MD MD - Judith 'Judy' O'Donnell, 19, Baltimore, 30 Nov 1980

[elepher50]

It really does exist.

Thanks, how would one go about checking to see if one existed in NYC around the time Judi went missing - what would be good key words to search on to start researching?

 

[JeannieC]

Thanks, how would one go about checking to see if one existed in NYC around the time Judi went missing - what would be good key words to search on to start researching?

She was too young to vote so voter registration is out. Didn't own property so tax records are out. I'm sure records with the health department or medical records are closed to the public.

Memberships to clubs have probably been destoyed. Rental property and lease records would be hard to find unless you knew who she rented from and where.

I wonder if any modeling agencies would have a record of her? I wonder if she had any jobs that took taxes out on her?

If only we knew of a roommate or friend who might still be living.

Telephone records are probably out. Wish we could get hold of old phone books!

I can't think of anything useful! Sorry

I wonder if Maureen has checked activity on her SS number?

 

[JudysSisterMaureen]

She was too young to vote so voter registration is out. Didn't own property so tax records are out. I'm sure records with the health department or medical records are closed to the public.

Memberships to clubs have probably been destoyed. Rental property and lease records would be hard to find unless you knew who she rented from and where.

I wonder if any modeling agencies would have a record of her? I wonder if she had any jobs that took taxes out on her?

If only we knew of a roommate or friend who might still be living.

Telephone records are probably out. Wish we could get hold of old phone books!

I can't think of anything useful! Sorry

I wonder if Maureen has checked activity on her SS number?

we have run her ssn - both the one registered to her as well as the one she occasionally used that was not hers-- no activity.

The whole "push for press" has been about getting anyone who knew her to come forward. ANYONE!

modeling agencies? Doubtful - it was her dream, not her reality.

memberships to clubs ?

I'm working an angle. The trouble is, that unlike the US Marshals Service, with an underground network, there's little chance I'd be able to contact her, they're given new SSN, new identities. That's the whole point. But I'm working it.

I really wish I could take Midtown Doe off the list. I wonder when the NYC ME will finally be done checking that DNA ?

 

[JudysSisterMaureen]

she was 19 when she vanished, so she was definitely old enough to vote, whether she did is a whole different question.

~sigh~ Days like today I just want to give up.

 

[Cazzie]

she was 19 when she vanished, so she was definitely old enough to vote, whether she did is a whole different question.

~sigh~ Days like today I just want to give up.

Hugz...surely you can take a day or however long off...you deserve it. It is obviously such very hard, frustrating work.

I keep thinking that your love and determination (and surely her love of you) will find her.

Hard question: do you think there may be a possibility that Judy may have been ashamed of her choices (or at least knew there would be disapproval from some family/friends), and wanted to "spare" you/other family knowing of any troubles she was having? Kinda like she knew her chosen lifestyle was so different that she decided to "never look back"?

 

[JudysSisterMaureen]

It might be her. Its hard for me to tell. The ears don't show and of course this is an artist's rendition so the features might not be identical to the living person. Real faces have marks, differences in eyes, eyebrows, and lines on the face.

It is pretty close.

this doe was ruled out:dna.

 

[JudysSisterMaureen]

31 years today. Love you big sis. Still waiting to hear on the DNA comparison with Midtown Jane.

 

[chaddylex]

31 years today. Love you big sis. Still waiting to hear on the DNA comparison with Midtown Jane.

Praying you get the answers you need soon!

 

[Cazzie]

31 years today. Love you big sis. Still waiting to hear on the DNA comparison with Midtown Jane.

31 years...such a long time to not know. :hug:

Prayers and blessings :heartbeat:

 

[JeannieC]

Maureen with all you are doing I believe you will find the truth. I pray for the truth for your sake.

God Bless you for never giving up!

 

[JudysSisterMaureen]

sleep tight tonight, sis, wherever you are. I'm still looking. xox

 

[JudysSisterMaureen]

Friends,

I just created a petition entitled US House of Representatives and Senators: Billy's Law, mandate that Law Enforcement uses NAMUS; findthemissing.gov, because I care deeply about this very important issue. Will you sign this petition too?

I'm trying to collect 100 signatures, and I could really use your help.

To read more about what I'm trying to do and to sign my petition, click here:
http://www.change.org/petitions/us-...-namus-findthemissinggov?share_id=aTLaOTZxid&

It'll just take a minute!

Once you're done, please ask your friends to sign the petition as well. Grassroots movements succeed because people like you are willing to spread the word!

Maureen

 

[Kimster]

:rose: Judith is our featured cold case from 1/1 to 1/7/12 :rose:

 

[Oriah]

I was just on the phone with my brother- and we were discussing something that has been rattling away in his mind for a while. But I'm not sure how to approach it --battered women purportedly can use an underground network to escape their lives -- a TV show showed this, not sure which one - where they get a new identity, place to live, a little bit of cash. The one promise they make is that they are NEVER to reach out to anyone from their past for any reason. Somewhat like the witness protection program but it's not government sponsored or monitored. Is this just made-for-TV or does this exist ? Do any of you know???

Hi JudysSis,
They exist. I know there are a couple of 'hostel's in NYC (run by Catholic nuns, actually) that housed young women needing assistance in the 80's- for literally pennies a day. Addicts, prostitutes, runaways, women seeking refuge etc. There are some staff at these locations who have been there a long time. I wonder if maybe your sister may have sought shelter at a location like that? And if an elderly staff member might remember her?
Just a thought. I can give you more information on locations if you like. There is one on the lower West Side that I am very familiar with.

 

[Mia]

I live in Greenwich Village, and in the east village especially, where Judy lived, there are a lot of 'old timer' homeless types, especially around Tompkins Square Park, who have lived in the area for years and years (i.e. prior to 1980). I'll print out Judy's Charley Project page and take it around, see if any of them recognize her/have any idea what may have come of her. You never know.

Another idea I had is that she may have sold the bus ticket she had, which was from Baltimore to NYC, for cash for whatever and then may have tried to hitchhike back to NYC instead and got in trouble on the road somewhere.

Will let everyone know if I get any hits from the old time locals here in the Village.

 

[JudysSisterMaureen]

I live in Greenwich Village, and in the east village especially, where Judy lived, there are a lot of 'old timer' homeless types, especially around Tompkins Square Park, who have lived in the area for years and years (i.e. prior to 1980). I'll print out Judy's Charley Project page and take it around, see if any of them recognize her/have any idea what may have come of her. You never know.

Another idea I had is that she may have sold the bus ticket she had, which was from Baltimore to NYC, for cash for whatever and then may have tried to hitchhike back to NYC instead and got in trouble on the road somewhere.

Will let everyone know if I get any hits from the old time locals here in the Village.

there's little doubt the scenario you describe is exactly what happened, except I am sure she made it back to the City. (the Reagan Inaugural, Jan 1981, NYC Sanitation strike, Dec 1981) -- the sightings stopped cold after Dec 1981.

THANK YOU so much. Have you seen the LI Press article? It puts the whole story together beautifully - together with pictures. Thank you!!

 

[Mia]

there's little doubt the scenario you describe is exactly what happened, except I am sure she made it back to the City. (the Reagan Inaugural, Jan 1981, NYC Sanitation strike, Dec 1981) -- the sightings stopped cold after Dec 1981.

THANK YOU so much. Have you seen the LI Press article? It puts the whole story together beautifully - together with pictures. Thank you!!

You're very welcome. Am going to print out the Charley Project page as well as the picture you posted earlier in the thread, of her in the blue hat before you left to take her to the bus station (she looks so gorgeous in that picture). am going to print them out before I leave work today as we have a color printer here.

This weekend I'll go show them to the old timers in Tompkins Square Park and the surrounding area; I'll also post print outs of the Charley Project page around the Lower East Side and especially around bars etc that I know were open back in the late 70s/80s. Amazingly a lot of them are still open, especially in that area. Too bad CBGBs closed a few years ago - it seems like a place she would have hung out in, and they had a loyal clientele that had been going to shows there since the 60s.

No, I have not seen the LI Press article. I'm sorry I haven't read this whole thread yet, am only up to page 3. Is it linked somewhere in this thread? If so when I get to it I will read it.

If that really is her at the presidential inauguration (and I believe it is, as I believe you knew your sister and would recognize her) I am so curious why she was there? The obvious answer would be as somebody's date.

It sounds like Judy had a tough childhood, and that she may have been abused or at the very least treated inappropriately by the priests at her school. Combine that with parents that were in denial, and the discomfort she probably felt at that last Thanksgiving in Baltimore. I think there's a good chance she just said screw it after that and went off to start a new life without any family contact. I do believe there is a good chance Judy is still alive, living under a new identity perhaps or maybe she is wandering the very streets I walk every day here in NYC, homeless and lost in the system.

bless you for continuing to look, Maureen. I wish we could get a forensic artist to do a rendering of what Judy would look like now, at age 50-55.

 

[Oriah]

<

I wish we could get a forensic artist to do a rendering of what Judy would look like now, at age 50-55.

>

You are awesome, Mia!
And a brilliant idea- I wonder if we could find someone here? I think there is a forensic artist on WS's somewhere.

 

[JudysSisterMaureen]

< I wish we could get a forensic artist to do a rendering of what Judy would look like now, at age 50-55.[/quote]>

You are awesome, Mia!
And a brilliant idea- I wonder if we could find someone here? I think there is a forensic artist on WS's somewhere.

I have the info on how to do it already, had the thought. That requires help from my mother and sister, whose help I elicited -- it went no.where.

When I asked for pictures for the LI Press article -- I got 5 pictures -- they have THOUSANDS of pictures -- I just don't get how they can stop, as though she doesn't exist. I just don't get it.

the LI Press article is here: http://www.longislandpress.com/2011/08/18/still-looking-for-judy-judith-erin-odonnell/

 

[Mia]

Hi JudysSis,
They exist. I know there are a couple of 'hostel's in NYC (run by Catholic nuns, actually) that housed young women needing assistance in the 80's- for literally pennies a day. Addicts, prostitutes, runaways, women seeking refuge etc. There are some staff at these locations who have been there a long time. I wonder if maybe your sister may have sought shelter at a location like that? And if an elderly staff member might remember her?
Just a thought. I can give you more information on locations if you like. There is one on the lower West Side that I am very familiar with.

Do you know the names or locations of any of these hostels, Oriah? I have heard of them existing in the past, but was not aware that any were still around. If you know of any that were open in 1981 and which are still open, let me know. I would be more than happy to take a walk over and show the nuns/staff Judy's picture and info. Just maybe we can reawaken an old memory of what Judy was doing/who she was hanging out with before she disappeared.

I just read the LI Press article. Not sure I can mention his name here, but a man with the initials AR was mentioned in the article as someone Judy was associating with before she disappeared. Kim or Maureen: is there any more information on his and/or his and Judy's relationship that was not mentioned in the article? Where did you get his name from? was he a boyfriend Judy talked about? Did you find papers with his name on it or photos? Do you have any idea how old he was (even roughly) back in 1980 or 1981? That would at least narrow down slightly which "AR" it could be. As the LI Press article mentions, it is a very popular Puerto Rican name, and "A" can be a nickname too, which makes it even more difficult. But at least its a starting point! If we can find out how old he was back when Judy was hanging out with him, I can ask around the lower east side if anyone knows an "AR" of that age who was part of that scene in the early 80s. A lot of these 'old timers' in Tompkins Square Park and the surrounding area are friendly and happy to talk, especially stories about the past, especially if you have a dollar or a cigarette to share. I'll bring both when when I go over there this weekend; just printed out a bunch of copies of Judy's Charley Project page plus the picture of her in the blue beret. Someone HAS to know her.

For some reason Judy has really touched me. NYC is a tough city. Having grown up here and lived here my whole life (I am now 29 years old) I have seen a lot of very young people come here with dreams of succeeding in whatever their chosen profession/talent is, and those dreams getting crushed within their first year of living here. Many go back to the towns they came from, some struggle on for much longer in tiny apartments with 4 roommates, some live in Union Square and Tompkins Square Park and sleep on benches/in shelters or basements at night, and many go home in body bags. It's incredibly sad. This is a great city, but the way it lures young people in then spits them back out is heartbreaking.