TX TX - San Antonio, BlkFem 18-25, 76UFTX, stayed at SAMM shelter in '85 may be "Norma from FL", Mar'86

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anthrobones

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Unidentified Black Female Located on March 26, 1986 on Weichold Road, east of San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas.
The victim had been deceased for 3 weeks - 3 months prior to discovery.
She had been shot four times, two to the body two to the chest.

Vital Statistics



  • Estimated age: 18 - 25 years old
  • Approximate Height and Weight: 5'11 - 6'0"; 150 - 160 lbs.
  • Distinguishing Characteristics: Black hair; brown eyes.
  • DNA: Available
  • Jewelry: She wore a silver ring with two blue-colored stones.
  • Clothing: She was wearing a short denim skirt with thin stripes; a large flannel jacket; and a white long-sleeved shirt with black-colored Native American designs imprinted on the material.
Case History

The victim was located in an abandoned farm house on Weichold Road, east of San Antonio, Texas on March 26, 1986.
Angel Maturino Resendiz, the Mexican drifter known as the "Railroad Killer," has confessed to killing three people in the San Antonio area.
Jane Doe is one of 15 victims whom authorities have been able to link to Resendiz, a drifter who became the focus of a nationwide manhunt in the late 1990s after going on a crime spree while traveling the country's railroads.
In his confession to local authorities, Resendiz gave detailed accounts of how he killed the unidentified woman. Resendiz said he and the woman used to frequent the area for target practice. Resendiz claimed the woman cast a spell on him, so he shot her. The victim had mentioned something about Santeria, a religion in which Yoruba deities are identified with Roman Catholic saints.
Resendiz said all he knows about the woman is that she was from Florida and her name may be Norma. Police have confirmed that Resendiz was in the area at the time and was known to have carried a 38 caliber pistol.
He claimed to have killed another man in San Antonio as well — one whose body hasn't been found. Details of the man's slaying are vague. What is known is that Resendiz said the victim was Cuban and dating the unidentified woman.
According to Resendiz, he killed the woman first after she allegedly disrespected him during a motorcycle trip to the suburban community of Converse, where they planned on firing a gun for target practice. That same gun was used to shoot the women multiple times. Her body was found badly decomposed three months later. Resendiz told investigators he met the woman while they were staying at a SAMM Shelter in 1985.
Soon after killing her, Resendiz told detectives, he killed her boyfriend, also believed to be a transient, and dumped his body in a creek somewhere between San Antonio and Uvalde. He claimed he killed the Cuban because he was involved in black magic.
On July 13, 1999, Resendiz surrendered to Texas Ranger Drew Carter on an international bridge in El Paso.
Resendiz died by lethal injection on June 27, 2006 for the December 1998 slaying of a Houston physician.

http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/76uftx.html
 
https://identifyus.org/cases/4474

Her Namus file says she's 115 inches tall... probably ain't gonna find too many matches for that...

Her dentals seem to rule out everyone with significant dental work since she only had one tooth missing and the others are marked natural teeth
A N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N
N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N
UPPER LEFT CANINE T00TH IS DISPLACED INWARD
 
Reconstruction images now up.

76UFTX.jpg
76UFTX1.jpg
76UFTX2.jpg
76UFTX3.jpg


also an image of clothing.

76UFTX4.jpg
 
While I know that her age (30 years old in March of 1986) and weight (255 lbs in 1980) are above the estimate, I really think that Vanessa Denise Smith, a very tall (6'1") woman who escaped from prison in Tennessee in 1980 should be looked at as a possible match.

vanessasmith.jpg
http://www.tn.gov/correction/article/tdoc-escapees

It's possible that she lost weight (especially if she was hiding?) between 1980 and 1985/1986. I really see a resemblance between Ms. Smith's mugshot and the reconstructions of the Texas woman, especially if she was slimmer in 1985/1986 than in 1980.
 
While I know that her age (30 years old in March of 1986) and weight (255 lbs in 1980) are above the estimate, I really think that Vanessa Denise Smith, a very tall (6'1") woman who escaped from prison in Tennessee in 1980 should be looked at as a possible match.

View attachment 80739
http://www.tn.gov/correction/article/tdoc-escapees

It's possible that she lost weight (especially if she was hiding?) between 1980 and 1985/1986. I really see a resemblance between Ms. Smith's mugshot and the reconstructions of the Texas woman, especially if she was slimmer in 1985/1986 than in 1980.

Her face is strikingly similar to the reconstruction, at least to my untrained eye!
 
I heard back from Bexar County, TX and Tennessee, Vanessa Denise Smith has been ruled out by fingerprints. NamUs UP #4474 also lists Vanessa Denise Smith of Tennessee as the only rule out. When I suggested the possible match, I didn't realize that fingerprints were available for the unidentified victim of Angel Resendiz in Texas.
 
well it was a good try! and the weight would have been no issue, inmates bulk up in prison and lose wieght once released due to drugs a lot of the time.

I heard back from Bexar County, TX and Tennessee, Vanessa Denise Smith has been ruled out by fingerprints. NamUs UP #4474 also lists Vanessa Denise Smith of Tennessee as the only rule out. When I suggested the possible match, I didn't realize that fingerprints were available for the unidentified victim of Angel Resendiz in Texas.
 
Santaria is major clue.

I am thinking she was a "Cuban-Haitian entrant" from the Mariel Boatlift in 1980.

I have searched and searched missing persons data. She met Railroad Killer at a homeless shelter. IF she came to the US in 1980, she may have been homeless or a refuge for a very long time, and never reported missing.

Eta: Eleggua or Saint Anthony is the first Orisha in Santeria.

http://santeriachurch.org/the-orishas/


Thus the allure of San Antonio?
 
The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

Case Numbers
NCMEC Number--
ME/C Case Number1986-0399
Demographics
SexFemale
Race / EthnicityBlack / African American
Possible First Name--
Possible Middle Name--
Possible Last Name--
Possible Nickname--
Estimated Age GroupAdult
Estimated Age Range (Years)18-25
Estimated Year of Death1986
Estimated PMI--
Height5' 11"(71 inches) , Estimated
Weight83 lbs, Estimated
Circumstances
TypeUnidentified Deceased
Date FoundMarch 26, 1986
NamUs Case CreatedOctober 15, 2008
ME/C QA Reviewed--
Location Found Map
Street Address3990 W. WeicholdSan Antonio, Texas 78262
CountyBexar County
GPS Coordinates--
Circumstances of RecoveryFound face down in a storage shed-decomposed
Details of Recovery


Inventory of RemainsAll parts recovered
Condition of RemainsNot recognizable - Decomposing/putrefaction
Physical Description
Hair ColorBlack
Head Hair DescriptionBlack about 3 inches long
Body Hair Description--
Facial Hair Description--
Left Eye ColorUnknown or Missing
Right Eye ColorUnknown or Missing
Eye Description--
Distinctive Physical Features
No Known Information



Clothing and Accessories
Item
Description
Clothing
Blue jean skirt (size 11-12) with thin dark blue stripes White long sleeveed blouse with black prints of various Indian symbols
On the Body

Clothing
County Touch brand blue and brown plaid flannel jacket with a quilted lining (Size Large) Munsingwear brand white mens jockey undershorts (Size 36) Bottom Line brand rust colored coat with a hood an cloth belt (Size 14) Light blue long sleeved shirt with dark blue strips
Near the Body

Jewelry
White metal ring with two blue stones
On the Body


Street view, storage close to road.

Google Maps


The only women missing close to that date 85-86 that are tall (5'9 and taller are)

Lisa Walton
The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)
went missing the 01/21/1986 according to charleyproject, however she's 5'6-5'9

And
Janette Johnson, missing in 1985
The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

Both went missing from The midwest and both had small children. So it seems unlikely they are a match with this JD. Considering she was so tall she shouldn't be impossible to ID.
 
76UFTX - Unidentified Female
8E7DCEB3-F00C-4231-92E6-71005912AB73.jpeg42688A0C-35DE-486C-8752-E5501F61CE3E.jpeg57815B1D-E242-4E16-BF59-7F5A059F2844.jpeg
42DCB78E-0953-46F9-8258-3DD6CF2C376C.jpeg2B1D90D6-2213-4910-AF46-976E34EF50F7.jpeg

Reconstruction of the victim; image of clothing.
Date of Discovery: March 26, 1986
Location of Discovery: Bexar County, Texas
Estimated Date of Death: 3 weeks to 3 months prior
State of Remains: Decomposed
Cause of Death: Homicide by gunshot

Physical Description
Estimated Age: 18-30 years old
Race: Black
Sex: Female
Height: 5'11" to 6'0"
Weight: 150 to 160 lbs.
Hair Color: Black
Eye Color: Unknown
Distinguishing Marks/Features: Unknown

Identifiers
Dentals: Available. Upper left canine tooth is displaced inward.
Fingerprints: Unknown.
DNA: Available.

Clothing & Personal Items
Clothing: Short, blue denim skirt with thin stripes; a large flannel jacket; a white bra, and a white long-sleeved shirt with black-colored Native American designs imprinted on the material.
Jewelry: Unknown
Additional Personal Items: Unknown

Circumstances of Discovery
The victim was located in an abandoned farm house on Weichold Road, east of San Antonio, Texas on March 26, 1986.

Ángel Maturino Reséndiz, a Mexican drifter known as the "Railroad Killer," confessed to killing three people in the San Antonio area.

This victim is one of 15 victims whom authorities have been able to link to Reséndiz, who became the focus of a nationwide manhunt in the late 1990s after going on a crime spree while traveling the country's railroads.

In his confession to local authorities, Reséndiz gave detailed accounts of how he killed the unidentified woman. Reséndiz said he and the woman used to frequent the area for target practice. Reséndiz claimed the woman cast a spell on him, so he shot her four times. The victim had mentioned something about Santeria, a religion in which Yoruba deities are identified with Roman Catholic saints.

Reséndiz said all he knew about the woman is that she was from Florida and her name may be "Norma." Police have confirmed that Reséndiz was in the area at the time and was known to have carried a 38 caliber pistol.

He claimed to have killed another man in San Antonio as well — one whose body hasn't been found. Details of the man's slaying are vague. What is known is that Reséndiz said the victim was Cuban and dating the unidentified woman.

According to Reséndiz, he killed the woman first after she allegedly disrespected him during a motorcycle trip to the suburban community of Converse, where they planned on firing a gun for target practice. That same gun was used to shoot the women multiple times. Her body was found badly decomposed three months later. Reséndiz told investigators he met the woman while they were staying at a SAMM Shelter in 1985.

Soon after killing her, Reséndiz told detectives, he killed her boyfriend, also believed to be a transient, and dumped his body in a creek somewhere between San Antonio and Uvalde. He claimed he killed the Cuban because he was involved in black magic.

On July 13, 1999, Resendiz surrendered to Texas Ranger Drew Carter on an international bridge in El Paso.

Reséndiz died by lethal injection on June 27, 2006 for the December 1998 slaying of a Houston physician.

Investigating Agency(s)
Agency Name: Bexar County Medical Examiner's Office
Agency Contact Person: Nicole Healy
Agency Phone Number: 210-335-4000
Agency E-Mail: N/A
Agency Case Number: 1986-0399

Agency Name: Bexar County Sheriff's Office
Agency Contact Person: N/A
Agency Phone Number: 210-335-6000
Agency E-Mail: N/A
Agency Case Number: 86-09380

Agency Name: Texas Department of Public Safety
Agency Contact Person: N/A
Agency Phone Number: 512-424-5074
Agency E-Mail: N/A
Agency Case Number: U8604002

NCIC Case Number: U296903688
NamUs Case Number: 4474

Information Source(s)
NamUs
TXDPS
Wikipedia
Click2Houston.com
Express News / KNES News 5

Admin Notes
Added: Prior to 2005; Last Updated: 7/24/18
 
NamUs UP4474

Race / Ethnicity: Black / African American
Estimated Age Group: Adult
Estimated Age Range (Years): 18-25
Estimated Year of Death: 1986
Estimated Height: 5' 11" (71 inches)
Estimated Weight: 83 lbs.
Hair Color: Black, about 3 inches long


Clothing and Accessories

- Blue jean skirt (size 11-12) with thin dark blue stripes
- White long sleeveed blouse with black prints of various Indian symbols
- County Touch brand blue and brown plaid flannel jacket with a quilted lining (Size Large)
- Munsingwear brand white mens jockey undershorts (Size 36)
- Bottom Line brand rust colored coat with a hood an cloth belt (Size 14)
- Light blue long sleeved shirt with dark blue strips
- White metal ring with two blue stones

1 Missing Person Exclusion:
Vanessa Denise Smith from Tennessee

*a few varying stats from her Doe Network profile & additional info
 
How likely is it that Patricia left her Houston home in 1970 then eventually relocated to Bexar Co, TX? Her stats pretty much match with JD's except for the time interval b/w her disappearance and JD's murder/discovery. I'm really curious about what's going on with her upper left canine tooth shown in her pic below. I suppose it could simply be a mark on the photo like the ones in her neck and cheek areas. Makes me wonder whether Patricia's tooth was "displaced inward". I think the eyes, chins and noses are somewhat similar, too. MOO

Patricia Elaine Thomas-Wardell (Jane Doe)
Date of Last Contact July 17, 1970 (March 26, 1986)
Missing From Houston, Texas (Bexar County, Texas)
Missing Age 17 Years (~33 in '86) (18-30 Years)
Height 5' 10" (70 Inches) (5'11" to 6'0")
Weight 160 lbs (150 to 160 lbs.)
Hair Color Black (Black)
Eye Color Brown (unknown)
Dentals Unknown - see pic below (Upper left canine tooth is displaced inward)

Circumstances of Disappearance - The MP left home on 07/27/1970 to catch a bus to attend a class near downtown Houston. The MP was not seen or heard from since then.

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)
Original

8e7dceb3-f00c-4231-92e6-71005912ab73-jpeg.229873
57815b1d-e242-4e16-bf59-7f5a059f2844-jpeg.229875
42dcb78e-0953-46f9-8258-3dd6cf2c376c-jpeg.229876
 
I think you might be onto something here. That tooth certainly could be displaced inward, and the general facial resemblance is pretty strong. The decedent had apparently been living a transient lifestyle for some time, so your theory would work.
 
Alisha Marie Cooks was last seen on July 4, 1985. It was believed that the missing juvenile may have travelled to New Orleans, LA, to stay with a boyfriend. The height might be off, but I wonder if this has been ruled out? If not, anyone want to submit?
 
Alisha Marie Cooks was last seen on July 4, 1985. It was believed that the missing juvenile may have travelled to New Orleans, LA, to stay with a boyfriend. The height might be off, but I wonder if this has been ruled out? If not, anyone want to submit?
She’s not ruled out on NamUs. I think the height and weight would probably eliminate her. If both estimates are fairly accurate of course.
 
If she was at the SAMM shelter, there's a good chance that she wasn't reported missing or a missing report wasn't taken seriously at the time. She would have been considered a transient.
 

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