Identified! CO - Boulder Co., WhtFem 'Boulder Jane Doe, 17-20, Mar'54 - Dorothy Howard

[MaryLiz]

http://www.timescall.com/news_story.asp?ID=11338

 

[Stella]

Ms. Farrand-Dyer's photo should be sent out to all wire services where newspapers, big and small will hopefully publish it. It must be just a matter of the right person or persons seeing the photo or recognizing her name and telling authorities.

 

[Silvia]

The following has just been published in the Boulder Daily Camera:
We are continuing our search for family of Katharine E. Farrand Dyer.

Thanks to all, Silvia

"Jane Doe" reburied in her former grave, by Silvia Pettem

Boulder's historic Columbia Cemetery is nearly full, so it's rare to have a burial and rarer still for a body or human remains to be interred a second time. But history was repeated on Sept. 9, when Jane Doe was returned to her former grave. The female murder victim was remembered by an "extended family" of people who continue to care for her. Again she rests in peace.

Jane Doe was the name given to a slender young woman whose naked and beaten body was found by two hikers in Boulder Canyon on April 8, 1954. Her face had been ravaged (by animals) beyond recognition, and intense publicity failed to bring forward anyone who knew her. Local citizens called her their "mystery girl," and they raised the funds for a plot, gravestone, and Christian funeral.

"We don't know who she was or what religion she followed," stated Coroner George Howe at the time. "We can only do what we think is right."

Fifty years later, in June 2004, the Boulder County Sheriff's Office exhumed Jane Doe's remains in the hopes that she could finally be identified with modern forensics. Her casket had disintegrated underground, and each bone was removed piece by piece -- a two-day process that resembled an archeological dig.

The victim's DNA was extracted from one of her teeth, and the subsequent profile was funded by another generation of generous donors. The process ruled out two missing women -- Marion Joan McDowell and Twylia May Embrey. A forensic anthropologist reassembled Jane Doe's skull, and a forensic artist sculpted a facial reconstruction, shown to a national audience on the television show "America's Most Wanted."

A group of six researchers, connected by the Internet but spread out all over the country, then began to whittle down a list of missing young women, finally settling on Katharine E. Farrand Dyer. The Denver elevator operator's physical description matched that of the victim, and she had been reported missing 13 days before Jane Doe's body was found. After that, her trail stopped cold.

Five months ago, a forensic anthropologist at Michigan State University compared Dyer's photograph to a cast of Jane Doe's reassembled skull. The two images matched so closely that Dyer could not be ruled out as Jane Doe.

Investigators today have much more information on Jane Doe than did their predecessors in 1954, but no family members of Dyer's have been found, so no DNA comparison has been made.

The Sheriff's Office was in charge of the re-interment, in coordination with Boulder City Parks officials who maintain Columbia Cemetery. Crist Mortuary generously provided a casket and vault and arranged for the opening and closing of the grave. A brief graveside service was officiated by Rev. Andy Wineman, a chaplain from the Boulder County Sheriff's Office.

Red gladioli from Sturtz & Copeland Florists were placed on her grave and replicated the same flowers sent "to someone's daughter" in 1954.

Although Dyer's name cannot be engraved on her stone until a positive DNA identification is made, the case remains open and a search for the victim's family continues.

To reach Silvia Pettem, write her at the Camera, P.O. Box 591, Boulder 80306, or e-mail pettem@earthlink.net.

 

[shadowangel]

For all the searching I've done, all I've been able to find is a reference to a "Miss Katherine (not Katharine) Farrand", in a Florida paper dated June 1947. Her father was Hiram Farrand, who had a "summer home in Berlin, NH".

 

[Silvia]

Thanks for all of your searching. We found this one, too, and have ruled her out. Yes, Katherine Louise Farrand was the daughter of Hiram A. and Elizabeth Allen Farrand. This Katherine was born 14 April 1909 and died 22 March 1994. The Katharine Farrand we are looking for was born (according to her marriage affidavit) 14 Oct 1926. (Or, possibly, the year could have been in error and she could have been born as late as 1930.) Thanks.

 

[MaryLiz]

Here's another new article. Thanks for releasing a new photo of Katharine Farrand Dyer in the article, Silvia.

Mysterious murder victim reburied in Colorado

By P. SOLOMON BANDA – 2 hours ago
DENVER (AP) — The exhumed remains of a mysterious woman killed in 1954 have been reburied without an answer to who she was, but some people believe they're close.
Investigators argue the remains are those of a Denver woman who had been reported missing just days before the battered, nude body of a woman in her 20s was found along a Boulder Canyon creek on April 8, 1954. There is even speculation that she may have been the victim of a serial killer.

More at link.

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5h0pGVQNojZjb_7qu8KiYqv25S6MgD93HK7L80

 

[WholeLottaRosie]

I saw that article in a paper in the St Louis area. Nice to see it is getting wide spread release, with the picture of KFD. Maybe someone will recognize her. I keep hoping!!!

 

[UMfanforever]

Pretty impressive getting an AP article. congrats, Silvia!

 

[Silvia]

Thanks, all of you, for following the Boulder Jane Doe case. The victim was reburied in her former grave in September 2008. Despite extensive publicity, no family members have come forward, nor have my fellow researchers and I found any family members of Katharine Farrand Dyer for DNA comparison. My book on this case – "SOMEONE'S DAUGHTER: In Search of Justice for Jane Doe" – will be released by Rowman & Littlefield in October.

 

[MaryLiz]

Thanks, all of you, for following the Boulder Jane Doe case. The victim was reburied in her former grave in September 2008. Despite extensive publicity, no family members have come forward, nor have my fellow researchers and I found any family members of Katharine Farrand Dyer for DNA comparison. My book on this case – "SOMEONE'S DAUGHTER: In Search of Justice for Jane Doe" – will be released by Rowman & Littlefield in October.

Silvia - I'm sorry no one has come forward. As long as the case remains out in the public eye there is still a chance someone from her family may yet be found. Thanks for all the hard work you have done on this case. I look forward to your book being published.

Mary Beth

 

[WholeLottaRosie]

Thanks, all of you, for following the Boulder Jane Doe case. The victim was reburied in her former grave in September 2008. Despite extensive publicity, no family members have come forward, nor have my fellow researchers and I found any family members of Katharine Farrand Dyer for DNA comparison. My book on this case – "SOMEONE'S DAUGHTER: In Search of Justice for Jane Doe" – will be released by Rowman & Littlefield in October.

I am sorry that no one has come forward, but, I do look forward to reading your book - maybe the publicity surrounding the publication will result in someone seeing it that knows something.

 

[Silvia]

Today, April 8, 2009, is the 55th anniversary of the day that two students found Jane Doe's body on the rocky edge of Boulder Creek, nine miles west of Boulder, Colorado. Of course we know a lot more about this murder victim today. Throughout the recent investigation, she gained an extended family of people who care. I will place red roses on her grave today on behalf of us all.

 

[MaryLiz]

Today, April 8, 2009, is the 55th anniversary of the day that two students found Jane Doe's body on the rocky edge of Boulder Creek, nine miles west of Boulder, Colorado. Of course we know a lot more about this murder victim today. Throughout the recent investigation, she gained an extended family of people who care. I will place red roses on her grave today on behalf of us all.

Wow...55 years! Unbelievable...I'm really sorry no one has come forward from Katharine Farrand Dyer's family because I thought that was a solid lead. It still is, I guess, until it is ruled out entirely. But I still wish you could locate someone from her family for DNA testing.

Thanks for placing the red roses on her grave and for all the hard work you have done on this case, Silvia. I look forward to your book in October.

 

[UMfanforever]

Today, April 8, 2009, is the 55th anniversary of the day that two students found Jane Doe's body on the rocky edge of Boulder Creek, nine miles west of Boulder, Colorado. Of course we know a lot more about this murder victim today. Throughout the recent investigation, she gained an extended family of people who care. I will place red roses on her grave today on behalf of us all.

You are appreciated. Will you take a look at some other cases?

 

[Silvia]

Thanks for the kind words. Sure, I'd be glad to look at other cases. Did you have a specific one in mind? (For more info on Boulder Jane Doe, see my website www.silviapettem.com) Thank you, Silvia

 

[UMfanforever]

Thanks for the kind words. Sure, I'd be glad to look at other cases. Did you have a specific one in mind? (For more info on Boulder Jane Doe, see my website www.silviapettem.com) Thank you, Silvia

Oh ,I don't know ,any of the ones I've posted on but no one seems to reply to. This one is particularly interesting:
Lori Zimmerman (Lorraine Zimmerman) Murdered 4/6/1984, MD - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community

But there are many many others in the Cold Cases section too.

 

[gaia227]

Hi Silvia - you are from Lancaster, PA, correct? Are you familar with Lindy Biechler's murder in 1975? She was 19 yrs old and was found stabbed to death in her home. In the weeks leading up to her death she had become convinced someone was stalking her and was terrified to the point of having friend and/or family stay with her during the evenings until her husband got home. After her death her grave was vandalized and then a letter was sent to the police department from a person who claimed to be the killer. Police have treated this letter as valid because it contained specific info.
Anyway - I don't want to hi-jack this thread. I thought you might be interested in this case since you are from Lancaster. Lindy Biechler(19) Murdered in her home, 1975, Still Unsolved - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community

 

[Anubis]

So there was nothing ever left behind by Ms. Dyer that they could try and get trace evidence off? Seems like a perfect fit.

 

[Silvia]

During the past few years, Katharine Farrand Dyer has been thought to have been Boulder Jane Doe. Now, she has turned up alive, at age 84, in Australia! See Boulder Co. Sheriff's Office Press Release and also my press release on the bottom of my Jane Doe Archives 2 page: http://www.silviapettem.com/JANE DOE archives2.html

After getting over the shock, we are refocused on missing girls pre-April 1954. Any comments are welcome. Thanks! Silvia

(p.s. Thanks for the previous comments to me. Sorry I didn't answer them directly.)

 

[outofthedark]

It's a relief that Farrand is alive and okay, but disappointing that the investigators have to go back to square one

What I'm curious about is what Farrand's motive is for using so many aliases in her life