Identified! MA - Provincetown, Race Point, 'Lady in the Dunes' WhtFem 27-49, UP11840, Jul'74 - Ruth Marie Terry

[dotr]

April 8 2020
How American Horror Story Season 10 Location Hints To Lady of the Dunes Connection
''How The "Lady Of The Dunes" Case Supports AHS Season 10 Theme Theories

American Horror Story loves to create grim fiction but there is usually a lot of true influences for the theme of each season. Whether it is real-life figures or true crime cases, the series is no stranger to America's history with horror. American Horror Story could use the Lady of the Dunes as a murder case that sets up a much larger mystery for the new season. It would be thrilling to see the cast transported to the '70s for a New England-based season. A town like Provincetown already connects to Murphy's beach teaser and the notion that oceans could be the site of all kinds of terror, whether supernatural or otherwise.

Massachusetts was introduced to aquatic horror with the first-ever summer blockbuster, Jaws. The 1975 movie featuring the man-eating shark was filmed in Martha's Vineyard and coincidentally has a connection to the Lady of the Dunes. Joe Hill, the son of Stephen King, speculated that the unidentified murder victim resembled a woman in the background of the Fourth of July scene in Jaws. Since the Steven Spielberg movie was filmed in 1974, it was plausible that she appeared as an extra prior to her death. Including this unsolved case on American Horror Story could once again stir up interest in the mysterious murder. Though the new season might face delays due to the coronavirus restrictions, more details regarding the project will soon be made public.''

 

[carbuff]

So. Um. Y'all. Is there a reason the NamUs file on Lady in the Dunes suddenly says "all parts recovered" instead of "no hands"?

Wow...

 

[CCJD]

So. Um. Y'all. Is there a reason the NamUs file on Lady in the Dunes suddenly says "all parts recovered" instead of "no hands"?

The file says it was modified 10/19/2018 so I'm thinking maybe info was changed during the release of NamUs 2.0.

But something else I never noticed before - when you look at the Contact page, there are no Investigators or Case Contributor info listed.
The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

 

[carbuff]

I'm all but positive those things were there when I checked the ruleouts in the last couple of months.

 

[CCJD]

I'm all but positive those things were there when I checked the ruleouts in the last couple of months.

I think when info is changed (publicly viewable or not), it triggers the Date Modified. But if info is taken off public view and hidden, i.e. Contacts info,rule outs, etc, I don't think (but not sure) if Date Modified would change.
moo

 

[dotr]

Posting while it is fresh in my mind and the case is most likely completely unrelated (20 years later and in Belgium), but mentioning it anyway 'cause you never know. Reminded of this case.
speculation, imo.fwiw.
Found Deceased - Carola Titze,16, vacationing in Belgium, her mutilated body found in sand dunes, 5 July 1996

 

[carbuff]

Interesting, but I don't think Brueckner was even born yet in 1974.

 

[dotr]

Interesting, but I don't think Brueckner was even born yet in 1974.

Duh, time for a coffee!

 

[carbuff]

Duh, time for a coffee!

It does make me wonder about various copycat possibilities (father/son for instance) because as you pointed out correctly, that kind of crime is not very common.

 

[grrrldoc]

First post here... forgive me if this has already been answered, but does anyone know if the P-Town Police ever tried to see if her DNA matched anyone on GEDCOM?

 

[Bit of hope]

First post here... forgive me if this has already been answered, but does anyone know if the P-Town Police ever tried to see if her DNA matched anyone on GEDCOM?

Welcome to WS @grrrldoc. To be honest I lost track of this case a bit.

 

[Alleykins]

I don't know how far they've gotten in the process or if they followed through, but it appears using forensic genealogy is on the table:
New look at old mystery: DNA, geneaology eyed in Provincetown's 'Lady of Dunes' case

 

[carbuff]

They've used every technique available so I would be very surprised if they aren't looking into this and other advanced DNA techniques.

 

[YaYa_521]

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

MP14923 Frances Ewalt 08/20/1975 Rosebud MT
MP20525 Sharon Hensley 02/01/1973 Calcasieu LA
MP4933 Vicke Lamberton 02/01/1974 Worcester MA
MP50181 Frankie McGraw 05/28/1974 Washtenaw MI

 

[leilarose68]

Very interesting comments from Margaret Press responding about Lady in the Dunes on the DNA Doe Project page (in the comments on the update post from July 11th about Reservation Road Jane Doe). The basic gist is that DNA Doe Project first got in contact with Provincetown Police two years ago, offering to cover all expenses for Jane Doe & work with a world-class scientist who would offer his lab and extensive experience to help them. While Provincetown Police were initially very enthusiastic, DDP hasn't heard from them since despite multiple attempts at reconnecting.

 

[leilarose68]

Woah! Just had a thought, and this is pure speculation, but.... I am seriously wondering whether Provincetown Police going radio silent on DDP has anything to do with the new season of the show American Horror Story potentially being about Provincetown and Lady of the Dunes.

Producers of the show could have offered Provincetown Police a large sum of money to not solve the mystery until the season has filmed and aired OR more likely, Provincetown Police recognized that this was a huge opportunity for increased publicity for Provincetown and tourism to the area and therefore should not pursue genetic genealogy until they've reaped the benefits of the show featuring their mystery. Maybe American Horror Story hired genetic genealogists to solve the mystery and there will be a big reveal at the end of the show.

It would explain why Provincetown Police was initially so enthusiastic about partnering with DDP and then... nothing.

 

[leilarose68]

Or maybe Provincetown Police want to solve it themselves so they don't have to share credit. Pretty lame that they couldn't even give DDP an explanation though, whatever their reasons.

 

[Alleykins]

You may be onto something. Maybe this didn't take up a lot of time, but their priorities could have been elsewhere and haven't returned to business as usual.

Last year, they were probably a little busy for a time with filming the Starz series, Hightown:

Starz officials could not be reached for comment on the deal. Gardner, though, said producers will pay $2,000 per day for use of the Provincetown land, as well as the costs of special police details and for other town employees and expenses.

TV series gets OK to film in Provincetown

 

[Bit of hope]

Somehow I feel a little obnoxious about all this......

 

[carbuff]

The Lady of the Dunes Wikipedia article has a picture of where the body was found, with the body still lying there. It doesn't look like a body, so pretty safe to go to. It appears to be way farther back in the dunes than I had pictured.