Identified! MO - Greene Co., skeletal remains found off I-44, Jan'09 - Lawrence Abney

[rccook555]

Greene County sheriff's deputies today will continue investigating a wooded area near Interstate 44 just northeast of Springfield after a human skull was found there Tuesday afternoon.Deputies and detectives were called about 3 p.m. to the scene near the westbound lanes at the 84 mile marker of I-44, two miles east of U.S. 65
Snipped
They discovered a blue tarp and underneath it was a human skull," Arnott said as investigators blocked off the area with yellow crime scene tape Tuesday afternoon.
Arnott said it's clear the skull has been there quite some time.
He said there were other items under the tarp, including various articles of clothing, but did not elaborate.
Although Arnott is calling it a "suspicious death" and the case is currently being investigated as a homicide, he said it's possible the person died of natural causes.
http://www.news-leader.com/article/20090114/NEWS01/901140452

 

[rccook555]

Skull believed to be that of a woman..

Clothing and other items found near skeletal remains Tuesday near Interstate 44 and U.S. 65 indicate the dead person was a woman, a supervisor with the Greene County Sheriff’s Office said this morning.

About one dozen investigators have returned to where employees of a firm working for the Missouri Department of Transportation found the remains under a plastic tarp near the interstate, Capt. Randy Gibson said.

“There’s some clothing and other personal items that point toward a woman,” he said.
http://www.news-leader.com/article/20090114/BREAKING01/90114007

 

[rccook555]

Snipped

Investigators found a person's identification at the crime scene, which turns out to be a camp for homeless people, but aren't sure it belonged to the dead person. They said the skeleton was intact under a blue tarp. On Tuesday, investigators thought the remains belonged to a woman. On Wednesday, they said they might have belonged to a man.
http://www.ky3.com/news/local/37598904.html

 

[Kathee]

New information was released this afternoon about human remains that were found along I-44 yesterday.

MoDOT contractors found a skull near westbound mile marker 84 when thttp://1.bp.blogspot.com/_KAZyFMsa-8E/SW51YUYn3nI/AAAAAAAAAWA/RHap8IQlayM/s1600-h/skull+brush.jpghey were looking for a water source for some signs that they were setting.

Greene County Sheriff Jim Arnott says that a skull and complete set of bones were found inside a sleeping under a blue tarp. He said that the tarp, "appears to have been used as a makeshift tent."

Some identification belonging to a man and a sex toy were found with the body. Arnott, "will not confirm nor deny," that the ID belongs to a known sex offender.

Investigators have made contact with family members of the person that the ID card is issued to.

http://crimesceneinvestigations.blogspot.com/2009/01/new-details-released-on-human-remains.html

 

[Kat]

I wonder if they are sure the remains are of a male?

 

[Kathee]

I wonder if they are sure the remains are of a male?

They're not confirming male or female right now. Hopefully we'll know by the end of the week.

 

[Atanua]

http://www.news-leader.com/article/20090114/BREAKING01/90114007

This article states they think it was a woman.

 

[tatertot]

The ID card found with the body was a man's, but LE is checking to make sure it is actually the victim's. Now LE says the toiletries and clothing found with the body could be a man's or woman's.

http://www.news-leader.com/article/20090115/NEWS01/901150390

 

[tatertot]

The body is a white man in his fifties and it is believed he died when a tree limb fell on him (perhaps while he was in the makeshift tent?):

http://www.news-leader.com/article/20090116/NEWS01/901160373/1007

 

[tatertot]

LE is now using DNA to determine if the man is Mark Dailey, a homeless man last seen in August at the site. His family has agreed to provide DNA samples.

http://www.columbiatribune.com/2009/Jan/20090115News010.asp

 

[rccook555]

LE is now using DNA to determine if the man is Mark Dailey, a homeless man last seen in August at the site. His family has agreed to provide DNA samples.

http://www.columbiatribune.com/2009/Jan/20090115News010.asp

From Link..

The Columbia Police Department has requested DNA samples from family members of a man they believe to have died in a homeless camp in east Columbia.
Skeletal remains of a man were found Jan. 7 in a shed in a wooded area near the north terminus of Conley Road, near Missouri Department of Transportation offices.

Ok i am a bit confused..This article says he was found in Columbia off Conley RD, in a shed... the skull that was found was in Springfield off I-44 and 65 hwy under a tarp. Is this another UID or do that have the story mixed up?

BTW, thanks for the updates!

ETA... upon further reading, i think these are two seperate UID cases although they are very very similar.

 

[mae]

The body is a white man in his fifties and it is believed he died when a tree limb fell on him (perhaps while he was in the makeshift tent?):

http://www.news-leader.com/article/20090116/NEWS01/901160373/1007

This article says the body is 2+ years old. Found in a transient camp. How come no one did anything sooner?

Where is mile maker 84? I-44 in this area is not a super hidden area, especially near 65. It seems odd a body could be there this long. I found this, "For eastbound I-44 through Springfield: Exit on U.S. 65 (Mile Marker 82), south to Kearney Street, east on Kearney Street and follow Missouri 744 signs to eastbound I-44 (Mile Marker 84)." This makes it 2 miles from 65. So not exactly a hidden, out of sight area.

Does this work?
http://maps.google.com/maps?client=...-8&ie=UTF-8&num=10&iwloc=A&iwstate1=saveplace
It's A if there are many.

I cannot find many articles on the subject. I lived in the area for a long time. Just some random thoughts.

 

[rccook555]

This article says the body is 2+ years old. Found in a transient camp. How come no one did anything sooner?

Where is mile maker 84? I-44 in this area is not a super hidden area, especially near 65. It seems odd a body could be there this long. I found this, "For eastbound I-44 through Springfield: Exit on U.S. 65 (Mile Marker 82), south to Kearney Street, east on Kearney Street and follow Missouri 744 signs to eastbound I-44 (Mile Marker 84)." This makes it 2 miles from 65. So not exactly a hidden, out of sight area.

Does this work?
http://maps.google.com/maps?client=...-8&ie=UTF-8&num=10&iwloc=A&iwstate1=saveplace
It's A if there are many.

I cannot find many articles on the subject. I lived in the area for a long time. Just some random thoughts.

Hi Mae, I wondered the same thing too. From what i understand it was off the highway in a field area, And being covered with a tarp i guess no one was able to see anything. You would think that in two years time someone( people picking up aluminum cans or people cleaning the highways, highway workers) would have found him. Its been a long time since i lived in Springfield but i know 44 and 65 are busy populated areas. So sad he went that long before being found. I am having a hard time finding info on this case.

"The remains are believed to be that of a Caucasian male in his mid-50’s.The identification that was found is comparable to the height,weight, race and age of the skeletal remains.

This victim’s identity will be made public only after it has been confirmed, and family members are notified.

We will be utilizing DNA to obtain identity.This victim was not reported as missing."

It does look like he has been indentified pending DNA results. If you hear any updates on this case would you please let me know?
Thank you!

 

[Kat]

http://www.news-leader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=200990115046

"“This victim was not reported as missing,” said a news release from the Greene County Sheriff Jim Arnott. “Efforts to identify and locate family members are on-going at this time.”

Authorities were called to a site near the 84-mile marker of Interstate 44 Tuesday, after a Missouri Department of Transportation worker came across a human skull at a transient camp.

The rest of the skeleton was located in a sleeping bag nearby, along with cans of food, clothing, hygiene products and an ID card.

“The identification that was found is comparable to the height, weight, race and age of the skeletal remains,” the new release says.

Based on the condition of the skeleton, investigators believe the man died at least two years ago."

 

[Kathee]

A year to the day that skeletal remains were found in a makeshift transient camp on I-44 at the 84 mile marker, authorities in Greene County say they have made a positive identification of who the bones belong to.

On January 13, 2008, MoDOT contractors found the skull of Larry Lawrence Abney when they were looking for a water source for some signs that they were setting.

http://crimesceneinvestigations.blogspot.com/2010/01/skeletal-remains-found-last-year-belong.html

 

[Linda7NJ]

Just one less scum bag in the world...........

 

[mae]

Have their been any updates? I could not find any. Did they ever match him with his ID or find his family?

I ran across James A. Skidmore, and the age and location is on. But without a sketch, it's just a guess.

Thoughts?

http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/s/skidmore_james.html

 

[Snufamonbobball]

Have their been any updates? I could not find any. Did they ever match him with his ID or find his family?

I ran across James A. Skidmore, and the age and location is on. But without a sketch, it's just a guess.

Thoughts?

http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/s/skidmore_james.html

The remains have been identified.

http://www.news-leader.com/article/...ound+in+’09+result+of+accident+four+years+ago

 

[mae]

I just saw it and was coming to post. Thanks, Snuf! I looked last night and saw nothing.

And then I found the link to Kathee's blog
http://crimesceneinvestigations.blogspot.com/2010/01/skeletal-remains-found-last-year-belong.html

On January 13, 2008, MoDOT contractors found the skull of Larry Lawrence Abney when they were looking for a water source for some signs that they were setting.

 

[Filly]

A year to the day that skeletal remains were found in a makeshift transient camp on I-44 at the 84 mile marker, authorities in Greene County say they have made a positive identification of who the bones belong to.

On January 13, 2008, MoDOT contractors found the skull of Larry Lawrence Abney when they were looking for a water source for some signs that they were setting.

http://crimesceneinvestigations.blogspot.com/2010/01/skeletal-remains-found-last-year-belong.html

Well I guess he had a legitimate excuse why he didn't register. It looks as though they took his name off the list of people failing to comply.