Hi all--I have been lurking for awhile but would love to contribute in some small way. I do have a couple of questions though...
Is there any chance that the ME got the age wrong and our Princess Blue is actually the owner of the ring, and thus a real alumni of REL? Maybe she was short? If she was really 175 Lbs at age 13-15, then she would have been larger than most girls her age, making her distinctive/memorable. If she truly was the actual owner of the ring, she would have been about 33. I wonder how the ME determined her age, just by her size? What if they are wrong about her time of death and she was younger when killed?
Also, what is a zebra and a horse?
I researched the months that use a blue birthstone. I design jewelry, and the stone looks dark blue, thus sapphire(Sept birthstone), but if it is in fact lighter than I think, it could be March (aquamarine) or December (zircon/turquoise/light sapphire). What fingers were the other rings on? Could one have been a wedding band?
Also, FWIW, when I got my class ring, I got red for the stone, which was both my mother and fathers birthstones. I did not get my own birthstone.
Welcome Julessleuther
. I think you have very good questions and points.
I think it is remotely possible unless we obtain fully conflicting facts to the contrary concerning Princess Blue's age and whether or not she was a 1975 grad. This would not be due to the age at TOD estimate, however. Please see link on forensic anthropology.
http://www.anthro4n6.net/forensics/
Instead, I believe it is possible--one very thin zebra, I might add, that Princess Blue was killed some time in 1975 or after, was frozen(deep freeze) shortly after death, then dumped 6 mo. to one yr. prior to being discovered. Damaging ice crystals (upon freezing) can be noted in soft tissue; but, I need to research if the same occurs in bone. If there is no way forensically to tell if bones had been previously frozen via damage from ice crystals, then it is possible that she died in between about 1975 and 1990. I will research this as a possibility and update if I find anything.
In the medical field when doctors are looking for an underlying condition/illness or the cause of serious symptoms they have referred to horses as common(more likely), and zebras(less likely) as uncommon.
For example, if someone is hospitalized with a high fever, vomiting, and severe pain on the lower right side of the abdomen that is worse when the pressure is taken off the abdomen than when pressure is first applied, the horse is an appendicitis--Common.
The zebra for that might be a tumor in the upper left quadrant of the abdomen that produced its own hormones causing nausea/vomiting and referred pain to the lower right side--Uncommon, but possible.
It is often best to check out the horses first because it is more likely to be a horse, unless the clues have such defined stripes that it screams, "zebra." I now refer to zebras and horses concerning our cases because it is straightforward and makes our theories easier to organize and work on.
According to a representative at The Texas Missing Persons Clearinghouse, whom I spoke with a few days ago, a forensic anthropologist was brought in to determine Princesses' age and weight. This valuable and fairly accurate info was used along with the ring size 9 1/2, and the two came up the same. In other words Princess Blue's weight as determined by her bone structure, density, articulating surfaces, tendon articulating points, etc.. showed her to be about 175 at TOD, just as the ring would in general fit someone of that weight. However, I asked the same question you asked because of the the statement made in one of the reports stating that the ring would have fit someone weighing 175. I needed more than that, as that explanation was insufficient to me, too.
I doubt they got the age at TOD wrong. Her bones were studied by a forensic anthropologist. But, if my wild zebra that she was frozen right after death is correct than had she lived until 1990, she would have been between 15 and 30. Hmm. Got to do that research and put in the list of zebras if need be.
And, it seems several people now have said that instead of choosing their birthstone, they chose a stone they liked for what ever reason. This is good because we cannot rule out any birthday, and we know this now. But, if someone is missing who fits the description in other ways who was born in September, that I would check out real quick. The photo of the ring is pretty dark, and it could be something other than a sapphire. But, to me it looks like a sapphire. She was wearing 2 thin, silver bands, and it is a good question as to whether or not one are both were actually her wedding band(s). Another open question.
Hey MrsG
. If you said all of that off the top of your head you have one good memory. Check out the link I found that is posted above.
Lion
