Identified! MI - Monroe Co., Female 620UFMI, 20-28, Lake Erie, Mar'82 - Kimberly Wuerthele

[Rudolf]

http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/d/durst_kathleen.html

 

[CarlK90245]

Here's a new one that caught my attention:

The Doe Network:
Case File 620UFMI

http://doenetwork.org/cases/620ufmi.html
https://identifyus.org/cases/2680


Reconstructions of Victim by NCMEC & Sarah Krebs

Unidentified White Female

* The victim was discovered on March 31, 1982 in Monroe County, Michigan
* Estimated Date of Death: Several weeks to a month prior

Vital Statistics

* Estimated age: 20-28 years old
* Approximate Height and Weight: 5'4" (163 cm); 110 lbs (50 kg)
* Distinguishing Characteristics: Brown, medium length hair; brown eyes. She had no scars or tattoos.
* Dentals: Exceptionally straight teeth, possibly with a history or orthodontic treatment.
* Clothing: She was wearing a plaid "Wedgefield" brand shirt (size 16-1/2) that was tied in a knot just below the chest area. It was made in Taiwan and sold at K-Mart stores. The shirt had one pocket on the left side and 3/4 length sleeves. No footwear was found.

Case History
The victim washed ashore at the Lake Erie Shoreline, near the Detroit Edison Power Plant in Monroe County, Michigan.
The body was well preserved due to the extreme cold temperature of the water.
________________________________________________________

She looks ALOT like Cynthia Jane Anderson



http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/a/anderson_cynthia.html
http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/287dfoh.html

And her height, weight, and age are all within range on this Jane Doe.

She is from Toledo, which is very close to Lake Erie and close to the Michigan border.

The timeframe (nearly 8 months) is a little long if you assume that she was killed immediately after she disappeared, but not entirely outside of the bounds of plausibility. Many of those months were winter months with the water at its coldest temperatures.

NamUs does not show any rule-outs on this Jane Doe.

Doe Network does not mention a DNA profile. This makes it less likely that it's a CODIS rule-out by default.

Comments?

 

[chaddylex]

We already have this possible match thread somewhere... I will look and find it


http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=70981&highlight=cynthia+anderson

 

[CarlK90245]

Thanks chaddylex, I thought I had all the bases covered before posting, and forgot to do a search for her name on previous threads.

It looks like the submission on these cases was made nearly a year and a half ago, and your last post on that thread was last July indicating that you still had not heard back.

I have a feeling that someone in the chain has dropped the ball on this. Or maybe they have an answer (positive or negative) and haven't bothered to tell anyone. Or maybe it's a CODIS exclusion by default, and they have moved on to other things like the folks at the California DNA lab that I posted about yesterday that came off like they were too busy and couldn't be bothered (see link).

Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community - View Single Post - Possible Match CA - Ontario 18-20 yr old WM found in 1986


Maybe we should do another follow-up on this. Even if there is a backlog on DNA, at least they can do a dental comparison. Or both cases are in CODIS we should know that too so we can update the exclusions list and others won't bother them with unnecessary submissions.

 

[CarlK90245]

I went ahead and called the Monroe County Coroner's office to see if they had ever considered Cynthia Jane Anderson as a match to this Jane Doe.

She looked into the case file and could not find anything mentioned about Ms. Anderson, but she could see that the case file was last accessed in 2008. This would correspond to kandoo76's submission. She also said that the name Cynthia Anderson sounded familiar, but she wasn't sure.

She also mentioned that the Jane Doe died of strangulation. This is additional information not available in Doe or NamUs, and would seem to rule-out anyone who accidentally fell out of a boat on Lake Erie.

She took my name and phone # and said that she would get back to me to let me know what ever happened with this case. When she does, and if it's a rule-out, I will also ask about Dean Marie Pyle Peters from Grand Rapids.

Dean Marie Pyle Peters' DNA is in CODIS, and there is no indication whether Cynthia Anderson's is. The NamUs record on the Jane Doe indicates that DNA has been collected, but not submitted to CODIS, so in either case, it doesn't look like we have a CODIS rule-out by default.

However, when I talk to her again, I will also ask her if the Jane Doe is in CODIS, so we can at least put Dean Marie Pyle Peters' name on the exclusions list.

 

[Billylee]

I dunno, but the story makes it sounds like Cynthia was probably killed in the same clothes she was wearing the day she disappeared, which was a white dress. Especially for her to be found in such a casual shirt, (which sounds like a man's, as there is no 16 1/2 in a woman's) like she was out boating or beach combing. But who knows......other than that she fits the description.

 

[CarlK90245]

I dunno, but the story makes it sounds like Cynthia was probably killed in the same clothes she was wearing the day she disappeared, which was a white dress. Especially for her to be found in such a casual shirt, (which sounds like a man's, as there is no 16 1/2 in a woman's) like she was out boating or beach combing. But who knows......other than that she fits the description.

The clothing issue is certainly a weakness, as well as the 8-month lag.

But one thing that gets me is that she was found in March, and was estimated to have died at least a month or two prior. This would have placed her death in the dead of winter (no pun intended). If she was out boating or beachcombing in the winter in Michigan, she would not have been doing so in a lightweight men's shirt with the lower end tied around her belly. This is more typical of summer wear.

If I was to construct a scenario to overcome the time and clothing weakness, I would say that maybe she wasn't killed immediately, but instead held captive for a period of time. If that were the case, she would not have any changes of clothes other than the work dress that she was wearing, and would be having to wear the clothes of her captor during the period of time he held her. There was no mention of pants, and she wasn't wearing shoes.

This wasn't a random abduction committed by the typical serial killer who targets strangers, and I don't think the drug hit scenario is consistent with harassing phone calls. Her captor had apparently been making harassing phone calls with "ominous" threats, and was obviously obsessed with her.

This could have been someone who was deluding himself into thinking that he could own her by force, and when things weren't panning out as he had fantasized, he eventually killed her.

I am not saying that this scenario is more likely than the prompt murder scenario, but it is certainly possible.

 

[carbuff]

Thanks for following up with that, Carl. The resemblance is very strong, that's for sure.

 

[chaddylex]

Yes Carl, thanks for starting this possible match up again. I think many times on here people submit possible matches to LE and if we don't get a quick response, we forget about the case (kind of like this one) and that's it....

It seems like some LE are very hesitant when trying to work on these cold cases, maybe because the DNA testing cost money, who knows....

These UID's are someone's family... They need to be given their identities back and closure for their families.

 

[jessunlil]

I definitely see a resemblance between the Jane Doe & Cynthia.

Jane Doe is described as having "exceptionally straight teeth" and in the photos of Cynthia her teeth appear pretty darn straight to me, she has a beautiful smile.

 

[carbuff]

I dunno, but the story makes it sounds like Cynthia was probably killed in the same clothes she was wearing the day she disappeared, which was a white dress. Especially for her to be found in such a casual shirt, (which sounds like a man's, as there is no 16 1/2 in a woman's) like she was out boating or beach combing. But who knows......other than that she fits the description.

I don't see any reason to assume Cynthia Anderson was killed the same day she disappeared -- she might have been, but if she was kidnapped by a stalker, she might well have been held captive for an indefinite period of time.

But the white dress reminded me of another connection -- even more unlikely, but possible? Unidentified Female, 1988, PA. Skeletal Remains, 6 mths Pregnant - Page 2 - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community The timeline is a problem but the facial resemblance is strong. Could you guys hop over and see if you think it's possible?

 

[CarlK90245]

I just made a follow-up call to the Monroe County Coroner's office. They said that Cynthia Jane Anderson is on a list of possibles, but they still have not ruled her out.

I also asked whether the jane doe is in CODIS and whether Dean Marie Pyle-Peters was on their list of possibles. She did not have that information available.

I would think that a year and a half is more than enough time to follow up on leads such as this one. - especially when family members of the missing persons are continuing to suffer through the uncertainty.

 

[carbuff]

Thanks for the followup, Carl.

I think Michigan more than other states has been hurt by lack of budget. My impression when I visit the in-laws is that they're barely keeping up with current issues, let alone cold cases.

 

[CarlK90245]

America's Most Wanted has a write-up on this case on their website.

http://www.amw.com/fugitives/case.cfm?id=71198

There is a lot of additional information not available in DoeNet or NamUs.

They mention that Carolyn Sue Martin and Kim Marie Larrow have been ruled-out, but they don't mention Cynthia Jane Anderson (although they also mentioned that possibles from Canada, Michigan, and Ohio have been ruled-out).

Also, referring to the at-large perp, they list his possible locations as Ohio, Michigan, Windsor Ontario, and Toledo OH (Curious, since CJA is from Toledo). But AFAIK, they have been dilly-dallying around for over a year and a half and still have not ruled-out CJA.

They also have a new facial reconstruction of her. Here it is side-by-side with CJA.

____

Mich. Power Plant Workers Make Shocking Discovery

Twenty-seven years after her body washed up on the Lake Erie shoreline, a forensic artist with the Michigan State Police created this bust of Jane Doe's head.

Decades after two workers at a Michigan power plant found the body of a woman washed up on the shores of Lake Erie, cops are still using every trick in the book to put a name to her face.

But their troubles don't end there.

Not only do police have no idea who the woman is -- they also have no idea who murdered her.

The mystery began March 31, 1982, when a couple employees of the Detroit Edison Power Plant in Monroe County, Mich., made the horrific discovery during routine perimeter checks.

Beached upon the banks of Lake Erie and pinned beneath a log, they found the half-naked white female, who appeared to be approximately 20 to 30 years old. She was 5 feet 4 inches tall and weighed about 110 pounds with brown eyes, brown, medium-length hair, pierced ears and no scars or tattoos.

A multi-colored plaid shirt was wrapped around her waist, and the cord used to strangle her was still tied tightly around her neck.

Dogged Detectives Work To ID Woman, Find Her Killer

All these years later, detectives hope that the distinct description of the victim and her shirt will jog some people's memory, leading them to the halfway-point of their investigation: learning their victim's identity.

The size 16-1/2 Wedgefield-brand shirt was made in Taiwan and sold exclusively at K-Mart stores. It had one pocket on the left breast and had 3/4-length sleeves.

The only other piece of evidence left behind was the brown, plastic cord tied around her throat.

"The autopsy report referred to it as a 'gimp cord,'" Detective Jeff Pauli of the Monroe County Sheriff's Office said.

Investigators tell AMW most of the hair on her body had been recently shaved. Her teeth were exceptionally straight and looked to be professionally cared for. It appears she had a history of orthodontics, and Detective Pauli surmises that she cared about her appearance.

Based upon the minimal physical deterioration of her body, it's believed that her corpse was in the water for anywhere from a few weeks up to a few months. As she was discovered in the early spring, there is a strong possibility that the cold temperatures of the Michigan winter kept her preserved for an extended period of time.

Beyond that, authorities haven't been able to learn much about her, and they hope the keen eyes of AMW readers throughout the country will help shine some light on this most disturbing of cases.

Michigan Trooper Creates 3-D Bust In Effort To ID Victim
fugitives,Unknown Lake Erie Jane Doe Killer

Decades after her body was discovered, cops are doing everything they can to learn her identity and bring her killer to justice.

In 2008, more than 26 years after the body was first discovered, police in Canton Township, Mich., asked Monroe County cops to look into the possibility that Jane Doe was in fact Kim Larrow -- a teen who'd vanished in 1981.

On March 3, 2009, the FBI, along with Monroe County authorities, exhumed the body of the Lake Erie Jane Doe. Together they hoped to quickly launch into the next phase of their investigation.

Shortly after the body was raised from the ground, cops submitted her DNA to the University of North Texas' Center for Human Identification. It didn't take long for authorities to rule out Kim Larrow as a possible match to Jane Doe.

Michigan State Police Trooper Sarah Krebs said based on the victim's bone structure, "we determined it couldn't have been a 14-year-old. We knew she was at least 18 years old."

However, it would take some time before science could confirm their suspicions.

Within days of the exhumation, Trooper Krebs, a forensic artist with more than seven years of forensic experience, began using her artistic prowess to help identify Jane Doe.

First, Trooper Krebs used Jane Doe's actual skull and molded an oil-based clay atop it.

"We used tissue depth-markers to estimate how far the tissues would have projected off the bone," she says.

The highly detailed, scientific nature of her work allowed her to create a lifelike 3-D model of Jane Doe's face in only two weeks' time.

When her masterpiece was complete, the MSP alerted the local media outlets, hoping to garner new interest in this case.

Hopes Quickly Raised, Squelched By Science

Less than 24 hours after the first broadcast reports, the brother of a missing local woman who had disappeared in August 1981 came foward. Upon seeing the facial reconstruction, investigators tell AMW he truly believed that Jane Doe was his sister, Carolyn Sue Martin.

Since Carolyn Martin's name and Social Security number have not been used ever since she'd vanished, cops were hopeful that there may have been a link.

"We received nearly 30 other names, as well," Trooper Krebs said. "But hers just stuck out. Her physical description and the time in which she disappeared really fit the timeline.

What made them even more sure of the connection was that both Carolyn Martin and Jane Doe had a chip on the exact same tooth, according to Detective Pauli.

Deep down, cops truly believed they were on the cusp of identifying their victim after all this time but were reluctant to get too excited.

Unfortunately their worst fears were realized when science crushed their hopes nearly a year later.

On Jan. 26, 2010, DNA results came back negative, proving once and for all that the body of Lake Erie Jane Doe was neither that of Kim Larrow nor Carolyn Martin.


Justice Sought Through National Plea

Jane Doe was wearing this shirt, which was tied in a knot around her midsection. It was the only article of clothing on her body at the time she was discovered.

Ever since photos of Trooper Krebs' 3-D model were released March 30, 2009, few legitimate leads have come in -- even though the media markets in Eastern Michigan and parts of Ontario, Canada, were saturated with pictures of the bust.

The lack of tips has frustrated cops, but they are not giving up on their quest to seek justice for this unidentified young woman.

A number of missing women from Michigan, Ohio, and even Canada have come up as potential matches -- only to have science officially rule them out.

Now, with AMW's assistance, Michigan authorities hope that readers throughout the country may be able to shed some light on their victim. By doing so, not only would her identity be revealed, but her vicious killer would be one step closer to paying for their sins.

If you know the true identity of the Lake Erie Jane Doe, as well as that of her killer, you've got to call our Hotline right away at 1-800-CRIME-TV.

 

[JupiterAmmon]

what about Lauren Gail Andersen (missing from MN since Nov. 15th 1981) as a match for this doe?

http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/1386dfmn.html

the only conflicting evidence I see is her hair color (blonde), but they thought the doe might have been Kim Larrow who was described as having blonde hair. Andersen appears to have very straight teeth and the first reconstruction looks similar to her photo IMO.

 

[chaddylex]

Carl,

When you were in contact with LE where the UID was found, did you happen to ask them if they have a list of ruleouts? If they do have one, if it can be released to the public? I just looked on the UID's Namus page and it doesn't list any ruleouts.

 

[CarlK90245]

Carl,

When you were in contact with LE where the UID was found, did you happen to ask them if they have a list of ruleouts? If they do have one, if it can be released to the public? I just looked on the UID's Namus page and it doesn't list any ruleouts.

I spoke with an assistant at the Coroner's office on two separate occasions. She said that the person in charge would call me back, but he never did. I did ask if she had a rule-out list, and she said that she didn't.

I make a conscious effort not to call them too often, so I'll give it a couple more weeks and try again.

 

[chaddylex]

I totally understand Carl about not wanting to call too often. I was in the same boat with Cynthia Day's case. I didn't want to keep bothering the Missouri Highway Patrol, but after awhile I was starting to get a little anxious when I didn't hear anything.... At least Cynthia's family helped to get the ball rolling when they found out I was in contact with LE and wasn't getting any answers!

I think it would make LE's job a little easier to have a rule out list made when they have Unidentified Bodies. This way when people like us are contacting about a comparision, they can let us know so we don't try and pursue any further....

Too bad we don't have an email address so we could shoot them an email.. who knows if that approach would even work!

 

[mtrooper]

I always have WAY better luck with the Medical Examiners office.

Here is the contact info for the Monroe County ME.

Carl Schmidt, MD, MPH
Medical Examiner/Medical Director
Phone: 734-240-7910
Cell: 734-777-2864
Fax: 734-240-7816
[email protected]

 

[chaddylex]

I always have WAY better luck with the Medical Examiners office.

Here is the contact info for the Monroe County ME.

Carl Schmidt, MD, MPH
Medical Examiner/Medical Director
Phone: 734-240-7910
Cell: 734-777-2864
Fax: 734-240-7816
[email protected]
Today 11:34 AM

Carl, are you a taker into calling or emailing the Medical Examiner??