Identified! OH - Sandusky, Lake Erie, Wht/Fem 25-40, UP76029, Sz 12 beige cocktail party dress, Mar'80 - Patricia Eleanor Greenwood

[victoriarobinson642]

Is there a photograph of the decedent available?

None that I've seen.

 

[evilwise]

Since this was a DNA confirmation perhaps we have her birth name rather than her adopted name. "lived in Traverse City and Saginaw" seems like her adult identity is known though. Has anyone checked mid-60s high school yearbooks for those areas?

 

[victoriarobinson642]

Since this was a DNA confirmation perhaps we have her birth name rather than her adopted name. "lived in Traverse City and Saginaw" seems like her adult identity is known though. Has anyone checked mid-60s high school yearbooks for those areas?

Yes, haven't been able to find anything.

 

[Snoopster]

I wasn't expecting that she lived in western Michigan. Did she spend time in Detroit? How did she end up in Lake Erie?
Was there an estimate as to how long she had been in the water before she was discovered? Sandusky is a summer resort and I'd expect if Patricia went into the water 'locally' that it would have been in the summer. Otherwise I'd expect that she went into the water near Detroit. (although the lake currents had me convinced she went in either near Sandusky or somewhere on the Ontario coast, but the latter now seems unlikely.)

 

[WingsOverTX]

Little is known about Greenwood. But it is known that she was born in 1948 in Bay City, Mich., and lived in other parts of the state - Traverse City and Saginaw. She was the youngest of 12 brothers and sisters, all of whom were adopted by other families. Patricia was 11 when she was put up for adoption.

The DNA sample hit on a brother, Raymond Greenwood, Jr. Detective Costante then spoke to Raymond and his sister, Judy. It was determined that the last time a family member had seen her was in 1979.

Woman found dead on Sandusky beach in 1980 identified as missing Michigan woman

Patricia Greenwood's death is considered suspicious, but police are looking for more information from the public.

www.wtol.com

Police ask that anyone with information to please call 419-627-5980.

"If she was alive today, she would be 74 years old, and we understand that's difficult in its own right. But we are hopeful someone knew Patricia and can help us connect the final year of her life," Costante said. "We want to figure this thing out."

 

[evilwise]

So they were all adopted as older children if she was the youngest and put up at age 11. If the family was all in contact with one another including Patricia you would think someone would have photos or at least know where they could be found. Seems like that would be a high priority when asking the public for information.

 

[WingsOverTX]

So they were all adopted as older children if she was the youngest and put up at age 11. If the family was all in contact with one another including Patricia you would think someone would have photos or at least know where they could be found. Seems like that would be a high priority when asking the public for information.

If you Google her full birth name on Facebook, there are some posts of interest, such as her father's obit. If I could ID the source, I would share it here. People there commented on wanting to find a photo but having no luck. Interesting inferences about this possibly being a family with Native American ties are also discussed.

Perhaps a journalist will dig deeper & write something that can be shared here.

MOO

 

[Susikatze]

Sad story. Reminds me a bit of Kelly/El Dorado JD (minus the adoption). Broken family, estrangement, transience, sex work.
It is possible she worked as escort and her client murdered her. Could have been a pimp or "boyfriend". In any case, she was a very vulnerable woman. Glad she got her name back and maybe we will be able to get more information.
May her siblings be comforted.

 

[Susikatze]

Ive read the post about the possible Native background. I am unsure since the poster just derived it from the last name Greenwood, which in my book is fairly generic and can be anything.
If you combine the large family with the adoption of the teen kids, a Native scenario sadly becomes more likely, since there were many similar cases in the 1960s. But it is no proof so far.
Maybe the siblings can chime in?

 

[MarziPanda]

It's also possible that whilst she was 11 when she was put up for adoption, some of her older siblings were put up for adoption when they were younger. Such as a sibling 15 years older than her being adopted out at birth or as a toddler before she was born. It's unfortunately not uncommon for families that are struggling badly to adopt out some kids and not others, rather than there being one triggering event that causes all of the children to be adopted out at the same time.

I think it's more likely they were adopted at different times because other than the possibility of twins/multiples or half siblings, having that many older siblings at 11 means some must be 18 or older. The article says the siblings were all adopted by other families. I think it's unlikely that 16 or 17 year olds would be adopted.

Sadly it could be the case of one of those families where the parents get a lot of chances to prove they can provide a stable home and they are determined to be unable to do that over and over but with periods of better parenting.

 

[hoodratholly]

I wasn't expecting that she lived in western Michigan. Did she spend time in Detroit? How did she end up in Lake Erie?
Was there an estimate as to how long she had been in the water before she was discovered? Sandusky is a summer resort and I'd expect if Patricia went into the water 'locally' that it would have been in the summer. Otherwise I'd expect that she went into the water near Detroit. (although the lake currents had me convinced she went in either near Sandusky or somewhere on the Ontario coast, but the latter now seems unlikely.)

Sandusky is home to Cedar Point, which is a super popular amusement park that many Michiganders visit. It’s totally possible that she ended up in Erie because she was visiting Sandusky for something.

 

[acutename]

Pictures of clothing from her NamUs page:

View attachment 291970

would think that the dress might have a label.... they know that it is size 12

 

[acutename]

April 4, 2023 - Identified as Patricia Eleanor Greenwood.

Thanks to funding for new DNA testing for cold cases, police say they have finally identified the body of a woman found on the beach near Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio on March 30, 1980 — precisely 43 years to the day of the discovery.

According to officials, the woman was Patricia Eleanor Greenwood, who was born in 1948 in Bay City and lived in Traverse City and Saginaw.

Body found near Cedar Point in 1980 identified as Michigan woman using new DNA testing

Sandusky Police are asking anyone who knew Patricia Eleanor Greenwood to come forward

www.metrotimes.com

would explain why no one reported her missing... if she was not regularly in contact... still most people
have rent or some obligation that would indicate they were missing

 

[MyJoey]

Is there a photograph of the decedent available?

Would be really cool to find one, which I haven’t. She was only 32 when she died. One would think there had to be a SS record on her, maybe the police could find people she worked with at one time. Obviously the brothers and sisters weren’t very close. Love the dress, doesn’t remind me of a sex worker dress though even in the 80’s they dressed in less lol. Unless she was a higher class worker.

 

[MyJoey]

Since this was a DNA confirmation perhaps we have her birth name rather than her adopted name. "lived in Traverse City and Saginaw" seems like her adult identity is known though. Has anyone checked mid-60s high school yearbooks for those areas?

How about news papers archives for them areas, maybe she was in a wedding, car accident, won an award.

 

[Lonicera]

"Sandusky Police Detective Eric Costante sent a tissue sample to the forensics lab Bode Technology in Lorton, Virginia, which was able to extract DNA from the sample." Body found near Cedar Point in 1980 identified as Michigan woman using new DNA testing
Her DNA was found by analyzing a fabric sample from the dress? Did I understand correctly?

It’s really a great job and it gives hope to all those still unresolved cases.
Bravo .

 

[Melt71]

"Sandusky Police Detective Eric Costante sent a tissue sample to the forensics lab Bode Technology in Lorton, Virginia, which was able to extract DNA from the sample." Body found near Cedar Point in 1980 identified as Michigan woman using new DNA testing
Her DNA was found by analyzing a fabric sample from the dress? Did I understand correctly?

“Tissue” sample would mean flesh or other soft remains of the body (ie not bone). Suspect the new technique referred to is the genetic genealogy component of the case. The article could have been titled more clearly.

 

[Lonicera]

“Tissue” sample would mean flesh or other soft remains of the body (ie not bone). Suspect the new technique referred to is the genetic genealogy component of the case. The article could have been titled more clearly.

Thanks . I made a mistake . My apologies .