Resolved NM - Winston, WhtFem Adult - Pre 80, UP59097, poss name Susan Russell, Tatt "Sue", Jul'19 - NamUs Removed

[ChatteringBirds]

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

Date Body Found: July 5, 2019
Location Found: Winston, New Mexico

On 7/5/2019, an unidentified female was found at a residence in Winston New Mexico. Possible name of Susan Russell but this has not been confirmed.

Height: 5' 0"(60 inches)
Weight: 98 lbs
Hair: grey or partially grey
Eye color: Unknown

Tattoo on upper left arm "Sue:"

Age given only as "Adult, pre-80"

 

[ChatteringBirds]

I created this thread because it seems solvable. They know the residence she was found in. They know a possible name. (Or could it be an alias or she has a relationship to the name somehow?)

 

[UnlicensedPI]

Okay, did a little digging and I think I found something. Let me go through this step by step.

The first thing I did was find a Susan Russell in Winston, NM. This says age unknown, lived at Hc 30.
https://www.truepeoplesearch.com/details?name=Susan Russell&citystatezip=Winston, NM&rid=0x0

The next step was to go to the Sierra County public records index, where I found a marriage license between a Susan Russell and a Lester J. Matyshock.
Clerk Lookup

I searched for Lester Matyshock, who lived at 177 Hc 30 in Winston.
https://www.truepeoplesearch.com/details?name=lester matyshock&rid=0x0

Lester passed away in January 2014.
Lester Matyshock Obituary - Winston, New Mexico - Tributes.com

There is a record for Susan Matyshock in Winston.
https://www.truepeoplesearch.com/details?name=susan matyshock&rid=0x0

This is as far as I've gotten, other than obituaries with mentions of Lester.

 

[Dylansmom08]

Well I didn't find a missing person case file for her. What do we need to get her identified? A family member to link her to and test DNA against? Maybe, we need to see if she has any children, siblings or her parents still living. If someone has access to ancestry sites and can start digging that might give us some direction to head in.

 

[ChatteringBirds]

I assume she needs to be reported missing and a relative provide DNA and then after a long processing wait, maybe a match will be made?

I wish we knew more about the residence where she was found. NamUs says partial remains, so do we assume she was found buried on a property?

And the owner(s), what did they have to say about it? (Obviously a hypothetical question. But are they the source of the potential name?)

@UnlicensedPI the links you posted are blocked for me, but are you wondering if she is the Susan you found?

 

[UnlicensedPI]

I assume she needs to be reported missing and a relative provide DNA and then after a long processing wait, maybe a match will be made?

I wish we knew more about the residence where she was found. NamUs says partial remains, so do we assume she was found buried on a property?

And the owner(s), what did they have to say about it? (Obviously a hypothetical question. But are they the source of the potential name?)

@UnlicensedPI the links you posted are blocked for me, but are you wondering if she is the Susan you found?

She's the only Susan Russell I found in Winston, and her lack of listed relatives makes me think it's the same woman. I don't believe she was reported missing and I think this is probably more like an unclaimed case than a true unidentified, JMO.

 

[UnlicensedPI]

I found a birth year for Susan to be 1943.

I also found some criminal history for Lester, which could possibly explain any distance from family.

 

[ChatteringBirds]

I found a birth year for Susan to be 1943.

I also found some criminal history for Lester, which could possibly explain any distance from family.

Speculation: Do you suppose they "know" who she is but can't find a relative to confirm her identity through DNA or dental records?

Hopefully she will be claimed by a relative this year, though.

 

[UnlicensedPI]

Speculation: Do you suppose they "know" who she is but can't find a relative to confirm her identity through DNA or dental records?

Hopefully she will be claimed by a relative this year, though.

Yes, it even says in NamUs they believe she's Susan Russell but can't confirm. I'm going to send an email to the NamUs contact later today with everything I've found to help them locate next of kin.

 

[ChatteringBirds]

Bumping up. She's still listed in NamUs.

 

[Laughing]

In a town the size of Winston, with a marriage record in the county -- one would not think one a mystery IMHO.

Wonder what is going on?

Upthread a poster mentions a criminal history for a resident of this location -- is LE suggesting there is a murder victim and Susan Russell Matyshock ran?

Old genealogist here -- this couple left a limited digital footprint. Not so unusual given their ages.

Lester's family of origin is apparently still in Humboldt County, California.

Susan? No such luck. Possibly, Russell was a surname from a previous marriage?

Apparently she was born @1943, lived in Winston by 2007, married Lester June 14, 2010.

A copy of the marriage license might tell us more -- the names of witnesses, some family member, the officiant -- all can point to family, friends, and ties in the community. @UnlicensedPI , are you willing to call the contact, Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, and ask if the Sierra County marriage license provides useful information? More info here:

Missing Persons & Unidentified and/or Unclaimed Decedents


(But, LE should be able to access the marriage license? If someone thought to check.)

So, a mystery!

jmho ymmv lrr

 

[UnlicensedPI]

In a town the size of Winston, with a marriage record in the county -- one would not think one a mystery IMHO.

Wonder what is going on?

Upthread a poster mentions a criminal history for a resident of this location -- is LE suggesting there is a murder victim and Susan Russell Matyshock ran?

Old genealogist here -- this couple left a limited digital footprint. Not so unusual given their ages.

Lester's family of origin is apparently still in Humboldt County, California.

Susan? No such luck. Possibly, Russell was a surname from a previous marriage?

Apparently she was born @1943, lived in Winston by 2007, married Lester June 14, 2010.

A copy of the marriage license might tell us more -- the names of witnesses, some family member, the officiant -- all can point to family, friends, and ties in the community. @UnlicensedPI , are you willing to call the contact, Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, and ask if the Sierra County marriage license provides useful information? More info here:

Missing Persons & Unidentified and/or Unclaimed Decedents


(But, LE should be able to access the marriage license? If someone thought to check.)

So, a mystery!

jmho ymmv lrr

I will call today if I get a lunch break

 

[Laughing]

Thank you, thank you!

 

[UnlicensedPI]

I didn't get a chance to call so I sent an email last night asking how I'd get copies of those records and what info would be available to me. I made sure to sound more like a genealogist than a websleuth

 

[UnlicensedPI]

The clerk emailed me back. Apparently, they can only give out year of birth, not the exact date. They also wouldn't have her parents' names unless she was a minor at the time of the marriage. Back to the drawing board...

 

[Laughing]

The clerk emailed me back. Apparently, they can only give out year of birth, not the exact date. They also wouldn't have her parents' names unless she was a minor at the time of the marriage. Back to the drawing board...

Thanks for the effort! Still wondering if LE thought to check there.

jmho ymmv lrr

 

[iulia]

The NamUs page for this lady is down.

 

[Laughing]

The NamUs page for this lady is down.

@UnlicensedPI , interesting development!

 

[UnlicensedPI]

@UnlicensedPI , interesting development!

Oooohhh, fingers crossed for Susan!