Identified! CA - Benicia, WhtFem, 30-45, torso and legs, Sept’79 - Dolores Wulff

[MadMcGoo]

Unidentified Person
NamUs #UP15567
The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

Date Body Found September 17, 1979
Location Found Benicia, Solano County, California

Sex: Female
Race / Ethnicity: White / Caucasian
Estimated Age Group: Adult
Estimated Age Range (Years): 30-45
Estimated Year of Death: 1979
Estimated PMI: 4 Weeks
Estimated Height: 5' 6"(66 inches)
Weight: Cannot Estimate
Hair Color: --
Head Hair Description: --
Body Hair Description: Black/dark brown pubic hair
Eye Color: --

Other distinctive physical characteristic: Average to muscular build

Clothing: Floral print bikini panties, pantyhose (On the Body)
Footwear: Open-toed black leather shoe on left foot with 2" artificial woodgrain heel (On the Body)

Inventory of Remains: Head not recovered One or more limbs not recovered
Condition of Remains: Not recognizable - Decomposing/putrefaction

Circumstances of Recovery: A lower female torso and legs were found in the Carquinez Strait near E. 5th Street in Benicia.

Investigating Agencies
- Benicia Police Department
Kenny Hart, Detective Sergeant
200 East L St Benicia, California 94510
(707) 746-3411
Agency Case Number: 20-1132

- Brynne Caputo, Medicolegal Death Investigator
(707) 784-7019
ME/C Case Number: 979-527-CCI-276

- Solano County Sheriff's Office
530 Union Ave #100 Fairfield, California 94533
(707) 784-7000
Solano County - Sheriff-Coroner

 

[MadMcGoo]

0 Missing Person Exclusions

 

[MadMcGoo]

A portion of a female skull was found in the same county about 4 years after these remains. I’m not sure if the PMI is long enough for these to belong to the same person...
The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

 

[Al Ka]

Benicia police solves identity of torso found in 1979 through DNA match

Benicia Police Department announced on Thursday that they have positively identified a torso that washed up on the shoreline 41 years ago.

Police say the case reopened in July this year when the Doe Network contacted Solano County Coroner’s Office and suggested a body found in 1979 might have been matched with an identity. Detectives determined that was not the case, and that the identity was not related to the torso.

However, a persistent sergeant expanded the search of missing women from 1979 from the areas of Sacramento to San Francisco.

Based on Benicia detective Sgt. Kenneth Hart’s findings, 11 results returned similar, but one stood out in the case of Dolores Wulff.

Wulff went missing on the night of July 31, 1979 from her home in Woodland in Yolo County. At the time, her husband was considered a suspect and arrested, but ultimately the case was dismissed for a lack of evidence. Her husband died in 2005.
---
Investigators, with cooperation from Solano County Sheriff’s Office, determined the DNA was a match with the exhumed body found in 1979.

Confirmation came from the Department of Justice’s DNA lab this week that the femur bone from the partial recovered body was in fact that of Dolores Wulff’s.

Benicia police solves identity of torso found in 1979 through DNA match
Body Found In 1979 Identified As Missing Woman: Benicia Police

 

[Al Ka]

Thread for missing Dolores Wulff -

CA - CA - Dolores Wulff, 45, Woodland, 31 July 1979

 

[Al Ka]

Guys, just to let you know that this exact torso Jane Doe was suggested in Dolores thread as match to her in 2018!

 

[Andreee]

Guys, just to let you know that this exact torso Jane Doe was suggested in Dolores thread as match to her in 2018!

is this the one that had been suggested?! I couldn't find the missing page anymore!

 

[Andreee]

Guys, just to let you know that this exact torso Jane Doe was suggested in Dolores thread as match to her in 2018!

And if so i wonder if it was even sent in!

 

[Al Ka]

And if so i wonder if it was even sent in!

Yes, these same remains have been identifed as Dolores. I am not sure if the member did send it in or not but still good to see someone have seen a match and even suggested it here prior to LE identification.

 

[MadMcGoo]

Rest peacefully now Dolores!

 

[MadMcGoo]

A portion of a female skull was found in the same county about 4 years after these remains. I’m not sure if the PMI is long enough for these to belong to the same person...
The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

Dolores was added to this skull’s list of exclusions.

 

[Andreee]

A touching article about Dolores Wulff's son from years ago that I came across. (thought it would be nice to post now, even though it may've been posted some time ago here, not sure)Tragic turning point for Wulff

 

[SisterGrimm]

Rest in peace Dolores. Never forgotten and finally identified.

 

[Richard]

Dolores Wulff, 45, died 1979

 

[Andreee]

From what I've read in articles, alot of effort was put into finding Mrs. Wulff by law enforcement and by her family. She was finally identified and I imagine that helps the family somewhat, and although the murderer wasn't convicted, they certainly all tried to bring him to justice. Condolences to all her loved ones.

 

[SolVic]

I think it’s safe to say that if Carl hadn’t died in 2005, he would be found guilty of killing his wife.

 

[sluethermac]

Yes, these same remains have been identifed as Dolores. I am not sure if the member did send it in or not but still good to see someone have seen a match and even suggested it here prior to LE identification.

No, I did not submit it to LE. I'm sure if I did her family would've had closure sooner. Apologies on my part.

 

[Spindlebrook]

Fantastic article on ESPN.com about the case: 'I found your mom': The mystery that led a college football coach on a 41-year search

 

[SpringDonut77]

Fantastic article on ESPN.com about the case: 'I found your mom': The mystery that led a college football coach on a 41-year search

There is now a podcast by the team that wrote that ESPN article, Unforgotten Pod, Season 3, Disappearance of Dolores Wulff The Unforgotten | Substack