CA CA - Nevada City, AsianFem UP17160, 25-45, found in wooded area near State Hwy 20, "Ming Shi Jia Ren" jeans, Sept'06

[Buzz Mills]

Officials seek to identify human head
Remains with dark hair found in Nevada County

September 5, 2006 11:28 PM PDT

Human remains found in a forested area of Nevada County had some in the Auburn area hoping the nearly 1-year-old case of missing Christie Wilson would be solved.

"A skull with what looks like dark-colored hair was found around 3 p.m. Sunday by a couple out of the Bay Area hiking just off highway 20 about 1.3 miles east of Alpha Mega Road," Keith Royal, Nevada County sheriff said Tuesday.

The skull, with part of the vertebrae attached, and a mandible were located off Highway 20 near Junction House, officials said.

Wilson, 27, was last seen in the early morning hours of Oct. 5, 2005 leaving the Thunder Valley Casino in Lincoln with Mario F. Garcia.

The 53-year-old Auburn man has been charged with her murder and is scheduled to stand trial Sept. 25 in a Sacramento courtroom. Her body has not been found.

After hearing the news that the remains, described as "bleached bones," had been located in a neighboring county local law enforcement were, at least temporarily, hopeful that they could be Wilson's

http://www.auburnjournal.com/articles/2006/09/06/news/top_stories/02remains6.txt

 

[LovelyPigeon]

Sep 6, 2006
Remains Found In Nevada County
Most Likely Not Christie Wilson
(CBS 13) NEVADA COUNTY, Calif. Investigators in Nevada County are pouring over missing persons cases after hikers find human remains in the woods.

So far investigators picked up a skull, pieces of collarbone, backbone, and long dark hair just off Highway 20 near alpha road in Nevada County.

Investigators believe the dark color of the hair rules out the possibility that the remains are that of Christie Wilson. Wilson has been missing since last year. She was last seen leaving the Thunder Valley Casino in Placer County.

Investigators say it will be a while before any identification can be made. -
http://cbs13.com/topstories/local_story_249093843.html

 

[Camper]

Officials seek to identify human head
Remains with dark hair found in Nevada County

September 5, 2006 11:28 PM PDT

Human remains found in a forested area of Nevada County had some in the Auburn area hoping the nearly 1-year-old case of missing Christie Wilson would be solved.

"A skull with what looks like dark-colored hair was found around 3 p.m. Sunday by a couple out of the Bay Area hiking just off highway 20 about 1.3 miles east of Alpha Mega Road," Keith Royal, Nevada County sheriff said Tuesday.

The skull, with part of the vertebrae attached, and a mandible were located off Highway 20 near Junction House, officials said.

Wilson, 27, was last seen in the early morning hours of Oct. 5, 2005 leaving the Thunder Valley Casino in Lincoln with Mario F. Garcia.

The 53-year-old Auburn man has been charged with her murder and is scheduled to stand trial Sept. 25 in a Sacramento courtroom. Her body has not been found.

After hearing the news that the remains, described as "bleached bones," had been located in a neighboring county local law enforcement were, at least temporarily, hopeful that they could be Wilson's

http://www.auburnjournal.com/articles/2006/09/06/news/top_stories/02remains6.txt

--->>>I don't know California geography, but might this be Laci's head?

.

 

[californiacarrie]

--->>>I don't know California geography, but might this be Laci's head?

.

No. This is several hours in the opposite direction of the ocean AND Laci's home.

 

[Camper]

No. This is several hours in the opposite direction of the ocean AND Laci's home.

--->>>Thanks californiacarrie, have you heard about any DNA resulting from this find?

Possibility exists in my poor head, that ISP could have transported a body part to another location.

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[californiacarrie]

I've had a hard time locating any information about a fairly-local, missing, asian woman...in fact, it was hard to find any via google. I came up with these two (and they're not local):

http://www.gallupindependent.com/2006/apr/040106missing.html
http://www.truckingboards.com/trucking/upload/showthread.php?t=1240

I'm prone to believe that this is a more recent death since there seems to have been a good amount of hair left on the skull. Am I wrong for assuming that?

Oddly, while trying to locate info on missing asian women, I learned that Hepatitis B Accounts For 40 Percent Of "missing" women in asia (deaths of females are more frequent because of the disease)!

But back on subject: I thought I'd note that this also would have been way out of the way for Garcia (of the Christie Wilson case). Highway 20 is fairly remote and not much of a tourist destination (great camping spots though). I think there may be an Indian casino nearby the site of the find. Not to mention, it is about halfway between Reno/Tahoe (I80) and Grass Valley (Hwy 49). The 80 corridor and some of the more desolate surounding highways in the Tahoe area have long been suspected to be a dumping ground for many, many murders (or missing people) over the years.

 

[chicoliving]

The remains should already be at the Dept of Justice for DNA testing.

http://www.auburnjournal.com/articles/2006/09/12/news/top_stories/05skullupdate12.txt

 

[Camper]

Nothing like a local Californian to know whats happening in their own state.

I find myself wondering IF IF ISP ever camped in that area and boated either alone or with someone in his family.

Point being, wondering IF IF the remote possibility might have a grain of hope in it.

I don't know about the amount of hair one might find after such a long time. IF IF the head were wrapped or enclosed in something, might make a difference, just guessing here. Plus the overall health of the person whose head it was, on how long the hair might remain attached, just guessing again. Someone taking pre natal vitamins, and exercising etc, might have hair that would remain longer. Interesting topic of interest though.

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[christine2448]

I don't know about the amount of hair one might find after such a long time. IF IF the head were wrapped or enclosed in something, might make a difference, just guessing here. Plus the overall health of the person whose head it was, on how long the hair might remain attached, just guessing again. Someone taking pre natal vitamins, and exercising etc, might have hair that would remain longer. Interesting topic of interest though.

.

I just sent this very question to http://www.coronerstories.com/ (great site!) Maybe they can explain to us the forensics of hair after death, does it decompose and if so at what rate. I'll let ya know if I get an answer.

 

[KrisNine]

I remember a story about a girl that disappeared while taking photos, maybe in the Rocky Mountains. She wore her hair in thick braids and I think they found the braids and her skull some years later. They had a good idea it was her from the braids. Poor girl. It was on Cold Case Files and they caught the guy because he took pictures of himself on her camera, which still had pictures of her and her dog on the film, and pawned the camera with the film in it. Anyway, sorry for the long-winded answer, but if anyone knows this case, it may give you info on the hair.

 

[Camper]

I just sent this very question to http://www.coronerstories.com/ (great site!) Maybe they can explain to us the forensics of hair after death, does it decompose and if so at what rate. I'll let ya know if I get an answer.

--->>>Good job.

KrisNine, interesting tale about the killer, cameras and hair.

.

 

[Dr. Doogie]

Depending on how long a body could have been out there, there is also the possibility that this may be Alma Violet Root.

http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/r/root_alma.html

I have been looking into the Root case and have a suspicion that she may have been an "unclaimed" victim of Gerald Gallego. Gallego committed two rapes in this general area because of its remoteness - it would be feasible that he also would have used it as a dumping ground too.

Alma has been missing since 1/1/80. If this is her, she would have been out there for over 26 years.

 

[californiacarrie]

Depending on how long a body could have been out there, there is also the possibility that this may be Alma Violet Root.

http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/r/root_alma.html

I have been looking into the Root case and have a suspicion that she may have been an "unclaimed" victim of Gerald Gallego. Gallego committed two rapes in this general area because of its remoteness - it would be feasible that he also would have used it as a dumping ground too.

Alma has been missing since 1/1/80. If this is her, she would have been out there for over 26 years.

I hadn't thought about Alma Root! Only, they are saying they're pretty sure the woman is Asian, and Alma is clearly not asian.

 

[Camper]

I hadn't thought about Alma Root! Only, they are saying they're pretty sure the woman is Asian, and Alma is clearly not asian.

--->>>Hoping the DNA gives closure to some long suffering family wondering about where their loved one is at least.

WHAT makes people murder, good grief!!!!!

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[Dr. Doogie]

I hadn't thought about Alma Root! Only, they are saying they're pretty sure the woman is Asian, and Alma is clearly not asian.

I missed the article where LE believe that the JD is asian and about 30 years old. Alma is caucasion and was 14 when she disappeared. It sounds like it is not her.

I will be real interested in finding out the estimated "date of death". The two possibilities listed above (one asian, one native american) would fit the description, but are from areas very far away from Northern California. It seems unlikely that a victim would be transportated so far away to dump a body in this one particular spot. I suspect that the JD is from somewhere more local (IMHO).

 

[californiacarrie]

Just a couple updates:

"Sheriff's officials are investigating the possibility a skull found in the forest near Highway 20 belonged to a young Filipina woman from North San Juan who was reported missing 21 years ago."
http://www.theunion.com/article/20060913/NEWS/109130137
http://www.auburnjournal.com/articles/2006/09/17/news/top_stories/03skull17.txt

There may be official identification or at least rule-outs by the end of the week.

 

[Rle7]

A forensic artist has developed a sketch to reconstruct the face of a woman whose skull was found by hikers last September in the forest north of Nevada City off of Highway 20.

The latest step in determining the dead woman's identity is with the help of Natalie Sweet, a Silicon Valley police officer and composite artist who used the skull to create the sketch.

Investigators will distribute copies of the drawing to regional law enforcement agencies.

If they don't get any matches from missing persons' lists in the area, Nevada County Sheriff's Capt. Ron Smith said, they would extend their search statewide, then nationwide.

The skull and other partial skeletal remains were scattered over several hundred feet. Investigators estimated the remains had been in the forest for at least six months.

A forensic pathologist, a forensic anthropologist and a dentist have examined the skull and bone fragments. They determined the remains belonged to a woman of Asian descent at least 30 years old.

Detectives also compared the skull's dental chart with information in a Department of Justice missing persons database, and they could not find a match.

http://www.theunion.com/article/20070511/NEWS/105110180

 

[californiacarrie]

Wonderful! Thanks for the update - I had wondered what had happened with this. Sad to think though that no one is missing this woman....

 

[californiacarrie]

The article says that the skull could not have been there much more than a year! That closes a lot of options (to older cases) but opens a lot more too (because she is likely a more recent missing person)!

 

[txsvicki]

Are they saying that the skull is Asian because of the hair? Native American hair is considered Asian I believe.