Identified! OH - Troy, Miami Co., 'Buckskin Girl' WhtFem 133UFOH, 15-25, Apr'81 - Marcia King

[winko567]

i don't mean to spam or bump this thread at all but there's one thing i want to say about Buckskin girl. It's kinda personal though, and it's not really helpful to know with solving this case.

but when i first heard about this story/case it kinda took a toll on me. how she could be found dead somewhere and no one claimed her at all really made me sad but it also made me think of myself, both of my parents been dead every since i was first born and my adoptive parents never really 'cared' for me at all, i mean they did take care of me, but we were never close and we had a very distant relationship even while i was growing up. I never really had any friends back in middle school or highschool either because i didnt know how to make friends because i have aspegers (a mild forum of autism) and lacked social skills.

It made me think, If i would have ran away and been killed and found dead someone, no one would have ever identified me at all. I'd just be another john doe in morgue. I know my adoptive parents would've reported me missing, but they would never try putting any effort into finding me at all.

I think maybe this girl was in the same situation :/ it's very sad when you think about it, but i just felt like letting that out
i really hope they find out who she is, even if they don't even have a family to return her too or anyone that misses her, at least let her have her true name and identity back

 

[carbuff]

Hugs Winko567. I'm sorry your family wasn't close, and yes, cases like this make me very sad too. It's why I spend so much time trying to help find them.

There are hundreds of reasons why an unidentified person isn't identified, and your experience is not at all uncommon. Many families are small, and however much we want to be sentimental about what a family "should" be, the truth is many many families are not close for whatever reason. I care deeply about my family, and they care about me, but if something happened to me, I don't think they'd do more than care and worry and wonder where I was. They're just not the kind to go on TV, they aren't internet savvy to do searches in places like this, and they don't have financial resources to spare. So even caring families might not be doing effective things to look.

And this wouldn't be the first case where an unidentified person turns out to have been reported missing from only a few miles away and for whatever reason of jurisdictional blindness, mistakes in the missing persons report or the UID's description, lost or misplaced records, etc. the identification wasn't made when it should have been.

 

[rosesfromangels]

I looked at the PM pics, and of her clothes. I have some very strong impressions from looking at those photos. *All speculation only!*
She is a farm girl from most likely North or South Dakota. The tribes in the Dakotas are prominently Sioux or Chippewas, if I read correctly.
In doing a quick search on "Sioux buckskin jacket" and "Chippewas buckskin jacket", the resemblance to our Doe's jacket looks more Sioux to me.

That's what I'm getting....of course this could all be going in the wrong direction, but that's what I can offer up for consideration at the moment.

 

[rosesfromangels]

I might add that I also suspect this was domestic violence. I think she was trying to escape. Just more speculation of course.
The way her braids are worn have a definite indian/cowgirl look. Not normal braids. She certainly had beautiful long lashes.

 

[Roselvr]

Hugs Winko567. I'm sorry your family wasn't close, and yes, cases like this make me very sad too. It's why I spend so much time trying to help find them.

There are hundreds of reasons why an unidentified person isn't identified, and your experience is not at all uncommon. Many families are small, and however much we want to be sentimental about what a family "should" be, the truth is many many families are not close for whatever reason. I care deeply about my family, and they care about me, but if something happened to me, I don't think they'd do more than care and worry and wonder where I was. They're just not the kind to go on TV, they aren't internet savvy to do searches in places like this, and they don't have financial resources to spare. So even caring families might not be doing effective things to look.

And this wouldn't be the first case where an unidentified person turns out to have been reported missing from only a few miles away and for whatever reason of jurisdictional blindness, mistakes in the missing persons report or the UID's description, lost or misplaced records, etc. the identification wasn't made when it should have been.

BBM We've seen enough cases like that; or they're not listed because LE refused to take a report.

I looked at the PM pics, and of her clothes. I have some very strong impressions from looking at those photos. *All speculation only!*
She is a farm girl from most likely North or South Dakota. The tribes in the Dakotas are prominently Sioux or Chippewas, if I read correctly.
In doing a quick search on "Sioux buckskin jacket" and "Chippewas buckskin jacket", the resemblance to our Doe's jacket looks more Sioux to me.

That's what I'm getting....of course this could all be going in the wrong direction, but that's what I can offer up for consideration at the moment.

I still feel she is a biker chick due to the clothes she has on. Will try to touch base with my 2 friends in the next week or 2. I also feel she was a victim of domestic violence.

My 1st impression of her with the braids & fringed buckskin pullover; was she was dressed to be riding on a motorcycle. I wish I still had my Easy Rider mags from back then. We wore braids to keep our hair from getting knotted. Even with a regular pony tail; our hair would get knotted from the wind. I've been trying to get back here to read the full post but just don't have time.

Wish I knew if there were any bike runs in late April 1981 in states near Ohio. If this was closer to March; I'd wonder if they were on the way back from Bike Week. Wouldn't be hard to transport a body with a side car. Possible she started off on a motorcycle & was left.

I have a friend that was a photographer for ER Mag. I'll try to pick thru her old pictures to see if I can find similar clothing.

Paula used to take pics for Easy Rider & Tattoo Magazine. I put BG's pics on my wall hoping she & another friend of mine would give input on the jacket; but they are both busy due to illnesses.

Photography by Pulsating Paula - Vintage Biker Photographs all taken by Pulsating Paula from the early 80s to mid 90s.

Handmade booth

Handmade top

handmade top

Hand made leather top & chaps

 

[rosesfromangels]

While a stereotype, I would expect a biker chick to have tattoos? I am speculating farm girl because it was noted she was in very good physical shape/fitness; this would be consistent with farm or ranch work. When she was found she didn't have shoes. I would like to know if the bottom of her feet were dirty. If not, it suggests she might have been killed in her sleep (or so we hope). I didn't see any mention of defense wounds, but maybe I missed that.

She will identify her when we trace that jacket. Even the purple lining is a big clue.

 

[rosesfromangels]

Here's an overall good article about profiling murderers. I am trying to find one specific to strangulation.

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/disturbed/201110/profiling-murderer

 

[dotr]

Wondering if this young lady was hitch-hiking, to or from a concert, or was a run-away and mistaken for a hooker?
She had no tattoos, or piercings, was modestly and attractively dressed, with long thick hair and in very good health...imo.

http://www.examiner.com/article/buckskin-jacket-key-to-solving-cold-case
Article from 2012..

"Over time it has also been suspected that the Buckskin Girl's murder may be connected to a string of murders in several counties of Ohio and a few murders in surrounding states in the 1980s and 1990s. Those victims that were identified in this suspected series of murders were all determined to be women who led high risk lifestyles, participating in prostitution, drug abuse and hitchhiking along interstate highways in these areas and frequenting truckstops, such as Pilot service stations.

It has been speculated by many that this unidentified woman was perhaps of Indian heritage, after all she had the buckskin, Indian-style poncho and her hair fashioned into braids tied with blue rubber bands on both sides of her head. She also had the appearance of possibly having some American Indian heritage in her family background. It has also been theorized that perhaps she was a late bloomer in the hippie lifestyle that so enraptured the United States in the 1960s and 1970s. Could it be that the Indian look was a sort of gimmick to pick up potential male customers while working the truckstops of Ohio?"

 

[rosesfromangels]

Further supports the hypothesis that this was domestic partner violence:

http://www.forensichealthcare.com/readingroom_article_strangulation01.htm

 

[rosesfromangels]

Her physical appearance defies the suggestion that she was a prostitute. I dont see that. I see this as domestic violence. She didnt even have pierced ears and her clothing was very modest. I wonder if LE ever asked a university professor in Native American studies to help trace the jacket's origin?

 

[Roselvr]

While a stereotype, I would expect a biker chick to have tattoos? I am speculating farm girl because it was noted she was in very good physical shape/fitness; this would be consistent with farm or ranch work. When she was found she didn't have shoes. I would like to know if the bottom of her feet were dirty. If not, it suggests she might have been killed in her sleep (or so we hope). I didn't see any mention of defense wounds, but maybe I missed that.

She will identify her when we trace that jacket. Even the purple lining is a big clue.

While a lot of women do have ink; the gal Paula that took the pics for Easy Rider & Tattoo Magazine didn't have ink during the whole bike scene until she was in her 30's IIRC. She also used to dance at Go-Go bars. I feel that her jacket came from one of the bike meets. Leather was very popular. I used to make leather bags; chaps; pants & vests.

 

[rosesfromangels]

So I came across this guy from Akron who as convicted and executed for the 1981 murder of one young girl, and suspected in another:

http://www.ohio.com/news/dna-links-killer-to-1981-murder-of-ohio-girl-1.167468

However, he was in Akron, and his known victims were in Marshaville (23 miles away), and Creston, (26 miles away). Our Buckskin gal was found 202 miles from Akron, or an approx. 3 hour drive. The timing sure is right, but the proximity of the other murders suggest he didn't go far from his home base.

 

[STANDREID]

I'm a really torn on this one.

1-The fact that she was wearing a jacket indicates that she was outdoors at least some of the day as in hitching which could have led to meeting up with the wrong guy.

2-Because she was strangled but not sexually assaulted and wasn't wearing shoes would lead to think domestic.

3-Then, her healthy wholesomeness with no ear piercings and unconventional hair style make me wonder if she wasn't in some kind of cult.

 

[rosesfromangels]

As you can tell from all my posts, this particular case has pushed some buttons; I think it's very solvable, very.
I came across another resource that I will be reviewing closer as my time permits. Known murderers in Ohio, and can be sorted by gender and time period. Very interesting and useful for those of us Sleuthers!

http://murderpedia.org/usa/ohio.htm

 

[rosesfromangels]

I'm a really torn on this one.

1-The fact that she was wearing a jacket indicates that she was outdoors at least some of the day as in hitching which could have led to meeting up with the wrong guy.

2-Because she was strangled but not sexually assaulted and wasn't wearing shoes would lead to think domestic.

3-Then, her healthy wholesomeness with no ear piercings and unconventional hair style make me wonder if she wasn't in some kind of cult.

I know a lot of ranch/farm girls that look just like this gal. Clean, no makeup, no jewelry, freckle faced, and fit as a fiddle.
I just keep going back to the Dakotas, or perhaps Indiana, since it's geographically closer.
But you are right Stan, the braids are non-standard. As I posted earlier, they really do look "cow-girl" or hint at some indian influence.

 

[rainwater]

Wonder if she was associated with a travelling rodeo in some way- the braids, the jacket, and being so physically fit. There is a rodeo association based in Cloverdale, Indiana, which is in Putnam County. Putnam Co. is in southern Indiana, about 3 counties east of the Illinois border. Most of the Midwestern states have at least one youth rodeo organization; some have more than one.
Traditionallly, rodeo season begins in spring and runs until autumn. One of the companies that puts together rodeos is based in Oklahoma-they perform at county fair type events all over the U.S. , travelling from place to place.

 

[rosesfromangels]

I thought of the rodeo angle too; I will investigate. Makes sense. I am definately seeing cowgirl.

 

[dotr]

Peggy H, (Irish and Cherokee) was missing in 1981, found as a Doe, but is now identified, reminded me a bit of Buckskin.


http://www.tampabay.com/features/hu...e-to-a-very-cold-tampa-missing-person/1207151
rbbm.

"Erin Kimmerle, a forensic anthropologist at the University of South Florida, has studied patterns of homicides in which bodies are dumped. She looked at closed cases in Hillsborough County between 1997 and 2007 in which bodies were disposed of away from the original crime scene.

77% of victims knew the killer.

60% of victims were male.

93% of those who dumped bodies were male.

20% of dumped victims were strangled, compared with 6 percent of all homicides.

53% of victims were not buried.

74% were found roadside.

10% were found in containers."

 

[Chandelier]

Regarding the braids, all I could think of was traditional Mennonite women's hairstyles -- especially because her level of physical fitness might be due to a lot of physical labor, ie farm work. Just a thought.

 

[rosesfromangels]

Regarding the braids, all I could think of was traditional Mennonite women's hairstyles -- especially because her level of physical fitness might be due to a lot of physical labor, ie farm work. Just a thought.

Hi Chandelier! Welcome to Websleuths; so glad you posted and are trying to help us identify this dear Buckskin gal! You could be on to something indeed. The lack of ear piercings or makeup suggest quite a wholesome lifestyle. The only contradiction to that would be her plucked eyebrows! They don't add up to the rest of the picture. The braids really stand out, they are "different". I looked online an they appear to look more amish than Mennonite to me, or maybe even Mexican influence. Sheesh, I'm all over the map with this one; they are just so "different". That said, my first instinct is still indian/cowgirl. I'm leaning to farm/ranch girl. Someone above mentioned a rodeo; that is a strong possibility too.
I just spent the last several minutes looking at a variety of pictures of traditional Native American braids, and they are all worn much lower on the head, not sticking out from the sides like our Doe wore them.

With that jacket, this is *so* solvable....we must press on!