721UFNM - Unidentified Female
Reconstruction of victim.
Date of Discovery: March 26, 2003
Location of Discovery: Dona Ana County, New Mexico
Estimated Date of Death: 2 Hours prior
State of Remains: Not recognizable - Traumatic injuries
Cause of Death: Pedestrian struck by motor vehicle.
Physical Description
Estimated Age: 50 - 60 years old
Race: Black/African American
Gender: Female
Height: 5'5", Measured
Weight: 134, Measured
Hair Color: black, curly hair, 6" over crown.
Eye Color: Brown
Distinguishing Marks/Features: A vertical scar on lower midline abdomen, between umbilicus and pubic symphysis.
Identifiers
Dentals: Available
Fingerprints: Available
DNA: Available
Clothing & Personal Items
Clothing: Three sweatshirts, two T-shirts, blue sweater, gold colored poncho with fringe, black tank top, pink robe, swimsuit, camisole, blue shorts, orange shorts, long johns, gloves, multiple socks, leg warmers, blue denim overalls. Black high top tennis shoes.
Jewelry: Unknown
Additional Personal Items: Purse and backpack with multiple miscellaneous items including toys, medications, jewelry, binoculars, magazines, books, knitting needles, safety pins, salt and pepper packs, creamer packets, cards, papers and more.
Circumstances of Discovery
The victim was a pedestrian struck by a motor vehicle on Highway 227, at mile marker 2.
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This case has stuck with me for a while now for two main reasons:
She was found with lots of items on her, including toys and knitting needles. I think it is extremely possible that she was close to her family and that she may have been a beloved aunt or grandmother. I have mixed feelings as to whether or not she was homeless. If she was a transient, the sugar packets/creamer/salt could have been taken from various restaurants she passed through in her travels.
The second is that this case is extremely similar to two other cases in New Mexico from roughly the same period:
CASE NUMBER - 706UFNM
CASE NUMBER - 707UFNM
Like this Jane Doe, these ladies also happened to be pedestrians who died while trying to cross US highways going through southern New Mexico. The lady who was hit and died in 2002 was also found in Doña Ana County, and the accident that killed the other lady in 2004 took place in neighboring Luna County. Both of the counties border with Mexico. I thought it was really weird how three pedestrians could all die and go unidentified on top of that in such close proximity to one another and in such a short time frame, so I did some brief research, and I found out that New Mexico has one of the highest rates of pedestrian fatality in the country (some sources state that it has the highest, but I'm not sure how accurate that is).
I have no idea how busy traffic is on these highways, but if they are anything like the rural highways we have in north-central Florida, they are probably relatively deserted two-lane or four-lane highways with nowhere for pedestrians to legally cross the street, which would obviously make it dangerous for them to do so.
Reconstruction of victim.
Date of Discovery: March 26, 2003
Location of Discovery: Dona Ana County, New Mexico
Estimated Date of Death: 2 Hours prior
State of Remains: Not recognizable - Traumatic injuries
Cause of Death: Pedestrian struck by motor vehicle.
Physical Description
Estimated Age: 50 - 60 years old
Race: Black/African American
Gender: Female
Height: 5'5", Measured
Weight: 134, Measured
Hair Color: black, curly hair, 6" over crown.
Eye Color: Brown
Distinguishing Marks/Features: A vertical scar on lower midline abdomen, between umbilicus and pubic symphysis.
Identifiers
Dentals: Available
Fingerprints: Available
DNA: Available
Clothing & Personal Items
Clothing: Three sweatshirts, two T-shirts, blue sweater, gold colored poncho with fringe, black tank top, pink robe, swimsuit, camisole, blue shorts, orange shorts, long johns, gloves, multiple socks, leg warmers, blue denim overalls. Black high top tennis shoes.
Jewelry: Unknown
Additional Personal Items: Purse and backpack with multiple miscellaneous items including toys, medications, jewelry, binoculars, magazines, books, knitting needles, safety pins, salt and pepper packs, creamer packets, cards, papers and more.
Circumstances of Discovery
The victim was a pedestrian struck by a motor vehicle on Highway 227, at mile marker 2.
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This case has stuck with me for a while now for two main reasons:
She was found with lots of items on her, including toys and knitting needles. I think it is extremely possible that she was close to her family and that she may have been a beloved aunt or grandmother. I have mixed feelings as to whether or not she was homeless. If she was a transient, the sugar packets/creamer/salt could have been taken from various restaurants she passed through in her travels.
The second is that this case is extremely similar to two other cases in New Mexico from roughly the same period:
CASE NUMBER - 706UFNM
CASE NUMBER - 707UFNM
Like this Jane Doe, these ladies also happened to be pedestrians who died while trying to cross US highways going through southern New Mexico. The lady who was hit and died in 2002 was also found in Doña Ana County, and the accident that killed the other lady in 2004 took place in neighboring Luna County. Both of the counties border with Mexico. I thought it was really weird how three pedestrians could all die and go unidentified on top of that in such close proximity to one another and in such a short time frame, so I did some brief research, and I found out that New Mexico has one of the highest rates of pedestrian fatality in the country (some sources state that it has the highest, but I'm not sure how accurate that is).
I have no idea how busy traffic is on these highways, but if they are anything like the rural highways we have in north-central Florida, they are probably relatively deserted two-lane or four-lane highways with nowhere for pedestrians to legally cross the street, which would obviously make it dangerous for them to do so.
