Identified! CA - L.A. Griffith Park, WhtFem 725UFCA, 20-28, @Picnic Table, Jun'68 Cheryl McMillan

[CarlK90245]

What strikes me as tragic is that she had contact with so many people local to where she was found, and yet no one recognized her or realized she hadn't shown up where she was supposed to, like work or her cousin's wedding. Was her story and picture never in the paper when it happened?

Unfortuntately, an anonymous death of a heroin overdose at a picnic table in Griffith Park is not the kind of thing that makes news. 999 out of 1000 times, the person is identified within weeks, and nobody outside the person's family and friends ever hears about it.

Especially, since this was two days after the murder of RFK, the news was dominated by his death.

 

[Alleykins]

Unfortuntately, an anonymous death of a heroin overdose at a picnic table in Griffith Park is not the kind of thing that makes news. 999 out of 1000 times, the person is identified within weeks, and nobody outside the person's family and friends ever hears about it. Especially, since this was two days after the murder of RFK, the news was dominated by his death.

It sounds like if she'd had some publicity when she was found, she may have been identified right away.

 

[CarlK90245]

I was looking at this on a map. The Hollywoodland Motel was located at 10730 Ventura Blvd in Studio City, just west of Universal Studios. The motel was torn down and replaced by the BLVD Hotel and Spa.

Mount Hollywood Drive in Griffith park (Just south of Zoo Drive) is a little less than 5 miles from the motel. So it is not an easy walk. She would have probably needed transportation to the park from the motel.

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/107...0x80c2bfb64c3f38c7:0x1a20ecedd36124fd!1m0!3e0

 

[Fairy1]

It seems logical to me that she would have been with someone unless it was an intentional overdose. I wonder if the boyfriend could be located. If he was a drug dealer, it's possible he may have been arrested a time or two. Of course, he could be long gone from this world by now.

 

[CarlK90245]

It seems logical to me that she would have been with someone unless it was an intentional overdose. I wonder if the boyfriend could be located. If he was a drug dealer, it's possible he may have been arrested a time or two. Of course, he could be long gone from this world by now.

The tell would be whether the syringes and other paraphanalia were still at the scene. If there was another person with her, he likely would have taken the paraphanalia with him.

 

[carbuff]

Heroin overdose isn't necessarily fast. She could have been walking somewhere, felt ill, and sat down to rest, or something along those lines.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[LinasK]

It seems logical to me that she would have been with someone unless it was an intentional overdose. I wonder if the boyfriend could be located. If he was a drug dealer, it's possible he may have been arrested a time or two. Of course, he could be long gone from this world by now.

Yeah, boyfriend murdered her by heroin OD occurred to me too.

 

[CarlK90245]

Heroin overdose isn't necessarily fast. She could have been walking somewhere, felt ill, and sat down to rest, or something along those lines.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The couple of instances I know of where people I knew died of heroin OD's, they were found with the needles still in their arms.

Yeah, boyfriend murdered her by heroin OD occurred to me too.

I'm not seeing this as an intentional murder. I think they were probably just sitting at the table together doing drugs, and when she died, he just left her behind. Apparently, there was no vehicle left behind, and that location in the park wasn't within a normal walking distance from the hotel.

 

[LinasK]

The couple of instances I know of where people I knew died of heroin OD's, they were found with the needles still in their arms.



I'm not seeing this as an intentional murder. I think they were probably just sitting at the table together doing drugs, and when she died, he just left her behind. Apparently, there was no vehicle left behind, and that location in the park wasn't within a normal walking distance from the hotel.

.
From the little bit of character references we had and the fact that she was planning on being in a wedding, didn't sound like the type of person to do drugs

 

[carbuff]

.
From the little bit of character references we had and the fact that she was planning on being in a wedding, didn't sound like the type of person to do drugs

That has nothing to do with it really. Many fine people with glowing plans for the future have fallen prey to addiction and death.

Carl, that's certainly more common. Friend of mine died on the bus on the way home for Christmas after shooting up in the bus station bathroom. Probably 15-20 minutes later.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[CarlK90245]

If she was murdered and placed in that location, the coroner should have easily been able to tell that the body had been moved after death. I have no info one way or the other as to what patterns of lividity there were on the body, so that may be the case. If she was murdered in that location by drug OD, you would think that she would have put up some resistance.

Her brother did say that she was very responsible, and did well in school. However we also know that she willingly associated with a guy who was seen by others to be a shady character, and who was suspected of being a drug trafficker. I've seen plenty of instances of people who had lived responsibly being corrupted by negative influences.

 

[F_Muir]

How far away was the hotel? Were pills found? Do you think some details might've gotten lost? Could have been a suicide.

 

[CarlK90245]

How far away was the hotel? Were pills found? Do you think some details might've gotten lost? Could have been a suicide.

The motel was 4.6 miles from the picnic table. I don't know what else was found with her body, other than her clothing, the ring, and probably a room key to the Hollywoodland motel. I am guessing about the key, but that is probably how they knew she was checked in to that motel.

If it was a suicide, then the syringe and paraphanalia would have still been there. They might have found those items. IDK one way or the other.

 

[CarlK90245]

Here is an old postcard showing the Hollywoodland motel.

 

[cvaldez1975]

my half sister was an RN and never once lost her license until a few years before she died at age 58 (on my birthday) of liver failure after battling heroin/morphine/fentanyl addiction since her teenage years. there isn't always a type.

.
From the little bit of character references we had and the fact that she was planning on being in a wedding, didn't sound like the type of person to do drugs

 

[carbuff]

I'm sorry about your sister. What a terrible thing for her and everyone who loved her.

 

[cvaldez1975]

thank you. I visited her in hospice two days before she passed. she had announced on a flight to her older sister that she flushed her liver meds because she didn't like the way they made her feel. by that night, the bizarre behavior began and the next day, she was in hospice. 2 days later she passed. this was 4 years ago on my birthday.

I'm sorry about your sister. What a terrible thing for her and everyone who loved her.

 

[carbuff]

thank you. I visited her in hospice two days before she passed. she had announced on a flight to her older sister that she flushed her liver meds because she didn't like the way they made her feel. by that night, the bizarre behavior began and the next day, she was in hospice. 2 days later she passed. this was 4 years ago on my birthday.

:hug:

 

[CarlK90245]

GREAT NEWS!!!!!

GRIFFITH PARK JANE DOE may finally have a name:

Cheryl McMillan of Campbell, California. It hasn't yet been confirmed, but I am certain that this is a good match.

Special thanks to my friend and former co-worker Rita Winsick Hood, who was following my facebook page and took it upon herself to research this case.:

Rita researched the ring with the initals CB to EJ 9-4-1920. Only one couple with those initials were married on that date: Charles Bush married Edna Jay on September 4, 1920 in Detroit.

Charles and Edna were Cheryl's grandparents.

Rita located Cheryl's brother and he verified that Cheryl has not been seen since 1968.

Cheryl's mother was Geraldine Charlotte Bush, and her father was Joseph Bradford. However, when Geraldine remarried to Douglas McMillan, Cheryl assumed the surname McMillan.

Apparently, the name Miller came from a man whom Cheryl had been dating at the time.

The ID was confirmed . Griffith Park Jane Doe has officially been ID'd as Cheryl Ann Mc Millan.

All three persons who remember her were able to describe scars on her face that are not visible in the PM photo, and were not mentioned in any public descriptions of her. The coroner saw that as sufficient for a positive ID.

 

[Alleykins]

The ID was confirmed . Griffith Park Jane Doe has officially been ID'd as Cheryl Ann Mc Millan.
All three persons who remember her were able to describe a scar on her face that is not visible in the PM photo, and was not mentioned in any public descriptions of her. The coroner saw that as sufficient for a positive ID.

That is excellent news.So glad she has her name back and glad they accepted that identifier as proof enough for identification. RIP Cheryl.