Identified! PA - Bensalem, WhtFem 35-45, 306UFPA, wrapped in plastic, dental wk, Sep'95 - Merrybeth Hodgkinson

[Classito]

http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/a/arvanites_deborah.html

Deborah Arvanites (missing since May 1991) is a little younger (29) than the estimated age but she was about 5 hours from the location of the UID when she was last seen. Her height and weight fit. 5'2 130 lbs. She had two children. She hitchhiked from Ohio to Conneant Lake Park in PA for a concert and stayed for a Harley rally. She was last seen at the park by a family friend

Classito

 

[mydnyghtrayvyn]

This is my first time posting on this site. I read the entire thread on this story and I looked at all of the links that were posted. The thing that stands out to me in this case is her clothing. It kind of sounds like she was homeless. She was wearing multiple layers of clothing that didn't really match or go together. I agree with the poster who suggested that the KPMG shirt could have been purchased from a thrift shop, Goodwill, or maybe it was even given to her at a homeless shelter. Then, you have the Property of Alcatraz shirt, which was cut so that it was a half shirt. So, she was wearing a cropped top under a full shirt OR she was wearing the cropped top over the full shirt, either way, it just doesn't sound like an outfit someone who had a choice would wear. Then, when you factor in the blue corduroy pants, it just doesn't seem like you would put all of those items together. Again, if you had another choice. I do have a point and I'm getting to it. Would any of the homeless shelters have records of women who stayed with them during that time? Were those records ever checked?

 

[rats]

This is my first time posting on this site. I read the entire thread on this story and I looked at all of the links that were posted. The thing that stands out to me in this case is her clothing. It kind of sounds like she was homeless. She was wearing multiple layers of clothing that didn't really match or go together. I agree with the poster who suggested that the KPMG shirt could have been purchased from a thrift shop, Goodwill, or maybe it was even given to her at a homeless shelter. Then, you have the Property of Alcatraz shirt, which was cut so that it was a half shirt. So, she was wearing a cropped top under a full shirt OR she was wearing the cropped top over the full shirt, either way, it just doesn't sound like an outfit someone who had a choice would wear. Then, when you factor in the blue corduroy pants, it just doesn't seem like you would put all of those items together. Again, if you had another choice. I do have a point and I'm getting to it. Would any of the homeless shelters have records of women who stayed with them during that time? Were those records ever checked?

Welcome to Websleuths, mydnyghtrayvyn! :wagon: Checking the homeless shelters is definitely a good idea! I wonder what the easiest way to contact the detective would be, surely he would know if they were ever checked.

 

[Springrain]

This is my first time posting on this site. I read the entire thread on this story and I looked at all of the links that were posted. The thing that stands out to me in this case is her clothing. It kind of sounds like she was homeless. She was wearing multiple layers of clothing that didn't really match or go together. I agree with the poster who suggested that the KPMG shirt could have been purchased from a thrift shop, Goodwill, or maybe it was even given to her at a homeless shelter. Then, you have the Property of Alcatraz shirt, which was cut so that it was a half shirt. So, she was wearing a cropped top under a full shirt OR she was wearing the cropped top over the full shirt, either way, it just doesn't sound like an outfit someone who had a choice would wear. Then, when you factor in the blue corduroy pants, it just doesn't seem like you would put all of those items together. Again, if you had another choice. I do have a point and I'm getting to it. Would any of the homeless shelters have records of women who stayed with them during that time? Were those records ever checked?

Hi!:wagon::wagon::wagon::wagon:
Welcome to Websleuths!

 

[mydnyghtrayvyn]

Thank you for the warm welcome! Actually, you brought up a good point about contacting law enforcement. When is it right to contact them? I know that this is a broad question, but I could use some pointers.

 

[carbuff]

Here are the ruleouts as they are listed on NamUs:

Andrea Coyle 1948 Pennsylvania
Katherine Heckel 1951 Pennsylvania
Frances Kiefer 1949 Pennsylvania
Gloria Korzon 1943 Pennsylvania
Bonita Krummel 1946 New Jersey
CHARLOTTEAL POLLIS 1965 Ohio
Barbara Shumac 1953 Pennsylvania
Betty Smith 1942 New Jersey
Mary Smith* 1948 Pennsylvania
Colleen Voitik Mc Hugh 1963 Illinois

Two new ruleouts:

MP1232 Renee LaManna 01/08/1994 Cape May NJ
MP20366 Doreen Tiedman 12/31/1993 Cuyahoga OH

Updated link: Unidentified Person Case

 

[carbuff]

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

MP2496 Andrea Coyle 12/19/1978 Blair PA
MP10287 Lucy Fuentes 10/22/1992 Orange NY
MP14211 Katherine Heckel 07/15/1991 Clinton PA
MP8259 Frances Kiefer 03/22/1994 Lehigh PA
MP10496 Gloria Korzon 03/06/1981 Bucks PA
MP3914 Bonita Krummel 01/23/1991 Burlington NJ
MP1232 Renee LaManna 01/08/1994 Cape May NJ
MP10479 Charlotteal Pollis 03/12/1994 Trumbull OH
MP2499 Barbara Shumac 12/16/1982 Erie PA
MP1241 Betty Smith 10/01/1991 Mercer NJ
MP19367 Mary Smith* 01/01/1983 Philadelphia PA
MP20366 Doreen Tiedman 12/31/1993 Cuyahoga OH
MP16945 Colleen Voitik McHugh 04/17/1994 Will IL

 

[CCJD]

Article from 2004 released after Seth Wolfson and Dan Sollitti did the recons. Reposted 2011. I'm surprised it's still available and not hidden behind a pay wall.

Children first discovered her body in September 1995 at the rear of the 24-hour Clubhouse Diner on Street Road in Bensalem while searching for wood and sticks to build a tree fort. Wrapped in a plastic tarp, stripped of her clothing and hidden beneath dirt, leaves and trash, the woman was likely the victim of strangulation, although no official cause of death is known, according to Bensalem Detective Chris McMullin.

The homicide was once believed to have been linked to the early 1990s murders of Amy Moore and go-go dancer Toshiko Ciaccio. Ciaccio, specifically, was found wrapped in plastic similar to Jane Doe.

While the timing fits, Gibbons said, no explicit evidence ever linked those deaths and this victim and, for many years, the body and investigation were laid to rest and all but forgotten.

more here: Jane Doe (Bensalem 1995)

 

[TootsieFootsie]

26 years after kids found human skull, police still searching for Jane Doe’s identity - KTVZ

BENSALEM, Pennsylvania (KYW) — Kids in Bensalem collecting sticks for a fort found what they thought at first was a turtle shell. It turned out to be a human skull.

Twenty-six years after this discovery, detectives hope information about shirts found with this woman’s body, along with a special necklace will help them finally give Jane Doe a name and who took her life.

“She’s still a Jane Doe,” Bensalem Township Police Chris McMullin said.

In all the years since her body was discovered, her true identity has eluded investigators.

“We need to find her name,” McMullin said.

 

[CCJD]

BENSALEM, Pa. (CBS) — Kids in Bensalem collecting sticks for a fort found what they thought at first was a turtle shell. It turned out to be a human skull.

Twenty-six years after this discovery, detectives hope information about shirts found with this woman’s body, along with a special necklace will help them finally give Jane Doe a name and who took her life.

26 Years After Kids Found Human Skull In Bensalem, Police Still Searching For Jane Doe's Identity

 

[SurrealisticSlumbers]

BENSALEM, Pa. (CBS) — Kids in Bensalem collecting sticks for a fort found what they thought at first was a turtle shell. It turned out to be a human skull.

Twenty-six years after this discovery, detectives hope information about shirts found with this woman’s body, along with a special necklace will help them finally give Jane Doe a name and who took her life.

26 Years After Kids Found Human Skull In Bensalem, Police Still Searching For Jane Doe's Identity

Sounds like Ofc. McMullin is really trying to get this case resolved.

KPMG Peat Marwick - is this at all significant? "KPMG was formed in 1987 with the merger of Peat Marwick International (PMI) and Klynveld Main Goerdeler (KMG) and their individual member firms." Nearest office location relative to where she was found is/was at 1601 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103-2499: Office locations

 

[CCJD]

Identified as Merrybeth Hodgkinson of Warminster.

Nearly 30 years after she disappeared, the woman whose body was found wrapped in plastic and buried in a shallow grave behind a popular 24-hour diner has a name again.

Now Bensalem police want to find out who killed Merrybeth Hodgkinson, a 31-year-old single mother of two who grew up in Bucks County and once danced at Lower Bucks strip clubs.
Warminster woman identified as Bensalem murder victim found in 1995

 

[CCJD]

What to Know

• On Sept. 18, 1995, police found the skeletal remains of an unidentified woman. Her death was ruled a homicide by unspecified means.
• In November of this year, investigators identified the victim as Merrybeth Hodgkinson of Warminster, Pennsylvania. Hodgkinson went missing in 1992.
• Police are asking anyone who knew Hodgkinson to call Detective Chris McMullin of the Bensalem Police at 215-633-3726 or Detective Greg Biedler of the Bucks County DA’s Office at 215-348-6344.

Bensalem Police ID Human Remains as Woman Who Went Missing in 1992

 

[victoriarobinson642]

Rest in peace, Merrybeth.

 

[victoriarobinson642]

Warminster woman missing since 1992 identified as Bensalem murder victim found behind diner 26 years ago
The mystery surrounding the woman known as Clubhouse Jane Doe was solved last month after her DNA profile was uploaded into an international database to build a genetic family tree.
Earlier this month, a DNA match with a living sibling confirmed the remains are Hodgkinson, who was last seen alive in 1992, Bensalem police said in a press release Monday announcing authorities had identified Hodgkinson.

 

[MadMcGoo]

Rest peacefully now Merrybeth.

 

[chaddylex]

Wow, I am so glad she has finally been identified. I just realized I started this thread for this Jane Doe back in 2010.

Now hopefully they will find her killer.

 

[chrissyfr]

They have a POI
Warminster woman identified as Bensalem murder victim found in 1995

Toshiko Ciaccio, 42, a Japanese immigrant and exotic dancer, was found naked and wrapped in clear plastic and carpet near the development where she lived on Sept. 27, 1992. She had been bludgeoned and strangled, police said.

Bensalem resident William “Wild Bill” Montgomery was arrested in 1994 for the murder of Ciaccio and Philadelphia resident Amy Moore, 25, whose beaten body was found wrapped in a camper awning near the Delaware River in August, 1993.

In 2001, Montgomery pleaded guilty to both murders and he was sentenced to two life sentences, which he is serving at the State Correctional Institute in Somerset County, about 75 miles southeast of Pittsburgh.

McMullin suspects Montgomery may be connected with Hodgkinson’s death.

“I’m very confident,” he added.

 

[dotr]

 

[iulia]

Nice, lengthy article about Merrybeth Hodgkinson

Bucks County Courier Times