MD MD - Frederick, WhtFem 17-45, UP7477, in steamer trunk in state park, Spondylolysis, Aug'82

[marsh_melancholy]

I have the unpopular opinion that our Jane Doe isn't Anne Riggin or Virginia Welch. I'll elaborate if anyone's interested, but I'm just curious if anyone else thinks otherwise about who she is.

 

[CCJD]

I have the unpopular opinion that our Jane Doe isn't Anne Riggin or Virginia Welch. I'll elaborate if anyone's interested, but I'm just curious if anyone else thinks otherwise about who she is.

You're not alone. I don't think she's Anne Riggin. Yes, I submitted the possible match in 2005 but it was on behalf of someone else.

I haven't really looked at Virginia Welch so no opinion there.

 

[marylandmissing]

Why's that? Was she cremated or were her remains lost?

Lost

 

[Alleykins]

Lost

So they lost them after 2012?

 

[marsh_melancholy]

So they lost them after 2012?

I would hope not. Surely the remains were found and examined again; isn't that why NCMEC updated her composite and lowered her age range down to 17-27?

 

[marsh_melancholy]

Going back to some of my notes and theories for this case... I genuinely believe that Jane Doe was a lot younger than people actually realize. If I had to guess, she was in her early-20s when she passed away, maybe no older than 24 at the most. I mention this because of who I think is.

I also think Jane Doe was a teenage runaway, and she managed to survive for a few years on her own. It wouldn't be the first time a runaway has survived for a while.

Examples: In 1999, Jennifer Carbonell ran away from Florida when she was 17; she was located alive and well in 2008... She'd gone all the way to Pennsylvania and had even earned a college degree. Rachel Owens ran away from home in South Carolina back in 2011 at age 15; she used a fake name and birthdate the entire time she was gone-- she was eventually found in Columbus, Ohio at 20-years-old.

My point being: it's plausible for a runaway not to encounter a killer... however, I think our Jane Doe eventually met someone who had ill intentions.

 

[Alleykins]

Going back to some of my notes and theories for this case... I genuinely believe that Jane Doe was a lot younger than people actually realize. If I had to guess, she was in her early-20s when she passed away, maybe no older than 24 at the most. I mention this because of who I think is.

I also think Jane Doe was a teenage runaway, and she managed to survive for a few years on her own. It wouldn't be the first time a runaway has survived for a while.

Examples: In 1999, Jennifer Carbonell ran away from Florida when she was 17; she was located alive and well in 2008... She'd gone all the way to Pennsylvania and had even earned a college degree. Rachel Owens ran away from home in South Carolina back in 2011 at age 15; she used a fake name and birthdate the entire time she was gone-- she was eventually found in Columbus, Ohio at 20-years-old.

My point being: it's plausible for a runaway not to encounter a killer... however, I think our Jane Doe eventually met someone who had ill intentions.

I agree that teen runaways don't always encounter a killer, nor is abduction at the hands of a killer the reason they disappear. But they sometimes run into killers after they've left of their own volition, like Tammy Alexander did.
Anita Drake ran away at 15 back in the 60s, her family convinced she was murdered. However, she lived for decades under an assumed name, until she died of natural causes. It was her daughter going through paperwork after her mother's death who realized something wasn't adding up and her mother wasn't who she said she was.

 

[marsh_melancholy]

Still going with the teenage runaway theory here...

It took me a while to suspect that the reason why her dentals can't be compared to a missing person is because she only saw a dentist after she ran away... The work is mainly consistent with how dental schools perform it? Possible explanation is that she had never been to a professional in the first 14-16 years of her life... she finally runs away, manages to survive for a while, and soon realizes... "Huh, maybe if I'm taking care of myself, I should look into how my teeth are doing."

I know there's some debate as to whether or not her wisdom teeth were actually causing discomfort, but if they were then that's probably what triggered her to consider stopping by a dental school. She has little to no money and has never had her teeth examined; a dental school is probably a safe bet. I guarantee you all she had to do, especially back in the mid-70s, was give a fake name. She probably convinced someone to examine her for free/at little cost (at least once) because she admitted that she'd never even been to a dentist. Even if she didn't give them a story, some schools were probably looking for volunteers--so she seized an opportunity.

Do I think her work was all done at once? Of course not. But I think she kept going back to dental schools even when some money came into her pocket. Someone might have gotten suspicious after a while, so I wouldn't rule out the fact that she went to two or three different dental schools (especially over the course of a few years).

And the reason why I believe she never saw a professional, even after running away, is because of her wisdom teeth. Some dental schools might remove the wisdom teeth... but not everyone is equipped. In her case, it probably would've been better to leave it in the hands of an oral surgeon. An oral surgeon is going to cost a great amount of money; if she doesn't have insurance and is using an alias, of course she's hesitant to go or she'll reject the idea altogether. (Side note: When I had all four of my wisdom teeth removed last year, my primary dentist referred me to an oral surgeon because the top teeth were greatly impacted; my dentist didn't feel comfortable doing it herself so she recommended me to the best person she could think of. So I believe Jane Doe was in a position to where, after a while, she still couldn't afford extensive care.)

 

[marylandmissing]

Still going with the teenage runaway theory here...

It took me a while to suspect that the reason why her dentals can't be compared to a missing person is because she only saw a dentist after she ran away... The work is mainly consistent with how dental schools perform it? Possible explanation is that she had never been to a professional in the first 14-16 years of her life... she finally runs away, manages to survive for a while, and soon realizes... "Huh, maybe if I'm taking care of myself, I should look into how my teeth are doing."

I know there's some debate as to whether or not her wisdom teeth were actually causing discomfort, but if they were then that's probably what triggered her to consider stopping by a dental school. She has little to no money and has never had her teeth examined; a dental school is probably a safe bet. I guarantee you all she had to do, especially back in the mid-70s, was give a fake name. She probably convinced someone to examine her for free/at little cost (at least once) because she admitted that she'd never even been to a dentist. Even if she didn't give them a story, some schools were probably looking for volunteers--so she seized an opportunity.

Do I think her work was all done at once? Of course not. But I think she kept going back to dental schools even when some money came into her pocket. Someone might have gotten suspicious after a while, so I wouldn't rule out the fact that she went to two or three different dental schools (especially over the course of a few years).

And the reason why I believe she never saw a professional, even after running away, is because of her wisdom teeth. Some dental schools might remove the wisdom teeth... but not everyone is equipped. In her case, it probably would've been better to leave it in the hands of an oral surgeon. An oral surgeon is going to cost a great amount of money; if she doesn't have insurance and is using an alias, of course she's hesitant to go or she'll reject the idea altogether. (Side note: When I had all four of my wisdom teeth removed last year, my primary dentist referred me to an oral surgeon because the top teeth were greatly impacted; my dentist didn't feel comfortable doing it herself so she recommended me to the best person she could think of. So I believe Jane Doe was in a position to where, after a while, she still couldn't afford extensive care.)

You have to know who the person is to compare dentals...A lot of Jane Doe's have turned out to be teenagers. They didn't really track juveniles till 1985 when the National Center for Missing opened and every state appropriated funds for state clearinghouses. Almost all had been reported missing, but not really looked for. Most are found just one state over...

 

[marsh_melancholy]

You have to know who the person is to compare dentals...A lot of Jane Doe's have turned out to be teenagers. They didn't really track juveniles till 1985 when the National Center for Missing opened and every state appropriated funds for state clearinghouses. Almost all had been reported missing, but not really looked for. Most are found just one state over...

I have a theory on who it is... I'm just worried about looking like an idiot if it's not her. But everything seems to add up: circumstances, possible dental work, previous physical injuries, etc.

 

[carbuff]

I have a theory on who it is... I'm just worried about looking like an idiot if it's not her. But everything seems to add up: circumstances, possible dental work, previous physical injuries, etc.

I'd encourage you to turn your potential match in, or bring it here to be discussed. You won't look like an idiot (and it sounds like you have a carefully researched and thought out suggestion, so definitely not an idiot!)

Our main job in this thread is really to discuss possibilities, and ruling somebody out is an important part of the process. The majority of our submissions (collectively speaking) are probably ruled out fairly quickly. In a case this old, it's likely there is some mistake or discrepancy in the decedent's description that's causing a match to be overlooked, so even long shot suggestions are welcome.

 

[marylandmissing]

I have a theory on who it is... I'm just worried about looking like an idiot if it's not her. But everything seems to add up: circumstances, possible dental work, previous physical injuries, etc.

Go for it...I've been involved with this type of stuff for 20 years, and NOTHING is out of the realm...I don't discount age, race, height, eye color, sex, location or even date of disappearance...I've seen a case in California where they had the sex wrong for years, have seen height off by 4 inches...I've seen wrong races, age way off, and DOD off several times...I was involved with two IDs like that where the disappearance date was AFTER the unidentified was found...Tonya Gardner in PA was reported missing months after Jane Doe was found because her husband gave out misleading information...Touissant Gumbs in Richmond was literally found a week before he went missing and on the same block and not matched up for a decade...He bounced around relatives all the time and no one was really sure when he was last seen...

 

[marsh_melancholy]

I'd encourage you to turn your potential match in, or bring it here to be discussed. You won't look like an idiot (and it sounds like you have a carefully researched and thought out suggestion, so definitely not an idiot!)

Our main job in this thread is really to discuss possibilities, and ruling somebody out is an important part of the process. The majority of our submissions (collectively speaking) are probably ruled out fairly quickly. In a case this old, it's likely there is some mistake or discrepancy in the decedent's description that's causing a match to be overlooked, so even long shot suggestions are welcome.

Alright... well, here it goes. Ever since I came across her photo on NCMEC back in July, I couldn't help but wonder if the Jane Doe could be Kathy Wilcox. On July 12, it was the 50th "anniversary" of her disappearance. Fifty years... The only person who's still actively seeking answers is Kathy's younger sister, Karen. Kathy's brother allegedly stopped looking ages ago; both of Kathy's parents, as well as her stepmother, have since passed away from my understanding.

On July 12, 1972, Kathy, a well-known football and softball player, ran away from home after her stepmother allegedly slapped her across the face during an argument. They had concerns about Kathy dating an 18-year-old boy (who was later dismissed as a suspect). Karen was on the front porch when Kathy stormed out and shouted to everyone that they'd "never see her again."

From various articles, Facebook posts, and even a Zoom interview that Karen did a few months ago... I can't help but get the impression that Kathy knew how to take care of herself. Granted, she was only 15. But if she planned on staying gone, and had already handled the physical pain/stress of high impact sports, I imagine that she had resources or knew where to look. She was a "tough cookie" so to speak.

Now, when I came across Kathy's photo... she looked familiar. I couldn't put my finger on it. Heck, I hadn't even looked at the "Cheerleader" case for almost two months at that point. But those composites stuck with me, I guess. I recognized where I'd "seen" her and decided to compare Kathy Wilcox with "Cheerleader in the Trunk."

I did several facial comparisons, and I'll provide context with each one:

Here's the NCMEC composite of Jane Doe over Kathy's 7th grade school picture. What's tricky is that her head was slightly tilted when the photo was taken, so her nose "looks crooked." The way the jawline matches, as well as the placement of the eyes, mouth, and nose is eerie. When NCMEC narrowed Jane Doe's age down to 17-27, I genuinely believe they tried to make her look as young as possible while still keeping the "teenage/young adult" appearance.

Next, I placed the same composite over one of Kathy's age progressions. Below is the NCMEC composite placed over what Kathy would look like at age 57.

Using the same NCMEC composite one final time, I placed it over one of the last known photos taken of Kathy, when she was 15. Her head was tilted slightly up this time. Here's the result:

Here's the part that startled me. Remember when I said that Kathy "looked familiar"? Well, as it turns out, it was Carl Koppelman's composite of Jane Doe that had stuck with me, despite having only seen it once or twice. For further context, all Carl Koppelman had to work with was the skull and the generic description (i.e. brown hair). His depiction shows Jane Doe as being "older" (in her early-to-mid 20s). I compared Carl's composite with Kathy at age 15 and this was the result:

Even though Kathy's face is facing slightly upwards, the resemblance was frightening. Without context, one could assume this was another age progression of Kathy Wilcox. The jawline still adds up, as well as the eyes. Kathy's nose would lead some to argue that she's an automatic rule-out... but there have been several guesses as to what Jane's nose looked like. So anything's possible. (Final note: I think Carl himself stated that the front teeth you see in the Doe's skull had fallen out, so investigators replaced them with something similar. So if Kathy's front teeth "don't match" Carl's composite, that's why.)

"Just because she resembles the composites doesn't mean anything!"... I thought that myself. But then I saw Kathy's page on The Charley Project. I then went to The Doe Network and uncovered more information.

Let's look at the basic comparisons:

• Jane Doe was a white female with brown hair; Kathy Wilcox was a white female with brown hair
• Jane Doe may have died as far back as 1972; Kathy Wilcox ran away from home back in 1972
• Jane Doe's bones indicated that she was an athlete; Kathy Wilcox was a well-known athlete
• Jane Doe may have broken one or more of her toes; Kathy Wilcox broke several of her toes at some point in the late-60s/early-70s
• Jane Doe may have had other previous injuries to her body; Kathy Wilcox had healed fractures in both of her legs and it's noted that these may not show up on future x-rays (the same applies to her broken toes)
• Jane Doe is roughly believed to be 5'4" (according to NamUs); Kathy Wilcox stood at 5'4"

Lastly, Jane Doe's teeth showed that she'd most likely gotten the work done at a dental school. It's more affordable and/or maybe she offered herself as a volunteer. Okay... so just compare them to Kathy's dentals......... Kathy Wilcox had never been to the dentist. So, as I stated in a previous post, I had speculated that our Jane Doe was a runaway who knew how to take care of herself and she probably survived for several years; in that time, she probably found a way to take care of her teeth as well. (Doesn't matter the age: I've met plenty of 20-somethings who had poor dental health and they've gotten fillings, caps, etc. One of my kindergarten classmates even had two silver fillings by the time she was seven. Now imagine someone who'd never been to the dentist... after all those years, a lot of work seems probable when you finally get help.) Another thing to touch on is the fact that Jane Doe still had her wisdom teeth and they were skewered; most people get them removed by age 25... But dental schools can only do so much, and maybe Jane Doe was still worried about finances or seeing a professional (especially if she was using a fake name and/or birthdate). Hence, I think she truly was no older than 25.

I will say this... with my Kathy Wilcox theory, I don't think Jane Doe died back in 1972. Again, she most likely survived for a few years if she was a runaway, as our Doe was well-nourished. That would also explain the work on her teeth and additional stress that was put on her body (i.e. she got a job that involved physical labor). NamUs estimates her post-mortem interval as 3 years, meaning she died sometime in 1979. In 1979, Kathy would've been 22 or 23 (her birthday is on Christmas). She fits the age range. What about dying as early as the spring of '82? Kathy would've been 25. She still fits the age range.

My conclusion:
I think our Jane Doe could be Kathy Wilcox, a 15-year-old runaway who left home back in 1972.

Kathy most likely took care of herself for several years; it's happened before with other runaways. One of the biggest clues as to who she was and the life she was living would be best explained by her teeth, in which the work had been done by dental school students. Since Kathy had never been to a professional, she probably thought her best, and affordable, option would be a dental school instead. There's been some debate as to whether or not Jane Doe's wisdom teeth were actually causing her tremendous discomfort, but I think they did-- maybe that trigger of pain is what caused Kathy to realize that she needed to get her teeth examined by someone. As for the extensive work done, it's important to remember that Kathy played in high-impact sports such as football; even if she didn't flat out lose a tooth, there's still some damage if she was getting roughed up. (And again, she'd never been to a dentist before that.)

Her being involved in high-impact sports would also explain the wear on her bones; Kathy was a known tomboy and had been an athlete since childhood. If she ran away and got a job that involved physical labor, her bones are going to take on additional stress. (Is it any wonder they thought Jane Doe could've been as old as 45?) Spondylolysis is most common in young athletes... no doubt Kathy would assume she's just having regular back pain or muscle cramps. (If she managed to fracture both legs and break some of her toes, no doubt she hurt her back at some point, too.)

If Kathy is the Jane Doe, she probably died sometime between 1979-1982. By that timeline, she would've been in the age range. She probably hopped from state to state, before finally meeting her demise somewhere in Maryland. (I've long suspected that Jane Doe was from elsewhere, but she did perish in the same state she was found in.)

If there's anything I can elaborate on, please let me know.

Edit: Kathy was from Otsego, Michigan. Since she ran away, it's plausible for her to wind up in Maryland. After all, Sherry Jarvis (aka Walker County Jane Doe) wound up all the way in Texas when she was originally from Stillwater, Minnesota.

 

[carbuff]

Okay, I'm going to have to go back through that to really absorb, but wow, you've made an excellent case.

Minor thing that jumped out: wisdom tooth removal was not routine in the 70s. It was a Big F** Deal when I had to have two of mine taken out in 1971. She would likely have been putting up with some pain for a while.

 

[carbuff]

P.S. Most absolutely NOT an idiot!

 

[marsh_melancholy]

Okay, I'm going to have to go back through that to really absorb, but wow, you've made an excellent case.

Minor thing that jumped out: wisdom tooth removal was not routine in the 70s. It was a Big *advertiser censored* Deal when I had to have two of mine taken out in 1971. She would likely have been putting up with some pain for a while.

Thanks. I was really worried about looking crazy by bringing up Kathy Wilcox. But I've been piecing this theory together since I discovered her case on NCMEC. A few weeks ago, I contacted Otsego Police Department and spoke to an officer; he relayed the information to the case detective. I even sent him an email with everything I've compiled together. No response.

Finally, I decided to submit Kathy as a potential match to the Doe Network. Last week I did just that. They confirmed that Kathy had not been submitted as a potential match, so they were going to review everything. I attached the comparison pictures, too.

I think what's especially difficult is that Kathy's only identifier is DNA. I still don't know what's up with Jane Doe's remains, but if they're still in good hands (which I'm assuming they are, due to NCMEC's 2020 update) then we can only hope that Othram will take up the case and maybe extract some useful DNA.

 

[carbuff]

@othram or somebody like them. Genetic genealogy has proven its worth so many times that now many states (I think even the FBI) have their own certified genetic genealogy divisions. Here's hoping it's only a matter of time until all our unidentified people are able to go home.

 

[ErinC]

Edited-double post

 

[ErinC]

Wow, if that's not her, then she had a clone somewhere. I would definitely turn it in, at least they can rule her out if nothing else.

 

[Melt71]

@marsh_melancholy great write up and one of the more extensive I’ve seen for a while. Well done and I really hope DN gets back to you to confirm their panel has forwarded the possible match to LE.