CA CA - San Jose, BlkFem, Adult 40-50, UP109346, found by railroad tracks near Hwy 101, St Christopher and Virgin Mary metal jewelry, Jul'81

[ProudSuggestion3528]

ME/C Case Number: C81-1616

Demographics​

Sex: Female
Race/Ethnicity: Black/African American

Estimated Age Group: Adult - Pre 40
Estimated Age Range (Years): 40-50
Height: 5' 4"-5' 5"(64-65 inches), Estimated
Weight: 55 lbs, Estimated

Circumstances​

PMI: 6 Days (Estimated)
Circumstances of Recovery: Dismembered remains of an unidentified female were found along the railroad tracks of Maybury Rd east of highway 101.

Details of Recovery​

Condition of Remains: Not recognizable - Partial remains with soft tissues

Physical Description​

Hair Color: Unknown
Left Eye Color: Unknown
Right Eye Color: Unknown

Distinctive Physical Features​

Deformity: Mass on chest (1/2")

Clothing
Pink or beige front closure Bra (34A). Black slack pants. wrapped in yellow pillowcase marked 5-H20 and black plastic bags with manila or hemp type rope. White underwear. White t-shirt.
On the Body

Jewelry
St. Christopher metal found in bra; backside of metal is depicted a 'surfer' type figure. Scapular metal of the virgin Mary.
On the Body

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

By bringing people, information, forensic science and technology together, NamUs helps resolve cases.

www.namus.gov

0 Missing Person Exclusions

 

[ProudSuggestion3528]

This one is kind of interesting as the NAMUS file says 40-50 but it also says Pre40. I wonder if there is a larger age range than we think. I do think she could be suffering from Breast Cancer but maybe that large mass could just be a cyst. I did some research on the Saint Christopher and she seems to have been a surfer at some point as Saint Christopher is something that is associated with them.

Can a mod fix the title as I misspelled Jewelry

 

[cvaldez1975]

eeek long ago but right by my house. I drive over 101 on the mabury road overcrossing daily. The tracks I think these are is where BART is now.

Was she dismembered or was she disarticulated being hit by a train?

 

[EmiliaRT007]

55 pounds? I get that is what her remains weighed but nobody is looking for a woman who is 5’4 and 55 pounds… eek. Hoping that this woman gets her name back and can rest in peace.

 

[ProudSuggestion3528]

eeek long ago but right by my house. I drive over 101 on the mabury road overcrossing daily. The tracks I think these are is where BART is now.

Was she dismembered or was she disarticulated being hit by a train?

It says that the remains were found dismembered but not sure if they are from a train or if the killer did it.

 

[EmiliaRT007]

This one is kind of interesting as the NAMUS file says 40-50 but it also says Pre40. I wonder if there is a larger age range than we think. I do think she could be suffering from Breast Cancer but maybe that large mass could just be a cyst. I did some research on the Saint Christopher and she seems to have been a surfer at some point as Saint Christopher is something that is associated with them.

Can a mod fix the title as I misspelled Jewelry

I can see the possiblety of breast cancer.

 

[MadMcGoo]

I don’t think a train did this.

UP109346 Unidentified woman 1981 CA

Clipping found in The San Francisco Examiner published in San Francisco, California on 7/12/1981. UP109346 Unidentified woman 1981 CA

www.newspapers.com

The decomposed torso (without a head, legs or arm) of a woman was found wrapped in a plastic covering.

 

[cvaldez1975]

I don’t think a train did this.

UP109346 Unidentified woman 1981 CA

Clipping found in The San Francisco Examiner published in San Francisco, California on 7/12/1981. UP109346 Unidentified woman 1981 CA

www.newspapers.com

The decomposed torso (without a head, legs or arm) of a woman was found wrapped in a plastic covering.

oh yes, true, if she was wrapped in something. ETA i was exactly right she was found here....

(i put tiny homes because its right by the tracks) never mind my stupid computer is not copy and pasting but google map "mabury tiny homes" in san jose it would be right there.

 

[EmiliaRT007]

I don’t think a train did this.

UP109346 Unidentified woman 1981 CA

Clipping found in The San Francisco Examiner published in San Francisco, California on 7/12/1981. UP109346 Unidentified woman 1981 CA

www.newspapers.com

The decomposed torso (without a head, legs or arm) of a woman was found wrapped in a plastic covering.

Yeah. Definitely a homicide case to me.

 

[victoriarobinson642]

I really don't see any missing women that match her description.

 

[ifindedout]

55 pounds? I get that is what her remains weighed but nobody is looking for a woman who is 5’4 and 55 pounds… eek. Hoping that this woman gets her name back and can rest in peace.

I wonder if, somehow, 55 kg was registered, which works out to a healthy 121 lb for a 5' 4" woman.

 

[EmiliaRT007]

I wonder if, somehow, 55 kg was registered, which works out to a healthy 121 lb for a 5' 4" woman.

Yes, I can see that, but in the US, metric system is very very rarely used, but yes, 121 is good weight for 5’4”. I’m similar height (5’2”) and I am healthy at 108, so yes I can see that.

 

[EmiliaRT007]

I really don't see any missing women that match her description.

I’m very sure she was murdered, so maybe someone who would know her on a personal enough level to report her missing very well could have actually been her killer. Or, maybe she had not as much contact with family, so they just assumed she went on to live her own life, because mind you, she was in her forties, at such an age I’m sure she had other plans. Of course I never knew her so this is just speculation.

 

[ProudSuggestion3528]

I can see the possiblety of breast cancer.

Chest Wall Tumors: Causes, Symptoms & Treatment

Chest wall tumors are growths in the protective structure around your heart, lungs and liver. They form in soft tissue, bone or cartilage, and 60% are cancerous.

my.clevelandclinic.org

Been looking at Chest wall tumors and I think the mass on her chest is some kind of chest wall tumor which can be cancerous but many of them can be non cancerous. Breast cancer is a possibility but maybe it could be some kind of cancerous chest wall tumor. I am thinking it could be non cancerous and could just be a lipoma which is a common growth that people sometimes get.

 

[azure]

I wonder if, somehow, 55 kg was registered, which works out to a healthy 121 lb for a 5' 4" woman.

55lbs would probably be about right for just a torso (no head or limbs attached) of a petite woman.

 

[cvaldez1975]

I’m very sure she was murdered, so maybe someone who would know her on a personal enough level to report her missing very well could have actually been her killer. Or, maybe she had not as much contact with family, so they just assumed she went on to live her own life, because mind you, she was in her forties, at such an age I’m sure she had other plans. Of course I never knew her so this is just speculation.

back in 81, bayshore highway was what is US 101 now so it was a major travel route.

 

[gunnvalr]

I think I found the exact model of the pendant she had with her (or at least one that's extremely close):

Vintage Navy Blue & White Enameled Silver St Christopher Surfer Necklace — Worn-Over-Time

Vintage Navy Blue & White Enameled Sterling Silver 13/16” Saint Christopher Surfer medal, 24” (no clasp) Endless Sterling Necklace in worn chipped tarnished condition with a total weight of 10.6 grams. Please review all images for more details. *International Buyers* At

www.worn-over-time.com

St. Christopher is a patron of surfers - the pendant most likely had religious significance; similiar items are carried by people in their cars etc. to ask for blessing and protection. Since it was found inside of the bra, it's imo very unlikely that it was a random, insignificant trinket - rather something carried on everyday basis, so it's safe to assume that UID was indeed a surfer (as ProudSuggestion3528 already stated). It's also probable that she was Christian and religious, however this pendant could have also been a gift from a relative, friend and could be carried becouse of personal siginifcance.

As for the virgin Mary, this item is a Miraculous Medal. More info about it can be found in wikipedia. It doesn't seem to be presonalized in any way (all the symbols, the year 1830 etc. are all basic elements of the MM design), so it would be difficult to identify based on it alone. However it's interesting to note that such medals are worn mostly by Catholics. So the presence of the two medals makes me think that UID was rather religious and possibly Catholic.

If those theories are correct, she should appear in the parish books of the church where she was baptised. Unfortunately, I don't think these are available online. But maybe posting in local religion-oriented facebook groups could help find someone who knew UID.

 

[Charlot123]

Could the hospitals around have records of a patient coming in with complaints of a similar chest mass?

 

[ProudSuggestion3528]

NamUs has been updated as of June 5, 2024. I cannot seem to find any new information in regards to Maybury Rd Jane Doe (1981). No rule outs (unless those are only for pro users to look at).

 

[ProudSuggestion3528]

Another NamUs update as of 7/26/2024 but no new information. Maybe this information is kept for Pro Users. I wonder if Santa Clara Co ME-Coroner and/or San Jose PD is getting closer to identifying this Jane Doe?