CA CA - San Diego Co, WhtFem UP62410, 18-22, found in van in San Diego, Sep'77

[Romulus]

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

The bellman and his brother had noticed a foul odor in the area of the van when they parked their vehicle next to it at the Pickwick Hotel. The decedent was viewed supine on a mattress in the rear of a blue van with 1976 Alabama license plate #1P2503. There was no signs of struggle in the van.

 

[Moonwalker9]

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

Demographics
SexFemale
Race / EthnicityWhite / Caucasian
Possible First Name--
Possible Middle Name--
Possible Last Name--
Possible Nickname--
Estimated Age GroupAdult - Pre 30
Estimated Age Range (Years)18-22
Estimated Year of Death1977
Estimated PMI--
Height5' 4"(64 inches) , Measured
Weight114 lbs, Measured
Circumstances
TypeUnidentified Deceased
Date Body FoundSeptember 18, 1977
NamUs Case CreatedDecember 11, 2019
ME/C QA Reviewed--
Location Found Map
LocationSan Diego, California 92101
CountySan Diego County
GPS Coordinates (Not Mapped)--
Circumstances of RecoveryThe bellman and his brother had noticed a foul odor in the area of the van when they parked their vehicle next to it at the Pickwick Hotel. The decedent was viewed supine on a mattress in the rear of a blue van with 1976 Alabama license plate #1P2503. There was no signs of struggle in the van.
Details of Recovery


Inventory of Remains--
Condition of RemainsNot recognizable - Decomposing/putrefaction
Physical Description
Hair ColorBrown
Head Hair Description--
Body Hair Description--
Facial Hair Description--
Left Eye ColorHazel
Right Eye ColorHazel
Eye Description--
Distinctive Physical Features
No Information Entered

Clothing and Accessories
Item
Description
Clothing
The body was clad in a blue tank top, and blue Levi type slacks. No brassiere was on the body, bikini type underpants were in place beneath the slacks.
On the Body

Clothing
A torn, green, plaid shirt was on the floor of the van, next to the right side double doors of the van.
Near the Body

Clothing
A green plaid rag was around the decedent's neck and knotted on the left side.
On the Body

Jewelry
The female was wearing a fine linked chain yellow metallic necklace with large bead-like links.
On the Body

Pretty good info here, look for any white young female missing from atalanta perhaps?

Street view,not sure the hotel still exist or it was renamed Sophia Hotel.
خرائط ‪Google‬‏‏

 

[cvaldez1975]

according to the article attached to namus, the van was here, not where linked on namus?

خرائط ‪Google‬‏‏

 

[cvaldez1975]

CA - CA - San Diego Co, WhtFem UP62410, 18-22, found in van in San Diego, Sep'77

duplicates

 

[MadMcGoo]

Unidentified Person / NamUs #UP62410
Female, White / Caucasian
​

Date Body Found: September 18, 1977
Location Found: San Diego, California
Estimated Age: Adult - Pre 30; 18-22 years
Estimated Year of Death: 1977
Measured Height: 5 feet 4 inches
Measured Weight: 114 lbs
Condition of Remains: Not recognizable; Decomposing/putrefaction
Hair Color: Brown
Eye Color: Hazel
Clothing: The body was clad in a blue tank top, and blue Levi type slacks. No brassiere was on the body, bikini type underpants were in place beneath the slacks. A torn, green, plaid shirt was on the floor of the van, next to the right side double doors of the van. A green plaid rag was around the decedent's neck and knotted on the left side.
Jewelry: The female was wearing a fine linked chain yellow metallic necklace with large bead-like links.



Circumstances of Recovery: The bellman and his brother had noticed a foul odor in the area of the van when they parked their vehicle next to it at the Pickwick Hotel. The decedent was viewed supine on a mattress in the rear of a blue van with 1976 Alabama license plate #1P2503. There was no signs of struggle in the van.

Investigating Agencies:
San Diego Police Department (619) 531-2000
San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office
Tessa Lee, ME Investigator III (858) 694-2895
ME/C Case Number: 77-02034

*Some pretty specific information in this case... JMO
ETA: jewelry

 

[MadMcGoo]

A few potential matches based on provided stats. It sounds like there is a possibility there was no foul play involved. JMO. I think she could likely be Julie. I wish there were some sort of sketch of the UID

http://charleyproject.org/case/julie-elizabeth-soracco
Aug 1977•California•WF•15-16yo•5’2”-5’4”•120-130lbs.
•Brown•Brown (appear to be hazel)

*******less likely matches*******
http://charleyproject.org/case/cindy-irene-king
July 1977•Oregon•WF•15yo•5’3”•115 lbs.
•Brown•Hazel•dental retainer•tattoo near groin
•previous arm fractures

http://charleyproject.org/case/teresa-gail-cupps
1977•Oklahoma•WF•19-20yo•5’3”•120 lbs.
•Brown•Brown•tattoo on ankle•scar on abdomen

http://charleyproject.org/case/laurie-allison-smith
1977•Arizona•WF•22yo•5’4”•115 lbs.
•Brown•Brown•tattoo on shoulder

http://charleyproject.org/case/angela-sigrid-ramsey
1977•Florida•WF•16yo•5’3”•115 lbs.
•Blond•Brown•small scar on face

 

[Melt71]

No info on whether there was any connection to the car, or its registered owner. After all it’s plates were only a year old.
Also no info on whether she was believed to have been in the van from AL or only connected to it in CA. Seems she was living in it / or someone was / since there was a mattress, but for how long?
Pity online news clippings don’t seem to go back that far.

 

[Melt71]

I’m sure police would have looked at the time but throwing this out there - Kimberly Cozart missing from San Diego Co since Feb 77. Would have been 16yo at the time these remains were found, so very slightly younger than the estimate
Kimberly Cozart – The Charley Project

 

[MadMcGoo]

Just based on the little info we have, I’m leaning towards it being a natural death. The only thing that makes me question that is the torn plaid shirt found at the door of the van and the piece tied around her neck. I first read it to mean maybe it was being worn as an accessory of some sort...but it seems odd for someone living in a van to destroy a piece of clothing? I don’t know though - wearing a tank top in September? I’m not familiar with the weather in CA.

The mattress also - surely if someone killed her they wouldn’t go the extra mile to place her on something like that. Possibly a serial killer would travel around with a mattress in the back of his van (a setup similar to that of Robert Ben Rhoades) but then why abandon the entire vehicle along with the victim?

**I just realized it was a hotel parking lot and not an apartment, which I was thinking for some reason. That’s even more strange. Maybe she wanted to be found? Suicide or knew her time on earth was ending? Hmmm...there’s gotta be more info somewhere.

——off to search.....

 

[Melt71]

**I just realized it was a hotel parking lot and not an apartment, which I was thinking for some reason. That’s even more strange.. .

Ah I assumed maybe a drug OD (though I don't know why!) and the fabric to be a kerchief or something. I guess only LE and the ME really know.... I know that some travellers these days like open car parks @ motels (though not hotels with better surveillance) as they can often park their vans in there for a few days without raising suspicions (or needing to pay) since everyone assumes theirs is a guest vehicle.

 

[JamesRUstlerIV]

Bump. I've heard downtown San Diego was rough back in the 70s, but still find it hard to believe this van sat here as long.

 

[JamesRUstlerIV]

Are there any rule outs?

 

[Caring1]

Are there any rule outs?

1 Missing Person Exclusion

 

[JamesRUstlerIV]

Thank you, Caring1. If Kimberly Cozart isn't on the list of rule outs, perhaps it wouldn't hurt to have her name submitted.

 

[iamshadow21]

Ah I assumed maybe a drug OD (though I don't know why!) and the fabric to be a kerchief or something. I guess only LE and the ME really know.... I know that some travellers these days like open car parks @ motels (though not hotels with better surveillance) as they can often park their vans in there for a few days without raising suspicions (or needing to pay) since everyone assumes theirs is a guest vehicle.

And I assumed the rag around her neck was an improvised ligature torn from the shirt. That seems more probable to me than an impromptu accessory that destroys a usable item of clothing.

MOO