PA PA - Sandra Hopler, 18, LaPlume, 29 Sept 1973

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Sandra Lee Hopler

Missing since September 29, 1973 from LaPlume, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania

Classification: Missing

Vital Statistics

Age at Time of Disappearance: 18 years old
Height and Weight at Time of Disappearance: 5'4"; 125 lbs.
Distinguishing Characteristics: White female. Brown hair; brown eyes.
AKA: Sandy

Circumstances of Disappearance

Sandra, a native of Essex County, NJ, was reported missing on September 29, 1973 from Keystone Junior College, where she was a student.

She had told her roommate that she was going to New York City for a visit. She has not been seen nor heard from since.

Investigators
If you have any information concerning this case, please contact:

Pennsylvania State Police - Troop R
570-963-3156

Agency Case Number: R01-0007906

Source Information:

Pennsylvania Missing Persons
Doe Network
 
How do you feel about this doe in comparison to Sandra Hopler? The location of the body is about 2hrs from the place where Sandra was last seen and the age and timing are right. Please let me know your thoughts....

http://doenetwork.org/cases/609ufpa.html
 
Taramarie,

I think this could be a possible match. The characterisitics add up and the UID is said to have been killed in Sept which is the time that Sandra went missing. I would say to submit it!
 
I know the sketch doesn't really match Sandra's picture, but the sketch seems to be of pretty low quality so I don't know how much we should actually rely on it.

As far as submitting the match, I have never done that before. How do you go about it?
 
Taramarie,

Both the UID and Sandra are from PA and their point of Contact is the PA State Police. I looked for an email link, but didn't find one. You could call Pennsylvania State Police - Troop R 570-963-3156. They are the ones handling Sandra's Case. Make sure when you call you give them the case number which is R01-0007906

Or you could call the Police Dept that is in charge of the UID..Pennsylvania State Police 610-378-4035
Agency Case # - L02-001259
NCIC # - U-853401149.

I looked on Namus to see if the UID was listed on there and she wasn't. Sometimes on Namus they have a list of ruleouts....

Let me know if I can help you with anything else and keep us posted!
 
Excellent possible match taramarie!

I would submit to both agencies.

Good luck!
 
Unidentified White Female
Found October 10, 1973 in Fort Indiantown Gap Military Reservation, Lebanon County.

Vital Statistics
Estimated Age: 16-20 years old
Estimated Height & Weight: 5'6"-5'8" with a thin build.
Hair Color: Light Brown or Blonde
Eye Color: Unknown
Dentals: Available, Extensive dental work.
Fingerprints: Available
DNA: Not Available
State of Remains: Decomposed from the waist up.
Estimated Time of Death: September 1973
Other: no clothing, jewelry or other personal effects.
Distinguishing Characteristics: thin nose with the bridge swayed slightly left with tip to the right. High forehead and a strong, tilted chin.
No previous fractures.

Case Details

On October 10, 1973 at about 6:30pm, the badly decomposed remains of a young woman were found about 200 yards off of Route 443 near Green Point. The area she was found in is part of the Fort Indiantown Gap Military Reservation land. She was found by two Deputy Game Protectors.

There had been no attempt to bury the body. She was covered by tree branches, brush and a 48"x32.5" piece of plastic. On the plastic was a white seal which read, "National Sanitation Foundation, Testing Laboratory, Number 8505".

Despite contacting dentists, families of missing girls and other police departments, the girl's identity remains unknown.

Investigators

If you have any information about this case, please contact:

Pennsylvania State Police
610-378-4035

Agency Case # - L02-001259
NCIC # - U-853401149

Sources
Pennsylvania State Police
NewspaperArchive.com
Lebanon Daily News
NewsLibrary.com

http://www.pennsylvaniamissing.com/609ufpafortindgap.html
 
I just got off the phone with the Pennsylvania State Police. The very helpful man I spoke with took down all of my info and even got on the website with me and we compared them over the phone together. He sounded extremely interested and told me that the investigator in charge of Sandra's case was out today, but he would call him at home (he said that they have been working on her case more lately and he thought Cpl. Steve would like to hear the lead).

Anyhow, he called me back about 10 min later and told me that after going and delving into it a little more, he found that they have already compared Sandra to this UID and there was no match. I asked him if he had a list of who Sandra has been compared to and he said he would have the investigator call me when he's back in next week.

Back to the drawing board, I guess...
 
Too bad, this did look like a good match based on all the info. (The sketch is very bad, it even makes the UID look like she had black hair when the info says it was light brown to blonde). I wondered if Ms Hopler could have be become an Alcala victim since she was going to New York. Does anybody know where he was at that time>?
 
Bump

This month will mark 37 years that Sandra has been missing. Come home soon.
 
Sandra's photo and information was recently printed by the National Center For Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). It has a photo of her in 1973 and an age progression to 55. Here is what it said:

Date Missing: 09/29/73

Name: Sandra Hopler
From: La Plume, PA
DOB: 06/08/55
SEX: Female
AGE: 55 (today) 18 at time of disappearance
HAIR: Lt. Brown
EYES: Hazel
HEIGHT: 5' 4"
WEIGHT: 125 lbs.
 

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I submitted the UID found in PA as a match to Sandra Lee Hopler again. The investigators on both the UID and the missing person think it could be a match and a DNA test is being completed. I will let you know when I hear something.
 
BBM below ... Was it ever said how Sandra was traveling to NYC? Hitchhiking? Martz Trailways bus? Riding with another student? Her own car?


Sandra Lee Hopler

Missing since September 29, 1973 from LaPlume, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania

Classification: Missing

Vital Statistics

Age at Time of Disappearance: 18 years old
Height and Weight at Time of Disappearance: 5'4"; 125 lbs.
Distinguishing Characteristics: White female. Brown hair; brown eyes.
AKA: Sandy

Circumstances of Disappearance

Sandra, a native of Essex County, NJ, was reported missing on September 29, 1973 from Keystone Junior College, where she was a student.

She had told her roommate that she was going to New York City for a visit. She has not been seen nor heard from since.

Investigators
If you have any information concerning this case, please contact:

Pennsylvania State Police - Troop R
570-963-3156

Agency Case Number: R01-0007906

Source Information:

Pennsylvania Missing Persons
Doe Network
 

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