IL IL - Chicago, BlkFem 23-28, UP122447, floating in Washington Park lagoon, blue & white striped blouse, pink toenails, Jun'88

[Mrs. Badcrumble]

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

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

www.namus.gov

Female
Black / African American

Date Body Found: June 20, 1988
Location Found: Chicago, Illinois
Estimated Age Range: 23-28 Years

Case Information​

Case Numbers​

NCMEC Number: --
ME/C Case Number: 430 Jun 88

Demographics​

Biological Sex: Female
Race / Ethnicity: Black / African American

Possible First Name: --
Possible Middle Name: --
Possible Last Name: --
Nickname/Alias: --

Estimated Age Group: Adult - Pre 30
Estimated Age Range (Years): 23-28

Estimated Year of Death: --
Estimated PMI: --

Height: 5' 5"(65 inches) , Measured
Weight: 225 lbs, Measured

Circumstances​

Type: Unidentified Deceased
Date Body Found: June 20, 1988
NamUs Case Created: May 21, 2024
ME/C QA Reviewed: --

Location Found Map​

Location: Chicago, Illinois
County: Cook County
GPS Coordinates (Not Mapped): --
Found On Tribal Land: No

Circumstances of Recovery:
The decedent was found by an unknown citizen floating in the lagoon at Washington Park.

Details of Recovery​

Inventory of Remains: --
Condition of Remains: Not recognizable - Decomposing/putrefaction

Physical Description​

Hair Color: Black
Head Hair Description: Curly hair, coarse texture
Body Hair Description: --
Facial Hair Description: --

Left Eye Color: Brown
Right Eye Color: Brown
Eye Description: --

---

Distinctive Physical Features​

Item
Description
- Finger and toe nails: Toes painted a pink color

Scar/mark
- A transverse old well healed surgical scar is present on lower abdomen

Clothing and Accessories​

Item
Description
Clothing
- Blue and white striped blouse White shorts with brown belt Yellow underwear: On the Body

 

[victoriarobinson642]

I recently finished a reconstruction of Washington Park Jane Doe. I wish there was a photo of her shirt/blouse but I think this guesstimate isn't too far off.

 

[ThatOddMom]

I am local to this area and find it wild that with such a good image (postmortem and reconstruction) she hasn't been identified. I do not post here often, so please correct me if I am doing something wrong.
I did some looking and found a potential match, Sylvia Renee McElroy, she went missing from that exact area in Nov. '87. That area hasn't ever really been safe.
The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)
"McElroy was last seen on 11/101987 in Chicago, Illinois. McElroy was last seen wearing a long beige trench coat, a blue and white shirt and navy blue pants and carrying a black and brown purse. McElroy was last seen in the area of 63rd and King Drive with a friend and an unidentified male, getting into a brown four-door late 1970's model Buick in Chicago, Illinois on November 10 1987. She has never been heard from again"

Photos of McElroy are not great, so it's hard to tell if she's a facial match, but I feel it could be close (I think there could be some weight gain)
The Shirt matches, but not the other items of clothing. There is some time between when she disappeared in the fall and when she was found in the summer, and she hadn't been deceased long, so my thought is that she could have been on the street or staying with someone. So, the shorts, and lack of coat make sense to me.
My common sense tells me LE has already looked into this, but LE in the area have notoriously ..... not given a heck about people especially women of color.

Is this worth submitting?

 

[Moonwalker9]

I don't recognize her face. Don't think she has been reported missing. Surprised she was added to nameus as late as 35 years after she died. But it's not too late to identify her