Identified! TN - Jellico, Big Wheel Gap Rd, WhtFem 9-15, 482UFTN, button necklace, bracelet, shoes, Apr'85 - Tracy Sue Walker

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Yes. Though made of plastic, which is interesting. I wonder if it's a clue to a previous location. The popularities of those are coastal/tropical areas.
I wonder if it is actually plastic or thats an assumption based on the photos years later. It would be interesting to find out if they still have the necklace.
 
I wonder if it is actually plastic or thats an assumption based on the photos years later. It would be interesting to find out if they still have the necklace.
Agree. If not plastic it could certainly be tested to see where the shells came from.
 
Agree. If not plastic it could certainly be tested to see where the shells came from.
I did a little reading about Puka (not something I thought I'd ever do) and it sounds like the majority of jewelry like the necklace that JD was wearing are not made of naturally occuring Puka.
 
Anecdotal, but I was a teen in rural New England (not a coastal area either) in 1985 and I knew people with puka shell jewelry. Those necklaces were popular, the "sailor rope/knot" bracelets were popular, and also Mexican poncho/pullovers that look a bit like blankets, if people remember those? Both boys and girls, and generally popular preppy kids had these accessories. If I pulled out an old yearbook, for context, you would see pics of boys and girls wearing Izod Lacoste shirts, or a rugby shirt, collars up and a necklace like that.

I don't remember if people brought them back from vacation, although that seems likely. I didn't have one, but remember wanting one.
 
Oh, and having looked at the link to the necklaces on Etsy? That style--without the larger shell as a focus--you could purchase knockoffs at stores like J.J. Newberry. They often had a couple of colored "shells"/chips as well, like turquoise or peach as an accent. So she could have been from anywhere, I think, based on the necklace.
 
Not to go too far off topic, but wow, what a tragic case Elizabeth Miller's is. Her poor family has been through a lot from reading the CP link. Hope they solve hers too.
 
Bumping this thread up a little. I submitted a candidate who wasn't reported missing until 2019. I guess I'm exhausting the list of potential candidates.

It's this girl: Charlotte Erdman

I submitted Erdman because her head shape and nose looked similar to Jane Doe in my opinion. That coupled with the fact that she was a runaway. Maybe Erdman traveled around the country? That letter postmarked from Illinois is proof enough for me. She was also 15 which puts Erdman at the high end of the age range.

She's a great candidate for Lady of the Dunes too right up there with Patricia Newsome

Erdman's thread on WS
Lady of the Dunes was predicted to be aged 20 (youngest), all the way up to 49. Which rules out both Erdman and Newsome. In my opinion any way.
 
Lady of the Dunes was predicted to be aged 20 (youngest), all the way up to 49. Which rules out both Erdman and Newsome. In my opinion any way.

They have investigated a few teenagers as the Lady, so I wouldn't automatically rule either of them out for that case. Erdman especially resembles her and fits the demographics and circumstances.

But I think both Erdman and Newsome would be too old for this girl, wouldn't they? If they were 15-16 when they went missing in 1974, they'd be in their 20s by the time Jellicoe JD was found in 1985. The timeframe of murdered 1-4 years before that would still make them 20-ish.
 
Family trees..Jerri Blank...any word on your submissions?
 
Tracy Sue Walker

Thirty-seven years ago, the skeletal remains of a child were found in the Big Wheel Gap area of Elk Valley in Campbell County.

Now, nearly four decades later, the child has been identified and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is hoping to find out what happened to her.

The family confirmed that they had a family member go missing from that area in 1978, and with the help of DNA, the child was positively identified as Tracy Sue Walker.

If you have information about this case or any knowledge about individuals Tracy may have been with before her death, please call 1-800-TBI-FIND.
 
Tracy Sue Walker

Thirty-seven years ago, the skeletal remains of a child were found in the Big Wheel Gap area of Elk Valley in Campbell County.

Now, nearly four decades later, the child has been identified and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is hoping to find out what happened to her.

The family confirmed that they had a family member go missing from that area in 1978, and with the help of DNA, the child was positively identified as Tracy Sue Walker.

If you have information about this case or any knowledge about individuals Tracy may have been with before her death, please call 1-800-TBI-FIND.
Great news! Looks like another amazing job by Othram. Rest in peace, Tracy.
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