MO MO - Illmo, WhtFem 50-60, skeletal remains found buried in a wooden crate along the Mississippi River, March 1974

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MadMcGoo

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The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) UP52274

Date Body Found:
March 7, 1974
Location Found: 2 miles east of Illmo, Scott County, Missouri
Sex: Female
Race / Ethnicity: White / Caucasian, Uncertain
Estimated Age: Adult, 50-60 years old
Height: 5’2” - 5’6”
Hair Color: Unknown
Eye Color: Unknown
Clothing: None. Remnants of oilcloth were found.
Distinguishing Characteristics: The woman had a healed break and arthritis in her right leg causing her to walk with a limp. She had very bad teeth and had been in bad health. She wore an upper dental plate, probably since the age of 16.

Details of Discovery: A man walking along the bank of the Mississippi River came across a wooden box approximately 5 feet long covered in mud. Inside the box was a partial skeleton. The area was 150 yards north of Old Grays Point, which was formerly a landing for the Thebes, Illinois ferry.

After studying the bones, it was determined the skeleton belonged to a white female who was born in 1906 and buried in 1966 (or approximately 10-15 years prior). She had been buried nude and wrapped in oilcloth. Indentations in the skull led investigators to believe she’d been struck with a heavy object.

The wooden crate she was found stuffed inside of had nails that weren’t very old, indicating it was not an old grave. A leaf discovered in the box might suggest she was buried during the fall months. The box is not believed to have floated down the river from some place else. She had various injuries that may have been sustained when she was being placed inside the box.

Investigating Agency: Scott County Coroner’s Office (573) 427-1563
ME/C Case Number: C 2018 0913 1200A



 
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The distance is pretty great (approximately 350 miles from Chillicothe), but surely this must be her. Josephine Emma Scott, missing since 1957, was 53 years old, 5’2” tall, had arthritis, walked with a limp and had false upper teeth.

Some of her personal items were found hidden nearby where she disappeared, along with a rubber mallet and men’s clothing (splattered with red and white spots). Her 17-year-old nephew admitted the clothes were his and subsequently passed a polygraph. He later disappeared for several weeks before returning with no explanation as to where he’d been or what he’d been doing.



 
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Great find! I wouldn't be surprised if that was her.
I may not have found it if not for that 1964 article concerning her estate. I was searching for women who’d gone missing from Missouri between 1960 and 1966.

Now I’m trying to figure out the best way to submit the information. I’ve not had much luck with NamUs when it comes to a match involving either a MP or UID not listed in a public database. I’m thinking I should reach out to the ME listed on this one.

Hopefully they’ve got DNA or dentals available for comparison.
 
I don't see any living relatives for her - I'd be very surprised if they had a DNA profile for her.
Edit to add: the closest I can find is children of her first cousins.
 
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I may not have found it if not for that 1964 article concerning her estate. I was searching for women who’d gone missing from Missouri between 1960 and 1966.

Now I’m trying to figure out the best way to submit the information. I’ve not had much luck with NamUs when it comes to a match involving either a MP or UID not listed in a public database. I’m thinking I should reach out to the ME listed on this one.

Hopefully they’ve got DNA or dentals available for comparison.
I must be losing my marbles here lol but if this is the uid, how does that coincide with her being id'ed buried and yet still listed as a UID? It does sound like a match.
 
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I must be losing my marbles here lol but if this is the uid, how does that coincide with her being id'ed buried and yet still listed as a UID? It does sound like a match.
I don’t believe the UID has ever been identified or that a connection to Josephine ever been made. If that’s what you mean. :D
 
I submitted everything to The Doe Network. I’m usually not comfortable calling agencies to submit potential matches, but I may make an exception because I feel strongly about this one. Doe Net has always been helpful with unusual submissions like this though.
 
The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) UP52274
[…]
After studying the bones, it was determined the skeleton belonged to a white female who was born in 1906 and buried in 1966 (or approximately 10-15 years prior). She had been buried nude and wrapped in oilcloth. Indentations in the skull led investigators to believe she’d been struck with a heavy object. […]
I wonder how they were able to determine that she was born in 1906.
 

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