FL FL - Linda Louise Kerr, 15, Orlando, February 18th 1976

[Lavender Moon]

The multiple piercings are unique, but more common as an 80s/90s thing, I think, than mid-70s? Would she have had them as Linda if they are the same person? Or added them later on?

I actually have strawberry blonde hair. It is why I am confused about anyone with that as their given hair color ever being described as "naturally brown, dyed blonde." Also wish we knew more about Linda. Florida sun, swimming pools, etc. might turn a light brunette a reddish blonde? Strawberry blonde is a fairly unique hair color though...But otherwise? I think this is pretty spot on. Maybe she dyed her hair brown, and then blonde again?

I will go try to get the post mortems up

Multiple ear piercings were indeed more popular in the 80s than the mid 70s . However, I had them in 1975 as did my best friend. I didn't know anyone else that did . My friend told me that multiple ear piercings were very fashionable in Santa Cruz, Calif.
Where I lived , people told me I was wierd for sporting multiple earrings. IMO Linda may have had extra ear piercings.

 

[kaseyk]

Welcome to Websleuths @kaseyk and @Cosmicallure Did you see post #18 about the cousin of EDJD? Maybe something to look into?

@MadMcGoo Did you ever hear anything after submitting Linda as a possible match with EDJD? I know everything is probably delayed with the pandemic, etc just wanted to check since her family members are posting.

As far as I am aware there isn’t a connection to the surname Wood in my family but I haven’t looked into a lot of the offshoots of my family tree. Also an Ancestry tree is mentioned earlier in the thread and I’m pretty sure that is mine!

 

[MadMcGoo]

Welcome to Websleuths @kaseyk and @Cosmicallure Did you see post #18 about the cousin of EDJD? Maybe something to look into?

@MadMcGoo Did you ever hear anything after submitting Linda as a possible match with EDJD? I know everything is probably delayed with the pandemic, etc just wanted to check since her family members are posting.

Unfortunately I haven’t heard a thing.

 

[Beekarina]

As far as I am aware there isn’t a connection to the surname Wood in my family but I haven’t looked into a lot of the offshoots of my family tree. Also an Ancestry tree is mentioned earlier in the thread and I’m pretty sure that is mine!

If you have DNA associated with your Ancestry, and are interested, you can upload it to Find DNA Matches For Free | Analyze Your DNA | GEDmatch for free. There is an option to make it available to law enforcement. I did this with mine, just in case there are any connections with distant cousins, etc. that might be missing.

 

[kaseyk]

If you have DNA associated with your Ancestry, and are interested, you can upload it to Find DNA Matches For Free | Analyze Your DNA | GEDmatch for free. There is an option to make it available to law enforcement. I did this with mine, just in case there are any connections with distant cousins, etc. that might be missing.

I already have DNA in GEDmatch but I didn’t know there was a law enforcement option!

 

[Beekarina]

I already have DNA in GEDmatch but I didn’t know there was a law enforcement option!

Right when you log in, your user profile in classic mode at least, should have a little badge in the icon with a pencil if it is enabled. If not, you can edit your profile and enable it. I accidentally had mine off at one point when I first joined the site. Looks like this:

Edited: I'm also not sure how often they scan a site like GedMatch against long cold cases, but maybe you could try contacting the person(s) in charge of Linda's case, and El Dorado Jane Doe and mentioning the resemblance to your relatives? It can't hurt. Where there already is DNA out there, I would think that would make things faster. Good luck!

 

[Beekarina]

If you do not have a NAMUS account, it is easy to create one. This is the link to Linda's info/the contacts:

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

 

[Beekarina]

And this is for El Dorado Jane Doe, if you want to try:

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

 

[kmather1]

Multiple ear piercings were indeed more popular in the 80s than the mid 70s . However, I had them in 1975 as did my best friend. I didn't know anyone else that did . My friend told me that multiple ear piercings were very fashionable in Santa Cruz, Calif.
Where I lived , people told me I was wierd for sporting multiple earrings. IMO Linda may have had extra ear piercings.

Hello all... Linda Kerr is my sister and I can say for a fact that this girl pictured is not her. She did not have 3 piercing's. My sister has a large scar on her right leg from a slip and slide accident. Have they checked on that? I wanted to say thank you all for what you are doing to try and help solve these mysteries. My parents passed some years ago and I prayed they would know what happened to Linda before they left us but, that didn't happen. I am the youngest of 7 and this has been really hard on all of us. I can only pray they can find something before I pass. Thank you all again for what you are doing we appreciate it.

 

[kmather1]

Sorry for serial replies.....but gee @MadMcGoo even her alias Kelly Karr (aka Kerr) seems to *possibly* fit....

Linda's parents were Norma and Andrew. Wonder if anyone in the family was named Kelly?

There was no one in our family named Kelly.

 

[Beekarina]

Hi @kmather I hope there will be some sort of closure for you too. I cannot imagine if one of my sisters was missing.

Linda's NAMUS file does mention a scar on her right leg. Sometimes details are overlooked, or just do not make it into the information that is made public.

 

[PayrollNerd]

If LE meets the requirements of Family Tree DNA (ftDNA), they can also use their databases for UIDs. It is free to upload your raw DNA file to FTDNA. However, LE has to pay a fee to use ftDNA.

Law Enforcement Matching – Frequently Asked Questions – FamilyTreeDNA Learning Center

There are other databases you can upload to just in case someone matches you. LE doesn’t necessarily have access or use the other databases but it could be helpful.

DNASolves is what @othram uses for UIDs. You can upload for free but you won’t get matches. It is a gift and could help solve a case or identify a UID. They do provide you a few reports on ethnicity.

Myheritage is also free to upload and their sister site, GENI is too.

 

[Beekarina]

I think additional photos of Linda could be very helpful if there are ones family is willing to share. The only one I know of is the black and white one attached to this thread. Thinking about how different we can all look in just a set of pictures taken on a single night out with friends, or on a weekend trip, and it becomes even more of a challenge when there is only one photo.

 

[MadalinaZbl]

Eu din nou... Îmi pare rău, am ADHD. Ar trebui să fiu mai organizat.... Oricum, știai despre vărul îndepărtat al EDJD? Am găsit asta pe Wikipedia:

Evoluții din 2019[ modificați ]
Un văr al doilea al victimei care locuiește în Alabama a fost identificat de un genealog folosind genealogia genetică după ce a încărcat ADN-ul autozomal al femeii neidentificate în baza de date GEDmatch . Verișoara nu a recunoscut victima, dar a declarat că seamănă cu membrii familiei

Editat pentru a adăuga: articolul HuffPo despre văr oferă un nume de familie Wood. Avem voie să descoperim numele de fată al mamei Lindei? Nu m-am mai autentificat de ceva vreme, așa că sunt puțin încețoșat cu astfel de lucruri.

Am găsit mai multe detalii despre familia ei aici: DNA just led to major break in mystery murder case that's stumped police officers for 27 years

 

[HopeRains]

Namus Exclusions Listed as of Today:

UP7514 09/04/1979 Miami-Dade FL

 

[Beekarina]

Am găsit mai multe detalii despre familia ei aici: DNA just led to major break in mystery murder case that's stumped police officers for 27 years

In case the link moves or is down, copying this quote from linked article which provides the name of a second cousin of EDJD. It seems as though Linda's family is pretty sure she was not EDJD, but just in case they have not seen this, and might recognize this name from their matches on Ancestry or gedmatch:

Christina Tilford, who learned she’s El Dorado Jane Doe second cousin, told HuffPost she didn’t recognize Doe but could see a family resemblance.

“I was really shocked,” Tilford said of being notified by the detective about the match. “I didn’t expect something like this to come from my DNA test.”



El Dorado Jane Doe went by different names but told most people to call her Mercedes.

 

[Mysteries1974]

In case the link moves or is down, copying this quote from linked article which provides the name of a second cousin of EDJD. It seems as though Linda's family is pretty sure she was not EDJD, but just in case they have not seen this, and might recognize this name from their matches on Ancestry or gedmatch:

Christina Tilford, who learned she’s El Dorado Jane Doe second cousin, told HuffPost she didn’t recognize Doe but could see a family resemblance.

“I was really shocked,” Tilford said of being notified by the detective about the match. “I didn’t expect something like this to come from my DNA test.”



El Dorado Jane Doe went by different names but told most people to call her Mercedes.

El Dorado Jane Doe has been identified and she is not Linda Kerr

 

[Beekarina]

El Dorado Jane Doe has been identified and she is not Linda Kerr

Thank you!

It was so early when I replied after reading that other post. I feel as though I heard something along those lines, but no details. Looking into it, and hoping for news for Linda's family soon as well.

 

[Mysteries1974]

Thank you!

It was so early when I replied after reading that other post. I feel as though I heard something along those lines, but no details. Looking into it, and hoping for news for Linda's family soon as well.

Of course!! EDJD has been identified as a girl named Kelly (her family doesn’t want her last name released) and her family finally knows what happened to her. As for Linda, her brother is an odd character but I’m not sure if he was behind her disappearance or anything like that.

 

[HopeRains]

The Orlando Sentinel, 24 Feb 76, pg 101

The Miami Herald, 25 Feb 76, pg 108

The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Feb 76, pg 19

The Orlando Sentinel, 2 Mar 76, pg 68

The Orlando Sentinel, 11 Mar 76, pg 226

The Orlando Sentinel, 5 Apr 76, pg 16

The Orlando Sentinel, 4 Oct 76 pg 4