WY WY - Fox Park, WhtFem 28-58, UP9904, jeans, shoes, jewelry w/initials 'MSS', Aug'99

[iulia]

Updated Namus link: Unidentified Person Case

Ruleouts:
MP12576 Kimberly Allen 06/05/1991 Sublette WY
MP14579 Lynn Bush 12/08/1990 Natrona WY
MP1363 Bobbi Campbell 12/30/1994 Salt Lake UT
MP1100 Hazel Klug 05/20/1986 Henrico VA
MP6343 Skyla Marburger 09/01/1995 Santa Fe NM
MP3059 Elizabeth Rogers 03/18/1983 Wake NC
MP9255 Maria Sanchez 03/31/1993 San Diego CA
MP974 Patricia Schmidt 06/04/1985 Henrico VA
MP2057 Martha Shelton 05/28/1971 Whitley KY
MP83 Virginia Uden 09/12/1980 Fremont WY
MP16945 Colleen Voitik McHugh 04/17/1994 Will IL

Thank you so much for this list. It's really useful for those of us outside of the US who cannot create an account on NamUs.

 

[Bit of hope]

The specific mentioning of a European, UK size of the shoes is still bothering me. And the initials on the ring too, if they are initials at all. I see M.SS, with no dot between the S's.

Just trying to think out of the box. What if the letters mean something in Latin, for instance Mater (mother/mother superior) or Matrimonium (marriage) and sanctis sacramentis (with the holy sacraments)
Abbreviation SS in Latin also meaning subscripsi (I have signed)

 

[carbuff]

Most running shoes like that have international labels, and Reebok is an international brand, so it probably doesn't mean much. But it's an interesting thought.

I'm beginning to agree about the dot, and the meaning being something other than initials.

I poked a bit at the other ring. That general style of two-stone ring seems to have been popular as an engagement or cocktail ring around the art deco-Edwardian period. But I don't see anything really close to this lady's ring and I'm not expert enough to know whether it's actually vintage or just a generic ring.

 

[Bit of hope]

Most running shoes like that have international labels, and Reebok is an international brand, so it probably doesn't mean much. But it's an interesting thought.

I'm beginning to agree about the dot, and the meaning being something other than initials.

I poked a bit at the other ring. That general style of two-stone ring seems to have been popular as an engagement or cocktail ring around the art deco-Edwardian period. But I don't see anything really close to this lady's ring and I'm not expert enough to know whether it's actually vintage or just a generic ring.

View attachment 159775 View attachment 159776 View attachment 159777

Thank you for searching for the ring, it's quit special but more "down to earth" more basic/simpler that the beautiful rings you came up with. Maybe the ring belonged to her mother or another significant family member. It's hard to pinpoint it to a time it was made.

 

[Bit of hope]

Silverstone SS and the ring silver with stones....search for missing people with that name came up with nobody....

 

[carbuff]

Thank you for searching for the ring, it's quit special but more "down to earth" more basic/simpler that the beautiful rings you came up with. Maybe the ring belonged to her mother or another significant family member. It's hard to pinpoint it to a time it was made.

The simple solid style makes me wonder if it might have actually been a man's pinkie ring; those are often a size that a woman can wear as a regular ring. (I have one that I picked up at an old-stuff store.)

 

[Gardener1850]

Is there any chance they are wrong about the PMI of this case? I'm guessing the shoes date it to 1989 or after? I just found a photo for a woman missing from Colorado since 1977 and her picture reminded me of the sketch for this case. Plus, her maiden name starts with an S.

Beverly Joan Spellerberg McCool
CO - CO - Beverly McCool, 50, Lakewood, 6 Jan 1977
Maybe she was alive for a few years after she disappeared?

(If anyone think this is a possible match feel free to submit-- Thanks)

 

[Bit of hope]

Is there any chance they are wrong about the PMI of this case? I'm guessing the shoes date it to 1989 or after? I just found a photo for a woman missing from Colorado since 1977 and her picture reminded me of the sketch for this case. Plus, her maiden name starts with an S.
View attachment 176589

Beverly Joan Spellerberg McCool
CO - CO - Beverly McCool, 50, Lakewood, 6 Jan 1977
Maybe she was alive for a few years after she disappeared?

(If anyone think this is a possible match feel free to submit-- Thanks)

Interesting find Joan Spellerberg.....I don't see a very big likeness, but you stirred something up.

 

[Paige1976]

questions - has it been brought up that there are 3 bodies found in WY around the same time (this one was said to have died around late 80's early 90's)? I bet they are all killed by the same person.

Unidentified Person / NamUs #UP9970
Unidentified Person / NamUs #UP8894

 

[Bit of hope]

questions - has it been brought up that there are 3 bodies found in WY around the same time (this one was said to have died around late 80's early 90's)? I bet they are all killed by the same person.

Unidentified Person / NamUs #UP9970
Unidentified Person / NamUs #UP8894

Hi Paige1976, welcome. The two you mentioned are definitly related, although have different causes of death and are both homicide victims. I'm not sure for the Jane Doe mentioned in this thread. Her cause of death is not stated and it feels like the circumstances she was found in are different.

For convenience the links.
The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)
Her thread
WY - WY - Sweetwater Co., Wht/HispFem 213UFWY, 24-32, off I-80, rose tattoo, Mar'92 stabbed

Bitter Creek Betty, also known as "Rose Doe" was a woman found murdered in Wyoming in 1992. Her case was linked through DNA to another victim that was found in 1992 in the same state. Bitter Creek Betty

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)
Her thread
WY - WY - Sheridan Co., WhtFem 390UFWY, 16-21, dumped along I-90, Apr'92 beaten
Sheridan County Jane Doe

 

[Bit of hope]

Interesting find Joan Spellerberg.....I don't see a very big likeness, but you stirred something up.

I'm still confused about the other recon provided.

 

[Tabirey]

JMO, but I think the engraving is actually what's called a quality or ring stamp. Not sure what the m. part would be, but the double s could be the stamp for stainless steel or sterling silver. I researched this because of another UID that also was found with a ring that was thought to be an engraving but also could be a stamp. So when I came across this case, that's the first thing that came to mind.
Unfortunately, there isn't a quality stamp master file that is used.

 

[annemc2]

I wondered if the SS might have been a two-worded surname - like her name would be something like "Maria San Sebastian" or "Marguerite St. Sauveur." Unlikely but it's what popped into my head.

 

[Bit of hope]

She fits in the (for het very broad) stats but already missing since 1978. She was born approx 1954, would have been 45 in 1999 minus approx. 10 yrs PMI, 35. A very intriguing story.
Stephanie Hunsberger – The Charley Project
Stephanie Smith (married Hunsberger)?

 

[YaYa_521]

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

Exclusions
MP12576 Kimberly Allen 06/05/1991 Sublette WY
MP14579 Lynn Bush 12/08/1990 Natrona WY
MP1363 Bobbi Campbell 12/30/1994 Salt Lake UT
MP17177 Kerry Girard 07/22/1998 Scotts Bluff NE
MP42375 Celeste Hensley 01/01/1976 Johnson WY
MP1100 Hazel Klug 05/20/1986 Henrico VA
MP6343 Skyla Marburger 09/01/1995 Santa Fe NM
MP3059 Elizabeth Rogers 03/18/1983 Wake NC
MP9255 Maria Sanchez 03/31/1993 San Diego CA
MP974 Patricia Schmidt 06/04/1985 Henrico VA
MP2057 Martha Shelton 05/28/1971 Whitley KY
MP83 Virginia Uden 09/12/1980 Fremont WY
MP16945 Colleen Voitik McHugh 04/17/1994 Will IL

 

[MadMcGoo]

I was reading back through this thread and saw someone mention the possibility of her ring having “SSW” engraved on it rather than “MSS”. I think it more than likely is the latter, but decided to check missing women with surnames beginning with a “W”.

I found an interesting one. Sheree L. Warren (née Sorensen) Sheree L. Warren – The Charley Project

So, her initials could be SW or SS which could fit either variation of the stamped initials. She’s a close enough match to the few vital stats estimated on the UID and I see some resemblance to the clay reconstruction. The sketch is a little more difficult to use for comparisons IMO. The only thing is Sheree had a chipped tooth, which I’d assume would have been noticeable if this was her?

Interestingly her vehicle was found abandoned at a casino in Las Vegas. Charley Project states her disappearance may be associated with a serial killer, but no one has ever been charged with a crime.

It just seemed like she was worth mentioning here for people more familiar with this UID.



1175UFWY

 

[Gashe]

While looking at a different case (Rebecca Ann Kellison), I stumbled across this one and looked into possible meanings of M.S.S. My first thought besides a name would be a school, or something relative to armed forces:

Michigan State Spartans (college sports)
Morehouse School of Medicine (est. 1975; Atlanta, GA)
Middle School South (various locations) (Unlikely)
Midwest Sociological Society
Midland Secondary School (Canada)
Mission Support Site (US military special forces)
Montfort Secondary School
Marine Scout Sniper
Marine Safety and Security
Merrimac State School (Gold Coast, Australia)
Mudgeeraba Special School (Gold Coast, Australia)

 

[Susikatze]

It has not been mentioned before, but the one sole of her shoes that is partially visible looks extremely worn down. It even has a hole forming where the basis joint of the big toe touches the ground.
It made me think she may have fallen on hard times or been a transient, but then I guess her teeth would be in a bad condition and there is no mention of that.

 

[Gashe]

I enhanced the ring photo a tiny bit and it most definitely is MSS rather than WSS. The type is a serif and it would be unusual for the serif on the S's to appear at the top only. It is also unusual for the M to appear as a sans-serif; almost as if two different fronts were used, but it may just appear that way due to the scratches and age. I also noticed that the spacing is bizarre. There is a wider gap between the W & S and it is noticeably smaller between the S & S. In typography, the top of the S can be smaller than the bottom, but I can't think of any font where that is reversed. I do not believe there is a period in between any of the letters. The circular shape at the bottom right of the M looks to be out of place and might just be a dent in the metal.

 

[Tabirey]

I enhanced the ring photo a tiny bit and it most definitely is MSS rather than WSS. The type is a serif and it would be unusual for the serif on the S's to appear at the top only. It is also unusual for the M to appear as a sans-serif; almost as if two different fronts were used, but it may just appear that way due to the scratches and age. I also noticed that the spacing is bizarre. There is a wider gap between the W & S and it is noticeably smaller between the S & S. In typography, the top of the S can be smaller than the bottom, but I can't think of any font where that is reversed. I do not believe there is a period in between any of the letters. The circular shape at the bottom right of the M looks to be out of place and might just be a dent in the metal.

I have to completely agree with your whole assessment. That is definitely MSS. I think whoever engraved it accidentally misspaced the M and first S. My Mother's ring had a misspacing in my initials.