PA PA - Albany Twp, WhtMale 25-40, UP5661, in cave @ The Pinnacle, ring w/blue stone, clothes, Jan'77

[apearn]

I've been looking at this guy for a while and I thought he had a thread but I can't find one. Mods - feel free to delete this if I'm wrong.

https://identifyus.org/en/cases/5661

Estimated age Adult - Pre 30
Minimum age 25 years
Maximum age 35 years
Race White
Sex Male
Weight (pounds) 155, Measured
Height (inches) 70, Measured

Probable year of death 1977 to 1977
Date found January 17, 1977

Circumstances: Found deceased in a cave near the Pinnacle, a scenic outlook along the Appalachian Trail in Albany Twp Berks County.

Hair color Brown
Head hair
long curley brown hair
Facial hair
full beard same type of hair
Left eye color Unknown or Missing
Right eye color Unknown or Missing

DN also has some info:
http://doenetwork.org/cases/1299umpa.html

Vital Statistics

Estimated age: 25-35 years old
Approximate Height and Weight: 5'10"-5'11; 155 lbs.
Distinguishing Characteristics: Reddish brown, long and curly hair; blue eyes. Full beard. T-shaped scar on left side of chin.
Clothing: Dark brown suede/buckskin jacket with tassels on the sleeves and torso (size 38); faded blue jeans (Wrangler brand, size 30x34); brown leather belt; brown, knit turtleneck sweater (labeled Jules Pilch-Doylestown/Hatboro, size "M"); long winter undershirt and pants (size "S"), military issue with laundry mark B-0654; two pair of socks (one pair black, the other wool); brown leather hiking boots, ankle length with black Vibran soles (size 10-10 1/2); leather gloves; sunglasses.
Personal Effects: He was wearing a 14K white gold ring with a blue stone; his pockets contained a comb, pen, pencil, matches and $1.78.
Fingerprints: Not Available
Dentals: Not Available



I just submitted Bruce Boughton https://www.findthemissing.org/en/cases/18530/0/
as a possible match. The reported heights are off by 4" but everything else lined up nicely including the first letter on the laundry mark. I couldn't find a ss# anywhere for the MP.

 

[Donjeta]

His car had PA plates although he's missing from CA

 

[apearn]

His car had PA plates although he's missing from CA

In Mr. Boughton's NamUs profile it says he may have family in PA/NY area so perhaps he was from there originally.

 

[carbuff]

Another thing that potentially matches:

"MP was in the Air Force stationed at Travis AFB, Fairfield, Ca." from Namus

"long winter undershirt and pants (size "S"), military issue with laundry mark B-0654" from UID's Doenetwork page

 

[apearn]

I sent it in on both sides and they both said they are looking into it.

There is no DNA for either one and then one has dental info and the other has fingerprints. So there is a bit of a mismatch there. I did mention the laundry mark and the MP's social may be a big key there. The MP went missing in '75, JD was found in '77 and MP was reported missing in '79.

Hair color & texture matched
Eye color matched (JD info per DoeN)
Age matched
Timeline matched
MP had possible reason to be in PA (family)
Height off by 4"
Weight was off by 15 lbs
Pics are similar
The ring JD had had a blue stone in it. From what I found Air Force rings tend to have that as well.
Neither has any reported tattoos or other distinguishing features like large surgery scars, missing limbs, etc.
JD appears to have a military connection, MP does have one
Laundry mark begins with B - MP last name begins with B

I wish I could have found the ss# info but that is a minimal opportunity in my toolbox here.

I looked at it up, down and sideways and couldn't find a reason to not like it so I sent it in.

I've been curious about the JD because of the close proximity (time and location) to Beth. Nothing says they are connected. I just find it curious.

 

[carbuff]

Found another Pennsylvania connection: the label on the turtleneck sweater apparently refers to a men's clothing store in Montgomery County, which is near Philadelphia:

Jules Pilch, 69, of Doylestown Township, a community leader and the owner of a Montgomery County men's clothing store, died Sunday at Doylestown Hospital. For the last 45 years, he had operated the store, bearing his name, on Old York Road in Hatboro. http://articles.philly.com/1998-01-28/news/25750186_1_redevelopment-doylestown-hospital-owner

The store stayed open after his death, not closing until 2001 when his widow sold it: http://articles.philly.com/2001-05-10/news/25300851_1_suits-menswear-store-business-demands

 

[carbuff]

This is roughly where the remains were found: https://goo.gl/maps/o3Z2u

 

[apearn]

I looked at the historic weather data once a while back and it was pretty darn cold the week or so before he was found. It made me wonder about how he got there. There is a reservoir of water below the trail to the Pinnacle. I always wondered if there was a car in it. I never found any info about one being found there or that it had ever been drained for dam work or anything.

 

[carbuff]

From what I've been reading about the Pinnacle area, it's a popular day hike trail as well as part of the Appalachian through trail. Mr. Carbuff hiked part of the AT near Port Clinton a couple of years ago. He says it's not an easy trail but not particularly difficult either. It's about a ten-mile loop according to this map: https://alltrails.com/trail/us/pennsylvania/the-pinnacle-trail. The parking lot where most people start is only a mile or so off I-78 and when we were there during the hiking season, there were quite a few hikers hitching rides to and from the trailheads, and on trailhead information signs several locals had posted "hiker taxi" services. So it would be possible to get there without a car.

 

[Ella82]

I live very close to the pinnacle and we hike those trails often. I have seen the cave he was found in and I have been keeping my eyes open for any signs of that car. If anyone has any questions about the cave, parking areas, or trails I might be able to help.

 

[Miss Muffet]

Apearn, I sent you a PM with important information I'm not sure is allowed to be posted in the threads.

I hope it's a good lead for you!

 

[apearn]

I saw this guy today. http://www.nampn.org/cases/niederfringer_warren.html

Warren Joseph Niederfringer

Missing Since: June 1, 1972 from Newington, Hartford County, Connecticut
Classification: Missing
Age: 23
Height: 5'9-6'0"
Weight: 140-150 lbs.
Hair Color: Brown
Eye Color: Blue
Race: White
Gender: Male
Distinguishing Characteristics: Moustache.

Warren Niederfringer was last seen in Newington, CT on June 1, 1972. He was known to be enroute to Boston or North Carolina. He drove an older yellow Dodge walk-in van, previously owned by CL&P.

Height, weight, age, hair color, eye color (per DN is blue, namus says unknown), and date missing are all OK. He has some ties to PA. He went to a military academy about 1.5 hours from Pinnacle.

http://www.mocavo.com/Carson-Long-Institute-1965-New-Bloomfield-Pa/712007/64

I don't know if they used the trail for training hikes but the academy is about 7 miles from one section of it.

I like the length of his face compared to the sketch. The other pics show, what looks like, a similar hairline BUT if any of his three images on namus are close to the time of his disappearance his hair is neither curly or long. I also don't see the T shaped scar mentioned on DN but not mentioned in namus.

 

[FindHG]

I saw this guy today. http://www.nampn.org/cases/niederfringer_warren.html

Warren Joseph Niederfringer

Missing Since: June 1, 1972 from Newington, Hartford County, Connecticut
Classification: Missing
Age: 23
Height: 5'9-6'0"
Weight: 140-150 lbs.
Hair Color: Brown
Eye Color: Blue
Race: White
Gender: Male
Distinguishing Characteristics: Moustache.

Warren Niederfringer was last seen in Newington, CT on June 1, 1972. He was known to be enroute to Boston or North Carolina. He drove an older yellow Dodge walk-in van, previously owned by CL&P.

Height, weight, age, hair color, eye color (per DN is blue, namus says unknown), and date missing are all OK. He has some ties to PA. He went to a military academy about 1.5 hours from Pinnacle.

http://www.mocavo.com/Carson-Long-Institute-1965-New-Bloomfield-Pa/712007/64

I don't know if they used the trail for training hikes but the academy is about 7 miles from one section of it.

I like the length of his face compared to the sketch. The other pics show, what looks like, a similar hairline BUT if any of his three images on namus are close to the time of his disappearance his hair is neither curly or long. I also don't see the T shaped scar mentioned on DN but not mentioned in namus.

View attachment 72427

That's very similar, awesome stuff.

 

[Ella82]

This info was taken from ancestry.com. If this is the right Bruce Boughton, the ss# doesn't match the laundry mark.

 

[bflocket]

I've been looking at this guy for a while and I thought he had a thread but I can't find one. Mods - feel free to delete this if I'm wrong.

I'm certain there was already a thread for this UID, too. I remember posting on it.

But I can't find it (now) either.

 

[apearn]

This info was taken from ancestry.com. If this is the right Bruce Boughton, the ss# doesn't match the laundry mark.

Thank you for the update! I couldn't find anything for that. That is the right birth year so it sounds just like him.

I'm certain there was already a thread for this UID, too. I remember posting on it.

But I can't find it (now) either.

I thought so as well. Maybe they need to purge things after a while if no one posts.

That's very similar, awesome stuff.

The hair texture bugs me. I suppose he could have gotten a perm. Maybe they didn't look to close at his hair. I do believe permed hair looks different microscopically but I'm not a hair expert.

 

[tatertot]

I'm confused. Was the UID wearing military-issue pants or military-issue long underwear pants under his blue jeans?

This MP was recently added to Charley Project:

http://charleyproject.org/cases/h/heagerty_dean.html

The MP is close on many statistics, but his hair doesn't look especially wavy like the UID's was described. However, he was last seen two months before the UID was found, he was last seen wearing "green fatigue pants" and he may have been traveling to see his brother in Schwenksville, PA, which is one county away from where the UID was found.

 

[apearn]

The weight is off but everything else seems to line up OK. I especially like the hairline.

I sent it to Maine SP. The MP's credit cards had been used in the Philadelphia area after he disappeared and there was info that shirts on the JD had been bought outside of Philadelphia.

https://www.findthemissing.org/en/cases/19726/4

 

[carbuff]

Heagerty's time frame, location, and depression make him a strong candidate. Negatives: he's too young, and I doubt if he could grow that much beard in only two months.

Bichrest is more likely. He was from Pennsylvania, he was despondent as his life was coming apart (his own doing, but hey), and his credit card was used in PA after he disappeared from Maine. His timeframe is good. His hair and beard match, clear down to the receding hairline and the bare patches under his lower lip.

I found a couple of other articles too.

http://bangordailynews.com/2009/06/26/news/profiles-of-mainersquos-missing-people/ (scroll down)

In 1971, he was living in Philadelphia with his wife and at least one child. They sued the Philadelphia school district for being dangerous and inadequate. The suit was dismissed. http://www.leagle.com/decision/1972595346FSupp249_1549/BICHREST v. SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PHILADELPHIA

 

[apearn]

I just spoke with Maine State Police and they are looking into Joseph Bichrest as a possible.

What a great bunch they are up there! Fast to contact, professional!

I can tell you from experience that they have at least one seriously good high speed driving officer! I watch a MSP officer pull a guy over and it was down right amazing what he did to catch up with him!

Anyway, now we wait......