AL AL - Marbury, WhtFemale Skeletal, UP51903, 35-50, in root cellar, wrapped in comforter, Mar'86

[Tuck]

General Information

Date of Discovery - 29/03/1986

Location of Discovery - Marbury, Autauga County, Alabama

Estimated Date of Death - Prior to 1983

State of Remains - Not recognizable - Near complete or complete skeleton

Cause of Death - Homicide

Physical Description

Estimated Age - 35 - 50

Race - White / Caucasian

Gender - Female

Height - 5'2 to 5'6, Estimated (1986 Anthropology Report specifies as 5'4)

Weight - 110 - 150, Estimated (1986 Anthropology Report specifies as 125 Pounds)

Hair Color - Brown (short, slightly curled in style)

Eye Color - Unknown or Missing

Distinguishing Marks / Features - The victim wore a partial upper dental plate containing seven teeth. The victim was also missing the four lower front teeth, but no second implant was located to determine as to whether to the victim wore a lower dental plate.

Clothing and Personal Items

Clothing - Found wearing mesh tank top with fake stones on top.

Jewelry - Unknown

Additional Personal Items - Wrapped in a comforter, no description provided.

Circumstances of Discovery

Children attending a birthday party at a rural farmhouse near Marbury discovered the victim's remains in a root cellar on the property. The victim, who had been placed in a corner of the cellar and wrapped in a comforter, had been shot three times in the head.

Investigators believe that the victim had been murdered and placed at the site prior to 1983, but despite the creation of a reconstruction and numerous attempts to solve the case by local authorities, the identity of the woman remains unknown.

 

[wordsick]

NamUs link

 

[creepedout]

This description appears to match rather well:

Missing Person Case

The JD's estimated time of death compared to this disappearance is not perfect, but does not seem impossible. The fact that Barbara's car was never found also suggests she was a victim of foul play. Dentals are on file.

 

[folieadeuxnola]

'The Lady deserves a name': In Autauga, a 34-year-old cold case killing has not been forgotten

Sheriff Joe Sedinger knows Sutton faces an uphill battle. It’s been almost 34 years. Witnesses and potential suspects may have died or moved away. Her remains, stored at the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences cannot be found. So even if a potential relative is found, there is nothing to provide a DNA sample for comparison

Somebody, somewhere knows who the Lady is,” she said. “She is not a bunch of bones dug up from a root cellar. Somebody gave birth to her and loved her. We need to know who she is.

Autopsy reports estimate she was between 30 to 35 years old, and between 5-feet-3-inches and 5-feet-five-inches tall. The only article of clothing found with the remains was a halter top with decorative rhinestones. She had extensive dental work done, including a partial denture plate.

Sutton thinks the Lady was down there five or six years before the March day in 1986

“It was policy at forensics then to cremate remains after a certain length of time,” Sutton said. “She had never been identified. But I can’t believe they destroyed the skull after having a reconstruction done. The skull is somewhere. It may be in somebody’s back storage room or in a box in a warehouse somewhere.

“It won’t have a name attached. But that skull is somewhere.”

If you have any information on the case call Sutton at (334) 361-2523 of the Autauga County Sheriff's Office Secret Witness Line at (334) 361-2599

 

[victoriarobinson642]

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)
This MP was added to NAMUS a few days ago and matches the stats of the UID (5"6, white, dark hair, 150 lbs).

 

[Tuck]

Patricia Ann Cadle was just added to NamUs, and is missing from Montevallo, Alabama since 1981. She was apparently buried in Chilton County, which is just across the county line from Autauga County? The person charged with her murder was also responsible for shooting another person in the head with a small caliber rifle.

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

 

[victoriarobinson642]

Patricia Ann Cadle was just added to NamUs, and is missing from Montevallo, Alabama since 1981. She was apparently buried in Chilton County, which is just across the county line from Autauga County? The person charged with her murder was also responsible for shooting another person in the head with a small caliber rifle.

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

I was about to come here and suggest this myself - the only difference I see is brown vs blonde hair, but I see how that could be mistaken.

 

[Mrs. Badcrumble]

Marbury Jane Doe's NamUs page was recently updated, but I can't see what was changed. No visible exclusions, though.

 

[MsKnief]

How about Dixie May Forrester for a long shot? Was last seen far from Alabama though, in Missouri. Physical description is close enough, with the short curly hair and upper and lower dentures (lost several teeth in a car accident).

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)
Dixie May Forrester – The Charley Project

 

[snowgoose]

Wow, that's so sad about the remains being lost.

I noticed that her NamUs page was recently updated, at the same time as some other Alabama UIDs. This sometimes happens because they're doing a batch of exclusions all at once. Does Marbury Jane Doe have any exclusions? If so, would that mean her remains have been located again..?

 

[marsh_melancholy]

I contacted the case detective about this possible ID.

Anna Therese Ciaccio





Anna vanished from Papillion, Nebraska back in March 1981. She had a history of depression and was once hospitalized for a mental breakdown in 1980. From what I've read, Anna was very religious and it's possible that she may have hitchhiked down to any part of the Bible Belt; her mother had mentioned that she'd talked on and on about "joining a convent."

Anna left several personal items behind, including her favorite winter coat. I can't help but wonder if her mental health triggered an impulsive episode and, despite all the risks, she wandered out and accepted rides from strangers until she got down to the South. Alabama is part of the Bible Belt.

In my opinion, Anna also resembles the clay bust of Autauga County Jane Doe, even from different angles.

Anna was 30-years-old, stood at 5'4", and weighed no more than 140 pounds. She also has dark brown hair in which there are some natural waves. Her description, including the possible circumstances, makes her a strong candidate for "The Lady." (Note: Even though Jane Doe may have only been as young as 35, based on estimation, it's possible that she could've been slightly younger.)

Unfortunately, only DNA is currently available for Anna. And, to my current knowledge, Jane Doe's remains are still being searched for.... so any possibility of DNA testing could take a few years (and that's me being optimistic). The Doe Network says that Anna's dentals are unavailable; unless her dental records are found before Jane Doe's remains, it might take a very hot minute to even rule her out.

 

[SimsGuy67]

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)
This MP was added to NAMUS a few days ago and matches the stats of the UID (5"6, white, dark hair, 150 lbs).

Was coming to suggest Betty. Did you ever submit it?

 

[victoriarobinson642]

Was coming to suggest Betty. Did you ever submit it?

Never heard anything beyond the generic 'we'll look into it' message.

 

[Owutatangledweb]

The teeth in the reconstruction and facial structure along with hair color and length kind of remind me of Denise Beaudin. The timing could be right as well. But, I don't have any stats on Denise, particularly with regard to her teeth.

 

[AetherSister]

General Information

Date of Discovery - 29/03/1986

Location of Discovery - Marbury, Autauga County, Alabama

Estimated Date of Death - Prior to 1983

State of Remains - Not recognizable - Near complete or complete skeleton

Cause of Death - Homicide

Physical Description

Estimated Age - 35 - 50

Race - White / Caucasian

Gender - Female

Height - 5'2 to 5'6, Estimated (1986 Anthropology Report specifies as 5'4)

Weight - 110 - 150, Estimated (1986 Anthropology Report specifies as 125 Pounds)

Hair Color - Brown (short, slightly curled in style)

Eye Color - Unknown or Missing

Distinguishing Marks / Features - The victim wore a partial upper dental plate containing seven teeth. The victim was also missing the four lower front teeth, but no second implant was located to determine as to whether to the victim wore a lower dental plate.

Clothing and Personal Items

Clothing - Found wearing mesh tank top with fake stones on top.

Jewelry - Unknown

Additional Personal Items - Wrapped in a comforter, no description provided.

Circumstances of Discovery

Children attending a birthday party at a rural farmhouse near Marbury discovered the victim's remains in a root cellar on the property. The victim, who had been placed in a corner of the cellar and wrapped in a comforter, had been shot three times in the head.

Investigators believe that the victim had been murdered and placed at the site prior to 1983, but despite the creation of a reconstruction and numerous attempts to solve the case by local authorities, the identity of the woman remains unknown.

What does anyone think about Elsie Brack, NamUs #MP36759. The hair in the reconstruction looks very dark. I knew someone who had very dark brown hair that people always thought was black.

 

[lightofmine99]

Bump for Autauga County's "Lady."

What I'm wondering is...how did this ball roll into the cellar? Did it roll in from the outside? Could you access this cellar from the inside of the home? Who opened the door?

 

[lightofmine99]

@othram

The current investigator for this Doe stated that they have been in contact with the FBI and private labs regarding possible DNA on bullets recovered from the body. The body was unfortunately cremated post reconstruction (though they believe the skull is still out there). Is this a case Othram would be interested in?

 

[lightofmine99]

The Prattville Progress, March 31, 1987.
I have been combing through newspaper archives collecting everything I can find on her. This article written a year after she was found states that her clay reconstruction was done by a Dr. Jane Hoff from the University of South Alabama's anthropology department. I think I have found Dr. Hoff, but the website I have found for her doesn't give a full list of her credentials and employment history. I am now wondering if the skull (which the current investigators believe must still be in existence) is tucked away in a box at the anthropology department.

I also want to note that some articles I found (I'll share them later) specify that the cellar was "adjacent to the property," which at least means it was not connected directly to the home or like a basement cellar. This would make the current family having no idea she was there far more likely/believable.

<mod note - images of articles snipped for copyright>

 

[lightofmine99]

I have been combing through newspaper archives collecting everything I can find on her. This article written a year after she was found states that her clay reconstruction was done by a Dr. Jane Hoff from the University of South Alabama's anthropology department. I think I have found Dr. Hoff, but the website I have found for her doesn't give a full list of her credentials and employment history. I am now wondering if the skull (which the current investigators believe must still be in existence) is tucked away in a box at the anthropology department.

I also want to note that some articles I found (I'll share them later) specify that the cellar was "adjacent to the property," which at least means it was not connected directly to the home or like a basement cellar. This would make the current family having no idea she was there far more likely/believable.

The Prattville Progress (31 Mar 1987) - Three Autauga Murders Still Unsolved

 

[lightofmine99]

We recently passed the 37th anniversary of this Doe's discovery. I have some disappointing news. I knew it was a shot in the dark, but I submitted the following match for Lady Autauga to the Doe Network:

1986 Marbury Jane Doe (left) Ruth Dorsey (right).​

Found March 30, 1986.​	Missing August 17, 1974 (or 16th)​
Marbury, Al. (Autauga Co.)​	Opelika, Al. (Lee Co.)​
30s - 50s​	69 years.​
Brown hair (wavy hair chosen for recon).​	Light brown hair (appears wavy/curly in photos).​
5' 2"-5' 6" / 110lbs - 150lbs (est).​	5'4" / 105 lbs.​
extensive dental work​	had cousin who was a dentist per news article​

My reasoning was as follows:

• Lady Autauga has extensive dental work; Ruth very likely would've been able to afford consistent dental work in life based on what can be observed about her and her husband. Plus, the older one gets, the more dental work you usually have done. Additionally, there is a news article about a psychic who gave a tip about Ruth that references Ruth having a cousin that was dentist.
• Marbury (where Lady Autauga was found) is approximately 1 hour from Opelika (Ruth's home)...which is a stone's throw if you're trying to hide a body.
• The eye sockets are a compelling match. Ruth had large eye sockets. I also think there is a similar face shape.
• We don't know when exactly Ruth went missing, so what she is reported to have last been seen wearing may not be accurate.
• PMI estimates have been wrong before; this one is a stretch but not impossible IMO.
• Similarly, age estimates based on skeletal remains have been wrong before.

I received the response that the match had been submitted to DN before, and nothing more. Both Lady Autauga and Ruth Dorsey are why I signed up here. I have become attached to them both and made the former my PFP. I believe she can be identified. I have something I think might be a "tip" of sorts but I keep worrying that I would be overstepping boundaries by sending an email.