IN IN- Whitley County- Black Fem, adult, 1639UFIN, wrapped in bedding in a ditch along old U.S. 30, Sept 1984

[DS2021]

1639UFIN - Unidentified Female​

Date of Discovery: September 26, 1984
Location of Discovery: Whitley County, Indiana
Estimated Date of Death: Unknown
State of Remains: Not recognizable - Near complete or complete skeleton
Cause of Death: Unknown

Physical Description​

Estimated Age: Unknown
Race: Black
Sex: Female
Height: 5'4"
Weight: Black
Hair Color: Unknown
Eye Color: Unknown
Distinguishing Marks/Features: Unknown

Identifiers​

Dentals: Unknown
Fingerprints: Unknown
DNA: Unknown

Clothing & Personal Items​

Clothing: Light colored Miss K blouse, size 38
Jewelry: Unknown
Additional Personal Items: Pink blanket, yellow sheet with flower print, white sheet with flower print, pink sheet

Circumstances of Discovery​

An off-duty police officer found the decedent's skeletalized remains wrapped in bedding in a ditch along old U.S. 30 about one mile west of Columbia City.

Investigating Agency(s)​

Agency Name: Indiana State Police Laboratory
Agency Contact Person: Idelle Ritterskamp
Agency Phone Number: 317-921-5345
Agency E-Mail: N/A
Agency Case Number: 22-10848

NCIC Case Number: Unknown
NamUs Case Number: 12879

Information Source(s)​

NamUs
The Call-Leader (Elwood, IN) - September 27, 1984

Admin Notes​

Added: 8/29/21; Last Updated: 8/29/21

 

[Fallon]

Only found one newspaper clipping for this case, so far. Hoping to find more. I have it attached. I also brought up a map of US 30 to see what states it goes through. I know it's changed some since the 80's. I'm thinking possibly a truck driver? Unfortunately there's not a lot of information on this case, anywhere. I plan on trying to make a call to either the Police Lab in Indy or Columbia City PD and inquiring to see if they have any more information. I'm in Indiana and only about an hour away from where the body was found, so if I have to do some ground work, I definitely can. I'm sad that it feels like this woman was just forgotten.

Possible matches with not a lot to go on:
3484DFMD - Linda Hunter - Linda Hunter
There is about the same information for Linda as there is this JD. She was reported missing October 4, 1982 from Baltimore, MD. She was 23, JD is listed as 18-60. Her height is listed as 5'2, JD is listed as 5'4, so it's close. There's not even a picture for Linda unfortunately.

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) - Laronda Marie Bronson.
She went missing November 19, 1982 from a bus stop in Portland, Oregon. She was 18, so that would fit. 30 does run to Oregon, so it's possible. Laronda is listed as 5'6-5'7, so a bit taller than the JD. Still could fit though.


I'm going to continue to dig. Try and make some phone calls to see if anything comes up for this JD.

 

[iulia]

Doe Network has marked this case as identified.

Located & Identified Persons

1639UFIN discovered on September 26, 1984 in Whitley County, Indiana has been identified per law enforcement. No further information is available.

 

[iulia]

Her NamUs page has been removed.