Identified! TN - Knox Co, 'Shotgun Jane Doe' WhtFem 607UFTN, 21-30, Jun'87 - Tena Marie Gattrell

[Roselvr]

Roselvr has done some fantastic work over the years. Standing ovation!

You too Carbuff! You've worked your butt off over the years.

You are correct they should the re-interview both men...The way the reports on NAMUS described it, LE was considering charging the woman that shot this UP...If I read it correctly...

LE can actually charge both with murder...Perhaps then they can see if they will give up more details or get charged with her murder...They would probably have to convince the DA to get on board with it...

Recent cases where they've done that...

CHICAGO ARTICLE

KC ARTICLE

I doubt that will ever happen

 

[Eddie99]

Roselvr,

I can't find the article I am about to reference, Though I tried....

At one time had read that stated that when the police hit a dead end on the investigation into her identity, they took a step back, and started from the beginning. They put out a warrant and subsequently arrested the two guys for attempted burglary. So they could put some heat on them.

The men apparently gave her a change of clothing. They were hanging out in a garage. The men stated that she just started acting very odd.... and ran out if the building.... they followed her.

She ended up pounding on that girls door, and I don't think the conversation/ shouting / exchange (whatever you want to call it) the homeowner heard indicated she was fleeing something along the lines of a rape, or assault. I'm 99% sure i read that the guys were calling her away from that house.

That, and the garage was right next door to the house.....I got the feeling the two men may have even known the homeowner on some basis. (That's speculation on my part)

To further speculate....I would think these guys probably had intentions of giving her drugs/ booze and figured one way or another it would result in a tryst of some sort..... but instead it ended with her having a bad reaction... maybe a bipolar, or schizo "event" for lack of a better word.

 

[Roselvr]

I'll be shocked if any of the articles are online any more.

 

[EmilyHTX]

I've tried to read through all 32 pages of this thread, but I may have missed it or not retained all of it. So, if she's been suggested before, just ignore me. Digging around through NamUs, Charley Project & Doe Network, I found Rhonda Joy Baucom.

She fits the timeline, age, height and weight, hair color, isotope suggestions of states, and looks similar to Shotgun Jane. Only difference is the eye color. I haven't found anything about whether or not Rhonda could have had the injuries/plate and pins, but there's really not much information on her as is. Still digging!

charleyproject.org/case/rhonda-joy-baucom

 

[RookieInvestigator]

I've tried to read through all 32 pages of this thread, but I may have missed it or not retained all of it. So, if she's been suggested before, just ignore me. Digging around through NamUs, Charley Project & Doe Network, I found Rhonda Joy Baucom.

She fits the timeline, age, height and weight, hair color, isotope suggestions of states, and looks similar to Shotgun Jane. Only difference is the eye color. I haven't found anything about whether or not Rhonda could have had the injuries/plate and pins, but there's really not much information on her as is. Still digging!

charleyproject.org/case/rhonda-joy-baucom

Welcome to Websleuths!


**Edited...

Who knows how far back the UIDS NAMUS link is...

UP1567
Female, White / Caucasian
Date Found: June 1, 1987
Location Found: Knoxville, Tennessee

 

[C. Walter Brown]

Not on the ruled out list. Mary Ann Bagenstose. Family considered her murdered though no clues were found. Had a child (scar on abdomen) and had broken legs from a previous accident. Charley lists her as blond but images show her with reddish brown hair. Would have been on the road 1.5 years when our Jane Doe was killed. Look at the picture and take away some weight for being hungry while homeless.
Mary Ann Bagenstose – The Charley Project

 

[C. Walter Brown]

Not on the ruled out list. Mary Ann Bagenstose. Family considered her murdered though no clues were found. Had a child (scar on abdomen) and had broken legs from a previous accident. Charley lists her as blond but images show her with reddish brown hair. Would have been on the road 1.5 years when our Jane Doe was killed. Look at the picture and take away some weight for being hungry while homeless.
Mary Ann Bagenstose – The Charley Project

Sorry 2.5 years.............

 

[Roselvr]

Not on the ruled out list. Mary Ann Bagenstose. Family considered her murdered though no clues were found. Had a child (scar on abdomen) and had broken legs from a previous accident. Charley lists her as blond but images show her with reddish brown hair. Would have been on the road 1.5 years when our Jane Doe was killed. Look at the picture and take away some weight for being hungry while homeless.
Mary Ann Bagenstose – The Charley Project

She's in NamUs so it's a quick rule in/out

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

 

[sloane7777]

seriously sounds like her husband , but Namus had both ends of my girl ...the remains and the missing case it took 3 years and a whole lot of emails and finally a match so About that quick rule out ....Not so much.

 

[C. Walter Brown]

I would like some informed person to tell me how rule outs work. I understand DNA vs DNA but some show ruled out that DNA is not available for. What criteria? How objective?

 

[MadMcGoo]

252 excluded comparisons... poor girl's name is out there somewhere...

 

[Roselvr]

I would like some informed person to tell me how rule outs work. I understand DNA vs DNA but some show ruled out that DNA is not available for. What criteria? How objective?

Some were ruled out on things like dentals. You can see a file in the group where I tracked all of our ruled outs we submitted.

 

[MadMcGoo]

Some were ruled out on things like dentals. You can see a file in the group where I tracked all of our ruled outs we submitted.

You all have done such amazing things for this Jane Doe! (I know she isn’t the only one) She has definitely been in good hands here with you and the others who’ve gone above and beyond! I just wanted to say thank you for that!

I’m glad you responded to the previous comment...I intended to refresh the thread with just a little information I dug up about the Jersey. Information I’m sure has been mentioned previously, I just haven’t gotten to that part of the thread. However, I found a missing person who doesn’t appear to be ruled out yet so I see you may be just the person to ask about this possible match. (I haven’t looked closely into her case to find anything in particular linking her to Jane Doe, but I thought I’d mention her while it was fresh on my mind and you were active here)
I think there are a couple of similarities but by and large, I’m basing my opinions on the strong physical resemblance between the two.

Missing Person / NamUs #MP7905
Bettye Jo Hart, Female, White / Caucasian
​

Missing Since: September 11, 1985
Missing From: Grapevine, Texas
Date of Birth: February 1, 1931
Age: 54 years old
Height: 5'5 - 5'10
Weight: 110 pounds
Hair Color: Red
Eye Color: Blue
Clothing/Jewelry Description: A purple blouse, purple slacks, and a white gold ring with multiple diamonds weighing approximately 3 carats in total.
Medical Conditions: Hart has been diagnosed with leukemia. She also suffers from acute anemia and bleeding ulcers. Hart is classified as disabled.
Distinguishing Characteristics: Hart has surgical scars on her abdomen. Her gallbladder and uterus are missing and she has had a partial gastrectomy. Her first name may be spelled "Betty." Hart may use the aliases B. J. Walker, Betty Horn, Betty J. Lindsay, Betty J. Walker, Jo Hart and/or Betty Horn Hart. She has a crowded anterior tooth. Her blood type is A-positive.
Details of Disappearance:
Hart was last seen near her Grapevine, Texas residence at 12:00 p.m. on September 11, 1985. She was accompanied by Garry V. Kirkland at the time. Further details regarding Kirkland are unavailable. Hart has never been heard from again. Her clothing, jewelry and vehicle were left behind at the home she shared with her husband.

There were no signs of a struggle at Hart's home, but foul play has not been ruled out in her disappearance.

She was a woman of means who owned property in the area and operated a tavern in Tarrant County. Her loved ones stated it would be uncharacteristic of her to knowingly get into a dangerous situation and, other than owning a bar, she did not have a high-risk lifestyle.

Investigators searched a heavily wooded area of Sky Harbor in northern Hood County, Texas in 2008, looking for Hart's body, but the search turned up nothing. Her case remains unsolved.

The Doe Network
NamUs
The Charley Project

 

[Roselvr]

I doubt SJD is currently listed as an MP especially with NamUs having DNA on just about every MP. I don't have a current NamUs password to even look if they still list DNA.

SJD was one of the 1st Does I advocated for. She has a very special place in my heart. We did a lot of research on the jersey even though LE said the guys gave it to her. She supposedly was wearing a tank top that we've never seen.

I have a great possible for her but the family stopped answering me. I told them to list her on NamUs or I'd be happy to do it. I doubt they did. I can only help when they answer.

I'm hopeful that DNA Doe Project will take her case one day. That's the only way she will get her name.

You really do have to read the whole thread because we busted our butts on her case. Theres a lot of history in the 1st few hundred posts

 

[MadMcGoo]

I doubt SJD is currently listed as an MP especially with NamUs having DNA on just about every MP. I don't have a current NamUs password to even look if they still list DNA.

SJD was one of the 1st Does I advocated for. She has a very special place in my heart. We did a lot of research on the jersey even though LE said the guys gave it to her. She supposedly was wearing a tank top that we've never seen.

I have a great possible for her but the family stopped answering me. I told them to list her on NamUs or I'd be happy to do it. I doubt they did. I can only help when they answer.

I'm hopeful that DNA Doe Project will take her case one day. That's the only way she will get her name.

You really do have to read the whole thread because we busted our butts on her case. Theres a lot of history in the 1st few hundred posts

Thank you responding! I can see y’all’ve done so much!

Im always so hesitant to comment on threads like these because I know I’m unlikely to offer anything of value after so much time and effort. Lately I’ve been refreshing threads by providing a current rule-out/exclusion list (what’s listed in NamUs), but with 252 on SJD’s, I didn’t want to flood the thread. Although, I’m more than happy to list all 252 for anyone interested. I noticed that Bettye had not been ruled out and thought she was worth mentioning.

I did read the part of the thread about the Jersey not belonging to her (it looks very much too large for her in the photos) - I noticed a few trivial things about the colors and design and my own curiosity got the best of me. I browsed through “the evolution of the uniform” and made note of the birth place and high school, college/university attended by each #32 player. I thought about the reasons someone might purchase a jersey bearing the number of an “unpopular” player. The best reason I came up with, aside from the hand me down/thrift store scenario, was that it was someone they attended the same high school or college with.

I will continue to read through the entire thread and I truly meant no disrespect. Just hoping to offer a fresh perspective. I hope the family you’ve been in contact with reaches out to you again! For the sake of their loved one and SJD!

Many thanks and blessings to you!
(If you would like me to put together her current R/Os, again, I’d be more than happy to. I can post it here or send it via PM, or send you the Google doc/PDF list)

 

[Roselvr]

I'm pretty sure we have the info on what player the shirt would have been for. I originally started following her case because my hub is a Dolphins fan.

I just hate seeing people waste their time on older cases like this when the answers have already been found. It used to be easier to search a thread when I could load a hundred replies per page. I could tell you the meat was on pages 2 and 3 back then, so probably the 1st 300 replies.

 

[MadMcGoo]

Duly noted.

 

[Roselvr]

Sorry, I've been cooking the last 2 days. I'm glad to see people interested in her case

 

[C. Walter Brown]

Facts and truth are subjective terms. While seemingly written in stone what are deemed facts and truth are in the eyes of the person telling the story. I have gone back to original court records and newspaper articles at the time. What I have found is that most everyone is both right and wrong. The story you are most often to see on the internet is that this Jane Doe was brought to Knoxville by two truck drivers. The facts in court testimony is that she was brought to Knoxville in a car owned by 76 year old Percy Preston, who had been carjacked basically by two men. Percy testified in Greene County Tennessee that he had picked up three hitchikers. Two men and a woman. Percy identified the two men, but not the Jane Doe as being the woman. He would instead identify a Sue Spivey as being the woman. She would be charged with theft from Percy Preston. Neither men had ever been truck drivers.

According to court records and newspaper accounts... (keep in mind that Bristol is both in Virginia and Tennessee)
76 year old Percy Preston left his home in Bristol Virginia headed for Knoxville in the early hours of Sunday morning. He testified that he came across three hitchhikers and picked them up. Percy further testified that after picking the three up they gained control of his car between Bristol Tennessee and Knoxville. Being their captive they robbed him and drove him in his car around Knoxville all day. At some point they took the woman back to her home on Dry Gap road and then started driving Percy back to Bristol Virginia.

The two men stopped at a rest stop on I-81 where they found our Jane Doe at about 1:15. They pushed Percy from the car and picked up our Jane Doe. They proceeded back south to Knoxville, a 55 minute drive. At 1:30 police were called to the rest stop for the disoriented Percy Preston. One hour later our Jane Doe was shot on the porch in Knoxville.

The men would testify that they had been partying with the Jane Doe in an abandoned building. They had loaned her a shirt because hers was worn out. If it took 55 minutes to drive to the death scene and she was killed 60 minutes after being picked up, they had no time to party and probably no time to loan her a shirt. It is my opinion she jumped from the car, ran to the house screaming, "he has a knife" trying to escape the two men. The ladies in the house as well as the 911 operator testified hearing her yell, "he has a knife."

The two women in the house called the police because Jane Doe was beating on their door screaming. When Jane Doe tried to open the door one of the ladies shot and killed her. They gave a description of the fleeing men and the car. The car would be found one block from the scene of the shooting covered in brush. It was the 1977 Chevy Impala registered to Percy Preston.

 

[Roselvr]

Facts and truth are subjective terms. While seemingly written in stone what are deemed facts and truth are in the eyes of the person telling the story. I have gone back to original court records and newspaper articles at the time. What I have found is that most everyone is both right and wrong. The story you are most often to see on the internet is that this Jane Doe was brought to Knoxville by two truck drivers. The facts in court testimony is that she was brought to Knoxville in a car owned by 76 year old Percy Preston, who had been carjacked basically by two men. Percy testified in Greene County Tennessee that he had picked up three hitchikers. Two men and a woman. Percy identified the two men, but not the Jane Doe as being the woman. He would instead identify a Sue Spivey as being the woman. She would be charged with theft from Percy Preston. Neither men had ever been truck drivers.

According to court records and newspaper accounts... (keep in mind that Bristol is both in Virginia and Tennessee)
76 year old Percy Preston left his home in Bristol Virginia headed for Knoxville in the early hours of Sunday morning. He testified that he came across three hitchhikers and picked them up. Percy further testified that after picking the three up they gained control of his car between Bristol Tennessee and Knoxville. Being their captive they robbed him and drove him in his car around Knoxville all day. At some point they took the woman back to her home on Dry Gap road and then started driving Percy back to Bristol Virginia.

The two men stopped at a rest stop on I-81 where they found our Jane Doe at about 1:15. They pushed Percy from the car and picked up our Jane Doe. They proceeded back south to Knoxville, a 55 minute drive. At 1:30 police were called to the rest stop for the disoriented Percy Preston. One hour later our Jane Doe was shot on the porch in Knoxville.

The men would testify that they had been partying with the Jane Doe in an abandoned building. They had loaned her a shirt because hers was worn out. If it took 55 minutes to drive to the death scene and she was killed 60 minutes after being picked up, they had no time to party and probably no time to loan her a shirt. It is my opinion she jumped from the car, ran to the house screaming, "he has a knife" trying to escape the two men. The ladies in the house as well as the 911 operator testified hearing her yell, "he has a knife."

The two women in the house called the police because Jane Doe was beating on their door screaming. When Jane Doe tried to open the door one of the ladies shot and killed her. They gave a description of the fleeing men and the car. The car would be found one block from the scene of the shooting covered in brush. It was the 1977 Chevy Impala registered to Percy Preston.

Thanks so much! I've always said that I didn't believe she was going to rob the house. I always felt she was running away from the guys most likely cause they tried to have sex with her