OR OR - Union Co, Finley Creek Jane Doe, UnsFem 14-25, UP11902, preg, on wooded hillside, Aug'78

[Bit of hope]

How many UIDs will remain nameless because of such cremation policies?

It's horrible indeed. So glad that we have this law in The Netherlands saying that no UID can be buried without taken DNA. Everybody who was buried N.N. without DNA (we lost a lot of people in the big flood back in 1953, never identified) was exhumed to take DNA samples.

 

[JasonFutchLakeCityFL]

UPDATE:

I received a response from Dr. Vance at the OSP Medical Examiners Officein regards to the recent revelations brought forth by the newspaper clippings, and unfortunately she admits that this case is gonna be very overwhelming to solve, if it will be solved.

The email was a re-confirmation that there were no good photos of the crime scene or the skull to do a Carl Koppelman-Style reconstruction and that the woman’s cremated remains are not at the office (likely in a paupers grave in La Grande).
However, she did confirm that the woman was a victim of homicide and that she was aware of the fact the woman had been strangled. She believes that the woman was strangled to the point that she had her neck broke in the process. This information was not available on NamUs due to the current status of the investigation.
Here is a small snippet of what she sent:

“...We also knew that she had been strangled; we didn’t put it in the public profile because of the ongoing investigation, although figuring out who she is will be a long shot.
Not a lot we can do at this point if we don’t have her remains for DNA; it’s a profound bummer...” -Dr. Nici Vance, Oregon State Forensic Anthropologist

The fact that this victim lacks any kind of DNA or remains means that this case will more than likely be solved if a killer was to come forward and confess. Otherwise, Dr. Vance may be right...she may never be identified, but as advocates for the unidentified, it should be our goal to keep her case active and public as long as we can!

 

[Paul B.]

assuming her killer was an adult... 40 years later they'd be elderly or dead. Once again, darn the cremation policies...

 

[sunnynz]

UPDATE:

I received a response from Dr. Vance at the OSP Medical Examiners Officein regards to the recent revelations brought forth by the newspaper clippings, and unfortunately she admits that this case is gonna be very overwhelming to solve, if it will be solved.

The email was a re-confirmation that there were no good photos of the crime scene or the skull to do a Carl Koppelman-Style reconstruction and that the woman’s cremated remains are not at the office (likely in a paupers grave in La Grande).
However, she did confirm that the woman was a victim of homicide and that she was aware of the fact the woman had been strangled. She believes that the woman was strangled to the point that she had her neck broke in the process. This information was not available on NamUs due to the current status of the investigation.
Here is a small snippet of what she sent:

“...We also knew that she had been strangled; we didn’t put it in the public profile because of the ongoing investigation, although figuring out who she is will be a long shot.
Not a lot we can do at this point if we don’t have her remains for DNA; it’s a profound bummer...” -Dr. Nici Vance, Oregon State Forensic Anthropologist

The fact that this victim lacks any kind of DNA or remains means that this case will more than likely be solved if a killer was to come forward and confess. Otherwise, Dr. Vance may be right...she may never be identified, but as advocates for the unidentified, it should be our goal to keep her case active and public as long as we can!

Well thank you for trying. I hate to ever give up on a case but this seems very unlikely to be solved. I do hope you go on to apply your tenacious sleuthing efforts to more cases and keep us posted. I'll say again, thank you for getting out there and doing some proper leg work!

 

[Bit of hope]

UPDATE:

I received a response from Dr. Vance at the OSP Medical Examiners Officein regards to the recent revelations brought forth by the newspaper clippings, and unfortunately she admits that this case is gonna be very overwhelming to solve, if it will be solved.

The email was a re-confirmation that there were no good photos of the crime scene or the skull to do a Carl Koppelman-Style reconstruction and that the woman’s cremated remains are not at the office (likely in a paupers grave in La Grande).
However, she did confirm that the woman was a victim of homicide and that she was aware of the fact the woman had been strangled. She believes that the woman was strangled to the point that she had her neck broke in the process. This information was not available on NamUs due to the current status of the investigation.
Here is a small snippet of what she sent:

“...We also knew that she had been strangled; we didn’t put it in the public profile because of the ongoing investigation, although figuring out who she is will be a long shot.
Not a lot we can do at this point if we don’t have her remains for DNA; it’s a profound bummer...” -Dr. Nici Vance, Oregon State Forensic Anthropologist

The fact that this victim lacks any kind of DNA or remains means that this case will more than likely be solved if a killer was to come forward and confess. Otherwise, Dr. Vance may be right...she may never be identified, but as advocates for the unidentified, it should be our goal to keep her case active and public as long as we can!

Thank you so much for trying. I would like to say: Love you for that, but I don't even know you. It's a hard to swallow that this girl probably never will be given back her name. At least some people care(d) and will keep an eye open, including me.

 

[JasonFutchLakeCityFL]

Thank you so much for trying. I would like to say: Love you for that, but I don't even know you. It's a hard to swallow that this girl probably never will be given back her name. At least some people care(d) and will keep an eye open, including me.

Thank you so much, and I appreciate everything you all do! I wouldn't necessarily give up on this case just yet; however it is gonna be tough to solve unfortunately. I am waiting to see if I can get some additional information from Dr. Vance in regards to the missing woman mentioned in the news article, the Teena Bradford woman. I am also once more reaching out to UCSO to get more information on the hierarchy of law enforcement in Union County in 1978 and also possibly interview Sgt. Spilker, the forensic examiner at the time at the Pendleton crime lab.

I have never given up on researching the circumstances of a Doe that has little information about their circumstances; but I hope with the little bit of info I provided, it helps people in the future looking at this case.

 

[Bit of hope]

Thank you so much, and I appreciate everything you all do! I wouldn't necessarily give up on this case just yet; however it is gonna be tough to solve unfortunately. I am waiting to see if I can get some additional information from Dr. Vance in regards to the missing woman mentioned in the news article, the Teena Bradford woman. I am also once more reaching out to UCSO to get more information on the hierarchy of law enforcement in Union County in 1978 and also possibly interview Sgt. Spilker, the forensic examiner at the time at the Pendleton crime lab.

I have never given up on researching the circumstances of a Doe that has little information about their circumstances; but I hope with the little bit of info I provided, it helps people in the future looking at this case.

Bravo...I'm with you.

 

[Bit of hope]

And also this....maybe the Dutch police researched this to the bone, but you never know. Did try to figure this out but I just can't. Is the image mirrored, another language, some kind of Cyrillic or am I just blind here....tried it all....but still don't see it. Detail underwear.

So sorry, this landed in the wrong thread........

 

[Paul B.]

whoever decided that cremating UIDs, especially UID _murder_ victims, was a good policy, should have had their head examined :'(

 

[Bit of hope]

whoever decided that cremating UIDs, especially UID _murder_ victims, was a good policy, should have had their head examined :'(

I agree....it's one way to lessen the workload....(sarcastic)

 

[4SAM]

Wow, how sad, thanks Jason for taking the time to do this.

 

[Bit of hope]

My imagination going wild: could there be any connection with William Richard Bradford? William Richard Bradford | Murderpedia, the encyclopedia of murderers

 

[JasonFutchLakeCityFL]

whoever decided that cremating UIDs, especially UID _murder_ victims, was a good policy, should have had their head examined :'(

I agree. The policy thankfully is no longer allowed in Oregon, as Dr. Vance has been keeping bones in medium sized Rubbermaid boxes in shelves at the MEO in Clackamas. I am thankful that Josephine County didn’t cremate Annie Doe in 1972, a year after her discovery, or Swamp Mountain Doe in Linn County. Otherwise, I don’t think the investigators would be as far as they are today, especially with Annie Doe.

I understand Orange and LA County, CA are still practicing cremations as a solution to keep bodies from sitting in the morgue...typically the cremains are those of unclaimed persons and Doe’s. There is a documentary online called “A Certain Kind of Death”, which highlights this practice as well as other cases involving unclaimed individuals. It’s a graphic movie but worth watching.

 

[JasonFutchLakeCityFL]

My imagination going wild: could there be any connection with William Richard Bradford? William Richard Bradford | Murderpedia, the encyclopedia of murderers

I don’t think so, the distance between Finley Creek and LA are too great. I think it’s gotta be someone close by who committed the crime. Someone within a 4-6 hour drive. My suspicions lead me to Winnemucca or closer to Reno.

 

[JasonFutchLakeCityFL]

I have a small update in this case, however more of a historical background on the case from Union County Sheriffs Office:

I received a belated email from Katherine in regards to the history of the Union County Sheriffs Office and why there was no patrol deputies there at the time. It makes for an interesting read here...take a look:

"From what I’ve been told the Sheriff at that time, Bob Price, was feuding with the county commissioners about funding, so the commissioners drastically cut his budget. Oregon law only requires a county sheriff to run a jail and serve civil process papers. So providing patrol services is a “luxury”. If funding gets cut about the only place a sheriff can make cuts is in patrol. Plus, as I’m sure you know, whenever government at any level is required to make cuts they always make them where it will hurt the taxpayers the most. In the case of the Sheriff’s Office that would be in patrols." -Catherine Falck, Union County, Oregon Sheriffs Office

It makes complete sense the way she described it. Also remember: Eastern Oregon politics differs completely from politics west of the Oregon Cascades; in which people tend to be more conservative/libertarian, whereas Western Oregon and the Oregon Coast lean more moderate/liberal...I believe that could still be the same in 1978.
Robert Straub was Governor at the time, based on my research, and he was known to cut budgets where he could save a dollar. Unfortunately, he wasn't as focused on Eastern Oregon, which was one of many reasons that caused him to lose against Victor Atiyeh, who would to this day become the last Republican Governor for the state. Atiyeh sought for more support of Eastern Oregon and strengthened the budgets of the Eastern counties, which helped counties like Union fund public programs that they weren't able to do before.
Needless to say, had Straub lost his election against Atiyeh the first go-round, there maybe would have been patrol deputies in Union County in the 1970's. This last line is more of a personal thought, not meant to be political.

Additionally, I asked about missing persons reports from that time frame, and apparently everything went from microfilm to digital; making some of the reports hard to read. Catherine did mention that she would assist the best she can when she has a free moment to thumb through some of those reports to help us out.

That's all I have right now, just waiting on Dr. Vance to get back to me!

 

[Bit of hope]

What do we have to think of this? Tina Mott: How You Can Help Keep Her Killer Behind Bars - Lee Lofland Strange the names Tina and Bradford....and her murder. This Tina could never be Teena, she was born in 1975 and she was murdered in 1996. I'm so sorry upfront for all the used language in this item....I totally recent that.

 

[JasonFutchLakeCityFL]

What do we have to think of this? Tina Mott: How You Can Help Keep Her Killer Behind Bars - Lee Lofland Strange the names Tina and Bradford....and her murder. This Tina could never be Teena, she was born in 1975 and she was murdered in 1996. I'm so sorry upfront for all the used language in this item....I totally recent that.

Very interesting. The names....so close. Ironic.

But apparently this case was in New York, I am not sure if it would be connected to our Jane Doe. But That is a very good find and a good read. Just sickening what happened with her case. How do you get manslaughter charges after dismembering someone? Sounds like it was cold blooded murder.

 

[theshadow45]

Bumping.

 

[Bit of hope]

From the Doe file and additional info from Namus and what we have learned so far (thanks to JasonFutchLCFL' clippings (not the truth persé) and intel through contacts)

Unidentified Female

Date of Discovery: August 27, 1978
Location of Discovery: Finley Creek, Approx. 18 miles North of La Grande, Union County, Oregon. She had been located along a deer trail near a campsite where hunters typically stayed, called the Finley Creek Camp. Near Finley Camp Road, Approx. 10 miles northwest of Elgin. The shallow grave was found about 200 yards from an old mill, near the intersection of Ruckel and Finley Creek roads. The mill site is a regular parking place for hunters' vehicles and about 5 miles from the nearest house.
Estimated Date of Death: Years prior The grave was at first estimated t0 be at least on year old. After autopsy, the pathologist concluded that she was probably buried there in 1976 or earlier. Later statings say or 75, 0r 76 or earlier but also this is an estimation and so 1977 is not excluded. By the manner of dress it appears to be a summertime-situation.
State of Remains: Not recognizable - Partial skeletal parts only One or both hands not recovered
Cause of Death: She was strangled. A knotted 3 feet long radio antenna cord was found with her in the shallow grave.
Physical Description

** Listed information is approximate

Estimated Age: 14-18 years old, according to the clippings between 17 and 25 yrs.
Race: Uncertain/according to the clippings Caucasian
Gender: Female
Height: 5'1" to 5'3" Estimated 5'2
Weight: 115-125 lbs. Estimated 120 lbs, slender built
Hair Color: Light brown to blonde Sandycolored
Eye Color: Unknown
Distinguishing Marks/Features: She was pregnant, and likely in her 6th to 8th month of pregnancy. Clippings say the woman shared her grave with a newborn infant or a full-term (unborn, 8 to 9 months) fetus.
Dentals: Available.
Fingerprints: Not available.
DNA: Not available The remains were cremated, there are no remains to analyze or distract DNA from. There are no pictures of the skull to do a recon. <Although the clothes, soil samples and the cable were send to the crime lab in Pendleton and there was also stated that the clothes were in good condition, it's -so far-unknown if these items are still available>

Clothing & Personal Items
Clothing: A halter top/bra, red Catalina pants (size 15/16 - Juniors?) - which show evidence of possible length alteration, ankle-high lace up shoes/workboots, and remnants of clothing that consisted of red cloth, white cloth, and zippers.
Jewelry: Unknown
Additional Personal Items: Unknown
Case History
The victim's body was found in a shallow grave, 29 inches deep, 20 inches wide and 4 feet long in a wooded hillside, 18 miles north of La Grande.

 

[theshadow45]

Finley Creek Jane Doe has been unidentified for 41 years today.