NY NY - Janice J. Donohue, 36, Brentwood, 16 Dec 1983

[Mrs. Badcrumble]

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

MP79492
Janice J. Donohue
Female
White / Caucasian

Date of Last Contact: December 16, 1983
Missing From: Brentwood, New York
Missing Age: 36 Years
Current Age: 73 Years


Case Information

Demographics
Missing Age: 36 Years
Current Age: 73 Years

First Name: Janice
Middle Name: J.
Last Name: Donohue
Nickname/Alias: Janice Sancomb

Sex: Female
Height: 5' 1" (61 Inches)
Weight: 120 lbs
Race / Ethnicity: White / Caucasian

Circumstances
Date of Last Contact: December 16, 1983
NamUs Case Created: April 13, 2021

Last Known Location Map
Location: Brentwood, New York 11717
County: Suffolk County
Missing From Tribal Land: No
Primary Residence on Tribal Land: --

Circumstances of Disappearance:
Last seen at residence.

Physical Description
Hair Color: Brown
Head Hair Description: --
Body Hair Description: --
Facial Hair Description: --
Left Eye Color: Brown
Right Eye Color: Brown
Eye Description: --

Distinctive Physical Features
Scar/mark:

-Scar on nose
-Scar on right calf​

Clothing and Accessories
No Information Entered



Additional Case Info

Transportation
No Information Entered

 

[madamx]

I wish there was a photo or more info ugh.. I never ever heard of this lady.

 

[Mrs. Badcrumble]

I wish there was a photo or more info ugh.. I never ever heard of this lady.

Seems like you're in luck, madamx! The CP page for Janice contains many pictures (more in the link, because WS won't let you upload more than five images at the time), and also names her husband as a POI.

Janice J. Donohue – The Charley Project

Janice J. Donohue

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Janice, circa 1983; Richard Donohue, circa 1980s

• Missing Since: 12/16/1983
• Missing From: Brentwood, New York
• Classification: Endangered Missing
• Sex: Female
• Race: White
• Date of Birth: 12/10/1947 (73)
• Age: 36 years old
• Height and Weight: 5'1, 120 pounds
• Clothing/Jewelry Description: A striped sweater and blue jeans.
• Distinguishing Characteristics: Caucasian female. Brown hair, brown eyes. Janice's maiden name is Sancomb. Her hair was frosted at the time of her disappearance.

Details of Disappearance
Janice was last seen at her home on Wicks Road in Brentwood, New York at 9:00 p.m. on December 16, 1983. She has never been heard from again. Her husband, Richard Donohue, reported her on January 5, three weeks later. He said he'd worked late, come home and gone to bed, and when he woke up, Janice was gone and their four-year-old son, Chad, was in his crib crying. He stated they were having marital problems and he thought she simply left.

After her disappearance, Janice didn't call her children by her previous marriage, who lived with their father in upstate New York. She also missed a job interview she'd been excited about. Her family doesn't believe she would have abandoned Chad.

A photo of Richard is posted below this case summary. He was a violent man who physically abused Janice during their marriage. After Janice disappeared, police found a note she'd written, saying Richard had threatened to sabotage her car and cause her to get into a fatal wreck, and that if she was ever killed in a car accident, Richard might be responsible for it.

Richard died of cancer in 2000. He has always been the lead suspect in Janice's disappearance, and Chad also believes his father murdered his mother. Chad thinks his uncle Edward, Richard's brother, who hanged himself in the backyard of Richard's house in 1998, may have had knowledge of what happened. He stated Edward was terrified of Richard, he thinks Edward's suicide was prompted by his guilty knowledge of Janice's disappearance.

In December 2019, police searched the Donohues' former residence using ground-penetrating radar, looking for Janice's body. The search didn't turn up anything, however. Both Chad and Janice's biological daughter, who was born when Janice was nineteen and placed for adoption, still hope for closure in her case.


--------------------------------


The last paragraph mentions a daughter, Lisa Rizzo, and this article is really informative on how the disappearance was unravelled:

I-Team: New Jersey Woman Uncovers Decades-Old Mystery in Search for Birth Mom

Since NBC’s inquiry into the missing person case of Janice Donohue, Suffolk County police have reopened the case. (...) Earlier this month, Rizzi submitted a DNA sample to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System at the New York City Medical Examiner’s office. If remains of a body are found anywhere in the United States, the system might make the match and identify Janice Donohue.

 

[madamx]

Seems like you're in luck, madamx! The CP page for Janice contains many pictures (more in the link, because WS won't let you upload more than five images at the time), and also names her husband as a POI.

Janice J. Donohue – The Charley Project

Janice J. Donohue

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Janice, circa 1983; Richard Donohue, circa 1980s

• Missing Since: 12/16/1983
• Missing From: Brentwood, New York
• Classification: Endangered Missing
• Sex: Female
• Race: White
• Date of Birth: 12/10/1947 (73)
• Age: 36 years old
• Height and Weight: 5'1, 120 pounds
• Clothing/Jewelry Description: A striped sweater and blue jeans.
• Distinguishing Characteristics: Caucasian female. Brown hair, brown eyes. Janice's maiden name is Sancomb. Her hair was frosted at the time of her disappearance.

Details of Disappearance
Janice was last seen at her home on Wicks Road in Brentwood, New York at 9:00 p.m. on December 16, 1983. She has never been heard from again. Her husband, Richard Donohue, reported her on January 5, three weeks later. He said he'd worked late, come home and gone to bed, and when he woke up, Janice was gone and their four-year-old son, Chad, was in his crib crying. He stated they were having marital problems and he thought she simply left.

After her disappearance, Janice didn't call her children by her previous marriage, who lived with their father in upstate New York. She also missed a job interview she'd been excited about. Her family doesn't believe she would have abandoned Chad.

A photo of Richard is posted below this case summary. He was a violent man who physically abused Janice during their marriage. After Janice disappeared, police found a note she'd written, saying Richard had threatened to sabotage her car and cause her to get into a fatal wreck, and that if she was ever killed in a car accident, Richard might be responsible for it.

Richard died of cancer in 2000. He has always been the lead suspect in Janice's disappearance, and Chad also believes his father murdered his mother. Chad thinks his uncle Edward, Richard's brother, who hanged himself in the backyard of Richard's house in 1998, may have had knowledge of what happened. He stated Edward was terrified of Richard, he thinks Edward's suicide was prompted by his guilty knowledge of Janice's disappearance.

In December 2019, police searched the Donohues' former residence using ground-penetrating radar, looking for Janice's body. The search didn't turn up anything, however. Both Chad and Janice's biological daughter, who was born when Janice was nineteen and placed for adoption, still hope for closure in her case.


--------------------------------


The last paragraph mentions a daughter, Lisa Rizzo, and this article is really informative on how the disappearance was unravelled:

I-Team: New Jersey Woman Uncovers Decades-Old Mystery in Search for Birth Mom

Wow this is sad and frustrating since Namus has nothing in NYC from the 1980s ugh..

btw great find Mrs badcrumble!

 

[hot cawfeee]

bumping..............I don't remember this either. Why did Mathew Solomon pop into my head ???

 

[madamx]

bumping..............I don't remember this either. Why did Mathew Solomon pop into my head ???

Hmmmm that means we need to look for an unidentified woman in garbage bags.......

 

[madamx]

Someone posted this on Cynthia Constantine’s thread today.

Human Remains Discovered In West Brook Pond: Police


The skeletal remains were found Tuesday morning.

 

[WNYer]

Janice J. Donohue – The Charley Project

I-Team: New Jersey Woman Uncovers Decades-Old Mystery in Search for Birth Mom

I am currently working with Janice Donohue’s daughter Lisa Rizzi to get a first ruleout/possible match to Chautauqua County Jane Doe. She thought her Mother’s case was visible to everybody in the NamUs database since 2019 when she submitted DNA. We called to check on everything Monday and it was swiftly submitted/visible as of yesterday.

 

[MadMcGoo]

Janice J. Donohue – The Charley Project

I-Team: New Jersey Woman Uncovers Decades-Old Mystery in Search for Birth Mom

I am currently working with Janice Donohue’s daughter Lisa Rizzi to get a first ruleout/possible match to Chautauqua County Jane Doe. She thought her Mother’s case was visible to everybody in the NamUs database since 2019 when she submitted DNA. We called to check on everything Monday and it was swiftly submitted/visible as of yesterday.

Excellent!!

If I’m not mistaken, Janice was last known alive after CCJD was discovered. Is there a chance the missing date is wrong? Either way, I do see a good resemblance between the two. I hope her daughter can find answers.

 

[WNYer]

 

[WNYer]

Excellent!!

If I’m not mistaken, Janice was last known alive after CCJD was discovered. Is there a chance the missing date is wrong? Either way, I do see a good resemblance between the two. I hope her daughter can find answers.

Her husband Richard Donohue was the main suspect in her disappearance and did not report her missing until 3 weeks after she went missing. That would be if her husband was truthful with that date. Janice’s son Chad believes his Uncle Edward may have been an accomplice and hung himself on the property/family home in Brentwood in 1998. He was said to be scared of his brother Richard Donohue. If nothing else, it’s suspected he might have helped give Richard the needed alibi to keep his nose clean.

 

[MadMcGoo]

Her husband Richard Donohue was POI and did not report her missing until 3 weeks after she went missing. That would be if her husband was truthful with that date. Janice’s son Chad believes his Uncle Edward may have been an accomplice and hung himself on the property/family home in Brentwood in 1998. He was said to be scared of his brother Richard Donohue. If nothing else, it’s suspected he might have helped give Richard the needed alibi to keep his nose clean.

Oh wow! Yeah, I can see the importance of checking then. Thank you!

 

[WNYer]

Richard Donohue also worked at JFK Airport (The best educated guess of detectives that have attempted to decode the note foundin CCJD’s pocket from Blue Boy Motel) was that the numbers were direct lines within JFK Airport)with access to an incinerator, although unlikely, as it’s Avery public place. It’s said Richard may have had cartel/mafia ties as well as he was definitely in the drug trade. His home and the trunk of her inherited Cadillac were cleaned between these times. Her Cadillac was located at the family home as far as we can tell. Detectives say water was running much more than usual during this time as well.

 

[Mrs. Badcrumble]

Hi, @WNYer! Before we go any further, would you consider becoming a verified insider on behalf of Janice in this case? If you do, you can continue posting info and updates without having to add links (it's WS ToS).

You find how to become a verified insider in this link-->
Verified Professional and Insider Members

 

[WNYer]

Hi, @WNYer! Before we go any further, would you consider becoming a verified insider on behalf of Janice in this case? If you do, you can continue posting info and updates without having to add links (it's WS ToS).

You find how to become a verified insider in this link-->
Verified Professional and Insider Members

Hi there -I have sent an email request to become a verified insider, thank you!

 

[WNYer]

Because I am a friend of her daughter placed for adoption(Lisa Rizzi), and did not meet Janice personally, I cannot be considered a verified insider. So my apologies, but I’ll continue posting a source with anything I post. According to the rules in place though, Lisa only met her Mother at birth and never as an adult(no pictures). Does this mean she would or would not be considered an insider if I ask her to join? I know her technical abilities are limited so I’m unsure if she’d be able to navigate WS or not to do so.

 

[WNYer]

Update: Chautauqua County Jane Doe has been ruled out as Janice Donohue based off the threshold of one dna submission on Janice’s behalf(her daughter’s). They advised Lisa prior to requesting future comparisons, they’d like another family members sample. This deemed tricky, but the Detective talked Janice Donohue’s brother(only living sibling) to submit his DNA to strengthen the threshold for future comparisons. We are requesting comparison for another Jane Doe as soon as soon as this is complete.

 

[hot cawfeee]

bumping for Janice......someone knows something !

 

[WNYer]

More pictures of Janice

 

[madamx]

If he worked at JFK.. I wonder if he dumped her body somewhere out in Queens or even Brooklyn. Since Suffolk and Nassau police are not related to NYPD they won’t communicate, so it’s possible she could of ended up in the city and nobody knew.