Identified! SC - Myrtle Beach, WhtFem at beach, dolphin tat, May'13 - Robin Kelly

[DrDMike]

Most people start going to their destination spot around that time, if they plan to leave the day after memorial day. That gives me a longer weekend and easier travel time. I know my parents will go away 4 days before memorial day (since they have retired at least) and they will leave the night of Memorial day to avoid traffic at tollways or traffic in general. KWIM?

But here's what I'm having issues with, although I may not be so stumped if I researched this a bit lol. She was dressed from having been swimming or laying out. She had socks on and her shoes. She had a lounging type outfit on. her shoes and socks are a tad odd for someone going into the sand, which makes me think she was on a boat, because otherwise she wouldn't be wearing trainers and socks, she would be wearing flipflops or sandals of some sort.

So this leaves me with: on a boat with others and she had a heart attack or fell in and drowned (was there water in her lungs? Did she drown or was she deceased when she went in?).

She was on a dock or pier and fell in, maybe she had lost her footing and tumbled over and wasn't able to swim well for deep waters? Maybe she didn't know how to swim at all. Maybe she got caught in a tide?

I do not think she was swimming in all of those things. I do not think someone pushed her in, but I could be wrong. You would think someone would have heard a woman scream if she had been pushed in. There would likely be defensive wounds had she staved off an attacker before being pushed in.

But who on earth would be on a boat with a woman, have her fall in and not look for her? Who would abandon her?

Was there a cruise ship with many strangers aboard?
Was there a sailboat that went out with people who paid for the trip and she would go unaccounted for when they docked?

How does someone fall over and no sounds are made?

I think a boat would have to be in motion for her to fall off / out and no one hear the sound of the splash and yelling for help. And I think it would have to be some sort of party barge filled with strangers in order for her to not be listed as missing in the area. But this is someone's friend, daughter maybe an Aunt, sister or mother. Someone is missing her somewhere.

I do not know the amount of tourists who are from other countries who visit during memorial day weekend, I would think it would be rather small. I would look for people in the same state or in a state / city that is closer. Her street clothes and a change of clothes are SOMEWHERE. A hotel?

Here's a thought: if someone were to have called around the hotels surrounding the area and asked if anyone failed to check out and also left behind all of their belongings, it would have been of great help.

If someone were to have called about any cars parked at the beach that failed to pay their meter or move it after hours, with a person and other belongings inside - huge help.

her purse, money, ID, change of clothing, transportation (maybe, if she didn't take a bus), her hotel room or apartment .. are out there.

There was an article where the police said she killed herself. She had tried slashing her wrists in a bathroom right before going into the water.

 

[AstroKitty]

There was an article where the police said she killed herself. She had tried slashing her wrists in a bathroom right before going into the water.

Crap! Is there a link on here? It's 3:30 in the morning here and it's way past my bedtime. So Im assuming they found blood and the item used to slash her wrists in the bathroom? If that's the case and depending on how she sliced (was it down the river or across the river - so to speak), she would have gone into the water to bleed out faster. I would think there would be a trail of blood from the bathroom to the water though. Unless of course the cuts were superficial.

Was her tox screen clear of sedatives or anything that could cause respiratory distress?

What a sad story. I will say though, most people who are committing suicide by water often remove their shoes out of pure habit. I'm going to look at the link and read more. I guess I didn't see it on Namus or the link that had the actual PM photo of her tattoo.

 

[AstroKitty]

What do you think of Anne McCall?
https://www.findthemissing.org/en/cases/19566/3943

Anne McCall
Age: 52
Date entered in database: 7th March 2013
Last Seen: November 26, 2012 08:00
Height: 59in
Weight: 200lbs
Eye colour: brown
Hair: Brown bob
Samples submitted - Tests not complete

McCall walked away from her apartment carrying a suitcase and has not been seen or heard from since.

bringing this forward: has she been ruled out?

 

[AstroKitty]

Main Stream Media Article


Myrtle Beach body is unidentified after 5 months
Published 13th Oct 2013



A similar report dated: 12th October 2013
Myrtle Beach body is unidentified after 5 months



.

this didn't copy over but the post has it in there - the links don't work anymore:

"COLUMBIA, S.C. — Police are pretty certain the well-kept middle-aged woman with the dolphin tattoo on her leg came to Myrtle Beach to die, but they can't figure out who she is.

Her fingerprints don't show up in any criminal databases, and she doesn't match any missing persons report from across the country. She left behind no car to be discovered, no bag unclaimed on the beach or in a hotel room. Officers took her photo by dozens of places where homeless people congregate in the area, but no one recognized her.
-----
A tourist on a balcony spotted her bobbing in the waves around 8 a.m. on the south side of Myrtle Beach.
-----
Police think she intended to commit suicide because cuts were found on her wrists, although she died from drowning. Blood was found in a public bathroom about a mile down the beach."

these are direct quotes from that post which pulled them from articles which are linked, but the links no longer pull.

I also read back and another poster owns a tattoo shop with their old man too They are guessing the tattoo is 10 years old. I don't think it's that old so I'm going to meet them in the middle and say 1 - 5 years.

Looks like I commented way earlier on and pretty much had the same observations. DOH! lol I also provided no new insights as many others suggested and questioned the same things. I wish I could be of some help here but I think I bring nothing new to the table.

She walked a MILE after cutting her wrists, there would be blood on that trail and it wouldn't take long to lose energy in the water and to drown. What a sad case.

Those that have checked into the building I live in in NYC (it is also a hotel) that commit suicide tend to pay for 1 night, with cash and bring NOTHING. So I can see this now for what it is. I'm assuming she took the bus in, tossed her ID and information, had a cheap room (maybe) that didn't require a credit card on file but all require an ID to check in. But it's odd she would cut her wrists in the bathroom and walk a mile to end her life by drowning rather than commit all these things in a hotel room. Not to be morbid but most would chose hanging over drowning, it's private and while it takes just as long - I don't think it would hurt as bad as drowning. Plus the human body naturally attempts to save itself from drowning or suffocation. You can't fight that urge, it's fight or flight.

Putting the ME's speculation in how long she'd been in the water, she went in around 2-4am. No one would have seen her and it's highly possible she is local or near by and simply walked there. I don't know if buses would run that late.
Someone pointed out the cut on her neck. I'm guessing she may have hesitation marks from attempting to slice her own neck after or before slicing her wrists. The mark is on the right area if you were going to do it - to bleed out quickly, but it's hard to cut your own neck (the area is larger than the wrists of course and you have to go deeper). I'm thinking she spent some time doing this anyway she could. I'm VERY curious if she had drugs or alcohol in her system. Someone this set in the idea of ending their life by any means necessary would likely have tried to O'd. Unless of course they had no money or had no idea on how to score drugs (but then that leaves liquor... unless she brought no ID and there for couldn't purchase..).
Very odd.

 

[stillwatersc]

this didn't copy over but the post has it in there - the links don't work anymore:

"COLUMBIA, S.C. — Police are pretty certain the well-kept middle-aged woman with the dolphin tattoo on her leg came to Myrtle Beach to die, but they can't figure out who she is.

Her fingerprints don't show up in any criminal databases, and she doesn't match any missing persons report from across the country. She left behind no car to be discovered, no bag unclaimed on the beach or in a hotel room. Officers took her photo by dozens of places where homeless people congregate in the area, but no one recognized her.
-----
A tourist on a balcony spotted her bobbing in the waves around 8 a.m. on the south side of Myrtle Beach.
-----
Police think she intended to commit suicide because cuts were found on her wrists, although she died from drowning. Blood was found in a public bathroom about a mile down the beach."

these are direct quotes from that post which pulled them from articles which are linked, but the links no longer pull.

I also read back and another poster owns a tattoo shop with their old man too They are guessing the tattoo is 10 years old. I don't think it's that old so I'm going to meet them in the middle and say 1 - 5 years.

Looks like I commented way earlier on and pretty much had the same observations. DOH! lol I also provided no new insights as many others suggested and questioned the same things. I wish I could be of some help here but I think I bring nothing new to the table.

She walked a MILE after cutting her wrists, there would be blood on that trail and it wouldn't take long to lose energy in the water and to drown. What a sad case.

Those that have checked into the building I live in in NYC (it is also a hotel) that commit suicide tend to pay for 1 night, with cash and bring NOTHING. So I can see this now for what it is. I'm assuming she took the bus in, tossed her ID and information, had a cheap room (maybe) that didn't require a credit card on file but all require an ID to check in. But it's odd she would cut her wrists in the bathroom and walk a mile to end her life by drowning rather than commit all these things in a hotel room. Not to be morbid but most would chose hanging over drowning, it's private and while it takes just as long - I don't think it would hurt as bad as drowning. Plus the human body naturally attempts to save itself from drowning or suffocation. You can't fight that urge, it's fight or flight.

Putting the ME's speculation in how long she'd been in the water, she went in around 2-4am. No one would have seen her and it's highly possible she is local or near by and simply walked there. I don't know if buses would run that late.
Someone pointed out the cut on her neck. I'm guessing she may have hesitation marks from attempting to slice her own neck after or before slicing her wrists. The mark is on the right area if you were going to do it - to bleed out quickly, but it's hard to cut your own neck (the area is larger than the wrists of course and you have to go deeper). I'm thinking she spent some time doing this anyway she could. I'm VERY curious if she had drugs or alcohol in her system. Someone this set in the idea of ending their life by any means necessary would likely have tried to O'd. Unless of course they had no money or had no idea on how to score drugs (but then that leaves liquor... unless she brought no ID and there for couldn't purchase..).
Very odd.

Thank you, Astrokitty for all your efforts on this. Sounds like they really worked to ID her but she didn't want to be identified. Sad story.

 

[carbuff]

this didn't copy over but the post has it in there - the links don't work anymore:

"COLUMBIA, S.C. — Police are pretty certain the well-kept middle-aged woman with the dolphin tattoo on her leg came to Myrtle Beach to die, but they can't figure out who she is.

Her fingerprints don't show up in any criminal databases, and she doesn't match any missing persons report from across the country. She left behind no car to be discovered, no bag unclaimed on the beach or in a hotel room. Officers took her photo by dozens of places where homeless people congregate in the area, but no one recognized her.
-----
A tourist on a balcony spotted her bobbing in the waves around 8 a.m. on the south side of Myrtle Beach.
-----
Police think she intended to commit suicide because cuts were found on her wrists, although she died from drowning. Blood was found in a public bathroom about a mile down the beach."

these are direct quotes from that post which pulled them from articles which are linked, but the links no longer pull.

I also read back and another poster owns a tattoo shop with their old man too They are guessing the tattoo is 10 years old. I don't think it's that old so I'm going to meet them in the middle and say 1 - 5 years.

Looks like I commented way earlier on and pretty much had the same observations. DOH! lol I also provided no new insights as many others suggested and questioned the same things. I wish I could be of some help here but I think I bring nothing new to the table.

She walked a MILE after cutting her wrists, there would be blood on that trail and it wouldn't take long to lose energy in the water and to drown. What a sad case.

Those that have checked into the building I live in in NYC (it is also a hotel) that commit suicide tend to pay for 1 night, with cash and bring NOTHING. So I can see this now for what it is. I'm assuming she took the bus in, tossed her ID and information, had a cheap room (maybe) that didn't require a credit card on file but all require an ID to check in. But it's odd she would cut her wrists in the bathroom and walk a mile to end her life by drowning rather than commit all these things in a hotel room. Not to be morbid but most would chose hanging over drowning, it's private and while it takes just as long - I don't think it would hurt as bad as drowning. Plus the human body naturally attempts to save itself from drowning or suffocation. You can't fight that urge, it's fight or flight.

Putting the ME's speculation in how long she'd been in the water, she went in around 2-4am. No one would have seen her and it's highly possible she is local or near by and simply walked there. I don't know if buses would run that late.
Someone pointed out the cut on her neck. I'm guessing she may have hesitation marks from attempting to slice her own neck after or before slicing her wrists. The mark is on the right area if you were going to do it - to bleed out quickly, but it's hard to cut your own neck (the area is larger than the wrists of course and you have to go deeper). I'm thinking she spent some time doing this anyway she could. I'm VERY curious if she had drugs or alcohol in her system. Someone this set in the idea of ending their life by any means necessary would likely have tried to O'd. Unless of course they had no money or had no idea on how to score drugs (but then that leaves liquor... unless she brought no ID and there for couldn't purchase..).
Very odd.

Thanks for checking back

I managed to miss this update what with traveling all fall. Poor woman. When somebody has gone to this extent to die alone and unnamed, I sometimes feel like it's not right to try to violate that dying wish, y'know? We have a number of people like that in here: "Lyle Stevik," the woman who killed herself in the Annandale cemetery, a man who hung himself in a sleazy New Jersey strip hotel come to mind off the top of my head.

 

[reasonableguess]

It's totally normal at that time of year for people of that age group in MB to walk the beach in a bathing suit, socks, and tennis shoes. You could see 100s of people dressed just like that at any time of day -- even in the grocery store -- at that time of year. Not weird clothing at all for the time/place/local customs.

 

[trisha_mc]

I checked out of my hotel in myrtle beach the morning this lady was found. I was staying about 3 blocks north of where she was spotted in the water. Searching for updates on her identity is how I discovered Websleuths, and I've been addicted to this site ever since!

Some things I can add:all of course JMO.
The water was very strong that weekend. My husband is very athletic, and even he was struggling to stay in the water that weekend, and tiring quickly. The current was pulling strongly to the south. We would walk north on the beach a few blocks, then get into the water, so we would get pulled back towards our hotel.

The other thing to keep in mind is that this was BLACK Bike Week, and this lady would surely have stuck out to anyone who saw her. I am white, but my husband is black, and even though I am in my mid-30s, I always feel like I stick out when I am there that weekend every year. Honestly, if you talk to the locals, or read local's opinions online about Black Bike Week, a lot of white locals vacate the area during this time. It is much more tame than it used to be, but just picture a combination of Freaknik and Spring Break and you'll get an idea of what's going on there.

I had some girl give me a sob story about why she needed money the day before that, but nothing added up, including that she wasn't dressed like a tourist. I think this lady absolutely was not a local due to how she was dressed, and she probably didn't have any idea that she would be there during BBW. I would be interested in knowing where the location of this bloody bathroom was, because I am certain someone would have noticed her. I saw ZERO middle-aged white women there that weekend and would definitely have remembered if I had. There are tons of pics and videos online from BBW, so if we had information on where that bathroom was, we could start looking for her in these pics/videos (those of us who can stand watching them at least LOL!) and maybe get a better picture of what she looked like, or maybe gain some other clue that would help.

But yes, this is truly a sad story, and I hope that we can help her get back to the people who love her.

 

[AstroKitty]

Im just trying to picture how on earth she slit her wrists and walked a mile (she couldn't get on public transportation with bleeding from wrists ... unless it was superficial or "across the river").

I know the despair of life and depression to the point of wanting to end it, but going out of town - the planning it - slicing your wrists, hesitation marks on your neck and then going out in the vast waters and HOPE you drown.. this is a very pitiful heartbreaking ending. She suffered greatly in her release. Drowning is physically painful because the water burns the hell out of your lungs when your oxygen is gone. It's suffocation and your body attempting fight or flight. I can't even imagine.

I'll look tonight for anything that might release the bathroom she bled out at. I envisioned a park bathroom, one with an outdoor exit and open to the public. I'm guessing she didn't have a hotel room because a person wouldn't risk being caught/stopped by slicing their wrists in the toilets.

 

[trisha_mc]

I agree that she wouldn't risk being seen. If the bathroom was north of where she was found, she would only need to walk out the back exit of the building, and right onto the beach if it was a business on Ocean Blvd. then she would have been easily carried south by the currents, and quickly. But there are just insane masses of people walking around everywhere all times of the day and night during BBW, so she must have done it very close to wherever she went into the ocean. The sidewalks and streets are just a solid mass of people, even late at night/early in the morning, and I would actually say the beach is far less crowded, esp at night, and very dark. So ONLY the beach would be kind of quiet that time of night/morning when she went in. Hotel hallways and lobbies are always busy, and there are just ridiculous numbers of pedestrians and people wherever you go on the streets. Poor lady probably had no idea what Myrtle Beach is like during BBW! There is a great episode of "eastbound and down" on HBO that captures the chaos very well!

 

[psyquestor]

Many people who die by suicide are ambivalent about living or dying. Completing this act in a public place allows that something or someone may stop them. It is not all that unusual for the location to be public. Most only want for their pain to end, not to actually die.

My personal opinion. Sadly.

 

[stillwatersc]

You don't stop looking. And you know there are parents, or a brother or sister or someone who is probably looking. We always have hope and faith that eventually our paths will cross,” Carlton said. Until that day, the body found off Myrtle Beach will remain in the morgue. She has been embalmed, so she will be ready to go home whenever authorities figure out who she is.

Read more here: http://www.thestate.com/2013/10/12/3034675/myrtle-beach-body-is-unidentified.html#storylink=cpy

So they haven't buried her, just waiting for someone to report her missing so they can identify her.

 

[trisha_mc]

I see her NAMUS profile says "sample available, not yet submitted". JMO, but it seems like that's a very long time for a sample to still not have been submitted!

 

[astridxx]

She walked a MILE after cutting her wrists, there would be blood on that trail

Not necessarily. We don't know how much blood they found or how deep the cuts were. We can only assume. Even if they were cut to the point she was spurting, she could have wrapped her wrists in a towel or other fabric afterwards.

 

[LunaticFringe]

Any thoughts on this woman?

http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/s/stobaugh_katherine.html

I do not see anything about a tattoo.I assume she was murdered in 2004 as well.
Just throwing it out there.

 

[AstroKitty]

Any thoughts on this woman?

http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/s/stobaugh_katherine.html

I do not see anything about a tattoo.I assume she was murdered in 2004 as well.
Just throwing it out there.

I don't think she got off of his property alive, sadly enough.

 

[LunaticFringe]

I don't think she got off of his property alive, sadly enough.

I know..I was thinking the same thing.I was just trying to go by the physical aspects.Thanks for the reply Astro.

 

[astridxx]

I know..I was thinking the same thing.I was just trying to go by the physical aspects.Thanks for the reply Astro.

Sometimes people who are in abusive relationships can find ways to essentially disappear from existence and relocate to another area. It's a long shot, but it's possible.

 

[jkloc420]

http://www.missingpersonsofamerica.com/2012/03/marjorie-mccaffrey-missing-from-south.html

What about her

 

[AstroKitty]

http://www.missingpersonsofamerica.com/2012/03/marjorie-mccaffrey-missing-from-south.html

What about her

Looks like LE has enough to believe she was killed. from your link: "UPDATE - May 2, 2012 The Sheriff Dept. is now calling the case of missing Gayle McCaffrey a homicide."