Identified! MS – Vancleave, WhtFem UP10335, 25-35, in heavy woods, Jan’91 - Kimberly Ann Funk

[othram]

I'm starting to wonder if clay models do more harm than good.

The technology for forensic reconstructions has dramatically improved so definitely it makes sense to re-examine older cases that might benefit from new reconstructions.

 

[snowgoose]

I cringe at many of the old clay reconstructions, they so often turn out to be inaccurate and many even seem lazy (I've seen cases where the victim is described as having long hair, but the reconstruction artist still insisted on using that one short curly wig that they had lying around). Although, a reminder that today's AI enhancements of photographs are not perfect either - the one posted in this thread has given Kimberly oddly crooked eyes, which I'm willing to bet is the AI's misreading of a very blurry image, not how she actually looked. When there are only so many pixels to work with, AI photo-enhancing tools use guesswork to fill in the gaps.

Wonderful to see that she has been identified, and I hope a clearer image of her can be found soon.

 

[madamx]

Great News! RIP Kimberly

 

[Bit of hope]

We are very excited to be able to share that we have once again assisted the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office on a case. This case is now solved. Information below:

After 30 years, Vancleave Jane Doe is Identified

Great news!! RIP. May justice come swift for you Kimberly.

 

[Bit of hope]

They now know her name, but what happened to Kimberly Ann Funk? - WXXV News 25

A key piece of information in a 30-year-old cold case has been confirmed. Now, Sheriff Mike Ezell wants to find out what happened to Kimberly Ann Funk and why she was found in the swampy area of Ward Bayou in 1991.

What investigators do know is that Funk, who also went by the first name Star, left Houston, Texas, and headed to the Mississippi Gulf Coast some time between April and June 1990. Her brother confirmed she went missing in 1990.

Now, they are trying to piece together a timeline from April 1990 to February 1991, when her body was found.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office at 22-769-3063 or Mississippi Coast Crime Stoppers at mscoastcrimestoppers.com

Kimberly was born on February 7, 1969, and was originally from Sharon, Pennsylvania. She would have been 52 in 2021.

 

[carbuff]

I cringe at many of the old clay reconstructions, they so often turn out to be inaccurate and many even seem lazy (I've seen cases where the victim is described as having long hair, but the reconstruction artist still insisted on using that one short curly wig that they had lying around). Although, a reminder that today's AI enhancements of photographs are not perfect either - the one posted in this thread has given Kimberly oddly crooked eyes, which I'm willing to bet is the AI's misreading of a very blurry image, not how she actually looked. When there are only so many pixels to work with, AI photo-enhancing tools use guesswork to fill in the gaps.

Wonderful to see that she has been identified, and I hope a clearer image of her can be found soon.

We really have come a long way. Budgets for forensic reconstruction are much larger today. In many older cases, they used the old wig because it was the only one they had and they couldn't afford a new one. The clay reconstruction or sketch might have been done by a medical assistant or police officer who had taken art classes.

There's also an element of interpretation to any reconstruction. Was the person muscular, skinny, overweight, obese? How much postmortem swelling? Dozens of questions like that. I like the ones where the artist doing the reconstruction provides several alternative presentations.

 

[MadMcGoo]

Oh gosh. I remember researching her case not very long ago! THANK GOD FOR TEAMS LIKE OTHRAM!!

Rest peacefully now Kimberly. May justice be served.

ETA: FWIW, I think the recons had it right (hindsight).

 

[othram]

Oh gosh. I remember researching her case not very long ago! THANK GOD FOR TEAMS LIKE OTHRAM!!

Rest peacefully now Kimberly. May justice be served.

ETA: FWIW, I think the recons had it right (hindsight).

Plenty more cases to go!

 

[MadMcGoo]

Plenty more cases to go!

Rockstars. Simply rockstars.

 

[Susikatze]

I am not a huge fan of clay, but actually the older clay model was not that bad... only the weird short granny wig (but ill explain below why it was chosen) and the AA skintone are off. Overall facial structure and nose were pretty spot on.

The issue with skeletal remains is that it is very hard to determine the exact nose shape, weight and ethnicity. Also if there is no hair left, the forensic artists used to choose the type of wig that would fit the widest range of ages and that would be the least distracting to the eyes, that is a short wig in a generic shade of brown. IMHO

 

[othram]

One more write up on this case: Vancleave Jane Doe.

 

[victoriarobinson642]

Photo of Kimberly from Sharon High School's 1975 yearbook

 

[hawkhd]

I was shocked to learn that Kimberly was native to my very small county - her identification has gotten zero news coverage here.