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

[mastiphal25]

Sherry had actually come from Aransas Pass to Hunstville, a 4 hour journey for a prank seems weird?

It's VERY unlikely she traveled there for a prank. She must have had a reason. Oh and I tried to find the comment yesterday. I managed to load some 3,500 comments with replies and stuff and then my PC BSOD'd and restarted. Too much data loaded to RAM. Oh and I'm pretty sure that, by "older" couple, she meant two people in their 30s or maybe 40s, not two 70 year olds. At least that's how it appeared to me

 

[Nell91]

Thank you for explaining the weather to me! Im from the UK where it is generally always cold so I'm not educated at all in other climates!

 

[fhesse]

Thank you @Friday Fan That helps clarify why the first set of directions may have been to unclear, confusing, etc.

There is a simple explanation for why she had to ask for directions several times. When she asked at the gas station for directions to the Ellis prison, she was probably told to go north on Houston Ave. That is the best way to walk on foot, plus she was seen by a witness taking that route. The problem is that to get to Ellis prison, you have to switch to a parallel road at a certain point (e.g., at the intersection with Highway 190). If you get a little confused, you can easily end up on Highway 75, which leads directly to the truck stop. I strongly suspect that's what happened to her.

 

[Beekarina]

Ok. So I do not want to be overly hung up on the directions because I do think you have all laid out reasonable explanations. Here is another thought though:

Sherry (allegedly) travels what would be at least a 4 hour drive if one of us just hopped into a car and drove ourselves from Aransas Pass to Huntsville. She was staying with people in Aransas Pass, and in good health, good condition--i.e. the nice hair cut, the Candies sandals. But for her, unless someone gave her a ride all the way there, but then dumped her off randomly (?), woul have to have involved planning, would have taken longer? This additional trip to Ellis must have been important to her for some reason we do not understand yet, and may never know. It still feels a bit odd to me that at this point that she did not set out for Ellis knowing her actual destination.

Maybe she had a lot of help getting to Texas, and was not really an experienced traveler at this point?

 

[CADwrest]

Ok. So I do not want to be overly hung up on the directions because I do think you have all laid out reasonable explanations. Here is another thought though:

Sherry (allegedly) travels what would be at least a 4 hour drive if one of us just hopped into a car and drove ourselves from Aransas Pass to Huntsville. She was staying with people in Aransas Pass, and in good health, good condition--i.e. the nice hair cut, the Candies sandals. But for her, unless someone gave her a ride all the way there, but then dumped her off randomly (?), woul have to have involved planning, would have taken longer? This additional trip to Ellis must have been important to her for some reason we do not understand yet, and may never know. It still feels a bit odd to me that at this point that she did not set out for Ellis knowing her actual destination.

Maybe she had a lot of help getting to Texas, and was not really an experienced traveler at this point?

IMO, whatever reason she was going, she probably had mostly worried about getting to Huntsville from Aransas Pass, since that’s such a long trip (for someone with no reliable access to transportation.) She probably figured, once she got to Huntsville, she’d just get dropped off and it’d be a relatively quick walk, since the town really isn’t that large.
I think once she got to the Gulf Coast Oil station, she was just told the street directions without a real sense of how far it was, so she just started walking. But then (after IMO making a wrong turn as described above), she got to Hitchin’ Post and got a map drawn for her, and then found out it was still a very long ways off. At that point, she probably decided to call it a night.
In the days before internet searches and Google maps, I can easily see how a relatively inexperienced 14 year old could make those sort of assumptions and mistakes.

 

[rosesfromangels]

Now that Sherry has been identified, I'm hoping LE has solid leads on her motive for going to Texas, who she was attempting to see, and why.
I'm having trouble wrapping my head around a 14 year old (even one that is an adventurous free spirit), embarking on such a journey alone.

BTW, anyone else but me think Sherry bears a striking resemblance to "Buddy" from the old t.v. show Family? Right down to the haircut. : )

Amateur opinion and speculation

 

[abbey345]

Now that Sherry has been identified, I'm hoping LE has solid leads on her motive for going to Texas, who she was attempting to see, and why.
I'm having trouble wrapping my head around a 14 year old (even one that is an adventurous free spirit), embarking on such a journey alone.

BTW, anyone else but me think Sherry bears a striking resemblance to "Buddy" from the old t.v. show Family? Right down to the haircut. : )

Omg, I thought the same thing when I saw her photo!(the main one with the longer hair)..She definitely seems like she was a bit of a tomboy, but feminine side at the same time(with the pretty hair and necklace)

However, the of the other photo of her(the one with the shorter hair, smiling from side angle), reminded me of a young Julie McCoy(played by Lauren Tewes) from the tv show, "The Love Boat".

 

[rosesfromangels]

This is a very powerful read, and helps get in the head of a young hitchhiker. In this instance, the author believes she encountered Rhoades, and you will likely find this article as insightful as I did. A very worthy read:
Robert Ben Rhoades: The Truck Stop Killer

This passage really jumped out at me: ".... When you get in a truck at a truck stop, everyone notices. They chatter about it on the CB, and you are driving off in what amounts to a huge billboard advertising the name of the company."

Amateur opinion and speculation

 

[rosesfromangels]

We know that her hair wasn't cut, as Rhoades often did and we know that he didn't keep for an extended period of time. But you are right that we don't know about the piercing. Still, nobody has mentioned this detail over the decades. Plus, all the things we do know about the MO of the killer (assaulted with a blunt object, left nude at the side of the rode) doesn't fit with Rhoades.

Again, I'm no expert but Rhoades doesn't seem to be our man here.

I'm sticking with my Rhoades speculation, and here's why. You are right that some of his signature wasn't present. However, that could be explained if he had a deadline to meet, and this was just a quick effort for him. I think this cretin was prolific, and likely is responsible for many more homicides than he has been pinned with definitively. But what leads me to strongly speculate Rhoades is the extreme sadism in this killing. This wasn't "just" rape and choke, this child was horribly brutalized sadistically. Right up Rhoades alley.
Eventually I think we will learn through the autopsy of some of his signature injuries he inflicted on the child.

So in summary, do to the level of sadism and brutality inflicted on the victim, I still think Rhoades should be right at the top of the suspect list.

Amateur opinion and speculation

 

[rosesfromangels]

Sorry, I'm not really sure what you mean - would you mind cluing me in a bit as to what you mean?



It's up to 80 in November in Texas? Dang. If it was around that temp when Sherry got to Huntsville, I don't understand why she dressed as warmly as she did, especially with her being from Minnesota and (presumably) used to very cold weather. Maybe it was colder that day, I guess, but I have trouble understanding why a Minnesota girl would wear a blouse and a sweater and jeans in 80-ish weather?

The low that day was 34F, and the high was 72.
Weather History for Huntsville, TX

 

[luulabobss]

An additional photo of Sherry has been posted on the WWWCJD Facebook page as the new profile picture, more in line with her age / how she would have looked at the time of her disappearance.

Log into Facebook

Such a beautiful smile.

 

[luulabobss]

An additional photo of Sherry has been posted on the WWWCJD Facebook page, more in line with her age / how she would have looked at the time of her disappearance.

Log into Facebook

Such a beautiful smile.

Edit: somebody in the comments of the Facebook page enhanced the photo. Hopefully this is okay to share.

 

[fhesse]

There are lots of TDCJ facilities in Huntsville.

Yes, I noticed that as well. Huntsville seems to be strongly dominated by LE. Ellis is just the largest of the correctional facilities. This raises the question of whether she was confused about the prison her "friend" was held in.

Hopefully this is okay to share.

Always a radiant smile on her face. This photo also shows why police described her as having perfect teeth.

 

[fhesse]

This wasn't "just" rape and choke,

Yes, the perpetrator was a deeply depraved psychopath and sadist. So was Rhoades. Also, he was a truck driver, and her killer probably was too. Still, the other elements don't quite add up for me. I wonder if the police were able to check his driving schedule for the relevant time period. After all, I've never seen anyone make such a connection from the official side, although it would be easy to check something like that.

 

[Beekarina]

@rosesfromangels There is a resemblance to Kristy McNichol as a very young Buddy--say the first year or so. Loved that show!

 

[Beekarina]

This is a very powerful read, and helps get in the head of a young hitchhiker. In this instance, the author believes she encountered Rhoades, and you will likely find this article as insightful as I did. A very worthy read:
Robert Ben Rhoades: The Truck Stop Killer

This passage really jumped out at me: ".... When you get in a truck at a truck stop, everyone notices. They chatter about it on the CB, and you are driving off in what amounts to a huge billboard advertising the name of the company."

Amateur opinion and speculation

Hmm....This is also interesting though.....:

The general rule was that you were a prostitute until proven otherwise. And then you were still a prostitute. Waitresses were the first to kick you out. That forced me into asking for rides in the hallway by the showers. Over time, I learned safer ways of getting rides by having truckers navigate the CB radio for me.

If true, wouldn't another trucker have noticed? And maybe one did? Maybe one has come forward now?

Really interesting, if disturbing, read. Thanks for sharing.

 

[abbey345]

@rosesfromangels There is a resemblance to Kristy McNichol as a very young Buddy--say the first year or so. Loved that show!

Kristy McNichol was a great actress(not sure if she acts anymore)..She did a great job in the movie, "Little Darlings"..Coincidentally, the film came out in 1980.

 

[Beekarina]

Oh my GOD! re:

When the Illinois state trooper who was trying to identify the body of Regina Walters, the girl Rhoades left in that barn, put her forensic description out on the national teletype, he was totally unprepared for the response. He requested information on missing Caucasian females aged 13 to 15 years old who had disappeared six to nine months earlier. He got over 900 matches.

This is from the same article roses shared.Robert Ben Rhoades: The Truck Stop Killer Wow. If anyone still wonders how poor Sherry wasn't identified early on......

 

[Rbkidk]

This is a very powerful read, and helps get in the head of a young hitchhiker. In this instance, the author believes she encountered Rhoades, and you will likely find this article as insightful as I did. A very worthy read:
Robert Ben Rhoades: The Truck Stop Killer

This passage really jumped out at me: ".... When you get in a truck at a truck stop, everyone notices. They chatter about it on the CB, and you are driving off in what amounts to a huge billboard advertising the name of the company."

Amateur opinion and speculation

this gave me some dang shivers. I hope Rhoades isn't our guy, I can't imagine our poor Sherry dealing with that much terror (considering no lights, the Truck preying, and those weird stickers in every counter (*advertiser censored*, gas, or grass) + her background) I think she had enough with everything during her hitchhiking period.

I'm utterly amazed by how MN truancy law triggered all of this

 

[rosesfromangels]

Weather History for Huntsville, TX

Hmm....This is also interesting though.....:

The general rule was that you were a prostitute until proven otherwise. And then you were still a prostitute. Waitresses were the first to kick you out. That forced me into asking for rides in the hallway by the showers. Over time, I learned safer ways of getting rides by having truckers navigate the CB radio for me.

If true, wouldn't another trucker have noticed? And maybe one did? Maybe one has come forward now?

Really interesting, if disturbing, read. Thanks for sharing.

You zeroed in exactly on the point I was making....the point the article's author made about the "chatter' on the CB when a trucker picked up a rider at at truck stop. Yes, someone (probably many) would have known. Yes indeed.

Amateur opinion and speculation