Found Deceased FL - Doris Regina Chavers 32, Sanford, 15 Aug 1989

[Moonwalker9]

Missing Person Case
RECENTLY CREATED ON NAMUS!

Demographics
Missing Age32 Years
Current Age61 Years
First NameDORIS
Middle NameREGINA
Last NameCHAVERS
Nickname/Alias--

SexFemale
Height5' 2" (62 Inches)
Weight150 lbs
Race / EthnicityBlack / African American

Circumstances
Date of Last ContactAugust 15, 1989
NamUs Case CreatedJuly 6, 2018
Last Known Location Map
Location1103 E. 7TH ST, SANFORD, Florida 32771
CountySeminole County

Circumstances of DisappearanceMRS. CHAVERS WAS THE VICITM OF A BATTERY , ON 04/30/1989. ON 08/15/1989 SHE LEFT HER FAMILY'S RESIDENCE WITH NO PROPERTY, CASH OR ADDITIONAL CLOTHES. . MRS CHAVERS HAS NOT BEEN SEEN SINCE.
Physical Description
Hair ColorBlack
Head Hair Description--
Body Hair Description--
Facial Hair Description--
Left Eye ColorBrown
Right Eye ColorBrown
Eye Description--

She was last seen here

Google Maps

 

[glamourkitty1922]

Seminole County Sheriff's Office is the investigating agency and there is nothing about her on their website. Nothing on Florida Missing Persons Clearinghouse either. What could have happened to her?

 

[ADKGemini]

Added to Charley Project: Doris Regina Chavers – The Charley Project

 

[Gardener1850]

Missing Person Case
RECENTLY CREATED ON NAMUS!

Demographics
Missing Age32 Years
Current Age61 Years
First NameDORIS
Middle NameREGINA
Last NameCHAVERS
Nickname/Alias--

SexFemale
Height5' 2" (62 Inches)
Weight150 lbs
Race / EthnicityBlack / African American

Circumstances
Date of Last ContactAugust 15, 1989
NamUs Case CreatedJuly 6, 2018
Last Known Location Map
Location1103 E. 7TH ST, SANFORD, Florida 32771
CountySeminole County

Circumstances of DisappearanceMRS. CHAVERS WAS THE VICITM OF A BATTERY , ON 04/30/1989. ON 08/15/1989 SHE LEFT HER FAMILY'S RESIDENCE WITH NO PROPERTY, CASH OR ADDITIONAL CLOTHES. . MRS CHAVERS HAS NOT BEEN SEEN SINCE.
Physical Description
Hair ColorBlack
Head Hair Description--
Body Hair Description--
Facial Hair Description--
Left Eye ColorBrown
Right Eye ColorBrown
Eye Description--

She was last seen here

Google Maps

I just saw this case on CP. I was wondering if she could have been a victim of Samuel Little but after reading that NAMUS says she was the victim of a battery about 4 months before she disappeared, I suspect that the answer lies with whoever beat her up. MOO.

 

[Feme98]

As of April 2020, she was connected to remains found back in 1991, an anonymous tip gave the location to where her body was buried, it is unknown if the caller is a witness or the killer itself.

 

[PayrollNerd]

As of April 2020, she was connected to remains found back in 1991, an anonymous tip gave the location to where her body was buried, it is unknown if the caller is a witness or the killer itself.

Do you have a link?

 

[PayrollNerd]

Found this on another thread. They found her daughter and were able to identify her.

VCSO identifies 1986 cold case homicide victim found near Ormond Beach | Ormond Beach Observer | Ormond Beach Observer

 

[PayrollNerd]

This too. I’m glad her daughter knows more about her Mom at last. Now to figure out who murdered her.

DNA evidence helps Volusia County deputies identify victims in 2 cold case homicides

 

[JovanSrna]

As of April 2020, she was connected to remains found back in 1991, an anonymous tip gave the location to where her body was buried, it is unknown if the caller is a witness or the killer itself.

If you look at the announcement on Facebook, you can find someone in the comments tagging the possible tipster.
Apparently it was a group of friends who found the body and the tagged friend doesn't remember who made the call.

 

[Feme98]

This too. I’m glad her daughter knows more about her Mom at last. Now to figure out who murdered her.

DNA evidence helps Volusia County deputies identify victims in 2 cold case homicides

It's great that more UID are getting their names back and hopefully justice!

 

[Awsi Dooger]

This one must have been a fairly significant screw up in the summary of the Jane Doe. Otherwise somebody here definitely would have made the connection. I had a relative who lived in Sanford for years. Osteen is only miles away.

In looking at her photo the only thing I can think of is maybe she wasn't described as African-American as a Jane Doe. Her skin is light enough that it might not be obvious if the remains were badly degraded.

 

[Al Ka]

Official announcement on police fb page -

Jane Doe 1991 can finally be recognized by her name: Doris Regina Chavers.

Chavers (DOB 4/4/1957) was 32 years old when she was last seen alive at her mother’s home in Sanford, in August 1989. She was reported missing the following year, on Aug. 1, 1990, to the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office.

On Aug. 19, 1991, Volusia sheriff’s deputies responded to a report from two fishermen who found skeletal remains in a heavily wooded area off the 400 block of Enterprise Osteen Road in Osteen. Due to the condition of the remains, identification was not possible. At that time, DNA technology was not what it is today.

In September 1991, an autopsy determined that the remains were of a female, potentially in her 30s or 40s, and that she had died from violent trauma. Jane Doe 1991’s death was subsequently ruled a homicide.

As the death investigation progressed, detectives searched databases at their disposal for any and all means to identify the victim. Detectives entered the case into an FBI database in an effort to identify Jane Doe and to generate possible leads. Unfortunately, these efforts were unsuccessful, and the case went cold.

In August 2018, the Seminole County Sheriff's Office conducted further investigation into the Chavers missing person case. Seminole sheriff’s detectives were able to track down Chavers’ biological daughter and obtain a familial DNA reference sample. That DNA sample was subsequently sent to UNTCHI.

On Jan. 21 of this year, both Volusia and Seminole detectives received a report from UNTCHI that the familial DNA sample collected from Chavers’ biological daughter was a match to the skeletal remains found in Volusia County in 1991.

After receiving the report, Volusia detectives contacted Chavers’ daughter and delivered the news. Upon learning her mother had been located, she was relieved to finally get some sense of closure; she said she always felt that something terrible must have happened, and that her mother would have never just abandoned her.

The investigation into the homicide of Doris Chavers is continuing, and anyone with information about the case is encouraged to contact the Volusia Sheriff’s Office Major Case Unit at 386-254-1537.

Direct link - https://www.facebook.com/VolusiaSheriff/posts/3037726462933202

 

[Al Ka]

Details of Jane Doe who was identified as missing Doris Regina Chavers. We have to bear in mind that skeletal remains are the most difficult cases to solve and to identify someone from, hence so many unsolved cases are still out there. Often there are big discrepancies in estimation of age, height, post mortem timeframe and now and than also race, like in this case.

There is no doubt though that this error (by coroner or whoever at that time estimated her race) lead to big delay to searching for right missing person and delay in finally her identification. Bear that in mind when searching for comparisons in other cases of skeletal remains.
===

608UFFL- Unidentified Female

Facial reconstruction done 3 months after recovery.

Date of Discovery: August 19, 1991
Location of Discovery: Volusia County, Florida
Estimated Date of Death: 4-12 months prior
State of Remains: Skeletal
Cause of Death: Homicide

Physical Description
Estimated Age: 35-45 years old
Race: Asian, possibly of Pacific Islander ancestry.
Sex: Female
Height: 5'5" to 5'7"
Weight: Unknown
Hair Color: Unknown
Eye Color: Unknown
Distinguishing Marks/Features: Unknown.

Identifiers
Dentals: Available. Disto-lingual cuspid chipped off of # 15. #1 and 32 mesially shifted.
Fingerprints: Not Available.
DNA: Available.

Clothing & Personal Items
Clothing: Unknown
Jewelry: Unknown
Additional Personal Items: Unknown

Circumstances of Discovery
The victim's skeletal remains were located near Enterprise-Osteen Road and Courtland Boulevard in the extreme southern portion of Volusia County, near Osteen after an unidentified caller reported the information.

Link to Doe Network case - 608UFFL

 

[dotr]

2 Cold Case Murder Victims Identified After 3 Long Decades

Howard “Kip” Evans, left, went missing in 1984, and Doris Regina Chavers, was last seen in 1989. Volusia County Sheriff's Office

 

[evilwise]

Official announcement on police fb page -

Jane Doe 1991 can finally be recognized by her name: Doris Regina Chavers.

Chavers (DOB 4/4/1957) was 32 years old when she was last seen alive at her mother’s home in Sanford, in August 1989. She was reported missing the following year, on Aug. 1, 1990, to the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office.

On Aug. 19, 1991, Volusia sheriff’s deputies responded to a report from two fishermen who found skeletal remains in a heavily wooded area off the 400 block of Enterprise Osteen Road in Osteen. Due to the condition of the remains, identification was not possible. At that time, DNA technology was not what it is today.

In September 1991, an autopsy determined that the remains were of a female, potentially in her 30s or 40s, and that she had died from violent trauma. Jane Doe 1991’s death was subsequently ruled a homicide.

As the death investigation progressed, detectives searched databases at their disposal for any and all means to identify the victim. Detectives entered the case into an FBI database in an effort to identify Jane Doe and to generate possible leads. Unfortunately, these efforts were unsuccessful, and the case went cold.

In August 2018, the Seminole County Sheriff's Office conducted further investigation into the Chavers missing person case. Seminole sheriff’s detectives were able to track down Chavers’ biological daughter and obtain a familial DNA reference sample. That DNA sample was subsequently sent to UNTCHI.

On Jan. 21 of this year, both Volusia and Seminole detectives received a report from UNTCHI that the familial DNA sample collected from Chavers’ biological daughter was a match to the skeletal remains found in Volusia County in 1991.

After receiving the report, Volusia detectives contacted Chavers’ daughter and delivered the news. Upon learning her mother had been located, she was relieved to finally get some sense of closure; she said she always felt that something terrible must have happened, and that her mother would have never just abandoned her.

The investigation into the homicide of Doris Chavers is continuing, and anyone with information about the case is encouraged to contact the Volusia Sheriff’s Office Major Case Unit at 386-254-1537.

Direct link - https://www.facebook.com/VolusiaSheriff/posts/3037726462933202

I really do not understand why some missing people go unreported for so long. Like, "Well it's been 12 months I guess we should call somebody." Do some cultures have such a distrust of authority that they could possibly think it was best not to involve them for an entire year? Did it take that long to clear the house of any incriminating evidence (not necessarily regarding the disappearance, just in general)?

 

[PayrollNerd]

I really do not understand why some missing people go unreported for so long. Like, "Well it's been 12 months I guess we should call somebody." Do some cultures have such a distrust of authority that they could possibly think it was best not to involve them for an entire year? Did it take that long to clear the house of any incriminating evidence (not necessarily regarding the disappearance, just in general)?

There’s a person in my family, that if he fell off the face of the earth, I can’t think of any family member who would give a rip. Would we report him missing? Doubtful we’d even know if he was missing, to be honest. Some people alienate themselves from family and/or friends, choose an addiction over everyone/everything or just go off on their own for whatever reason. JMO

When I was growing up, there was a large family we knew that was beyond religious. To the point of cruelty, in the name of religion. The oldest son left home not long after high school. It’s been 35-40 years later, nothing. I think he hated his parents, especially the father, so much, he reinvented himself, if he’s still living. I remember someone asking his mother years later if they’d ever heard from him. Her voice was very sad and she said they’ve never found him, or heard from him. I think it was quite a wake up call to the parents. JMO

 

[MarziPanda]

This makes me wonder just how many other UIDs have their race identified incorrectly. I don't doubt that the coroner did his or her best, but this sort of thing is definitely holding back some identifications. RIP Doris.

 

[evilwise]

This makes me wonder just how many other UIDs have their race identified incorrectly. I don't doubt that the coroner did his or her best, but this sort of thing is definitely holding back some identifications. RIP Doris.

Back in the day medical examiners were basically expected to practice phrenology to make racial identifications from skeletal remains. To modern sensibilities it's probably racist but that's all they had before DNA and now there's a tremendous backlog on DNA testing for cold cases. Like, hopefully the evidence will remain preserved for the decades more it's going to take for all those unknown decedents to get a profile done and then start all over again since there will be newer technology by then that will be able to reveal more.

There’s a person in my family, that if he fell off the face of the earth, I can’t think of any family member who would give a rip. Would we report him missing? Doubtful we’d even know if he was missing, to be honest. Some people alienate themselves from family and/or friends, choose an addiction over everyone/everything or just go off on their own for whatever reason. JMO

When I was growing up, there was a large family we knew that was beyond religious. To the point of cruelty, in the name of religion. The oldest son left home not long after high school. It’s been 35-40 years later, nothing. I think he hated his parents, especially the father, so much, he reinvented himself, if he’s still living. I remember someone asking his mother years later if they’d ever heard from him. Her voice was very sad and she said they’ve never found him, or heard from him. I think it was quite a wake up call to the parents. JMO

It makes me sad to think about how there's so many people and families out there like that but if I stop and think about it, I know some too.

I bet there's a market out there for people to pay monthly fees just to be checked up on with a certain frequency, for someone to know if something happened to them and to alert the authorities.