Identified! TX - Huntsville, 'Walker County Jane Doe', WhtFem 14-16, 91UFTX, Nov'80 #4 Sherry Ann Jarvis

[luulabobss]

where did you find her Missing announcement/info?

There was a press conference live-streamed on the KBTX Media Facebook page. Here they read a statement from Sherri’s family.

 

[oviedo]

"Walker County Jane Doe" identified after 41 years | kagstv.com
snipped
According to family members, Sherri had been removed from her home by the state of Minnesota due to truancy, or being absent from school. However, soon after being in the state's custody, Sherri ran away and never returned home. Not much is known how Sherri ended up outside of Texas; the records from the state of Minnesota have since been purged.
ETA: statement
A statement from the family was read at the press conference. Surviving family members expressed appreciation for the investigators who never gave up trying to find the truth and identifying Sherri. They said her parents passed away, never knowing what happened to Sherri and they never had closure. "She was a daughter, sister, cousin and granddaughter," the statement read. "We love and miss you, Sherri. May you rest in peace."
---
I wonder if the home she ran away from has any records that may be helpful in finding out why she went to TX ?

 

[Kitsey]

She was reported missing by the state, as they had custody of her when she was last seen. Lots of questions. For one, how much time had passed until she was reported missing? Was she in a private foster home or state facility? Maybe she was reported missing after her remains had already been found.

 

[onceuponadecember]

There were other photos of Sherri at th express conference, but nobody seems to have taken better pictures of them. I tried to crop this one as best as I could (obviously it’s of terrible quality)

 

[Bergamasque]

There were other photos of Sherri at th express conference, but nobody seems to have taken better pictures of them. I tried to crop this one as best as I could (obviously it’s of terrible quality)
View attachment 321134

Better quality (along w/ one more photo):
https://www.kxxv.com/news/gallery-walker-county-jane-doe-identified-41-years-later#id3

 

[luulabobss]

Walker County detectives identify victim of 41-year-old murder

Here is a link from KBTX following the press conference, for anyone outside of the US who is unable to access the Kags website.

 

[onceuponadecember]

Better quality (along w/ one more photo):
https://www.kxxv.com/news/gallery-walker-county-jane-doe-identified-41-years-later#id3

Thank you.

 

[luulabobss]

Better quality (along w/ one more photo):
https://www.kxxv.com/news/gallery-walker-county-jane-doe-identified-41-years-later#id3

Thank you. Her smile was truly something special, and especially so with the dimple.

 

[sonz82]

The photo on the right is so close to the composites

 

[onceuponadecember]

Sadly, I don’t think we’ll ever really know for certain what she looked like around the time of her death, as these photos all seem to show her before age 13.

 

[Wossy]

Rip Sherri Ann Jarvis. Its great to finally know your name

P.S. She kind of looks like Carl’s photo.

 

[onceuponadecember]

Rip Sherri Ann Jarvis. Its great to finally know your name

P.S. She kind of looks like Carl’s photo.

Like I said above, I don’t think we’ll ever be sure what she looked like around the time of her death (these photos all seem to show her before age 13)

 

[Grungster]

Sorry but what is LKC?

Last known communication, I believe.

 

[ntt1]

Family statement:

We would like to extend our sincere appreciation to Detective Thomas Bean and all
cooperating agencies and people involved in identifying Sherri Ann Jarvis' remains. We
would also like to express our gratitude to Morris Memorials for donating Sherri's
headstone and all the people who visited her burial site throughout the years. We lost
Sherri more than 41 years ago and we've lived in bewilderment every day since, until
now as she has finally been found. We contacted the Salvation Army and hired a private
investigator in an attempt to locate her but to no avail. The dedication of the
aforementioned people led to our reunion with Sherri and provided long awaited, albeit
painful answers to our questions on her whereabouts. Sherri Ann Jarvis was a daughter,
sister, cousin and granddaughter. She loved children, animals and horseback riding. She
was a tender 13 years of age when the state removed her from our home for habitual
truancy. Sherri never returned to our home as promised in a letter we received from her
shortly after her departure. She was deprived of so many life experiences as a result of
this tragedy. She was denied the opportunity to experience romance and love, marital
bliss, the heartache and pain of loss, the pure joy of having children or growing old and
being able to reflect on such milestones afforded an abounding lifetime. Our parents
passed away never knowing what happened to her or having any form of closure but we
are grateful that they never had to endure the pain of knowing her death was so brutal.
We take a measure of comfort in knowing that she has been identified and where she is
located so we may pay our respects at her final resting place. We will continue to
support those seeking her killer(s) because she did not deserve the death she received
and justice served to those who would commit such a heinous act would be fitting
tribute to Sherri. We love and miss Sherri very much. You are with mom and dad now,
Sherri, may you rest in peace.

 

[Springrain]

Family statement:

We would like to extend our sincere appreciation to Detective Thomas Bean and all
cooperating agencies and people involved in identifying Sherri Ann Jarvis' remains. We
would also like to express our gratitude to Morris Memorials for donating Sherri's
headstone and all the people who visited her burial site throughout the years. We lost
Sherri more than 41 years ago and we've lived in bewilderment every day since, until
now as she has finally been found. We contacted the Salvation Army and hired a private
investigator in an attempt to locate her but to no avail. The dedication of the
aforementioned people led to our reunion with Sherri and provided long awaited, albeit
painful answers to our questions on her whereabouts. Sherri Ann Jarvis was a daughter,
sister, cousin and granddaughter. She loved children, animals and horseback riding. She
was a tender 13 years of age when the state removed her from our home for habitual
truancy. Sherri never returned to our home as promised in a letter we received from her
shortly after her departure. She was deprived of so many life experiences as a result of
this tragedy. She was denied the opportunity to experience romance and love, marital
bliss, the heartache and pain of loss, the pure joy of having children or growing old and
being able to reflect on such milestones afforded an abounding lifetime. Our parents
passed away never knowing what happened to her or having any form of closure but we
are grateful that they never had to endure the pain of knowing her death was so brutal.
We take a measure of comfort in knowing that she has been identified and where she is
located so we may pay our respects at her final resting place. We will continue to
support those seeking her killer(s) because she did not deserve the death she received
and justice served to those who would commit such a heinous act would be fitting
tribute to Sherri. We love and miss Sherri very much. You are with mom and dad now,
Sherri, may you rest in peace.

Beautiful words from her family, I love that we get the chance to hear a bit about her in life.

 

[onceuponadecember]

Last known communication, I believe.

LKC = last known contact

 

[Hazelnutty]

Wow! Finally, your name. Rest in peace, Sherri Ann, Beautiful girl.

 

[GatorFL]

Wow. Another kid lost while in state custody. RIP Sherri.

 

[Friday Fan]

"Walker County Jane Doe" identified after 41 years | kagstv.com
snipped
According to family members, Sherri had been removed from her home by the state of Minnesota due to truancy, or being absent from school. However, soon after being in the state's custody, Sherri ran away and never returned home. Not much is known how Sherri ended up outside of Texas; the records from the state of Minnesota have since been purged.
ETA: statement
A statement from the family was read at the press conference. Surviving family members expressed appreciation for the investigators who never gave up trying to find the truth and identifying Sherri. They said her parents passed away, never knowing what happened to Sherri and they never had closure. "She was a daughter, sister, cousin and granddaughter," the statement read. "We love and miss you, Sherri. May you rest in peace."
---
I wonder if the home she ran away from has any records that may be helpful in finding out why she went to TX ?

Thank you for the link.

They said her parents passed away, never knowing what happened to Sherri and they never had closure. "She was a daughter, sister, cousin and granddaughter," the statement read. "We love and miss you, Sherri. May you rest in peace."

How sad.....

Generally when someone runs away at that age, it starts with connections to a friend...The friend knows someone...who knows someone else...etc...

The article states that all records from Minnesota have been destroyed.

But my hunch is she had a local friend. She probably stayed with a friend for a few days, then she went to someone else's house that her friend knew...sort of a 6 degrees...before she knew it, she was out on the road...Seeing that she was gone for so long, she probably had places to bunk for awhile, but as with most of those places the welcome was always temporary. MOO...

Even if records from Minnesota were available, the odds are we would only have the names of a few friends who were contacted. We probably would not get a Texas connection.

I knew a girl who ran away and died about a month later. She was 17 and was last seen with a motorcycle gang. She ran with a rough crowd in real life. She was 200 miles away in Chicago. She either was pushed or jumped from an apartment window. To the best of my knowledge, no one was ever charged.

There may be some truth to the Rockport/Aransas thing...

 

[onceuponadecember]

Wow. Another kid lost while in state custody. RIP Sherri.

The juvenile system has a horrible record, sadly. Sherri is just one story - who knows how many similar stories there could be to this one, considering that the records have been purged?