WV WV - Alta, WhtFem 37-47, 275UFWV, skeletal in roadside dump, May'01

Shadow205

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I knew of 1 unidentified body in the county where I live but while researching something I found that there are 3.
<snip>

human remains found in Greenbrier County.
Estimated time of disappearance/death: October 1998 to January 1999.
Approximate Age: 25 to 45 years of age
Race: White
Gender: Female
Hair: Brown
Height: 5'2" to 5'6"
Medium Build

The unidentified remains have been profiled as a female subject with prior dental work done in the latter part of her teenage years. She has had a dental partial in the past that was to replace one of her front teeth, but may have not been used in recent years. She has had limited finances due to evidence found at the scene of the crime. more at link http://www.wvstatepolice.com/body.html

Unidentified Human Remains Recovered
May 9, 2001 in Greenbrier County off US Route 60


Information known about the victim:
1. Age 37-47
2. Female/White
3. Has bore at least one child
4. May be left handed
5. Height approximately 5 ft.
6. History of quality professional dental care
7. May have been a smoker
8. Time since death - probably at least 3 yrs before discovery (May 1998)
9. Chip in lower tooth present during life

bust.jpg

more at the link http://www.wvstatepolice.com/greenunknown.htm

On September 26, 2002, a body was discovered in the Greenbrier State Forest by a passerby. The body was over an embankment along Greenbrier State Forest Road (Harts Run).

(ModNote: This decedent was identified as Karen Santillion Tate)

The body has been examined and determined to be of Asian descent with a height of 4'2" to 5'2", the age is believed to be between 25 to 33 years of age. One article of clothing was Mercata brand orange shorts which are only sold in Walmart stores in Mexico. The person's teeth were all found to be origional with a few fillings. It was determined that the individual was probably right-handed. A pair of green swimming goggles was located near the body. A blue Ford Escort was seen in the area and may possibly be linked to the crime.

more at link http://www.wvstatepolice.com/greenasian.htm

I find this very disturbing as this is an area with a very low crime rate. From what I can determine these bodies were found in a rather close vicinity. The one body was found along Greenbrier State Forest Rd(Harts Run) and one was found of of Rt. 60. Greenbrier Forest Rd runs off of Rt 60. I am still trying to find out where the 3rd was found. 3 bodies in a four year period is a little alarming. What is really strange is that I have lived here for 2 years and have only heard about 1. These bodies were found less than 5 miles from my house!
I am searching for newspaper articles will post what I find.
 
shadow ... I looked at the state police page not too long ago and noticed that too. I'm in Summersville and most people out of our state won't understand just HOW UNUSUAL 3 un-id'ed bodies in that area really is. Made me think that the 3 cases are possibly related simply because that number probably accounts for a pretty big percentage of "dumped" bodies in our entire state.
 
To make the point a little more clear...In 2000, WV reported 46 total murders. For the period 1960-2000, the highest murder rate recorded was 138 in 1980.

In 2000, WV ranked 37th in population and 38th in murders. Highest murder rates were recorded in the population centers of the state, Charleston, Huntington, and Morgantown.

Its possible the area is being used as a "dumping ground" by persons out of the state.
 
shadowangel said:
To make the point a little more clear...In 2000, WV reported 46 total murders. For the period 1960-2000, the highest murder rate recorded was 138 in 1980.

In 2000, WV ranked 37th in population and 38th in murders. Highest murder rates were recorded in the population centers of the state, Charleston, Huntington, and Morgantown.

Its possible the area is being used as a "dumping ground" by persons out of the state.
Thanks Shadowangel! I knew I could count on you for some statistics. You are right LButler, it is very strange. Maybe someone is using this area for a dumping ground.
 
I found a blip of an article in the Charleston Gazette for May 11, 2001 where it mentions that Greenbrier officials are baffled about a body found 2 years earlier... As we know, the Gazette is a "pay to play" which is ok. However, I bought 10 credits for $17 and had problems with 2 articles never loading, but I got "charged" for them. They did nothing to fix it when I e'ed them.


Thanks for those great stats - I knew we were fortunate here, but didn't realize just how much!!
 
Shadow205 said:
I find this very disturbing as this is an area with a very low crime rate. From what I can determine these bodies were found in a rather close vicinity. The one body was found along Greenbrier State Forest Rd(Harts Run) and one was found of of Rt. 60. Greenbrier Forest Rd runs off of Rt 60. I am still trying to find out where the 3rd was found. 3 bodies in a four year period is a little alarming. What is really strange is that I have lived here for 2 years and have only heard about 1. These bodies were found less than 5 miles from my house!
I can sympathize. Since 2000, five bodies (still unidentified) have been found in Cornwall, the town next to mine (all within a 10-mile radius of me). Some had been dismembered to make IDing more difficult. This area is 50 miles from NYC, mostly all middle- and upper-class families-classic "white picket fence" towns. The bodies have been found off Rt 32, a connector to several main through routes from the city. And, Auggie21 made me aware of a body found in the hiking areas near the town of Tuxedo. I found the actual location, and realized that my boys and I had been hiking that very area last spring. (The body is thought to have been there five to ten years).
Eerie.
 
The area in Greenbrier county is wooded with mountains right? I am familiar with the area only b/c my grandfather died there in a plane accident 45(?) years ago. If I am thinking the same area then pehaps there are more out there since the victims could be easily hidden due to the terrain and it is a favorable dumping ground b/c of this.
 
2sisters ... I think you could be very correct. Many parts of WV could be good dumping grounds for murderers. I pulled up a map and that part of greenbrier is pretty easily accessible from DC, Richmond, vA, and Maryland....

I noticed that the do not have an estimated date of death for the 3rd victim, the asian girl. But, with them giving info on a car seen there, I'm assuming she was a recent dump at the time she was found? There are not alot of Asian people listed as missing, but this could be because they are estranged from family members and not reported or here illegally and not reported???
 
Yes, there is some pretty rugged terain around here. The area where one of the bodies was found is in a State Park. 2 of them were close to I-64 which is a major east/west corridor.
 
LButler said:
2sisters ... I think you could be very correct. Many parts of WV could be good dumping grounds for murderers. I pulled up a map and that part of greenbrier is pretty easily accessible from DC, Richmond, vA, and Maryland....

I noticed that the do not have an estimated date of death for the 3rd victim, the asian girl. But, with them giving info on a car seen there, I'm assuming she was a recent dump at the time she was found? There are not alot of Asian people listed as missing, but this could be because they are estranged from family members and not reported or here illegally and not reported???

There is also the added problems that often they have limited English, and/or they are reluctant to approach LE with a problem. Many are not sure if they can trust them. Some feel they wouldn't care.
 
Possible match? Does anyone see a likenes in Deloris Melton
DMelton.jpg

Melton is listed on the Doe Network. She has been missing since 04/15/94
from Ocean Isle Beach, NC.


Vital Statistics
  • Date Of Birth: November 20, 1955
  • Age at Time of Disappearance: 38 years old
  • Height and Weight at Time of Disappearance: 4'11"; 120 lbs.
  • Distinguishing Characteristics: Blonde hair; blue eyes.
  • Marks, Scars: Scars from a breast reduction.
  • Dentals: A chipped tooth
  • Clothing: Barrettes, dark jean jacket, black Harley tank top, size 10/12 jean shorts, size: 51/2 white Reebok tennis Shoes. A ring engraved with Shorty.
http://photobucket.com/albums/a273/shadow205/?action=view&current=bust.jpg

Shadow205 said:
I knew of 1 unidentified body in the county where I live but while researching something I found that there are 3.
<snip>

human remains found in Greenbrier County.
Estimated time of disappearance/death: October 1998 to January 1999.
Approximate Age: 25 to 45 years of age
Race: White
Gender: Female
Hair: Brown
Height: 5'2" to 5'6"
Medium Build

The unidentified remains have been profiled as a female subject with prior dental work done in the latter part of her teenage years. She has had a dental partial in the past that was to replace one of her front teeth, but may have not been used in recent years. She has had limited finances due to evidence found at the scene of the crime. more at link http://www.wvstatepolice.com/body.html

Unidentified Human Remains Recovered
May 9, 2001 in Greenbrier County off US Route 60


Information known about the victim:
1. Age 37-47
2. Female/White
3. Has bore at least one child
4. May be left handed
5. Height approximately 5 ft.
6. History of quality professional dental care
7. May have been a smoker
8. Time since death - probably at least 3 yrs before discovery (May 1998)
9. Chip in lower tooth present during life

bust.jpg

more at the link http://www.wvstatepolice.com/greenunknown.htm

On September 26, 2002, a body was discovered in the Greenbrier State Forest by a passerby. The body was over an embankment along Greenbrier State Forest Road (Harts Run).

(ModNote: This decedent was identified as Karen Santillion Tate)

The body has been examined and determined to be of Asian descent with a height of 4'2" to 5'2", the age is believed to be between 25 to 33 years of age. One article of clothing was Mercata brand orange shorts which are only sold in Walmart stores in Mexico. The person's teeth were all found to be origional with a few fillings. It was determined that the individual was probably right-handed. A pair of green swimming goggles was located near the body. A blue Ford Escort was seen in the area and may possibly be linked to the crime.

more at link http://www.wvstatepolice.com/greenasian.htm

I find this very disturbing as this is an area with a very low crime rate. From what I can determine these bodies were found in a rather close vicinity. The one body was found along Greenbrier State Forest Rd(Harts Run) and one was found of of Rt. 60. Greenbrier Forest Rd runs off of Rt 60. I am still trying to find out where the 3rd was found. 3 bodies in a four year period is a little alarming. What is really strange is that I have lived here for 2 years and have only heard about 1. These bodies were found less than 5 miles from my house!
I am searching for newspaper articles will post what I find.
 
There are definite similarities, and the chipped tooth is intriguing...Just wish the info on Doe listed whether is was an upper or lower. The timing is within reason, and the general physical desciption fits as well. Then there is the WV-NC link--It seems as though most folks who have lived in WV have also spent time in NC (Several of my frineds from high school now live in NC).
I think it is worth talking to the Doe Network about this one.
 
Shadow205 ... I think it's close enough to contact someone. They say the body was there at least three years, but in reality, the remains may have been there longer. Or, she was kept alive for a period of time, killed and dumped later? I posted this somewhere else - I know we have all kinds of tehcnology these days, but I think once the soft tissue is gone is really is a "best guess" situation.

Another note to encourage you, if one of these girls could get id'ed, it might lead to a clue of who the others are!!
Let's keep our fingers crossed. It would be such a great feeling to put a name to one of these poor souls.
 
I sent the information on the unidentified body found in Greenbrier county along with the info on Deloris Melton to both the doenetwork & the WV State Police today pointing out the simularities.
 
Shadow205 said:
I sent the information on the unidentified body found in Greenbrier county along with the info on Deloris Melton to both the doenetwork & the WV State Police today pointing out the simularities.
A DNA test was ordered a couple months back about this match. Let me try to find the article.
 
Local Lost: A Missing Persons Investigation
var wn_last_ed_date = getLEDate("Nov10,2005,4:30 PM EST"); document.write(wn_last_ed_date); Nov 10, 2005, 04:30 PM EST
4068641_BG1.jpg
Recreated face of human remains found in West Virginia
4068641_BG2.jpg
Delores Melton
Every year thousands of people are reported missing in North Carolina. While most of them are found, some never come home, leaving their families wondering what happened.

April 15, 1994 is the day one family will never forget. That's the day 38-year-old Delores Melton simply vanished.

Virginia Witten is Delores Melton's sister. "We don't really want to find out who did something to her, we know somebody did something, we just want to find out where she is and bring her back and put her someplace where we know where she is," Witten said.

Virginia Witten talked to her sister Delores the Friday night she disappeared. That night, Delores came to Sunset Beach. People last saw her at a bar called "High Tides."

The bar Delores disappeared from is long gone, now there's just an empty space here, empty like the heart of her family who still know nothing after 11 and a half years.

Some speculated Delores simply took off, but her family doesn't believe it.

"She didn't take off," Witten said. "She had family, a fairly good job, a son, a nice place to live -- she wouldn’t have taken off. She has money in the bank. That money is still in there, so no, she just didn't take off. Something terrible happened to her."

Monica Caison with the CUE Center for Missing Persons doesn't believe Delores left on her own, either. Monica got involved with the case in 1998. After seven years of searching she too wants answers for the family.

"Delores's son grew up believing that she possibly ran off because he heard in the only onset of what people have been saying," Caison said. "I'd like him to know the truth. I'd like him to know the truth before he has family."

Now, a startling turn in the investigation: Medical experts recreated the face of human remains found in West Virginia. Though found far from here, the Jane Doe and Delores Melton have many similarities. Is this face the answer the family has been searching for?

Caison has sent letters and made phone calls, but red tape continues to tie up the DNA process. If and when it happens, there's still a possibility the woman is someone else's missing loved one. That's why Virginia prays for answer -- prays that someone, somewhere knows something about her sister and will step forward.

"It's been absolutely terrible. My parents, well, of course their health is deteriorating and I think a lot of it has to do with this disappearance. We need closure. The family needs closure," Witten said.

The family waits, still no closer to answers than they were in April of 1994.

The Jane Doe in question is at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington DC.

Monica Caison with the cue center is pushing to have DNA testing done on the remains.
 
Marilynilpa, thanks for posting that article. Was that from a newspaper or from here? I searched for info on here but didn't find any. Looks like I'm not the only one who thinks the unidentified body could be Deloris Melton. I hope that they do the DNA testing, maybe that family can have some answers.
 
Wow, Shadow205! Pretty good sleuthing on your part. Can't wait to hear the results. And, I really do think if they can match this one, possibly the others can be named as well. Because of the time frame and area, I think these bodies could have been dumped by one killer.

However, if it is her, the estimated time of death is probably off by a few years and that could throw the time frames into a longer period.
Keep us updated!
 
LButler said:
Wow, Shadow205! Pretty good sleuthing on your part. Can't wait to hear the results. And, I really do think if they can match this one, possibly the others can be named as well. Because of the time frame and area, I think these bodies could have been dumped by one killer.

However, if it is her, the estimated time of death is probably off by a few years and that could throw the time frames into a longer period.
Keep us updated!
Just for reference on time frames of death...When Cheryl Commesso's remains were first found, her death was estimated at '91 or '92. Franklin Floyd, the prime suspect, was not in Florida at that time....Forensics experts re-examined the remains and were able to fix her date of death sometime in mid-'89---the same time Floyd fled from Florida and headed west.
Estimates for dates of death for skeletal remains are usually very general, but can be narrowed down in some cases when absolutely necessary.
 

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