ever identified her. Maybe you guys can help ?? I tried searching to see if she already had a thread, but it doesn't appear she does ( although I do have some trouble navigating here so I apologize if there is )

http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/129ufmi.html

# Unidentified White Female Located on August 23, 1992 near Red Arrow Highway in New Buffalo Township, Berrien County, Michigan
# Cause of death was homicide.
# Police believe that she was killed 4 - 7 days before she was found and had been at the location for about 48 hours.

Vital Statistics

* Estimated age: 65-75 years old
* Approximate Height and Weight: 5'2"; 102 lbs.
* Distinguishing Characteristics: White hair; brown eyes. She had an appendectomy scar. Also had a broken spine which was not the cause of death.
* Dentals: No teeth. Dentures were missing.
* Clothing: No clothing located.

Case History
The victim was found on August 23, 1992 in a plastic bag, left along Krueger Road, New Buffalo, MI.
Her body was found wrapped in a sheet, towel and two garbage bags, and bound with twine. The victim's body was nude, and the hands and dentures were missing.
Investigators think she may have lived at a care facility in either northern Illinois or Indiana.

Investigators
If you have any information concerning this case, please contact:
The Michigan State Police
Bridgman Post
616-465-6525

Maybe we can give her back her name ?

 

[LovinTK]

I know some of the stats are a little off but she looks so much like the UID.

http://charleyproject.org/cases/k/kutnak_bessie.html

 

[tatertot]

I don't have any potential matches, but thank you for posting her case. It saddens me to think somebody murdered this poor woman and might still be cashing her Social Security checks to this day.

I wonder how they determined she might have lived at a care facility in northern Illinois or Indiana? Could something have been found with her body that wasn't mentioned in the report that suggested she had lived there? Maybe the sheet she was wrapped in had a hospital linen tag or stamp on it. Aren't hospital and nursing home sheets a different size than what you'd use on a king/queen/double bed at home? But then again, sometimes people buy hospital beds for use at home. My great-grandma had one.

I also wonder how her back was broken. Surely she couldn't have been recovering from a broken spine at a nursing home, only to be checked out and "moved home" by a relative?

We have a similar case locally. Another elderly woman wrapped up in plastic and bedding, although this one might not have involved murder:

http://www.pennsylvaniamissing.com/avalonjanedoe.html

 

[Lurkey Lou]

I know some of the stats are a little off but she looks so much like the UID.

http://charleyproject.org/cases/k/kutnak_bessie.html

She is the only one I've found on all of Charley that comes close ( that I have found anyway ) , but the weight/height threw me off.

 

[Lurkey Lou]

I don't have any potential matches, but thank you for posting her case. It saddens me to think somebody murdered this poor woman and might still be cashing her Social Security checks to this day.

I wonder how they determined she might have lived at a care facility in northern Illinois or Indiana? Could something have been found with her body that wasn't mentioned in the report that suggested she had lived there? Maybe the sheet she was wrapped in had a hospital linen tag or stamp on it. Aren't hospital and nursing home sheets a different size than what you'd use on a king/queen/double bed at home? But then again, sometimes people buy hospital beds for use at home. My great-grandma had one.

I also wonder how her back was broken. Surely she couldn't have been recovering from a broken spine at a nursing home, only to be checked out and "moved home" by a relative?

We have a similar case locally. Another elderly woman wrapped up in plastic and bedding, although this one might not have involved murder:

http://www.pennsylvaniamissing.com/avalonjanedoe.html

I wondered that also.

 

[Lurkey Lou]

eye color is different too, doe is brown, and bessie is blue.

 

[mtrooper]

I called in a possible match MONTHS ago, and spoke with a trooper at the State Police post. He told me that they had the FBI come in and do a profile. And that is why they believe that she could be from a long term care facility.

 

[Lurkey Lou]

I called in a possible match MONTHS ago, and spoke with a trooper at the State Police post. He told me that they had the FBI come in and do a profile. And that is why they believe that she could be from a long term care facility.

Thanks mtrooper

 

[mtrooper]

If I remember right they did not know the cause of death, or were unable to determine it atleast. They did say it was murder however.

 

[webrocket]

the UID was added to Namus at the end of last year. only one rule out, Nadine Timm:

https://identifyus.org/cases/8224

 

[Redwood146]

Since her hand were cut off i wonder if she a had record and would have been easily identified if the the hands were still attached? She surely deserves her name back.

 

[webrocket]

here is a possible match, Patricia Ford, missing from Florida in January 1982.

on the upside, Patricia was 65 y.o., 5'2", 105 lbs, gray hair. on the downside, not sure where Patricia would have been kept from January to August or how she would have gotten from FL to MI.

no references to surgical scars or dentures.

https://www.findthemissing.org/cases/10419/3/

http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/2438dffl.html


as for the hands, they might have been chopped off to remove jewelry and not for fingerprints.

 

[Salem]

Bump.

 

[Salem]

Bump.

 

[ginestra]

This is such a sad case, she looks like such a sweet lady! I grew up in that general area, and am sad no one ever claimed her. I had found one case that the time seemed right, but the height, weight didn't match up. The particular case the husband admitted killing his wife during the right time, but said dumped body somewhere in new york. Seems they were coming from California. She was also about 10 yrs younger than stated. I am not sure how much you can depend on the descriptions provided. This poor woman has went unidentified over 20 years, so maybe something is off.......
http://www.websleuths.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-68812.html

 

[ginestra]

Was Kutnak or Ford checked?

 

[ginestra]

Ok, I found an Irene Herding, no pic, but the description is close. I really wish there was a picture. The timing is off some. I really wish we could identify this lady.....
from namus:

Missing
First name Irene
Middle name B
Last name Herding
Nickname/Alias
Date LKA July 20, 1990 00:00
Date entered 03/27/2012
Age LKA 75 to years old
Age now 97 years old
Race White
Ethnicity
Sex Female
Height (inches) 60.0
Weight (pounds) 95.0
Circumstances
City Darrington
State Washington
Zip code
County Snohomish
Circumstances Elderly victim was an avid hiker. Left home about 7/20/1990, but told no one of her destination. Vehicle was found by Forest Service on 7/26/1990. On 8/23/1990 it was noted that victim's purse and camping gear were in the vehicle and police were notified. Search and rescue operations failed to locate victim.

Physical
Hair color Gray or Partially Gray
Head hair

 

[tarabull]

Police asking for help identifying body found 20 years ago in Berrien County
August 30, 2012

snipped...NEW BUFFALO, MI -- Police are again trying to identify a body found 20 years ago on the side of a road in Berrien County.

The identity of a body found Aug. 23, 1992 along Krueger Road, east of Red Arrow Highway, in New Buffalo Township is still a mystery.

Read more:http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2012/08/police_asking_for_help_identif.html

 

[Lurkey Lou]

just came to bump this thread too. was so disappointed, the lead to the news made it sound they'd found her identity. All it was , was her " new " sketch which is not new, it's been on NAMUS for quite some time. At least her face is out there again. This was just a few miles from my home, this case haunts me.

 

[Cubby]

I heard the renewed media on this case on WBBM am radio while driving earlier today. I'd really love to know why the profiler thought she was in a long term care facility of some kind.

raying: the recent media brings in tips which lead to this woman's ID.