LA LA - Heather Samantha Rowe, 23, New Orleans, March 5, 1996 - Transgender female

[Murkywaters]

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

Reportedly, MP Rowe left on a Greyhound Bus heading to New Orleans. Family member last heard from MP Rowe on 3/5/1996 (phone call). MP report was filed with Columbus, GA Police Department on 5/9/1996 after not hearing from MP Rowe for two months.

 

[Murkywaters]

Destination Unknown

Douglas Scott Rowe/Heather Samantha Rowe 3/4/1996

New Orleans or anywhere transgender was being accepted back then

Missing Persons Cases network and Destination had the best followers on the internet and I need this one favor. There is a family that is desperate to find out where + missing loved one is. I was supposed to take care of this many months ago. It is complex, but they want answers.

Everyday we get news of transgender people being killed. I 2019, but imagine being transgender in the 90's. A Pioneer for sure. That alone is difficult. Douglas Scott Rowe now Heather Samantha Rowe had even more odds against her as she was a witness to a murder and even testified.

Her mother is very sick and wants to locate her or at least have a proper burial. Heather went missing on 3/4/1996. She told her mother she was leaving Columbus for New Orleans back then transgender was not talked about at all.

If you know anything about what happened to her or her possible whereabouts please reach out. Her mother wont be around long and needs closure.

 

[Murkywaters]

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

Demographics
Missing Age: 23 Years
Current Age: 46 Years
First Name: Heather
Middle Name: Samantha
Last Name: Rowe
Nickname/Alias: Samantha H/Douglas S
Sex: Male
Height: 5' 11" (71 Inches)
Weight: 157 lbs
Race / Ethnicity: White / Caucasian

Circumstances:
Date of Last Contact: March 5, 1996
NamUs Case Created: September 27, 2019
Last Known Location Map
Location: New Orleans, Louisiana
County: Orleans Parish

Circumstances of Disappearance: Reportedly, MP Rowe left on a Greyhound Bus heading to New Orleans. Family member last heard from MP Rowe on 3/5/1996 (phone call). MP report was filed with Columbus, GA Police Department on 5/9/1996 after not hearing from MP Rowe for two months.

Physical Description
Hair Color: Blond/Strawberry
Head Hair Description: long blonde hair.
Body Hair Description --
Facial Hair Description --
Left Eye Color: Green
Right Eye Color: Green
Eye Description --
Distinctive Physical Features
Tattoo: Unknown design below belly button.

 

[dotr]

Why was Heather going to New Orleans?

 

[KaylaraOwl]

Why was Heather going to New Orleans?

I'm assuming because there was a big LGBTQ community there, but I can ask. I do know that her brother had gone down to New Orleans to try to find Heather after she went missing, and couldnt find any one who recognized her.

Heather's brother and mother submitted DNA samples to the FACES lab this past Monday, so hopefully that wil be helpful.

 

[KaylaraOwl]

Also FYI, the brother has a DNA sample in GEDmatch already.

 

[Murkywaters]

Heather Samantha Rowe – The Charley Project

• Missing Since 03/05/1996
• Missing From New Orleans, Louisiana
• Classification Missing
• Sex Male
• Race White
• Date of Birth 11/30/1972 (47)
• Age 33 years old
• Height and Weight 5'11, 157 pounds
• Distinguishing Characteristics Caucasian male. Blonde hair, green/hazel eyes. Rowe is transgender; born male, with the name Douglas Scott Rowe, she lives as a female and legally changed her name to Heather in 1993. She has a tattoo on her lower abdomen, below her navel.

Details of Disappearance
Rowe last had contact with her family on March 5, 1996. She was in New Orleans, Louisiana at the time. She has never been heard from again. Few details are available in her case. Columbus, Georgia police are investigating.

 

[Suglo]

Bump!

 

[PayrollNerd]

Glad to hear the family has DNA uploaded to GEDmatch. Maybe it will be uploaded to MyHeritage and ftDNA also. Just on the rare possibility they left a descendent behind.

 

[KaylaraOwl]

I talk to Heather's brother Billy, and he's got kits up on every site, and is Opted In on Gedmatch AND has his extended family tree everywhere, including on his FB profile. If Heather is a Doe and gets a forensic kit put up for her, it should be a very quick ID.

 

[madamx]

Bumping

 

[calo44]

Could this be Heather / Douglas?

Marshall County John Doe

Found without head, hands & feet and was thought to be redressed

 

[calo44]

 

[calo44]

I talk to Heather's brother Billy, and he's got kits up on every site, and is Opted In on Gedmatch AND has his extended family tree everywhere, including on his FB profile. If Heather is a Doe and gets a forensic kit put up for her, it should be a very quick ID.

KaylaraOwl, do you know if Heather had undergone any operations to change their body before disappearing, or would they still present as male upon autopsy?

 

[madamx]

150UFFL - Unidentified Female

Reconstruction of the victim; loction of the victim's discovery (photos by Liz Chapman).

Date of Discovery: May 30, 1996
Location of Discovery: Southport, Bay County, Florida
Estimated Date of Death: 4 weeks prior
State of Remains: Decomposed
Cause of Death: Homicide


Could she have ended up in Florida?

150UFFL

 

[madamx]

 

[John/Jane Doe]

Heather Samantha Rowe – The Charley Project

 

[Pennysmom1]

Heather Samantha "Douglas S. Rowe" Rowe - LA Repository for Unidentified & Missing People

Missing since:	1996-03-05
Location:	New Orleans, Orleans Parish, Louisiana
Date of Birth:	Over 23
Sex:	male
Race:	White
Eye color:	Green, Hazel
Hair color:	Blonde
Height:	71 inches
Weight:	157 pounds
Tattoo:	Yes
Dental Records:	Unavailable
DNA Records:	Available
FACES Case #:	777
Agency Case #:	96-011791
Alt. Case #:	M990754725
Agency:	Columbus, GA Police Department
Agency Phone:	1-706-653-3205

Identifying features
Transgender female. Unknown Tattoo design below the belly button.

Additional details
The last communication between MP Rowe and family members was by telephone from New Orleans.

 

[Aurora90]

Has this Jane Doe been ruled out?

2752UMFL

Photo Comparison of MP vs Doe

 

[FindingSabrina]

No! And, judging from photos, it appears that Heather had a rhinoplasty at some point, which is consistent with this Doe. I really think this might be a match!