IA IA - Ames, WhtFem 50-70, UP130738, freckles, lived in area for 10 years, "Julia Longfellow", Aug'24

[ProudSuggestion3528]

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)
NamUs: UP130738
UID White/Caucasian Female
Ames, IA

Case Numbers​

ME/C Case Number: 24-07344

Demographics​

Biological Sex: Female
Race / Ethnicity: White / Caucasian
Nickname/Alias: Julia Longfellow
Estimated Age Group: Adult
Estimated Age Range (Years): 50-70
Estimated Year of Death: 2024
Height: 5' 2"(62 inches) , Measured
Weight: 88 lbs, Measured

Circumstances​

Type: Unidentified Deceased
Date Body Found: August 22, 2024
NamUs Case Created: October 3, 2024

Location Found​

Location: Ames, Iowa 50010
County: Story County
Found On Tribal Land: No
Circumstances of Recovery: Law enforcement called to emergency department on 08/22/2024 to help in identification of unidentified female. Female refused to release her legal name, saying she made a new life for herself. Female gave law enforcement an alias - Julia Longfellow. Female stated she had been living in Ames for 10 years with a woman, working in exchange for room and board. Female died on 09/06/2024. This became a medical examiner case to make a positive identification.

---

Details of Recovery​

Inventory of Remains: All parts recovered
Condition of Remains: Recognizable face

Physical Description​

Hair Color: Brown
Head Hair Description: Medium-length dark brown with white streaks
Eye Color: Blue

---

Distinctive Physical Features​

Other distinctive physical characteristic: Freckles across zygomatic area and nose

Clothing and Accessories​

Clothing: Black bonnet, silver jacket, maroon long-sleeved shirt, green pants - On the Body
Other: 2 books (Charles Dickens - "Nicholas Nickleby"; Charles Dickens - "Little Dorrit"), New Testament Psalms, various papers with writings, sugar packets, napkins, gum wrapper - Near the Body

 

[iamshadow21]

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)
NamUs: UP130738
UID White/Caucasian Female
Ames, IA

Case Numbers​

ME/C Case Number: 24-07344

Demographics​

Biological Sex: Female
Race / Ethnicity: White / Caucasian
Nickname/Alias: Julia Longfellow
Estimated Age Group: Adult
Estimated Age Range (Years): 50-70
Estimated Year of Death: 2024
Height: 5' 2"(62 inches) , Measured
Weight: 88 lbs, Measured

Circumstances​

Type: Unidentified Deceased
Date Body Found: August 22, 2024
NamUs Case Created: October 3, 2024

Location Found​

Location: Ames, Iowa 50010
County: Story County
Found On Tribal Land: No
Circumstances of Recovery: Law enforcement called to emergency department on 08/22/2024 to help in identification of unidentified female. Female refused to release her legal name, saying she made a new life for herself. Female gave law enforcement an alias - Julia Longfellow. Female stated she had been living in Ames for 10 years with a woman, working in exchange for room and board. Female died on 09/06/2024. This became a medical examiner case to make a positive identification.

---

Details of Recovery​

Inventory of Remains: All parts recovered
Condition of Remains: Recognizable face

Physical Description​

Hair Color: Brown
Head Hair Description: Medium-length dark brown with white streaks
Eye Color: Blue

---

Distinctive Physical Features​

Other distinctive physical characteristic: Freckles across zygomatic area and nose

Clothing and Accessories​

Clothing: Black bonnet, silver jacket, maroon long-sleeved shirt, green pants - On the Body
Other: 2 books (Charles Dickens - "Nicholas Nickleby"; Charles Dickens - "Little Dorrit"), New Testament Psalms, various papers with writings, sugar packets, napkins, gum wrapper - Near the Body

I wonder why there isn't a photo for this Doe. You'd think it would have been done, as she was living when her identity was questioned, there wouldn't be a PMI long enough to distort her features, and there would be the possibility of living photographs if she lived under that identity for a decade.

When someone works so hard to disappear, I always feel conflicted about the search for identity. I know it's still the right thing, but if there was nothing criminal involved in the change of identity, then I debate the ethics of picking it apart. Feels like dead naming. But without identity, we'd never know what she was running from and if it was criminal. It's an uncomfortable quandary.

MOO

 

[kforbes862]

This case is similar to the Frosty O'Malley case

 

[wdmcmahan]

Jodi Huisentruit popped into my head for some reason… very unlikely I know.

 

[callieghkat]

I did find a Julia Longfellow in a similar age range on Facebook with no posts since 2018. I have nothing to suggest she is missing so I'm not linking the profile.This Julia seems to have been living in Colorado as of 2018, but according to her profile, she attended Iowa State University (in Ames)

 

[ProudSuggestion3528]

Namus was last updated today but no new information. Still no rule outs but I guess there might be some new leads that Ames PD and the OCME could be exploring.

 

[ProudSuggestion3528]

Namus was last modified today.

 

[Laura Avery]

I did find a Julia Longfellow in a similar age range on Facebook with no posts since 2018. I have nothing to suggest she is missing so I'm not linking the profile.This Julia seems to have been living in Colorado as of 2018, but according to her profile, she attended Iowa State University (in Ames)

Yes, I think this might actually be her, she has another name within her name Luke a double barrelled name. I really think she just swapped them about. It's seems such a huge coincidence that she would just give out an unusual name (as in there are really not many showing on name searchers) and there just happens to be a lady who's seems estranged from family and lives in the same area as this doe. I wish there was a picture!

 

[Slater612]

Seems as though she may have been related to this guy… and was 21 in 69… so born in 48. I wonder what made them believe this was an alias…?

 

[Aurora90]

I wonder what work she did for room and board?

I am inclined to think it was an alias, and not the person with the facebook page but you never know!

 

[HopeRains]

Seems as though she may have been related to this guy… and was 21 in 69… so born in 48. I wonder what made them believe this was an alias…?

There are quite a few Julia Longfellow's out there - Northeast to California and some states in between. Found the below in newspaper archives - it would appear the one you reference with the Facebook user profile name of Julia Mauney Longfellow is quite likely the daughter referenced in the obituary of Jack Earl Mauney.

Article clipped from Tampa Bay Times

Clipping found in Tampa Bay Times published in St. Petersburg, Florida on 2/19/2003.

www.newspapers.com

But, even if it is an alias for Jane Doe, it would not be surprising for her to use a name of some she previously knew or admired in some way, which of course could be this lady or any of the others. I was thinking maybe there was a well-known fictional character with that name or something - will keep poking around.

 

[HopeRains]

Google short overview of the Charles Dickens books in her possession:

Charles Dickens' early novel Nicholas Nickleby is the melodramatic tale of the adventures of a young man as he struggles to seek his fortune in Victorian England. The work is noted for its potent criticism of society's ill treatment of children and the cruelty of the educational system.

(Little Dorrit). The series tells the story of Amy Dorrit, who spends her days earning money for the family and looking after her proud father, who is a long term inmate of Marshalsea debtors' prison in London.