Identified! OH - Troy, Miami Co., 'Buckskin Girl' WhtFem 133UFOH, 15-25, Apr'81 - Marcia King

[snowblossom2]

Probably around 30 pages back (just an estimate), I wrote up a list of, I think it was 16 detailed questions. Among the questions was what condition her hands were in. But the list was never emailed in.

I wish there was a way to sticky posts to the top of whatever page a person is reading...

 

[Armchair-reader]

Hello all. I am new to the group. I wanted to just throw some thoughts of my own out there on Buckskin girl. Was Nancy Kirkpatrick looked into?
http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/k/kirkpatrick_nancy.html
That was one thought.
Another thought was..this beautiful girl was so well groomed. The purple lining in her leather coat would make it seem like it was made for costume wear. Her braids so neatly done. Could she have been on her way to Chillicothe for a casting call for the out door drama Tecumseh(no longer playing) Attacked inside a vehicle thus her shoes and belongings left inside. Rehearsals for that were in May. So casting about april? I know this doesn't help with IDing her but I'm just throwing some balls in your direction maybe someone can pick one up and run with it

 

[rosesfromangels]

Hello all. I am new to the group. I wanted to just throw some thoughts of my own out there on Buckskin girl. Was Nancy Kirkpatrick looked into?
http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/k/kirkpatrick_nancy.html
That was one thought.
Another thought was..this beautiful girl was so well groomed. The purple lining in her leather coat would make it seem like it was made for costume wear. Her braids so neatly done. Could she have been on her way to Chillicothe for a casting call for the out door drama Tecumseh(no longer playing) Attacked inside a vehicle thus her shoes and belongings left inside. Rehearsals for that were in May. So casting about april? I know this doesn't help with IDing her but I'm just throwing some balls in your direction maybe someone can pick one up and run with it

Hello Armchair and welcome! What an interesting theory; this should be explored!
Looking forward to more interesting posts from you!
:welcome6:

 

[Roselvr]

Hello all. I am new to the group. I wanted to just throw some thoughts of my own out there on Buckskin girl. Was Nancy Kirkpatrick looked into?
http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/k/kirkpatrick_nancy.html
That was one thought.
Another thought was..this beautiful girl was so well groomed. The purple lining in her leather coat would make it seem like it was made for costume wear. Her braids so neatly done. Could she have been on her way to Chillicothe for a casting call for the out door drama Tecumseh(no longer playing) Attacked inside a vehicle thus her shoes and belongings left inside. Rehearsals for that were in May. So casting about april? I know this doesn't help with IDing her but I'm just throwing some balls in your direction maybe someone can pick one up and run with it

When I sew, I would use a bridesmaid dress/gown as the lining in something special like this jacket. It also could be a prom gown.
The jacket is not American Indian as it has eyelets

 

[Alleykins]

Hello all. I am new to the group. I wanted to just throw some thoughts of my own out there on Buckskin girl. Was Nancy Kirkpatrick looked into?
http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/k/kirkpatrick_nancy.html
That was one thought.
Another thought was..this beautiful girl was so well groomed. The purple lining in her leather coat would make it seem like it was made for costume wear. Her braids so neatly done. Could she have been on her way to Chillicothe for a casting call for the out door drama Tecumseh(no longer playing) Attacked inside a vehicle thus her shoes and belongings left inside. Rehearsals for that were in May. So casting about april? I know this doesn't help with IDing her but I'm just throwing some balls in your direction maybe someone can pick one up and run with it

Is this the same Tecumsah place you were referring to by chance? http://tecumsehdrama.com/about-us/

 

[Armchair-reader]

Yes Alleykins that's it. I didn't think they were running that show anymore. My bad. There was another outdoor play in Xenia called Blue Jacket. That closed in 2007. I don't know when that one opened though. Thanks for the welcome!

 

[Onfortuneswheel]

[modnote: Copied from Walker County Jane Doe thread]

It is almost never mentioned anywhere, but Jay Smith (Upper Marion HS Principal and co-conspirator in the Reinert murder and disappearances) had a daughter and son-in-law who are also missing.

Edward Hale Hunsberger and Stephanie Smith-Hunsberger disappeared in the late 1970's. They aren't listed in NamUs or any other missing persons sites.

I have a folder on them in my missing-people-missing-from-databases folder. Here are Stephanie Hunsberger's High School photos from 1971 and 1972.

Carl, were you ever able to find a photo of Edward Hunsberger?

Before I found her picture I'd considered Stephanie as a match for this Doe: http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/20ufnj.html, but she doesn't look too much like the rendering.

 

[rascal32]

<modsnip>
She kinda reminds me of BG


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[Alleykins]

<modsnip>
She kinda reminds me of BG
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That's a good catch, I didn't notice the resemblance when Stephanie's picture was first posted on the other thread.
I wish we could see her facial markings better. The only thing that I think doesn't resemble BG is her chin, but that could be the angle of all the pictures. It's more pointed in one of Stephanie's picture and flatter in the other,. Other than that, it's a strong resemblance.

 

[rosesfromangels]

Enough of a resemblance to merit a DNA test IMO.

 

[CarlK90245]

I went ahead and sent an email to Maj Steve Lord and Det. Hickey to suggest that they look into Stephanie Smith-Hunsberger. It is a long shot, but the resemblance is pretty solid, and IMO, warrants a look.

Det. Hickey, Maj. Lord:

I am writing to suggest that you look into a missing Philadelphia area woman as a possible identity of your 1981 Miami County Jane Doe (AKA "Buckskin Girl").

Has the name Stephanie Smith Hunsberger ever been brought to your attention?

Stephanie Smith-Hunsberger (DOB Circa 1954) is the daughter of Jay Charles Smith, former Principal of Upper Merion High School in King of Prussia Pennsylvania. Jay Smith was the convicted co-conspirator in the 1979 murder of Upper Merion school teacher Susan Reinert, and the disappearance of Susan's two children, Karen Reinert (11) and Michael Reinert (10). These murders / disappearances are the subject of the book Echoes in the Darkness by Joseph Wambaugh.

A side-note to the Reinert case was the fact that Stephanie and her husband Edward Hale Hunsberger (DOB 16-Feb-1948) were also missing since around February of 1978, and presumed to have been murdered by Stephanie's father. Both Stephanie and her husband were recovering heroin addicts, and Stephanie was known to have engaged in prostitution.

Just yesterday, I was discussing the Hunsbergers with some friends, and we were wondering why neither of them were listed in NamUs or any other missing persons websites. We located Stephanie's high school portraits from the 1970, 71, and 72 Upper Merion High School yearbooks. We were amazed by her resemblance to "Buckskin Girl" (See Comparisons Below), even considering that these school portraits were taken about a decade before BG's death.

Of course, if Stephanie and her husband were actually murdered by her father, then she would not be "Buckskin Girl". However, Jay Smith's connection to the Reinert murders was entirely circumstantial, and his presumed connection to the disappearance of his daughter and son-in-law was only speculated. As I recall, the only physical evidence connecting Jay Smith to the Reinert case was a Philadelphia Art Museum lapel pin belonging to Karen Reinert, and a comb belonging to Susan Reinert found in Jay Smith's vehicle.

I am wondering if perhaps Stepanie and her husband might have been co-conspirators to the Reinert murders, and voluntarily disappeared afterward. I don't have Stephanie's DOB available, but since Stephanie was a HS senior in 1972, she would have been approximately 27 years old at the time of Buckskin Girl's death.

It all seems to be a long-shot. But nevertheless, given the amazing resemblance of Stephanie to Buckskin Girl, it may be worth the effort to look into this.

 

[Onfortuneswheel]

That's a good catch, I didn't notice the resemblance when Stephanie's picture was first posted on the other thread.
I wish we could see her facial markings better. The only thing that I think doesn't resemble BG is her chin, but that could be the angle of all the pictures. It's more pointed in one of Stephanie's picture and flatter in the other,. Other than that, it's a strong resemblance.

Here's a picture of Stephanie with her eyes closed from the 1970 yearbook. The chin looks a lot more similar in this image.

 

[Alleykins]

Here's a picture of Stephanie with her eyes closed from the 1970 yearbook. The chin looks a lot more similar in this image.

If you look at her teeth, there looks like there may be something up with her right front incisor, which BG had a crown on. If she and Eddie had ended up in CA, like her father said, that could explain some of the isotopes, too. Wow. Even if a long shot, it looks promising.

 

[Alleykins]

I went ahead and sent an email to Maj Steve Lord and Det. Hickey to suggest that they look into Stephanie Smith-Hunsberger. It is a long shot, but the resemblance is pretty solid, and IMO, warrants a look.

Thanks, Carl.
I would have had no idea where to start since she isn't listed anywhere.
Did you sent them the photo comparisons too?

 

[CarlK90245]

Thanks, Carl.
I would have had no idea where to start since she isn't listed anywhere.
Did you sent them the photo comparisons too?

Yes, I did.

 

[Irish_Eyes]

Way interesting. I agree there is a resemblance. Hope you hear back soon.

 

[rascal32]

Yes, I did.

Thank you Carl for everything you do!


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[rascal32]

What age do they estimate BG to have been? I keep looking at the side by sides over and over. Even though the resemblance is strong, there are a few things that have me wondering. I don't see freckles in Stephanie's pictures. Make up or photo touch up maybe? Did they touch up photos back then?
Stephanie's forehead seems flatter... But BG has a wound on her forehead so maybe it has swelling? Of course I'm looking with untrained eyes.


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[Alleykins]

What age do they estimate BG to have been? I keep looking at the side by sides over and over. Even though the resemblance is strong, there are a few things that have me wondering. I don't see freckles in Stephanie's pictures. Make up or photo touch up maybe? Did they touch up photos back then?
Stephanie's forehead seems flatter... But BG has a wound on her forehead so maybe it has swelling? Of course I'm looking with untrained eyes.
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In NamUs, she's estimated to be about 18-26.
Yes, they did photo touch ups back then. I graduated in 1984 and was told touch ups were extra so I skipped them. I also recall seeing the senior pictures of a camp counselor in the 70s, and she was pointing out the flaws in the proofs that the photographer said he could remove (she had some fly away hair). They were stamped "unretouched" meaning they hadn't been touched up yet.

 

[dotr]

Has this mp been suggested already?


Mary Jo Lee Long


http://www.nampn.org/cases/long_mary_jo_lee.html

Classification: Endangered Missing
Date Of Birth: June 9, 1964
Age: 17 years
Height: 5'5"; (65")
Weight: 115 lbs.
Hair Color: Brown
Eye Color: Brown
Race: White
Gender: Female
Case Number: NCMEC# 602861; Agency# 88108903

Details of Disappearance
Mary was last seen on December 27, 1981. Long originally disappeared from Austin, Minnesota on December 27, 1981. She was last seen in Gardena, California two months later, on February 22, 1982; she was living in the 13700 block of Alma at the time.

Long's family didn't report her missing until 1988, seven years after her disappearance. Minnesota police are investigating.

She was a student at Austin High School before she went to live with her father in California, without her mother's approval. Long enrolled at Gardena California High School that spring. Three months later she disappeared.