Identified! MA - Provincetown, Race Point, 'Lady in the Dunes' WhtFem 27-49, UP11840, Jul'74 - Ruth Marie Terry

[Jubble]

Possible?
http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/p/price_annita.html

The height is a little off though...and the distance is kind of far, but I think there are similarities.

There's a thread on WS about her here
http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1732346

 

[carbuff]

Possible?
http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/p/price_annita.html

The height is a little off though...and the distance is kind of far, but I think there are similarities.

There's a thread on WS about her here
http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1732346

Wow, that looks very close facially, and the distance isn't really a problem -- it's a day's driving up I-95 to Cape Cod, and a month between her disappearance and Lady of the Dunes' death. What I do wonder about is the severe burns. There's no mention of that with the Lady in the Dunes.

 

[polywog]

I think that the burns would have been evident, and also (I think) the woman in the dunes had not borne children (?) as I recall, but that's an interesting match possibility.... she does look like the woman. What is so frustrating is the distinctive dental work on WITD. It's a specific "school" of work connected to a specific region, NYC. They have her jeans (Wrangler or Maverick brand) and I am wondering of they ever investigated where that manufacturing lot was made and sold. Not sure if those things were present on the tags back in the early 70s, or if it's been too long ago to check that... maybe they already have. Hmmm, all the more reason to talk to the local detectives... maybe they have already checked that stuff.

 

[PFF]

If hands were removed to prevent ID__Would that mean she had a police record somewhere...odd about her expensive gold teeth getting no response...certainly their cant be too many dentists at that Time who charged that MUCH for gold teeth...even in New York City..........:twocents:

 

[carbuff]

http://www.capecodonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091106/NEWS/911060325/-1/NEWS01

This case has haunted me for years, here's a new article in the Cape Cod Times today about her, and a renewed effort by local detectives to identify her.

I live in Provincetown, and several months ago was visiting the (then) police chief (since retired) on other business, and saw a huge file box overflowing with notes and evidence on his floor. Wish I could have pored through it, and let him know that, but he sighed and said it was confidential, of course.

So here's hoping that bumping this up will generate some interest and leads from the talented sleuthers here......

This article has a picture of that case file, along with quite a bit of information about what they're working on as they reopen the case:

http://www.wickedlocal.com/province...oman-in-the-Dunes-murder-case-to-be-re-opened

The article indicates, among other things, that they suspect she might be younger than they initially thought.

When they reopened the case 5-10 years ago for the first round of DNA testing, they thought they had a match with someone from Florida, but then further testing and the dental records didn't confirm it. The dental records were off by 1 tooth. http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20144864,00.html -- second paragraph from the bottom.

Here are some other articles that say basically the same thing as polywog's article:

http://www.capecodonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091106/NEWS/911060325
http://www.provincetown-ma.gov/safety/lady_of_dunes.html
http://www.capecodonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091105/NEWS11/911059982

 

[hmg]

If hands were removed to prevent ID__Would that mean she had a police record somewhere...odd about her expensive gold teeth getting no response...certainly their cant be too many dentists at that Time who charged that MUCH for gold teeth...even in New York City..........:twocents:

For awhile LE thought she was Rory Gene Kesinger, a bank robber, but DNA testing earlier this decade proved that she was not. I think someone with a criminal record is not out of the realm of possibility, although its also possible the killer removed the hands to prevent identification of the victim for his/ her own benefit (eg-- her identity could easily lead back to the killer).

 

[carbuff]

For awhile LE thought she was Rory Gene Kesinger, a bank robber, but DNA testing earlier this decade proved that she was not. I think someone with a criminal record is not out of the realm of possibility, although its also possible the killer removed the hands to prevent identification of the victim for his/ her own benefit (eg-- her identity could easily lead back to the killer).

I remember that. They were all but positive it was RGK based on other evidence, and were really surprised the tests were negative.

Since he also smashed her face in, it seems like it had a personal element, too. I remember one of the times we vacationed on the Cape, an old dude at a restaurant told us about the supposed mafia hit man who used to eat there, and claimed the hit man was the boyfriend of the murdered woman so of course he did it. Do you remember anything about that rumor? Do you think there was anything to it?

 

[kitbits]

If hands were removed to prevent ID__Would that mean she had a police record somewhere...odd about her expensive gold teeth getting no response...certainly their cant be too many dentists at that Time who charged that MUCH for gold teeth...even in New York City..........:twocents:

She could have been fingerprinted for a variety of reasons, not just as a criminal. In Colorado, they print your right index finger when you get your driving license--I assume other states would do, as well--I got my first license in 1977 & yep, they did that! Or she could have been in the military or a civilian working in the military or worked in a particular branch of government or a job where she had to have been bonded.

 

[dreamweaver]

I am glad to hear that this case is being looked at again.
And taking the skull to the Smithsonian to get a computer enhanced picture of her will be an asset.

 

[hmg]

I also heard the rumor about the case being Mafia related but I have no clue if it's true or not. The expensive dentistry and finger removal could convincingly be linked to that type of activity.

 

[Aphra]

I think Elizabeth Swann should be looked at more closely if she hasn't been ruled out already. She looks a lot like the Lady of the Dunes drawing.

On a somewhat silly side note, I remember seeing the Psychic Investigators--or whatever that show was called, the one with Carla Baron--on Lady of the Dunes and Carla felt that LOtD had a foreign accent, but was a native English speaker.(I think CB thought LOtD was Canadian, IIRC.) Not that this has any relevance at all, seeing that many people feel that Carla Baron is a hack. But maybe LOtD *was* foreign, and that's why no one has come forward.

But acting on the hunch that she might have been Canadian or British, here are some possibilities (albeit farfetched):

Ingrid Bauer: http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/908dfon.html
Fairly unlikely, considering the circumstances, and that she was significantly younger than LotD's age estimate. Also, she weighed about 50 pounds less, but she disappeared in 1972 and maybe she gained weight? But she looks a lot like the LotD's sketch.

Marilyn Ann Byskal: http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/2416dfmb.html
Circumstances seem to be a bit of a stretch, and she disappeared only a few weeks before LotD was discovered, but the vitals fit somewhat.

 

[polywog]

The mafia rumor... I live here, but have never heard that one! I have always thought that organized crime seemed plausible because of the hands being removed. Ptown has such a drug history, esp. bad in the '70s, that I have thought it would have something to do with that, and mafia presence as well.

RGK seemed like such a perfect match, so disappointing that it wasn't. It has occurred to me that maybe it Was her, but that for some reason her mother was not her bio-mother and wanted to keep that hidden for some reason. Wonder about RGK's birth records?

The fancy dental work does not seem to go with RGK's lifestyle, though.

I've also thought about LItD being foreign and hoped that by bumping this thread up that some new sleuther here might see a new match. Seems like there have been some great cases being solved here lately, and that inspired me.

 

[polywog]

... Oh, meant to say also, Thanks Afra for those links, that's the spirit of this bumping up. I know they are younger than the age of the victim, but isn't age hard to tell sometimes anyway?

 

[little726]

The mafia rumor... I live here, but have never heard that one! I have always thought that organized crime seemed plausible because of the hands being removed. Ptown has such a drug history, esp. bad in the '70s, that I have thought it would have something to do with that, and mafia presence as well.

RGK seemed like such a perfect match, so disappointing that it wasn't. It has occurred to me that maybe it Was her, but that for some reason her mother was not her bio-mother and wanted to keep that hidden for some reason. Wonder about RGK's birth records?

The fancy dental work does not seem to go with RGK's lifestyle, though.

I've also thought about LItD being foreign and hoped that by bumping this thread up that some new sleuther here might see a new match. Seems like there have been some great cases being solved here lately, and that inspired me.

Yes, but if TLoD's, IS RGK, she would have been able to afford the expensive dental work.

RGK, was or is, a thief, right?

 

[hmg]

Yes, RGK was a thief which would have explained the dentistry.

That's why I also feel the mafia angle is somewhat compelling-- a dentist could have worked on this young lady's teeth as a favor to the mob or she could have had the money herself to have it done.

If she was just from some upper class family who could afford to shell out that much for dentistry I feel like there would have been a match to a person reported missing unless she had the work done when she was younger and had lost touch with her family, was an immigrant, or some other similar scenario.

 

[polywog]

Yes, RGK was a thief which would have explained the dentistry.

That's why I also feel the mafia angle is somewhat compelling-- a dentist could have worked on this young lady's teeth as a favor to the mob or she could have had the money herself to have it done.

If she was just from some upper class family who could afford to shell out that much for dentistry I feel like there would have been a match to a person reported missing unless she had the work done when she was younger and had lost touch with her family, was an immigrant, or some other similar scenario.

Excellent point about the $$$ dentistry and her possible mob link! That might also explain why the dental records have never surfaced... the dentist, if mob connected, would have disposed of the records, if there were any. She could have accompanied a drug dealer up to the Cape who planned to off her after making his connections up here.

The area where she was found/killed (I haven't been to the spot, but I'm familiar with the area) is away from the dune shacks, but not too far from the visitors center, where people wander down into the dunes from the parking lot to hike to the beach. The killer probably thought he had a remote enough area, but in July nothing is very private. Probably heard voices, or saw a dog or some such while trying to remove her head and thought it best to just give up and take off.

I've also wondered about that lawyer who was suspected of killing several New Bedford prostitutes, can't remember his name, but he used to come up to Provincetown.

 

[CCJD]

I've also wondered about that lawyer who was suspected of killing several New Bedford prostitutes, can't remember his name, but he used to come up to Provincetown.

Kenneth Ponte?
http://wbztv.com/local/New.Bedford.murders.2.586972.html

 

[carbuff]

@afra, thanks for the links.

@polywog, Swann does look a lot like the dead woman.

And I agree, it seems like somebody from another country would be a possibility. And I too had wondered whether he was interrupted in the act of dismembering her body. She was killed by strangulation, I think.

Probably worth noting that not all organized crime in New England is Mafia-related. I think Whitey Bulger's gang was already operating by then, and there are several smaller ones, plus a rumored Portuguese-oriented one that operates out of New Bedford/Lawrence and probably others I've never heard of.

One of the things I've always wondered about is how she could lie there for a week or more in July without being discovered. The Cape has always been busy in the summer. I wonder if it was a rainy week or something? I'm going to see if I can track down the original articles published when she was found.

 

[polywog]

Kenneth Ponte?
http://wbztv.com/local/New.Bedford.murders.2.586972.html

Yes! Thanks. I always suspected that he was connected to organized crime.

@Afra - I agree that the Swann looks so much like the drawing, and am wondering now if anyone has investigated that, obtained DNA from her family.
Maybe I will email the info to the police chief, couldn't hurt. For all I know they have already checked it out, and I am wondering if I could ask for a list of names that have been ruled out...

I have to go to the local library to do some research this week, so I can look at the microfilms of the newspaper articles. I looked at them several years ago, but not recently. The weather idea is good. Actually, it doesn't surprise me too much that it took so long to discover the body... have you ever been out here and explored the dunes? There are tons of little nooks and crannies that you'd never expect. I used to find new spots all the time.

As for organized crime, Yes... the Whitey Bulger gang, of course. As for the Portuguese gang, can't believe I have never heard of that. I have recent friend here (ex fisherman) who was involved in smuggling back in the day, so maybe I will talk to him... actually, two friends. When they have talked about that, they are very tight-lipped, but one never knows.

 

[polywog]

@carbuff, she killed by a blow to the head and there was no sign of a struggle. She was lying on one side of a towel as if someone else had been lying next to her, and might have been asleep, or at least unaware that she was going to be hit.