Identified! CA - Riverside, WhtFem, 65-75, UP7040, Oct'94 - Patricia Cavallaro

[Coffee56]

Case Numbers
NCMEC Number--
ME/C Case Number81143
Demographics
SexFemale
Race / EthnicityWhite / Caucasian
Possible First Name--
Possible Middle Name--
Possible Last Name--
Possible Nickname--
Estimated Age GroupAdult - Pre 80
Estimated Age Range (Years)65-75
Estimated Year of Death1994
Estimated PMI4 Months
Height5' 4"(64 inches) , Measured
WeightCannot Estimate
Circumstances
TypeUnidentified Deceased
Date Body FoundOctober 24, 1994
NamUs Case CreatedApril 28, 2010
ME/C QA ReviewedApril 28, 2010
Location Found Map
LocationThousand Palms, California
CountyRiverside County
GPS Coordinates (Not Mapped)--
Circumstances of RecoveryBody found partially buried in sand and wrapped in a white plastic sheet, tied with a brown cord. No identification established. She wore full dentures with no marking. Had severe ASHD and COPD.
Details of Recovery

Inventory of RemainsOne or more limbs not recovered
Condition of RemainsNot recognizable - Partial skeletal parts only
Physical Description
Hair ColorGray or Partially Gray
Head Hair DescriptionSome brown and gray hair is worn short, about 2-3 inches in length
Body Hair DescriptionNormal
Facial Hair DescriptionNone
Left Eye ColorUnknown
Right Eye ColorUnknown
Eye Description--
Distinctive Physical Features
Item
Description
Scar/mark
She had a well healed 11cm scar on the right lower quandrant of her abdomen.

Clothing and Accessories
Item
Description
Accessories
None found
Near the Body

Clothing
She was wearing a red blouse and blue short (unk size)
On the Body

Eyewear
None found
On the Body

Footwear
None found
On the Body

Jewelry
None found
On the Body

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

100UFCA

exclusions:
MP3059 Elizabeth Rogers 03/18/1983 Wake NC

 

[YaYa_521]

Exclusions -
MP52034 Mary Vangilder 02/14/1945 Richland OH
MP3059 Elizabeth Rogers 03/18/1983 Wake NC

 

[YaYa_521]

I think these are Ruth Loader's remains. There's an amazing amount of detail regarding her case in the articles linked on her WS thread. Basically she was kidnapped in Ohio and taken somewhere by two guys who ended up on a cross-country killing spree. Their confessions include kidnapping, binding, beating, killing, and burying her in CA. They can't remember directions to the exact spot although there has been an official search. Here's the kicker...They tied her with a red phone cord before taking her away. This UID was found tied with a brown cord. After a struggle with potential blood then possibly CA desert soil and sand, could that cord be red instead of brown? Perhaps it could be a difference in the reporting person's interpretation of variations of color?

Ruth had recently had surgery for cancer which may explain the abdominal scar. OTOH, I haven't yet found any mention of Ruth having heart disease or COPD. (ETA - sorry. I did read that she left behind heart meds but nothing about COPD.) Ruth was kidnapped in Aug 1994, just two months before these remains were located. The est PMI for JD is 1 - 4 months. The physical description fits within margins of error. Visually it's hard for me to tell because of Ruth's glasses and big smile but she does have some puffy/sagginess to her cheeks. An article cites her son as saying she had recently lost quite a bit of weight. I think she was 85 lbs. after her surgery. This could explain why the composite shows such saggy cheeks as opposed to Ruth's healthier/heavier appearance in her photo.

I really think these are her remains. I'm just confused how it could be that she's never been compared against these remains given the circumstances.

OH - OH - Ruth Loader, 78, Port Washington, 29 Aug 1994
The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

 

[YaYa_521]

100UFCA

100UFCA - Unidentified Female

Reconstruction of Victim

Date of Discovery: October 24, 1994
Location of Discovery: Thousand Palms, Riverside County, California
Date of Death: 1-4 months prior
State of Remains: Not recognizable - Partial skeletal parts only
Cause of Death: Homicide

Physical Description
Estimated Age: 65-80 years old
Race: White
Sex: Female
Height: 5'4"
Weight: Unknown
Hair Color: Brown with gray mix; short
Eye Color: Unknown
Distinguishing Marks/Features: Medium build. An 11 cm. well healed scar was found to her right lower quadrant to the anterior abdomen. Had severe ASHD and COPD.

Identifiers
Dentals: Available; She had full upper and lower dentures (unmarked or numbered).
Fingerprints: Unknown
DNA: Available

Clothing & Personal Items
Clothing: Blue shorts, a red blouse and underwear. No shoes were found. She had no identification with her.
Jewelry: Unknown
Additional Personal Items: Unknown

Circumstances of Discovery
The victim was located in open desert, 1/2 mile north of Varner Road, near Thousand Palms, CA. Her body had been partially buried in the sand and wrapped in a white plastic sheet, tied with a brown cord and partially exposed to the elements.

Investigating Agency(s)
Agency Name: Riverside County Coroner's Office
Agency Contact Person: Dawna Wimsatt
Agency Phone Number: 951-443-2300
Agency Email: Unknown
Agency Case Number: 81143 (U94-058)

NCIC Case Number: Unknown
NamUs Case Number: 7040

Information Source(s)
NamUs
Riverside County Coroner's Office

Admin Notes
Added: 12/14/2009; Last Updated: 6/28/2018

 

[Melt71]

@YaYa_521 It’s possible the parameters set on Namus by LE may not be giving them results from cases that came from outside a certain distance. They can set, for example, age and distance parameters for which remains are compared, I believe.

Ruth Loader sounds like an interesting lead, will you turn it in?

 

[YaYa_521]

@YaYa_521 It’s possible the parameters set on Namus by LE may not be giving them results from cases that came from outside a certain distance. They can set, for example, age and distance parameters for which remains are compared, I believe.

Ruth Loader sounds like an interesting lead, will you turn it in?

Yes, absolutely. I feel strongly enough especially after you explained the NamUs settings. I'll get that email sent right now. Ty for your input.

eta - email sent to NamUs rep Allison O'Neal. Thanks again!

 

[Mrs. Badcrumble]

Identified as Patricia Cavallaro, 57 of Bellflower.

LA County woman missing for 30 years, identified by DA's investigators

 

[YaYa_521]

Rest in peace, Patricia. My thoughts go out to her loved ones. Hopefully they'll get answers soon.

Victim identified 30 years after remains discovered in desert, Riverside Sheriff says
SBM
What happened to the victim remains a mystery.

According to the Desert Sun, Cavallaro's husband, also not identified, reported her missing in 2001, saying only that she had vanished after leaving home. The man died in 2017.

 

[othram]

An investigations continues, so hopefully there will be answers as they investigate more. Definitely helps to know who the victim is.

 

[cvaldez1975]

from the link "She was reported missing in 2001, he said, adding her husband told police she "walked away" from home and was never seen again. " right, 7 years after she had been found.

 

[victoriarobinson642]

Rest in peace, Patricia.

 

[MadMcGoo]

I hope her killer will be identified and brought to justice!

Rest peacefully now Patricia.

 

[30Anne]

I hope so too.

 

[cvaldez1975]

MOO he has passed away