MD MD - Baltimore, BlkFem 20-29, UP4831, note, poss: depressed, married, knew short hand, Jun'71

[SurrealisticSlumbers]

Unidentified Black Female

Date of Discovery: June 3, 1971
Location Found: Druid Hill Park, 3101 Swann Dr., Baltimore, MD
Est. Date of Death: 4 days prior
State of Remains: All parts recovered; Recognizable face
Cause of Death: Suicide by fire

Demographics

Est. Age Range: 20-29 yrs. old
Race: Black/African American
Gender: Female
Height: 5'6" *
Weight: 110 lbs.
Hair Color: Black
Eye Color: N/A
Distinguishing Marks/Features: N/A

* Note: Doe Network lists height as 6'6" while NamUs lists it as 5'6".

Clothing & Personal Items

Was wearing a plaid red, white and blue dress (or blouse), a white/pale blue slip, lace bodice (size 36) with the label "Nani Flower," a white Playtex brand bra (size 36A), flesh-colored pantyhose, and white panties. Her only jewelry was a thin gold band on her left ring finger. She wore black loafer-style shoes, "Polly Preston" brand.

Circumstances of Discovery

The deceased subject was found in a wooded area on the grounds of Druid Hill Park (northwest corner). Likely suffering from depression, the decedent had apparently committed suicide. Believed to have been married, influenced by Christianity, and may have known how to write in short-hand.

Dentals: Available
Fingerprints: Available
DNA: N/A

Investigating Agency(s)

Maryland Office of the Chief Medical Examiner: (410) 333-3250

Baltimore Police Dept.
The Regional Program Specialist contact for this case is Pamela Reed.
Agency Case Number: #715F05646
(817) 666-5432 or email pamela.reed@unthsc.edu.

NamUs #UP4831

Links:

Doe Network
NamUs

 

[CCJD]

Her only jewelry was a thin gold band on her left ring finger. She wore black loafer-style shoes, "Polly Preston" brand.

Believed to have been married, influenced by Christianity,

I wonder if she was a nun - or one who had left the order.

 

[SurrealisticSlumbers]

Her only jewelry was a thin gold band on her left ring finger. She wore black loafer-style shoes, "Polly Preston" brand.

Believed to have been married, influenced by Christianity,

I wonder if she was a nun - or one who had left the order.

Yes - I believe all nuns wear a gold wedding band symbolizing their marriage to Christ. I looked up the brand "Polly Preston," and what came up were vintage shoes for sale online, meaning that shoes of this brand are no longer being manufactured. The shoes looked as though they were largely worn by young women of that time, and would have been considered stylish back then. Of course, it would help if there was an image of her shoes and clothes, but her loafers were likely practical, as well as fashionable looking for the time. I'm also not sure what is meant by the whole dress/blouse thing. Was it charred to the point where it wasn't able to be determined how long this garment fell? She wasn't wearing any shorts or pants, so perhaps the plaid blouse was actually a dress that fell to the knees or just above the knees. In that case, I would say it's an unlikely outfit for a nun, or former nun, to be wearing, but I may be wrong. I have known some "consecrated women" many years ago (some of whom may have gone on to become nuns). These ladies didn't dress in a nun's habit, but they did adhere to a dress code that I would call modest/conservative, and all of them wore wedding bands.

To me, Jane Doe reads as a typical young urban woman of her time, who may have been going through problems (a divorce?) to the point that she decided to end her life. Burning oneself to death seems to be a very painful way to go, as opposed to say, poison. I am wondering how it was determined that she may have known short-hand or may have been a practicing Christian... suicide note left on site? I have known about this Jane Doe for awhile and always wondered why she chose to die in such a violent way.

 

[CCJD]

Sorry for the poor quality of the pics - best I could do without a subscription.

 

[SurrealisticSlumbers]

Sorry for the poor quality of the pics - best I could do without a subscription.

This is great. Wow, thank you for sharing this.

"Crystal M. Ford" might indeed be her name if the jacket was found in the general vicinity and would have fit her. Is there some way to view PG Community College records for students - even those who didn't graduate, but attended? I think it's worth a shot to see if there were any Crystal Fords who may have attended the college within five years of her body being found.

 

[CCJD]

This is great. Wow, thank you for sharing this.

"Crystal M. Ford" might indeed be her name if the jacket was found in the general vicinity and would have fit her .

I would imagine they looked into that years ago. I should have added to my last post that the article was from the Baltimore Afro American, published Saturday, June 5, 1971. I got it from newspaperarchive.com but it's the only article I've found.

Be nice there were photos of the card and suicide note on NamUs.

 

[CCJD]

Text from article June 8, 1971.
The other body found recently was that of a' young woman tentatively' identified as Miss Crystal Ford, who was found burned from head to foot in Druid HUI Park last Thursday. That case is believed by police to be a suicide.
Baltimore Afro American Archives, Jun 8, 1971, p. 26

 

[SurrealisticSlumbers]

I would imagine they looked into that years ago. I should have added to my last post that the article was from the Baltimore Afro American, published Saturday, June 5, 1971. I got it from newspaperarchive.com but it's the only article I've found.

Be nice there were photos of the card and suicide note on NamUs.

Right, I came across that newspaper image in my Google image search on this case but clearly, I didn't give it enough thought. I wasn't sure if anything new would be mentioned in that article that wasn't already on Doe Network. But, it does bring up this possible link to the PG Community College student, which is crucial.

They may have done a cursory checking into the woman's identity at the time, but as a greater Baltimore resident, I believe that because of her race, there likely wasn't an exhaustive investigation performed in 1971. Since the Civil Rights Movement the decade prior to this unidentified woman's suicide, there had still been incidences of racism in Maryland, depicted in such popular films as Hairspray. Yes, Baltimore has come under scrutiny for police brutality towards those of color in the decades after the Civil Rights era. Maybe social media can be a useful tool, to see if any alumni of PG Community College remember attending classes with someone who matches the description of this deceased woman, or went by the name Crystal Ford.

I also wouldn't be surprised if the jacket was possibly stolen from the student named Crystal Ford, by someone who lived in her community, or attended classes with her, or even worked with her. There is also the remote possibility that, for whatever reason, this unidentified woman borrowed the card from Crystal Ford to check something out of the college's library or something like that. They could have been friends or acquaintances.

 

[CCJD]

This article jumps between info about both bodies found in the park. I snipped the relevant parts.
4 Jun 1971, 1 - The Evening Sun at Newspapers.com

 

[SurrealisticSlumbers]

Okay, so between The Afro-American and The Evening Sun, we know that this case got some publicity at the time. This helps paint a better picture. I know Druid Park as a place where a lot of bodies have been dumped over the years, and like the article said, there's probably no connection between the two bodies found. I would love to know if anything was mentioned in local newspapers for Prince George's County. There has always been a large African-American community in that county and people there ought to remember a woman matching Jane Doe's profile. Those people would likely be in their sixties by now.

 

[CCJD]

You might consider giving Baltimore ME's Office a call, see if anyone can tell you what happened with the Crystal Ford connection. You might get lucky and connect with someone who's willing to share info not currently available online.

 

[SurrealisticSlumbers]

You might consider giving Baltimore ME's Office a call, see if anyone can tell you what happened with the Crystal Ford connection. You might get lucky and connect with someone who's willing to share info not currently available online.

Okay, I think I will do that this week. I've never called a medical examiner's office or LE before, so I will check over best practices on here for what to say. I'll see what I can find out - if anything.

 

[SurrealisticSlumbers]

I first tried to call the MD Office of the Chief ME. There was an automated menu of options; I selected the option of accessing autopsy reports. I forget what the other options were. I spoke with a staff person there, who didn't provide any information but directed me to contact the Baltimore Police Dept.

So I've done just that, about a minute ago. I emailed the Regional Program Specialist for this case, Pamela Reed, referencing this case number in the subject line and bringing up the possible Crystal M. Ford connection in the email itself. I do hope to receive a reply from her, and will update this thread with whatever I may hear back. Just waiting now...

 

[SurrealisticSlumbers]

Okay, I just received an email response from Pam Reed.

She says: "I am not permitted to comment on any investigatory aspects of a case that has been entered NamUs. That information must come from the case owner, the MD OCME. Sorry, but that is the understanding between us and the investigating agency in order to secure a public view of the data."

Basically, I'm at a dead end, since the OCME directed me to contact the case specialist with the Balt. Police Dept., and now I'm being told by the case specialist that the information must come from the OCME...

 

[Moonwalker9]

She was found here
خرائط ‪Google‬‏‏

 

[John/Jane Doe]

1032UFMD

 

[DS2021]

Basically, I'm at a dead end, since the OCME directed me to contact the case specialist with the Balt. Police Dept., and now I'm being told by the case specialist that the information must come from the OCME...

That's frustrating. Does anyone have any advice on where to go next with this?

 

[CCJD]

Okay, I just received an email response from Pam Reed.

She says: "I am not permitted to comment on any investigatory aspects of a case that has been entered NamUs. That information must come from the case owner, the MD OCME. Sorry, but that is the understanding between us and the investigating agency in order to secure a public view of the data."

Basically, I'm at a dead end, since the OCME directed me to contact the case specialist with the Balt. Police Dept., and now I'm being told by the case specialist that the information must come from the OCME...

AFAIK, Pamela Reed was the Regional Program Specialist for NamUs, not Baltimore PD. The email addy for Ms Reed in the OP is the old format for NamUs reps.

Doe Network updated UID's page 5/9/21 with this:

Investigating Agency(s)
Agency Name: Maryland Office of the Chief Medical Examiner
Agency Contact Person: Unknown
Agency Phone Number: 410-333-3250
Agency E-Mail: Unknown
Agency Case Number: 78327

Agency Name: Baltimore Police Department - Headquarters
Agency Contact Person: Unknown
Agency Phone Number: 410-887-2214
Agency E-Mail: HomicideTips@baltimorepolice.org
Agency Case Number: 715F05646

1032UFMD

 

[SurrealisticSlumbers]

AFAIK, Pamela Reed was the Regional Program Specialist for NamUs, not Baltimore PD. The email addy for Ms Reed in the OP is the old format for NamUs reps.

Doe Network updated UID's page 5/9/21 with this:

Investigating Agency(s)
Agency Name: Maryland Office of the Chief Medical Examiner
Agency Contact Person: Unknown
Agency Phone Number: 410-333-3250
Agency E-Mail: Unknown
Agency Case Number: 78327

Agency Name: Baltimore Police Department - Headquarters
Agency Contact Person: Unknown
Agency Phone Number: 410-887-2214
Agency E-Mail: HomicideTips@baltimorepolice.org
Agency Case Number: 715F05646

1032UFMD

Ok, so it seems we are now meant to direct inquiries to the email being displayed for the Baltimore PD - which looks to me like a tipline of sorts?

 

[CCJD]

Ok, so it seems we are now meant to direct inquiries to the email being displayed for the Baltimore PD - which looks to me like a tipline of sorts?

Contact the Baltimore Police Department

Information on various ways to contact the Baltimore Police Department

www.baltimorepolice.org