MI MI - Ruth Hoffman, 44, River Rouge, 30 June 1986
- Thread starter debbie lynn smeaton
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gaia227
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I understand the dilemma: a woman goes missing, there is evidence she was alive as recently as 2003 so perhaps she doesn't want to be found or put into contact with her family and her right to privacy is being observed. However, given the circumstances under which she vanished the least LE could do is try to contact Ruth and ask her if she wants to be put into contact with her family and if she says then go from there. I think the decision to observe privacy laws needs to have a little wriggle room to allow for extraoridinary circumstances. If she is living in some kind of group home or shelter and seems to be disoriented or have amnesia then it seems a little ridiculous that she has family out there looking for her, she could be in dire straights and need them but because of the law they cannot be brought together. I cannot imagine how frustrating that is for Ruth's daughter.
Tonia
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Link to a petition to the Attorney General of Michigan to Investigate the Disappearance of Sharon Ruth Hoffman.
http://www.gopetition.com/region/237/8055.html
http://www.gopetition.com/region/237/8055.html
wanttohelp
http://thewaronwomen.org
Claudette
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This is truly bizarre. It doesn't sound like she would have wanted to run from her daughter, who was just about to have a baby at that! So why did she? This case should be easy to solve and it is shameful that it has been this long.
wickedwitch31
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Has anyone heard from Debbie since her last post?
Fairy1
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wickedwitch31
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This is just sad. I just stumbled upon this case this morning and from what I've read so far this was one sloppy case.
America's Most Wanted has her down as going missing on July 29th when it was actually June 30th. Charley Project reports that she was issued a ticket on Oct. 8, 1993 in Belleville, Michigan using the name Ruth Sharon Russie but AMW reports that she recieved that ticket on Oct. 4, 1986. I did read somewhere and can't remember where atm that she recieved a ticket in PA too. Maybe they are confusing locations with one of the MI tickets?
Regarding the bar owner and his friend, have they ever been located or questioned? Debbie had stated that they couldn't be located. I'd like to know when THEY went missing.
Why did she need a tetanus shot?
I would really love to know how Debbie is doing. I really hope that she is ok.
Edited to also add that Michigan Does has the ticket she received in October 1993 in PA.
America's Most Wanted has her down as going missing on July 29th when it was actually June 30th. Charley Project reports that she was issued a ticket on Oct. 8, 1993 in Belleville, Michigan using the name Ruth Sharon Russie but AMW reports that she recieved that ticket on Oct. 4, 1986. I did read somewhere and can't remember where atm that she recieved a ticket in PA too. Maybe they are confusing locations with one of the MI tickets?
Regarding the bar owner and his friend, have they ever been located or questioned? Debbie had stated that they couldn't be located. I'd like to know when THEY went missing.
Why did she need a tetanus shot?
I would really love to know how Debbie is doing. I really hope that she is ok.
Edited to also add that Michigan Does has the ticket she received in October 1993 in PA.
Claudette
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Right - at this point I'm more worried about Debbie than her mom. We at least know her mom had been around since she disappeared though we don't know why she disappeared and didn't return. Debbie fell off websleuths, and we know she wasn't doing well health-wise. Hopefully there is a happy ending for the both of them soon. 
Hey Debbie, hope you're okay. Let us know if you are.
I wanted to add one way to contact someone when you didn't know where they are is to send a stamped envelope with an enclosed letter to that person to the Social Security Administration. I located my missing dad this way. I think I sent my letter to a certain SSA dept, but I don't remember which one. At the time, the only thing I knew of my dad was his birthdate, some of the jobs he had held a long time ago, and where he used to live. So I sent that info w/ a letter to him to SSA, asking them to forward the letter. It took 9 months, but he got it and later contacted me. The sad thing is, he committed suicide a year later, so I didn't get much time w/ my dad. This only works if the person you want to contact WANTS to contact you. SSA will NOT tell you if that person received the letter, nor where they are. My dad was receiving disability benefits, so maybe that's why my letter reached him, I don't know. I got the idea from a radio talk show segment about contacting people.
And earlier in this thread, someone asked how could they get the media involved. I currently work as a writer/copy editor for a small but growing university. My school's paper would do a story on a missing person if someone from the community came & asked us. Since we are small, we have a hard time getting interesting stories. And, as college newspaper writers, we have a a lot more say so about what we want in the paper than a regular newspaper. My advice to anyone who wants to get the ball rolling on media exposure is to contact a local college newspaper. I'm not sure if a big school, such as GA State would do it, but I have no doubt my paper would. If the story is good enough (on the writer's end) it may get put in some larger papers. Or, an editor from a big paper or news show may read the story and decide to contact you to do a story.
At the very least it would be a start,- and some exposure. It would definintly spark a bunch of interest around a campus, b/c our paper is usually full of nothing but mundane campus happenings. A couple of months ago, someone got arrested in class by US marshalls, and that story got front page (over the dean retiring!) and flew off the racks in hours.
I wanted to add one way to contact someone when you didn't know where they are is to send a stamped envelope with an enclosed letter to that person to the Social Security Administration. I located my missing dad this way. I think I sent my letter to a certain SSA dept, but I don't remember which one. At the time, the only thing I knew of my dad was his birthdate, some of the jobs he had held a long time ago, and where he used to live. So I sent that info w/ a letter to him to SSA, asking them to forward the letter. It took 9 months, but he got it and later contacted me. The sad thing is, he committed suicide a year later, so I didn't get much time w/ my dad. This only works if the person you want to contact WANTS to contact you. SSA will NOT tell you if that person received the letter, nor where they are. My dad was receiving disability benefits, so maybe that's why my letter reached him, I don't know. I got the idea from a radio talk show segment about contacting people.
And earlier in this thread, someone asked how could they get the media involved. I currently work as a writer/copy editor for a small but growing university. My school's paper would do a story on a missing person if someone from the community came & asked us. Since we are small, we have a hard time getting interesting stories. And, as college newspaper writers, we have a a lot more say so about what we want in the paper than a regular newspaper. My advice to anyone who wants to get the ball rolling on media exposure is to contact a local college newspaper. I'm not sure if a big school, such as GA State would do it, but I have no doubt my paper would. If the story is good enough (on the writer's end) it may get put in some larger papers. Or, an editor from a big paper or news show may read the story and decide to contact you to do a story.
At the very least it would be a start,- and some exposure. It would definintly spark a bunch of interest around a campus, b/c our paper is usually full of nothing but mundane campus happenings. A couple of months ago, someone got arrested in class by US marshalls, and that story got front page (over the dean retiring!) and flew off the racks in hours.
Oh sorry, Dreamweaver, I just noticed you had already wrote about sending a letter via SSA.
Maybe someone should check SS death index to see if Debbie has passed away. I'd do it, but I don't know where to go, and I'm swamped w/ finals the next 2 weeks. I shouldn't be posting here, but I can't help it. If no one else has done it, I will try to remember to check the index after the semester ends.
About the tetanus shot, people get them every 10 yrs. If you go to a doc with any kind of injury and you haven't had one in 10 yrs, they will give you one. And they are required to be updated for things like school, entry into care facilities, etc. Maybe somebody has already touched on this, if so I apologize. At least the thread is being bumped again!
Maybe someone should check SS death index to see if Debbie has passed away. I'd do it, but I don't know where to go, and I'm swamped w/ finals the next 2 weeks. I shouldn't be posting here, but I can't help it. If no one else has done it, I will try to remember to check the index after the semester ends.
About the tetanus shot, people get them every 10 yrs. If you go to a doc with any kind of injury and you haven't had one in 10 yrs, they will give you one. And they are required to be updated for things like school, entry into care facilities, etc. Maybe somebody has already touched on this, if so I apologize. At least the thread is being bumped again!
mtrooper
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Well I think the mystery of where Mrs. Hoffman disappeared to is about to come to a sad end. This Jane Doe was just entered into Namus, it seems like she has been dead this whole time. How sad it took so long for this to all come together.
She was Submitted earlier this week. Hopefully this will bring closure to her family.
https://identifyus.org/cases/8380
She was Submitted earlier this week. Hopefully this will bring closure to her family.
https://identifyus.org/cases/8380
I noticed Debbie had posted on this site on October 18th 2010, so if the date is correct Debbie was still with us in 2010. The only thing is bizarrely,the site is about medical scrubs with some random comments at the bottom, so I don't know if Debbie did post in 2010 or if it somehow got onto that site from somewhere else. I hope she is OK. http://www.areacodewear.com/hospital-scrubs-2/
mtrooper said:
I fear you may be correct mtrooper...
AnnieOakley
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Is there any way we can find out if she is being compared to Ruth? The notation in the NamUs file says they are 'unsure of where the sample is stored at this time'. I am wondering if that would prevent them from comparing the UID to anyone?
mtrooper
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I know that they are being compared. I will let you know as soon as I know more. I am also waiting on another doe from Monroe county to be compared to Ronald Norman. The dentals match up on both, along with time frames, heights, weights etc. I am excited and sad at the same time. I am hoping we will know more tomorrow. Impatiently waiting.
LotsaLatte
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I believe this is probably her as well. Thank you for posting the information.
kevmob77
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If this turns out to be Ms. Hoffman, and I'm sure it is, what a shame. Just goes to show the lack of communication between different jurisdictions is still a huge problem when cross-referencing UID's.
I thought the supposed sightings of her, tickets, and all might have been the work of someone who stole Ms. Hoffman's identity and was never actually her. Very sad if this turns out to be the case.
I thought the supposed sightings of her, tickets, and all might have been the work of someone who stole Ms. Hoffman's identity and was never actually her. Very sad if this turns out to be the case.
belimom
Speak the truth even if your voice shakes~M.Kuhn
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I believe this is her as well... Right down to the denture work on the top teeth and the left eyebrow being higher than the right, the dimples, the location, etc. Prayers to her family.
md70
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What ever happened with this? Was there a match? I did note some major differences. The Jane Doe was listed as 63" and I thought Ruth was taller (more like 5'7" or 8"). Also Ruth was listed as wearing a red crop top and jeans while the Jane Doe was listed as wearing a black crop top and striped shorts. So unless Debbie was mistaken about the clothes or she changed again at some point after leaving the house, I would tend to doubt it's the same person. However, anything is possible. Not sure what to think of all the later sitings. Could have been her and could have been an ID thief. I sure would like to find out if there is anything new though.