Identified! IL - Grundy Co, BlkFem UP17621, 18-23, body in ditch at U.S. Rte 6, Oct'76 JoAnn "Vickie" Smith

[Liv27]

what's a(n) NPE?

An NPE is a non-paternity event. That means that the person who is her father may not actually be her father.

 

[Liv27]

Most likely, Grundy County Jane Doe is adopted or an NPE is happening. This is why the investigators are having trouble.

This is not the worst thing that could happen. DNA Doe Project has some of the best genealogists. They have solved an NPE before (remember James Richard Curry, who killed Mary Edith Silvani was an illegitimate child!!). It may take a little bit more time but her case is in the best of hands.

 

[Liv27]

If you are in the area of Selma, Alabama, PLEASE share! This is where her grandparents are from.

Selma is a huge history town with Martin Luther King Jr and everything. It’s a lovely town. I live in Alabama so I have shared her along. Hopefully someone recognizes who she is.

 

[carbuff]

An NPE is a non-paternity event. That means that the person who is her father may not actually be her father.

Thank you. I had never heard that term before.

 

[Melt71]

Sounds like they're close, but perhaps a NPE in the tree (which sounds to be quite large) is throwing things off. Hopefully someone who those surnames sound familiar to may provide them a lead that will allow them to zero in on an identity. That being said, it's looks like it's pretty important that this update gets shared and disseminated in the Alabama area.

Fingers crossed the recent MSM interest over the Loveless case will improve the chances of media reporting in the geographic areas mentioned.

 

[Liv27]

Fingers crossed the recent MSM interest over the Loveless case will improve the chances of media reporting in the geographic areas mentioned.

DDP's Facebook page gained 1,000 likes since Loveless's press conference and Kraig King's identification.

 

[killarney rose]

Made the news in AL, with Carl's picture, too.

Unidentified woman found murdered in Illinois 1976 had family in Alabama

 

[killarney rose]

Another outlet has picked it up.

Illinois ‘Jane Doe’ cold case linked to Alabama

 

[Melt71]

DDP's Facebook page gained 1,000 likes since Loveless's press conference and Kraig King's identification.

Fantastic new @Liv27 Do you know if DDP are strategic in release of cases/IDs? It seems to me, if I wanted a case to get more publicity and attention (so I could solve it) that it would make commonsense to release a highly marketable and attention-grabbing case (like Loveless) just beforehand. Raise the profile, get MSM and the public interested. Then in quick succession put out a really hard one. Leverage off the earlier hype as much as possible to try and solve the harder case (Grundy).

 

[Liv27]

Fantastic new @Liv27 Do you know if DDP are strategic in release of cases/IDs? It seems to me, if I wanted a case to get more publicity and attention (so I could solve it) that it would make commonsense to release a highly marketable and attention-grabbing case (like Loveless) just beforehand. Raise the profile, get MSM and the public interested. Then in quick succession put out a really hard one. Leverage off the earlier hype as much as possible to try and solve the harder case (Grundy).

Possibly but they usually just release as soon as LE allows them to.

 

[carbuff]

There have been enough positive results that the public is starting to get behind the technique. An acquaintance who last year said she'd never allow anybody to access her DNA just added hers to GEDMatch and opted in...

 

[jaejae]

Here is a recent report which I think is about this case:

The Quest to Identify ‘Jane Seneca Doe’ in Grundy County

 

[dotr]

Here is a recent report which I think is about this case:

The Quest to Identify ‘Jane Seneca Doe’ in Grundy County

Did not know, or must have forgotten that Seneca Doe had a bottle of wine in her pocket.
''In the fall of 1976, the body of a young African American woman was found on the shoulder of a rural highway near downstate Seneca. She was wearing a colorful red sweater, with a bottle of wine in the pocket. It was believed she may have been in her twenties, but she had no ID.''

 

[Melt71]

Did not know, or must have forgotten that Seneca Doe had a bottle of wine in her pocket.
''In the fall of 1976, the body of a young African American woman was found on the shoulder of a rural highway near downstate Seneca. She was wearing a colorful red sweater, with a bottle of wine in the pocket. It was believed she may have been in her twenties, but she had no ID.''

I didn't realise that. I wonder what fingerprints (if any) they were able to lift from the bottle.

 

[MadMcGoo]

FWIW, I first discovered this Doe after listening to a podcast. I rarely listen to them so I can’t be certain which one it was, but it seemed to have quite a bit of information without being overly “fluffy”... I think it must have been this one though:
Grundy County Jane Doe from The Vanished Podcast

 

[ntt1]

She has a new top match per the DDP's spreadsheet at 67.5 cM.

 

[dotr]

April 22 2020 rbbm.
Cold Case Homicide In Illinois Could Have Alabama Ties

"I've used modern-day Forensic Science techniques, including exhumation for DNA," Johnson said. "In June of 2019, I partnered with the DNA Doe Project, which specializes in genealogy. I've learned a lot of good information from the DNA Doe Project."

• Jane Seneca Doe was likely born between 1948 and 1960 and would have been missing by October 1976.
• Her parents may have come from Selma, Alabama. One set of grandparents were from Selma, Alabama.
• One of her grandparent's was likely named Calhoun. One great-grandparent may have been named Harris.
• Other possible areas her relatives reside: Dallas County or Wilcox County, Alabama.
• At least one branch of the family moved to Ohio.
• She may have siblings who were unaware of her existence.

Anyone with information on the case is asked to contact Johnson at 815-941-3359.

 

[Mrs. Badcrumble]

Noticed a new note in Grundy Jane Doe's NamUs (it was last modified July 14th):

Circumstance Notes
Genealogy research, which was conducted by the DNA Doe Project, suggests the following:
-The decedent was likely born between 1948 and 1960 and would have been missing by October 1976.
-Her parents may have come from Selma, Alabama. One set of her grandparents were from Selma, Alabama.
-One of her grandparent's was likely named Calhoun. One great-grandparent may have been named Harris.
-Other possible areas her relatives reside: Dallas County or Wilcox County, Alabama.
-At least one branch of her family moved to Ohio.
-She may have siblings, who were unaware of her existence.

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

Are there any ruleouts?

 

[MadMcGoo]

There are 25 exclusions listed on her NamUs:
Aleca Manning 1975 Maricopa, AZ
Alice Jefferson 1975 Christian, KY
Barbara, Jolly 1976 King, WA
Brenda Moore 1976 Travis, TX
Catherine Davidson 1973 Berrien, MI
Consuella Cash 1975 Los Angeles, CA
Debra Stewart 1976 Travis, TX
Estelle Perry 1983 Montgomery, AL
Francis Heath 1974 Ashley, AR
Ila Maynard 1974 Guilford, NC
Ivy Matory 1977 Los Angeles, CA
Jennifer Barton 1976 Travis, TX
Katrina Ashford 1972 Marin, CA
Mabel Andrews 1976 Orange, FL
Margaret Dash 1974 Pinellas, FL
Margie Phillips 1976 Lee, FL
Marion Hawkins 1975 Los Angeles, CA
Patricia Brown 1979 Cook, IL
Phyllis Gilliam 1971 Richland, SC
Sherise Magee 1975 Clark, NV
Shirley Scott 1974 Cook, IL
Susan Redding 1980 --, GA
Tracy Davenport 1973 Marin, CA
Violet Matory 1977 Los Angeles, CA
Yolanda Williams 1977 Los Angeles, CA

 

[MadMcGoo]

Recently added to The Charley Project (NamUs case file created in November 2019)...
Carola Yvonne Davenport – The Charley Project
https://www.namus.gov/MissingPersons/Case#/61591

ETA: A clearer version of her yearbook photo...