Identified! TX - Huntsville, 'Walker County Jane Doe', WhtFem 14-16, 91UFTX, Nov'80 #4 Sherry Ann Jarvis

[Sweetluv]

Beekarina...I like the billboard idea.
So many cases grow "cold" and get put on the back burner. Billboards are a good way for locals and travelers to have their memories jogged.

 

[Mrs. Badcrumble]

I think it's highly likely that the people who do know her aren't even aware of the murder. I've talked to people from not far from there who never heard of the case.

We UID websleuths often ask "Why isn't this and this well-known case already solved?", but thing is that most UID cases are not known at all outside our community, even the ones we consider "famous" and almost legend-like. They simply don't get the same kind of exposure as for example missing persons, who often have TV shows, news reports, articles, greater reach and response on SoMe, just to mention a few.

 

[BayouSue322]

I was just checking the laws in Texas around statutory rape, which is sex acts with a minor under 17 (in Texas). No wonder none of the prisoners "recognized" WCJD. If they were involved with her, the penalties are very high, even if deemed "indecent acts" which is a 2nd degree felony. They could still be looking a up to 20 years. A first degree statutory rape could get them up to 99 years. Texas Statutory Rape Laws and Penalties | The Law Office of Matthew D. Sharp

So just to point out that we shouldn't dismiss the strong possibility that there was an inmate at the prison who knew WCJD, but just didn't admit it.

Amateur opinion and speculation

Hi! I have long been following this case and it's definitely the one that remains high priority on my list! I really became interested in cases like these when I was in college in the early 2000's and the internet made searching them so much easier.

I graduated in May 2005 from Northwestern in Natchitoches LA and my grandma lived about 30 minutes from Huntsville so I applied for TDCJ and was hired as an officer assigned to the Ellis unit. I spent 6 years there and had to leave after getting into a bad car accident. After returning to LA I was on bed rest for 3 months so my laptop became my best friend. I went back to check certain cases that had interested me when I stumbled across Walker County Jane Doe...I couldn't believe that I had never heard of her and I was literally right there working at the unit she was trying to get to <modsnip>

I have thought of a few things with this case and the time frame that it happened. Ellis at the time was where death row was held but I'm having a hard time finding out info on who would've been held there then and any other related info, but the unit is actually quite a few ways from where she was asking directions from and she most likely found a trucker that said he'd bring her and that's the person that killed her. Now I don't fully understand what was going through her head in that she believed that she could just walk through the gates of a remote prison farm late at night and they'd just say sure come on in and you can stay the night! It's never worked that way and I'm pretty sure she knew it too so I'm wondering if she was trying to help an inmate escape or something else because that scenario in itself just makes me believe that there's definitely more there that would uncover more of her identity.

I'm going to end my little thought session here with this thought: during that time there were a few Christian group homes that took in teenagers who their parents believed were causing problems so these places promised to house, feed and guide them on the correct path. The problem was that these girls would run away and the place never reported them as missing but as runaways and that's what they told the parents as well. About 5 or 6 years ago an unidentified female was finally given her identity back 30-35 years after her body was discovered in Shreveport. The family was finally able to connect the dots thanks to DNA testing and even though her murder hasn't been solved they do know that she did run away from the Christian group home her family placed her in and the runaway status was believed. I want to look more into these places that possibly were around during her time. Also I believe that she knew the guy who dropped her off initially and he's the one that helped her escape from the place she was to Huntsville. He was probably over the age of 18 so that's why he dropped her off and fled the scene. He either left and never gave a second thought to how her life ended up or he did find out about her murder but has refused to speak out in fear of being charged.

 

[rosesfromangels]

Ellis at the time was where death row was held but I'm having a hard time finding out info on who would've been held there then and any other related info, but the unit is actually quite a few ways from where she was asking directions from and she most likely found a trucker that said he'd bring her and that's the person that killed her. Now I don't fully understand what was going through her head in that she believed that she could just walk through the gates of a remote prison farm late at night

Snipped for focused reply. Welcome! How lucky we are to have you on the thread! I think she was *very* young - more towards the 13-14 yr. range. As such, she was likely very naive about how she would go about seeing the person of her interest. I think the Christian group home is a very good lead we need to investigate further. Thank you for joining us!
-Roses
<modsnip>
Amateur opinion and speculation

 

[Alleykins]

I'd never entertained the idea she could have been part of an escape plan.
It could explain why none of the inmates confessed to knowing her.

 

[Beekarina]

Maybe we should start by figuring out who the youngest inmates were? I agree after the time spent here WCJD was likely very young, so if there was a real connection to Ellis, who may have been the most plausible connection?

Obviously she could have been groomed by an older guy, or otherwise caught up in something really bizarre, but as a place to start...

 

[Beekarina]

Another thought: This is a bit convoluted, but there are a handful of states that allow teens younger than 16 to have a driver's license. I wonder if WCJD may have been from one of them originally, and set off with her own vehicle? Could also explain her traveling light, etc.

IF she was 16, she may have even been a teen who dropped out of school, and had her own place and a job....Not a "Beth Doe" situation exactly, but sort of along those lines

 

[Kiranerys]

Maybe we should start by figuring out who the youngest inmates were? I agree after the time spent here WCJD was likely very young, so if there was a real connection to Ellis, who may have been the most plausible connection?

Obviously she could have been groomed by an older guy, or otherwise caught up in something really bizarre, but as a place to start...

I'm sure I remember reading in the threads somewhere that there was a 19 yr old inmate who was released either a few days or weeks before she was found and I thought at the time maybe it was him and she didn't know he had been released if she was already travelling to visit him.

 

[UnlicensedPI]

I can't remember if it's ever been floated before, but maybe she was told that an inmate was her father.

I'm thinking there could be a scenario in which she's told her absent father is in prison. Maybe she's fighting with her mother/caretaker/foster parent and decides to run away and seek him out. He doesn't know she exists, or isn't involved in her life and wouldn't recognize her, let alone be aware she's on the way to visit him.

IMO it could explain why she left home, wasn't reported missing, and why the prisoner she was going to visit didn't know who she was. Pure speculation on my part, but I think it could be a possibility that puts all the pieces into place.

 

[rosesfromangels]

I can't remember if it's ever been floated before, but maybe she was told that an inmate was her father.

I'm thinking there could be a scenario in which she's told her absent father is in prison. Maybe she's fighting with her mother/caretaker/foster parent and decides to run away and seek him out. He doesn't know she exists, or isn't involved in her life and wouldn't recognize her, let alone be aware she's on the way to visit him.

IMO it could explain why she left home, wasn't reported missing, and why the prisoner she was going to visit didn't know who she was. Pure speculation on my part, but I think it could be a possibility that puts all the pieces into place.

A solid theory, and entirely possible.

Amateur opinion and speculation

 

[Coloredstone8221]

Log In or Sign Up to View. For the Jpeg.

 

[squish]

Yes, I'm sure he has too. I think we're looking at the wrong thing. Not high school year books; we need MIDDLE SCHOOL year books. (Or school pics). I feel strongly this is what we need to find.

Your opinionated Roses!

I thought there was evidence that the UID was towards the older end of the age range? So late teens?

She had a sweet, baby-faced appearance that made her look young. But I know women in their 30’s who still get mistaken for teenagers. A couple of years difference between real and apparent age isn’t that much of a discrepancy.

If she really was 19, that would make more sense why she hadn’t been reported missing by her parents. She was an adult and could legally do as she wanted.

what I’m coming to is I agree middle school photos would be useful, but from maybe 1972-1977 assuming she was 16-19 years old.

 

[Paul B.]

No. Her bones indicate she was 14-16.

 

[Sillybilly]

ADMIN NOTE:

This post lands at random.

Please do not post random images of people who are not known to be missing.

Thank you.

 

[Lightshade]

Just also chiming in that as notorious as this case may be to those "in the know", very few people would know it out in their normal, everyday lives. I only found out about this after becoming interested in Does after stumbling across the DNA Doe Project website and spiraling down the rabbit hole until I ended up here.

When I told my parents about WCJD, who are two very knowledgeable people about crime cases since they had the dubious honor of living in California back when all the notorious killers were at work, they had NEVER heard of this case whatsoever, not even from our many relatives who live in Texas. Also of note was my father was of the opinion her response of "Who cares?" when asked about where her parents was that it wasn't just a smartass quip from a teenager, he thought sadly enough (and was probably right) that her parents legitimately didn't give a hoot about where their daughter was or what she was doing. Unless they were young parents, both of them are probably deceased by now, and I wonder if either of them gave a thought about the daughter that they left in someone else's care and never saw again.

Personally, I think the "penpal theory" of why she was visiting someone at the prison seems pretty legit. Most prisons even today don't do the most thorough check with incoming mail, so unless they were scanning every piece of mail, an older man or even a young man in his late teens to early twenties could have easily flown under the radar of having a teenage penpal. That's also assuming she didn't claim she was over the age of eighteen to make herself seem more grown-up. At that age of 14-16, I know I would have totally been sucked into the fantasy of a man I'd never actually met paying attention to me, writing me letters and telling me all about how fantastic and mature I was. This would be even more apparent if her parents weren't in her life or very neglectful. An invitation to visit them in person would have been like catnip. She probably honestly hadn't thought out a plan more than "I'll visit him in person, we'll talk, he'll fall madly in love with me, and make a plan on what to do when he gets out of prison." Teens aren't particularly known for their long-term thinking. If he'd never seen her picture, he may not have put two and two together. Or he did, realized how very bad it would look to be communicating with a young girl, and kept his mouth shut, probably destroying any letters that he might have kept.

 

[Sweetluv]

With the pen pal theory, they may have only corresponded and not exchanged pics...this could explain why he did not recognize her. Also, maybe she was going to "surprise" him and show up at the prison...so not expecting her, he would not have made the connection.

 

[Wossy]

Been awhile since I posted here, but I was listening to the song Prowler by Iron Maiden (a song from 1980) and the opening line “Walking through the city, looking oh so pretty. I've just got to find my way“ Made me think of her so i came back here to see how things are going. Looks like we are in thread number 4 now. Anyways does anyone think a guard could have committed the act? Maybe she got in a vehicle with him because he showed proof that he worked there the injuries she suffered both internal and external could have been from a billy club. Maybe that’s why the police department isn't in a hurry to solve the case because it might link back to someone in law enforcement.

 

[rosesfromangels]

Been awhile since I posted here, but I was listening to the song Prowler by Iron Maiden (a song from 1980) and the opening line “Walking through the city, looking oh so pretty. I've just got to find my way“ Made me think of her so i came back here to see how things are going. Looks like we are in thread number 4 now. Anyways does anyone think a guard could have committed the act? Maybe she got in a vehicle with him because he showed proof that he worked there the injuries she suffered both internal and external could have been from a billy club. Maybe that’s why the police department isn't in a hurry to solve the case because it might link back to someone in law enforcement.

I think a trucker is the most likely; a SK, like this miscreant:
The Story Of Robert Ben Rhoades, The Truck Stop Killer Who Took Photos Of His Victims Before He Murdered Them

Amateur opinion and speculation

 

[Sweetluv]

Serial killers are prominent in Texas...some never caught.
I think one of these monsters are responsible for our girls death as well. Prob encountered her at one of the truck stops.
It has been speculated that DNA could have been present on the sandals..
Also, the bite mark is significant.
With all the cold cases that have been solved in 2021, I hope a DNA lab does, or already has, picked up this case!!
So young..so identifiable...but why not??
If she was reported missing, I hope she was not dismissed as a runaway...

 

[Sweetluv]

Because of her bite mark, wouldnt that have been compared to other caught SK who stalked in Texas?
Or only if they were known to leave bite marks?
Any thoughts or does anyone know how that works?
If it's TRUE about possible DNA on the sandals, that would have been compared too...