Match! CA - Placer Co., Wht/HispFem UP6325, 16-26, green cross tattoo, Feb'90 - Wendy Abrams-Nishikai

[j.a.]

Ahh yes super helpful, thank you! That allowed me to see the comparisons. Thanks so much!

 

[j.a.]

Hello all!

I am looking for some advice. I found a very likely match for this Jane Doe and reached out to the police departments at the location of the match’s disappearance and the location of the Jane Doe. I was told that a comparison would be run and I would hear back from them but I have heard nothing (in over three weeks) and the potential match has NOT been listed as an exclusion to the Jane Doe in the NAMUS site. I reached out a couple weeks later to enquire if there had been an update since I believed with dental records available for both Jane Doe and Missing Person it would be a straight forward comparison. I was shocked that three weeks later I was just told that there is “no update” and that “there is not a cold case unit in Placer Sheriff’s Office”. I have not received a reply to my follow up from the missing person’s local PD after our initial conversation. I want the family of this missing person to have answers. Is this a normal amount of time to wait for a dental comparison? Thank you so much.

 

[Murder Inc]

Hello all!
“there is not a cold case unit in Placer Sheriff’s Office”.

That's hysterical, considering the Golden State Killer lived and worked as a police officer serial killer in Placer County

 

[j.a.]

That's hysterical, considering the Golden State Killer lived and worked as a police officer serial killer in Placer County

Definitely really weird! I’m mostly frustrated bc he said he sent to coroners office for a comparison and just said “no update” three weeks later. And it doesn’t seem that a coroners office comparison should require a cold case unit either. Idk I just felt weird about the interaction.

 

[j.a.]

Wendy Abrams-Nishikai

<modsnip: bad link>

Yes!! I have contacted Berkeley police department and Placer Sheriff’s office regarding this as Wendy DID have the characteristic tattoo according to a family friend. They said they were sending info to coroners division for comparison. No news yet (about a month later).

 

[j.a.]

This girl have a characteristic tattoo, but in the two profiles that you posted neither we have this tattoo that still might have made &#8203;&#8203;after disappearance.

Wendy DID have this characteristic tattoo. I contacted a family friend who had posted about her on a forum about her disappearance and asked them if she had any tattoos or piercings (saying nothing of the Colfax Jane Doe that I believe is her) and she said that Wendy had a green cross tattoo on her chest. I’ve contacted the Berkeley PD and placer county sheriffs office with this info.

 

[Tabirey]

Definitely really weird! I’m mostly frustrated bc he said he sent to coroners office for a comparison and just said “no update” three weeks later. And it doesn’t seem that a coroners office comparison should require a cold case unit either. Idk I just felt weird about the interaction.

Have you thought about contacting the Coroner or ME directly? Sometimes, that's what it takes. Honestly, there are a lot of them that appreciate the lead so they can solve their UID cases.

 

[j.a.]

Have you thought about contacting the Coroner or ME directly? Sometimes, that's what it takes. Honestly, there are a lot of them that appreciate the lead so they can solve their UID cases.

That’s a good idea! I will definitely have to try that. I’m starting to get really impatient waiting to hear back.

 

[findmelissaestoy]

Hello I just stumbled accross this thread. Did you ever hear back about this??

 

[homecooked]

“The woman apparently had been hiking.”​

Yet the following clothing was found with her remains...​

“Blue hiking shorts, a light colored, size large, sleeveless tank top and was wearing size 4, L.A. Gear tennis shoes.”​

​

Is that normal hiking attire for this particular area? Not so much the shorts, but brand new white tennis shoes. If so, could it help narrow down when she would have been hiking out there? It seems like it must have been pretty warm outside for those particular garments. Doe Network’s estimated PMI would have still put her out there in colder months, right? I’m not at all familiar with this are so I’m genuinely curious.

​

Hi there -

My apologies to responding to an older post but as someone who generally knows the area, it gets pretty hot in summer in the foothills (upwards of 100 sometimes) and it can still be quite hot throughout fall. The clothing description makes me think she passed late summer/fall of 1989.

 

[John/Jane Doe]

@Caring1 Hey could you post the current NamUs exclusion list for this Jane Doe?

 

[Caring1]

@Caring1 Hey could you post the current NamUs exclusion list for this Jane Doe?

5 Missing Person Exclusions

Missing Person / NamUs #MP4020Diane Dye
Date of Last ContactJuly 30, 1979
StateCA
CountySanta Clara

Missing Person / NamUs #MP5959Rose Cole
Date of Last ContactJuly 01, 1973
StateCA
CountyAlameda

Missing Person / NamUs #MP4537Lisa Dickinson
Date of Last ContactSeptember 05, 1976
StateCA
CountyContra Costa

Missing Person / NamUs #MP10152Denise
Date of Last ContactMarch 02, 1989
StateCA
CountyLos Angeles

Missing Person / NamUs #MP25569Sheri Muhleman
Date of Last ContactFebruary 27, 1989
StateCA
CountyAlameda

 

[Tower]

5 Missing Person Exclusions

Missing Person / NamUs #MP4020Diane Dye
Date of Last ContactJuly 30, 1979
StateCA
CountySanta Clara

Missing Person / NamUs #MP5959Rose Cole
Date of Last ContactJuly 01, 1973
StateCA
CountyAlameda

Missing Person / NamUs #MP4537Lisa Dickinson
Date of Last ContactSeptember 05, 1976
StateCA
CountyContra Costa

Missing Person / NamUs #MP10152Denise *advertiser censored*
Date of Last ContactMarch 02, 1989
StateCA
CountyLos Angeles

Missing Person / NamUs #MP25569Sheri Muhleman
Date of Last ContactFebruary 27, 1989
StateCA
CountyAlameda

Wendy is still not listed as an exclusion.

 

[Hochman]

Have you seen this child? Jane Colfax Doe 1990

Missing From: Colfax, CA. Missing Date: February 10, 1990. On February 10, 1990, the remains of an unidentified female were discovered in the wooded terrain of the Sierra foothills off Yankee Jims Road in Colfax, Placer County, California. Based on the condition of the remains, it is believed...

www.missingkids.org

Reconstruction

Updated Namus link

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

By bringing people, information, forensic science and technology together, NamUs helps resolve cases.

www.namus.gov

 

[Tower]

Hello I just stumbled accross this thread. Did you ever hear back about this??

I just submitted the info to Doe Network for a possible match. I’m guessing the police don’t think it’s worth a follow-up for some reason? But I wish she’d be posted as an exclusion on NamUs. As of today, Wendy is listed on all websites as still missing and Jane Doe 1990 is still listed as unidentified.

 

[Tower]

I just submitted the info to Doe Network for a possible match. I’m guessing the police don’t think it’s worth a follow-up for some reason? But I wish she’d be posted as an exclusion on NamUs. As of today, Wendy is listed on all websites as still missing and Jane Doe 1990 is still listed as unidentified.

Replying to my own post to say: The Doe Network emailed me back stating that potential match has already been submitted and was forwarded to law enforcement. I would love to see someone add her to the list of exclusions for this Doe, but, alas, we don’t have that power.

 

[heartanium]

12 Feb 1990, The Sacramento Bee, pg 10

"Near her was a green nylon backpack with red trim containing a pair of brown Levi trousers, Nunes said. She also had a sleeping bag. Other clothing may have been taken by animals.

15 February 1990, The Sacramento Bee, 112

"woman was described as having a slight build, brown hair, and perfect teeth with no signs of dental work, and was in her early to mid 20's."

11 March 1990, The Press-Tribune, pg 5

"Her nose was slightly off to the right, although there was no evidence of any old injuries."

"Possibly of Hispanic or mixed origin...was approximately 5'2 to 5'3"."

A few of these articles mention a blue flower on the chest instead of a cross, but I'm more inclined to believe Namus.

 

[heartanium]

Found this article from 2000 when her reconstruction was made:

This one supports that she had a green cross - "On her upper left chest she also a had a crucifix tattoo, possibly green, measuring about three-eights to a half-inch."

 

[heartanium]

“The woman apparently had been hiking.”​

Yet the following clothing was found with her remains...​

“Blue hiking shorts, a light colored, size large, sleeveless tank top and was wearing size 4, L.A. Gear tennis shoes.”​

​

Is that normal hiking attire for this particular area? Not so much the shorts, but brand new white tennis shoes. If so, could it help narrow down when she would have been hiking out there? It seems like it must have been pretty warm outside for those particular garments. Doe Network’s estimated PMI would have still put her out there in colder months, right? I’m not at all familiar with this are so I’m genuinely curious.

​

I think from the last article I posted LE presumed that she died during the colder months and she was wearing light clothing for the time she was hiking.

I've hiked in the area around summer and I would wearing something similar (maybe with better shoes as the terrain can be quite rocky). If I was hiking in the later months of the year I would have probably opted to wear more layers, it can get pretty cold up there.

 

[HopeRains]

I wasn't aware that the reconstruction was done by NCMEC and considered 4 sketches as provided by Frank Bender, who was an amazing forensic artist.

"insulin-type syringes were also located near the remains" I wonder what this means exactly, just standard type syringes or something specific to insulin - perhaps insulin was still contained and that's how the authorities know they were "insulin-type"? If it's known to definitively be insulin (and being used by her to treat diabetes) and this young lady's age range on NCMEC (16-22) is accurate, then it was likely juvenile diabetes or perhaps gestational diabetes if she was also a mother (nothing noted in provided info). Additionally, if known to be insulin b/c some remained in syringes, then she possibly could have lost her life due to a diabetic coma from not getting insulin into her body on time.

I wish we had some clothing labels. Her shoes were small, size 4. US women's shoes start at size 5. I think perhaps she was wearing a youth/child size 4, one step below "adult" sizes. Other clothing Large (size 12) white tank top; I don't believe other clothing sizes were notes.

Regarding Ms. Abrams-Nishikai as a possible match. She is listed as being a mother to a 2-year old. I wonder if the Jane Doe skeletally showed evidence of being a mother? I also came across these two photos of Wendy, source is identified as Ancestry, not sure this is permissible or not but including.