Identified! FL - Davie, WhtFem 21-35, 554UFFL, in canal, blonde, gapped teeth, Feb'84 - Lori Jane Kearsey

[CarlK90245]

@CarlK90245 which reconstruction do you want us to share, the 2016 one or the 2018 one? Also, is there any significance behind the top she is wearing in the second photo?

No, either version is fine. There is no significance to either outfit. I didn't have a clothing description, so I just used clothing appropriate to the time and place.

 

[CarlK90245]

@CarlK90245 which reconstruction do you want us to share, the 2016 one or the 2018 one? Also, is there any significance behind the top she is wearing in the second photo?

After responding to your question, I decided to detail the image a little more. I hadn't done anything with it since 2018. So here she is with the same blouse, only black, and a bit more eye detail, facial expression and muscle tone.

 

[MadMcGoo]

FL - FL - Ruth Harriett Zornes-Elliott, 31, Homestead, January 1, 1984

Added to NAMUS: The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) --- Demographics Missing Age - 31 Years Current Age - 69 Years Sex - Female Height - 5' 4" - 5' 5" (64 - 65 Inches) Weight - 120 - 130 lbs Race / Ethnicity - White / Caucasian --- Circumstances Date of Last Contact...

www.websleuths.com

Thoughts on this MP @CarlK90245? TIA!

 

[CarlK90245]

View attachment 361758View attachment 361759View attachment 361760

FL - FL - Ruth Harriett Zornes-Elliott, 31, Homestead, January 1, 1984

Added to NAMUS: The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) --- Demographics Missing Age - 31 Years Current Age - 69 Years Sex - Female Height - 5' 4" - 5' 5" (64 - 65 Inches) Weight - 120 - 130 lbs Race / Ethnicity - White / Caucasian --- Circumstances Date of Last Contact...

www.websleuths.com

Thoughts on this MP @CarlK90245? TIA!

No, I don't think so. Her nose is too long. Face is too long. The Jane Doe has a very round face.

 

[MadMcGoo]

No, I don't think so. Her nose is too long. Face is too long. The Jane Doe has a very round face.

Perfect, thank you!

 

[citizen_sleuth]

"Woman asphyxiated; body found in canal," Miami Herald, 20 February 1984, 4BR.

A woman found floating in a Davie canal Saturday afternoon died of asphyxiation, the Broward Medical Examiner's Office said Sunday.

Police still have not identified the woman, described only as white and in her 20s. She was found in a canal near the 2600 block of SW 130th Avenue at 12:30 p.m.

Steve Cory, an investigator for the medical examiner's office, wouldn't be more specific about when or how the woman was murdered.

"It's listed as asphyxiation," Cory said. "It could have been [strangulation] or someone may have held a pillow over her head. It could have been a number of things."

"Identity of murder victim eludes Davie investigators," Miami Herald, 1 March 1984, 4BSW.

 

[Hochman]

Cold Case Files 1980-1989 | Davie, FL

www.davie-fl.gov

Reconstruction from Davie Co. Police

 

[chaddylex]

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

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

www.namus.gov

Davie Jane Doe's NamUs profile was modified on 2/23/23 -
Rebecca Dunn was added to the rule out/exclusion list


Missing Person / NamUs #MP7870 Rebecca Dunn
Date of Last Contact May 10, 1979
State NV
County Clark

Currently 18 rule outs are listed
MP7870
Rebecca
Dunn
05/10/1979
Clark
NV

MP3288
Dawn
Amlo
09/26/1983
Hartford
CT

MP1376
Tammy
Leppert
07/06/1983
Brevard
FL

MP34827
Stephanie
Hunsberger
02/25/1978
Montgomery
PA

MP12043
Lauren
Andersen
11/15/1981
Hennepin
MN

MP2914
Viola
Findley
09/06/1983
Flagler
FL

MP27605
Terry
Gayton
09/22/1984
Oakland
MI

MP3127
Christine
Huyer
07/03/1982
Orange
FL

MP3019
Leslie
Martin-Porter
01/19/1984
Los Angeles
CA

MP4571
Lucinda
Schaefer
06/24/1979
Los Angeles
CA

MP1581
Janet
Brice
08/15/1982
East Baton Rouge
LA

MP5074
Wendy
Huggy
04/07/1982
Pinellas
FL
--
Sally
Schneider
--
--
FL

MP8673
Constance
Streif
10/01/1982
Bell
TX

MP6128
Cynthia
Gooding
09/03/1974
Monroe
FL

MP17369
Janel
Peters
01/29/1981
Los Angeles
CA
--
Judith
Bleiler
--
--
WA

MP1569
Eleanor
Parker
11/10/1981
East Baton Rouge
LA

 

[Vital Forces]

Has the Flat-Tire murderer been considered?

The Flat-Tire murders were a series of unsolved murders in Broward and Miami-Dade Counties, Florida, occurring between February 1975 and January 1976. The name originated from the investigators' belief that, when the offender committed two of the murders, he had deflated the tires of the victims' cars. The list of suspected victims ultimately included 12 girls and women whose bodies were discovered in or near South Florida canals.

 

[HopeRains]

RIP Lori Jane Kearsey​

​

Davie police identify woman in cold case from 1984 after her body was found in canal​

DAVIE, FL. (WSVN) – Davie police have put a pause on a cold case after a woman was identified decades after her body was found in a South Florida canal. Now the victim’s daughter is finally getting answers.

On Tuesday, the victim’s daughter flew from Massachusetts to see her mother’s remains.

The case began on February 18, 1984, after a blonde woman was found face down in a canal in Davie. The body was approximately 5 feet, 4 inches tall and weighed 120 pounds.

“Davie Police discovered the body of a white female floating in the canal near the 2600 block of 130th Avenue, our district in West Davie,” said Davie Police Sgt. Kevin Urbaez.

The victim remained unidentified for 40 years until Davie police investigators reopened the cold case.

“Investigators utilized multiple resources to assist with forensic digital imaging, DNA extraction and identification of a potential family tree,” Urbaez said. “Using all of these resources, investigators were able to locate the victim’s daughter.”

Using DNA from bone fragments, investigators were able to find a match to Maehgan Smith, who lives in Gloucester, Massachusetts.

“I was so overwhelmed because I had come to terms with it that I thought I would probably never know what happened to her,” Smith said.

Smith was a young child when her mother, Lori Jane Kearsey, went missing. At this point her parents were divorced.

“She dropped me off over the weekend and just didn’t come back,” Smith said. “I’m like, ‘What was she doing down here?’ like she didn’t feel like calling anyone and I just can’t even imagine what that feeling was like for her and it’s heartbreaking.”

Kearsey was 23 and had remarried.

“She remarried into a pretty notorious crime family in Boston,” Smith said.

It’s unclear what she did in Davie, but she was strangled. Now, after 40 years, her daughter will finally lay her to rest.

“And I think the feeling of picking up her remains and thinking that I probably haven’t touched a part of her in 41 years is just a little surreal,” Smith said.

Police are still searching for clues to find Kearsey’s killer.

“And that is our goal in this case, to bring about further closure, but also to bring to justice those who were involved in this criminal case,” Urbaez said.

Davie police said they are following up on some leads but still need help.

If you have any information about this crime, call Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS. Remember, you can remain anonymous at any time and may be eligible for a reward of up to $5,000.

Copyright 2023 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

 

[HopeRains]

Gloucester woman speaks out after police identify mother found dead in Florida in 1984

DNA technology has allowed police in Florida to identify a woman killed four decades ago.

The victim’s daughter is from Gloucester and met with police on Tuesday. Now, Maehgan Smith will get to lay her mother to rest.

“I think the feeling of even picking up her remains thinking ‘I probably haven’t touched any part of her in 41 years’ is a little surreal feeling,” Smith said.

Smith’s mother, Lori Kearsey, was found dead in a canal in Davie, Florida in February of 1984.


Kearsey’s body had gone unidentified for decades until local police reopened the cold case.

As their investigation continued, Davie Police Sgt. Kevin Urbaez said authorities were able to locate Smith using DNA from bone fragments.

“I was so overwhelmed because I resigned myself to the fact that I thought I would probably never know what happened to her,” Smith said.

Smith was a small child when Kearsey went missing. Her parents were divorced at the time and she said Kearsey, then 23, had remarried.

“She married into a pretty infamous crime family in Boston,” Smith said.

“She had dropped me off on the weekend and just didn’t go back,” Smith said of her last interaction with her mother.

While it is unclear what Kearsey was doing in Florida, authorities said she was strangled.

Investigators are now looking for clues as they hope to find the person or people behind Kearsey’s death.

“That’s our goal in this case — to bring additional closure — but also to bring those who were involved in this criminal case to justice,” Urbaez said.

 

[PayrollNerd]

Heart breaking that Maehgan never saw her Mom again. It makes me wonder if Lori was trafficked, or forced into a marriage she didn’t want? It’s unusual for a Mom to willingly walk away, unless someone or something else, like drugs or alcohol comes into play.

I hope they can find more answers. It’s awful to grow up thinking or knowing you’re unwanted.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

One of Smith’s aunts has told her that Kearsey’s best friend’s husband dropped her off at the airport. Another of Kearsey’s relatives has said Kearsey was picked up by people who claimed they were law enforcement. Some had heard that she may have been entered into the federal witness protection program.

“There’s a lot of rumors … I don’t think anybody remembers it,” Smith said. “Nobody knew it was going to be the last time they ever talked to her.”

Kearsey was never reported missing in Massachusetts or Florida, Smith said.

It is not known who took Kearsey to the airport, if she went directly to Florida or elsewhere first, if she was alone or with someone, why she was leaving or when exactly she got to Florida. Velazquez said these are all questions they’re still trying to answer.

Without sharing details, Velazquez said they have identified people of interest who are still alive. He would not say whether they are in Massachusetts or Florida because of the active investigation.

The man Kearsey married is still alive, but Velazquez would not say whether he is a suspect or where he is. They are still working leads, awaiting other DNA test results, he said

Woman married into notorious Boston crime family identified as Davie cold case victim

Maehgan Smith has always known something happened to her mother. It was the only explanation for why she had grown up without her, why she had not been seen or

www.newburyportnews.com

 

[chaddylex]

I just saw @CarlK90245's post on FB that she has been identified. I am so glad her family has some answers and that she has finally been identified. I hope they can find out who was responsible for her murder.

 

[CarlK90245]

The additional details provided about an organized crime connection kind of puts to rest the Christopher Wilder theory.

 

[chaddylex]

The additional details provided about an organized crime connection kind of puts to rest the Christopher Wilder theory.

I agree. I always thought that she fit perfectly into his timeline.

 

[LucyOso]

RIP Lori

 

[megsmith78]

I’m her daughter. I’ve been looking at this page everyday since we found out. I’m so happy that she’s officially identified and I pray for all the unknown souls & their families

 

[Springrain]

I'm hoping Lori is resting peacefully now and that the investigation leads to justice

 

[megs1477]

Beautiful lady. I’m so happy she got her name back. I hope she and her family can now find peace and eventually Justice as well.