Found Deceased CA - Nancy Paulikas, 55, Los Angeles, 15 Oct 2016

[crhedBngr]

The location is only about 8 miles from the Museum: Google Maps

So I guess she most likely wandered off and was there in the park most of this time? How tragic for her family. They spent so much time diligently looking for her in hospitals and nursing homes, believing she was alive. Rest in peace Nancy.

RBBM

Yes, they did. According to the below-linked article, they were going to visit a nursing home in Perris.

I wonder now if they'll focus on talking to locals close to Fossil Ridge Park. I'm sure some residents living close to the park have video cameras, but not sure video would do any good, if she ended up there roughly two years ago.

Family of woman who went missing at LACMA in 2016 speaks out

 

[MarziPanda]

The statistic about people with Alzheimer's being found within 1.5 miles of when they were last seen may be slightly misleading. It may be true, but might be a case of correlation not equalling causation. Most people with Alzheimer's so advanced that they wander off and get lost are very elderly. My grandad has it, was diagnosed 4 years ago. He's currently 85. If he wandered off (possible with his level of mental deterioration, not possible in practise as he's in a secure care home) he would certainly be found within 1.5 miles. But that's because he can't walk very well, due to being 85 with bad knees and bad hips. It's not because of his dementia. I see many people with dementia wandering the care home he lives at. None of them could make it more than a couple of miles due to their age.

Nancy, on the other hand, was only 55. I reckon there are quite a lot of 55-year-olds who could walk 8 miles. Hell, when my grandad was 55, he could have walked 8 miles dementia or not as he liked to go on long walks at that age. Nancy liked to hike. Whilst it isn't outside the realm of possibility that she was taken, I think it more likely that she really did walk all that way. I wish they had been able to find her in the hours it took her to get to where she finally passed. RIP, Nancy. You led an incredible life.

 

[crhedBngr]

The statistic about people with Alzheimer's being found within 1.5 miles of when they were last seen may be slightly misleading. It may be true, but might be a case of correlation not equalling causation. Most people with Alzheimer's so advanced that they wander off and get lost are very elderly. My grandad has it, was diagnosed 4 years ago. He's currently 85. If he wandered off (possible with his level of mental deterioration, not possible in practise as he's in a secure care home) he would certainly be found within 1.5 miles. But that's because he can't walk very well, due to being 85 with bad knees and bad hips. It's not because of his dementia. I see many people with dementia wandering the care home he lives at. None of them could make it more than a couple of miles due to their age.

Nancy, on the other hand, was only 55. I reckon there are quite a lot of 55-year-olds who could walk 8 miles. Hell, when my grandad was 55, he could have walked 8 miles dementia or not as he liked to go on long walks at that age. Nancy liked to hike. Whilst it isn't outside the realm of possibility that she was taken, I think it more likely that she really did walk all that way. I wish they had been able to find her in the hours it took her to get to where she finally passed. RIP, Nancy. You led an incredible life.

I'm so sorry to hear about your grandad. I hope he is doing as well as can be with this blasted disease.

I think Nancy did walk that far. I've enclosed a link that shows the last sighting of her walking the same day she went missing. She's not aimlessly wandering, or acting disoriented. Her strides are determined like anyone else with things to do that day. (See the link below for Nancy's last known sighting.)

Woman's Remains ID'd 2 Years After She Vanished at Museum

 

[crhedBngr]

Here's an interesting story on Nancy and her accomplishments.

Before Alzheimer's, who was Nancy Paulikas?

 

[Wagtales10]

The area she was found is a good distance away. It's uphill on roads that wind up the hills with no sidewalks. I dont even think buses go up there.

I highly doubt she walked that whole way. The houses that are up there are very well off and have security roaming constantly.

I really hope she wasnt picked up and brought to one of those houses by someone and left, escaped or was put out and got lost.

Followed this case for a while, RIP Nancy.

 

[WonderWhatHappened]

Have there been any updates in this case since Nancy was found? Is the case closed? Any speculation of foul play? Just curious if anyone knows?

 

[crhedBngr]

Have there been any updates in this case since Nancy was found? Is the case closed? Any speculation of foul play? Just curious if anyone knows?

I'll check to see if there are any updates.

ETA: I could find no mention of foul play at this time. Most online articles are dated November - December of 2018, when Nancy was found.

I'm enclosing a link to the "Nancy is Missing" Blog, which is updated by Nancy's husband. URGENT: $NEW 100,000 REWARD... Nancy Paulikas Is Still Missing!
(Not sure why the link posted with the verbiage above, as Nancy has been found!) There are links to articles about Nancy, as well as the impact "L.A. Missing" has made in Alzheimer's patients' lives, and mention of memorial service for Nancy.

 

[crhedBngr]

The area she was found is a good distance away. It's uphill on roads that wind up the hills with no sidewalks. I dont even think buses go up there.

I highly doubt she walked that whole way. The houses that are up there are very well off and have security roaming constantly.

I really hope she wasnt picked up and brought to one of those houses by someone and left, escaped or was put out and got lost.

Followed this case for a while, RIP Nancy.

Yes, many have questions about how Nancy got to Fossil Ridge Park. I've occasionally checked for updates on Nancy's COD, but haven't found any so far.

 

[WonderWhatHappened]

Its interesting because Mitrice Richardson was also found 8 miles away from the police station she was released from. She made it about 6 miles in 6 hours, in the dark (thats where a resident called police on her being in his backyard), and then her body was found 10 months later 2 miles away from that point.

 

[crhedBngr]

Its interesting because Mitrice Richardson was also found 8 miles away from the police station she was released from. She made it about 6 miles in 6 hours, in the dark (thats where a resident called police on her being in his backyard), and then her body was found 10 months later 2 miles away from that point.

Wow. Interesting.

 

[Gardener1850]

She Left to Use the Restroom at LACMA and Never Returned. What Happened to Nancy Paulikas?

October 24, 2019

Lengthy new article on Nancy's case: She Left to Use the Restroom at LACMA and Never Returned. What Happened to Nancy Paulikas?

 

[Mike241]

Have there been any updates in this case since Nancy was found? Is the case closed? Any speculation of foul play? Just curious if anyone knows?

Unfortunately how Nancy got to Fossil Ridge Park is still a great mystery. No evidence of foul play but as previously mentioned due to the delay in finding out it was her remains there are no video/etc. The case is still considered open because a lot of the remains were not recovered. There is a documentary coming out (I think it's only been released to film festivals but there's a trailer online) that does a really good job of summing up the case and even better spotlights who Nancy was.

Mike (investigator on this case)

 

[Brainchannels2]

Unfortunately how Nancy got to Fossil Ridge Park is still a great mystery. No evidence of foul play but as previously mentioned due to the delay in finding out it was her remains there are no video/etc. The case is still considered open because a lot of the remains were not recovered. There is a documentary coming out (I think it's only been released to film festivals but there's a trailer online) that does a really good job of summing up the case and even better spotlights who Nancy was.

Mike (investigator on this case)

Hi Mike: I was in Nancy’s graduating class at PVHS. Seems this case is closed? Witnesses should have observed her in their area. I’d hate to think a someone who saw the fliers searched for her than drove up there to dump her. That’s the downside of letting strangers know a lady’s lost in the area.

 

[Brainchannels2]

The area she was found is a good distance away. It's uphill on roads that wind up the hills with no sidewalks. I dont even think buses go up there.

I highly doubt she walked that whole way. The houses that are up there are very well off and have security roaming constantly.

I really hope she wasnt picked up and brought to one of those houses by someone and left, escaped or was put out and got lost.

Followed this case for a while, RIP Nancy.

Thanks for the info. I think this case is unsolvable, a detective posted here in 2020 they have no security videos. There’s no way of knowing, only guessing.

 

[Brainchannels2]

partial remains found in Fossil Ridge Park in Sherman Oaks. Pieces of scorched skull and arm after fire burned area. The case is unsolvable now to know what happened. E.g. She could have been dumped there after she was murdered. Passing out so many fliers brought attention to her situation.

 

[Brainchannels2]

Have there been any updates in this case since Nancy was found? Is the case closed? Any speculation of foul play? Just curious if anyone knows?

The detective posted here they can’t determine how pieces of her skull got to Fossil Ridge Park near Sherman Oaks and body parts are missing never located after a fire went through. It’s unsolvable due to no home security outdoor videos available. I speculate she was murdered and dumped there. <modsnip - speculation outside of known facts>, otherwise someone in the area would have witnessed her alive in the surrounding wealthy residential location.

 

[Brainchannels2]

A well done article in local a South Bay newspaper in 2019. Loved ones celebrate South Bay’s Nancy Paulikas, whose life ended in tragic mystery in L.A.

 

[wendybtn]

The statistic about people with Alzheimer's being found within 1.5 miles of when they were last seen may be slightly misleading. It may be true, but might be a case of correlation not equalling causation. Most people with Alzheimer's so advanced that they wander off and get lost are very elderly. My grandad has it, was diagnosed 4 years ago. He's currently 85. If he wandered off (possible with his level of mental deterioration, not possible in practise as he's in a secure care home) he would certainly be found within 1.5 miles. But that's because he can't walk very well, due to being 85 with bad knees and bad hips. It's not because of his dementia. I see many people with dementia wandering the care home he lives at. None of them could make it more than a couple of miles due to their age.

Nancy, on the other hand, was only 55. I reckon there are quite a lot of 55-year-olds who could walk 8 miles. Hell, when my grandad was 55, he could have walked 8 miles dementia or not as he liked to go on long walks at that age. Nancy liked to hike. Whilst it isn't outside the realm of possibility that she was taken, I think it more likely that she really did walk all that way. I wish they had been able to find her in the hours it took her to get to where she finally passed. RIP, Nancy. You led an incredible life.

As a geriatric specialist RN for forty years, many people with Alzheimer's are much younger than your grandfather. And they can be found anywhere, especially if they have cars and the keys.

 

[MarziPanda]

As a geriatric specialist RN for forty years, many people with Alzheimer's are much younger than your grandfather. And they can be found anywhere, especially if they have cars and the keys.

Yes, that's my point exactly. That people who are young and have dementia (like Nancy) can go really far. People were questioning if she could have walked 8 miles and I think she totally could have! Someone said that people with dementia are on average found within 1.5 miles of where they were last seen, I guess my point was that this is a skewed statistic and that younger people living with dementia can walk really far.

My grandad has sadly passed away since I wrote that, at the grand old age of 88. He had a good life, and a good death.