NY - Annie Rippel, found dead in creek with duck tape on head and neck, 1997

[Songbird1973]

No arrests in murder of Annie Rippel 22 years after body found in New York creek

“A woman and her son had been walking and saw her. She was in just about two inches of water, so she was in the wide open,” Janet said. “She was also naked from the waist down, and there was duct tape around her face and neck.”

 

[kirkassoc]

Surely there was some DNA somewhere?

 

[NJEverCurious]

Surely there was some DNA somewhere?

The article says there was DNA and it has been submitted to databases "occasionally since then." No further info on which databases, etc.

 

[UnderstandBlue]

A recent episode of The Murder in My Family podcast covered her case.

 

[Songbird1973]

Unsolved Mystery: Author uses historical fiction to tackle 23-year-old homicide

A book called "Candles in the Rain" includes Annie's story.

 

[Charlot123]

The article says, Annie did not have a license.

Honestly, who in the US does not have a license? Even people who don’t have a car would.

Did Annie have an illness that precluded her from getting a license? Or, did she have to surrender it?

It might be important in the context of the situation.

 

[Cryptic]

The article says, Annie did not have a license.

Honestly, who in the US does not have a license? Even people who don’t have a car would.

As you implied, not having a license in the USA is rare.

There are, however, a few cities where substantial number of residents don't own cars as they are neither needed nor practical on a day to day basis.

As a result, there could be a good number of locals who have state ID cards, but not driver licenses. For example, I spoke met a relatively young local in NYC who told me that he had not personally driven a car in the last 10 years.

New York City would be the main example of a city where a large number of people might not have licenses. Other examples could be San Francisco and perhaps Boston?

 

[Charlot123]

As you implied, not having a license in the USA is rare.

There are, however, a few cities where substantial number of residents don't own cars as they are neither needed nor practical on a day to day basis.

As a result, there could be a good number of locals who have state ID cards, but not driver licenses. For example, I spoke met a relatively young local in NYC who told me that he had not personally driven a car in the last 10 years.

New York City would be the main example of a city where a large number of people might not have licenses. Other examples could be San Francisco and perhaps Boston?

Unlikely, because driver’s license is, essentially, a person’s main ID. If a person never drove a car, there is a possibility that state ID would suffice. If, however, a person got a driver’s license at 16 or 18, he’d probably exchange it to another driver’s license, not to ID. Enhanced driver’s license is popular nowadays, I don’t know if there is an enhanced state ID?

You are right that in a city with great urban infrastructure, like NY, Boston, or, perhaps, Toronto, one can live without driver’s license. However, Annie did not live in a megalopolis.

Several things come to mind:

- her living area was very narrow and she let her driver’s license expire (not too organized?)

- as it was mentioned in the article, “she might have had a seizure” - did she have seizures?

- cocaine was mentioned - license was revoked for some issue related to substances?

Cocaine is a very specific substance in that it dramatically increases the risk of both premature heart attacks or strokes. If something like it had happened to Annie, her companion might have, indeed, got scared and ran away instead of asking for help. It would be not the first situation when a companion of a person who sustained a life-threatening event got scared and ran away; it is even more common when the companion is precisely the person who had supplied the drug to the victim of such event. I remember two such cases related to MDMA. If Annie’s case was similar, then, to paraphrase a classic, “of all human vices, cowardice is the worst one”.

P.S. here is the article where relatives speak about Annie’s addiction. I am looking for the one that mentioned possible seizure
Unsolved: Family seeks justice for Batavia woman found dead | wgrz.com

Here is about the possibility of Annie having a seizure, her potential companion and cocaine Unsolved Mystery: Author uses historical fiction to tackle 23-year-old homicide

 

[Cryptic]

Unlikely, because driver’s license is, essentially, a person’s main ID.

State ID cards (look like a driver license and issued with same standards in regards to confirmed identity) carry the same legal weight as a driver license in regard to identity.

In my state, both Licenses and State ID cards are issued by the Department of Public Safety:
How to Apply for a Texas Identification Card | Department of Public Safety

You are right that in a city with great urban infrastructure, like NY, Boston, or, perhaps, Toronto, one can live without driver’s license.

With NYC, it seems to be the norm. Evidently, 75% of the people in New York City do not have driver licenses: Most New Yorkers not driven to get driver's license | The Seattle Times

If, however, a person got a driver’s license at 16 or 18, he’d probably exchange it to another driver’s license, not to ID.

Unless getting a driver license involved retesting and a long, complicated process (perhaps in NYC) where as getting a state ID card is not. The girl in the article above drove in Wisconsin, but did not renew her license after moving to NYC.

However, Annie did not live in a megalopolis.

I agree with you. Though not having a diver license seems to be the norm in NYC, and could well be fairly common in the surrounding suburbs, it would be unusual for others not to have one.

 

[Falling Down]

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[whiterhino]

FWIW can someone edit the thread title to duct instead of duck? TIA.