TN TN - Nashville, Harpeth River, "Sherry", NativeFem 14-17, UP8494, Mar'76

[EmilyHTX]

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

By bringing people, information, forensic science and technology together, NamUs helps resolve cases.

www.namus.gov

This woman doesn't fit the 'Sherry' theory, but I wonder if Sonja Kay Redbird could be Harpeth Jane Doe.

A quick search didn't provide much about Sonja, but I did find this yearbook photo from 1974 (Moore HS, Moore, OK). I couldn't find a photo for her on Namus, but that isn't saying much since her case seems to have minimal details.

 

[HmmMysterious]

Sonja Redbird's Websleuths page: TX - TX - Sonja Kay Redbird, 19, Dallas, 1975

 

[HmmMysterious]

Colorized photo added for comparison.

Sonja Redbird
Missing Age: 19 (2-3 years older than the highest age estimate for Sherry)
Weight: 130-140 lbs (10 pounds heavier than Sherry)
Height:5'0-5'4 (she's in the height range)
DLC: January 1, 1975

 

[phantomstrider]

I dont think its a match. You should still submit it though.

 

[Springrain]

You never know; the little boy pictured could have been her son. I'm not willing to rule that out just because he was white-looking and blonde-haired. His dad could have just been white and he mostly took after him. I teach in an area with a lot of Mexican and/or indigenous and white couples and many of them have children who are very fair-skinned and blonde, even though mom/dad is much darker-skinned. (I have noticed usually these couples consist of a white dad and Mexican and/or indigenous mom). I myself am extremely fair-skinned and have lighter features and my mom is a dark-skinned Filipino (much darker than this Jane Doe). You just never know how genes will turn out in kids. Plus, since she was Hispanic and/or indigenous she probably had at least some white ancestry (colonization, etc.) in there. So just something to consider.
I'm aware there was nothing to indicate she gave birth, but nothing saying she couldn't have either.

Being a very young, teen mom could also feasibly tie into the whole situation IMO. Being sent away to a home or to a relative to give birth to a child she may have had to put up for adoption/give to a family member, developing addiction and/or mental health issues, landing in a psych or addiction ward with no family members getting in contact with her looking for her. She may have been living with friends, crashing on couches or on the streets and they were used to not contacting her anyway and just thought she up and left and was fine.

 

[Hochman]

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Reconstructions from the Help ID Me Facebook page

 

[Caring1]

1 Missing Person Exclusion

Missing Person / NamUs #MP14228Lorelee Lhotka
Date of Last ContactJanuary 01, 1975
StateWA
CountyKing

 

[John/Jane Doe]

 

[chaddylex]

The Fall Line Podcast just released an episode about Sherry Jane Does case.

“Sherry or Cheryl” Jane Doe: The Nashville Jane Does—Harpeth River, 1976 by The Fall Line: True Crime

In March of 1976, a young woman was discovered, with no obvious trauma, in the Harpeth River in Nashville; she carried on her a picture of a little boy, and a trail that led to witnesses who said she’d hitchhiked with a mysterious friend, all the way from Minnesota—but that trail led nowhere.

megaphone.link

In March of 1976, a young woman was discovered, with no obvious trauma, in the Harpeth River in Nashville; she carried on her a picture of a little boy, and a trail that led to witnesses who said she’d hitchhiked with a mysterious friend, all the way from Minnesota—but that trail led nowhere. Without the possibility of DNA testing, the best shot of identifying “Sherry” Jane Doe is using her extremely accurate forensic art, and the details she shared of her life—and, perhaps, a daughter that ties her to South Carolina.

The Fall Line has commissioned new isolated forensic art of her teeth to share with the public in hopes that this information will aid in identification; you can see this image and all others associated with the case here:

To submit information, please contact Detective Filter at Metro Nashville Police at 615-862-7803.

 

[Springrain]

Without the possibility of DNA testing, the best shot of identifying “Sherry” Jane Doe is using her extremely accurate forensic art, and the details she shared of her life—and, perhaps, a daughter that ties her to South Carolina.

This is probably me missing something obvious since I haven't fully woken up yet but where did the daughter in SC come from? I don't think I've heard that before.

 

[chaddylex]

This is probably me missing something obvious since I haven't fully woken up yet but where did the daughter in SC come from? I don't think I've heard that before.

They mentioned her in the podcast, don't quote me as I was listening here at work (and I got side tracked with all the details) but she may have been adopted then looking for her mother.

 

[phantomstrider]

This is probably me missing something obvious since I haven't fully woken up yet but where did the daughter in SC come from? I don't think I've heard that before.

I wouldn’t give up on dna testing just yet it possible in the future with new technologies they could find out where she is buried and dna would be available.

 

[Springrain]

Some new details from podcast:
- Autopsy report said "fell in the river and strangled on water; did not drown" and "very drunk" and that she died of asphyxiation (I'm not sure how someone can be strangled by water?) Tox screen showed she had a very high BAC for her size but no barbiturates in system. Forensic pathologist asked by podcasters was unable to interpret what "strangled by water" means. She may or may not have been sexually assaulted before her death, but it is uncertain; it also could have been consensual sex.
- Nashville police learned from St. Paul police that a runaway from the Ramsey Hospital in St. Paul fitting Jane Doe's description was recorded as having gone missing in March 1976, but the Ramsey Hospital claimed that they never had a missing patient fitting that description and no answers were found about the discrepancy.
- LE is unsure of where she was buried, possibly because of grave markers shifting and then being removed altogether. No DNA available in her case, and hair samples are no longer available. Dentals are available.
- Daughter news: A woman contacted her detective to say that she believes Sherry Doe may be her mother, and he believes it is a strong possibility based on information provided (certain scars and other defining features, history of alcoholism, etc.). Unfortunately, this woman does not know much about her bio mother because she was given up for adoption as a baby and only knows about her bio mother from her adoptive parents, who are now deceased. Another issue is that the adoption agency used to adopt her is unknown. The woman's name was Sherry Ann Jones or Sherry Ann Smith (Sherry Jones was the name she primarily used), she disappeared in 1972, and she was Puerto Rican; her SSN had been issued in Tennessee. Sherry Jones also had a unique canine tooth like Sherry Doe. She has a NamUs profile (The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)) which lists her as 24 at the time of her disappearance while Sherry Doe is estimated to be 14-17. LKA was Greer, SC. Sherry's race is listed as white in NamUs, but I'd assume that's because sometimes Hispanic MPs just get listed as white as she was known to be Puerto Rican anyway.

MOO: I think it is very likely that Sherry Ann Jones is Sherry Doe, but unfortunately at this point in time, there's no way to verify it.

 

[sluethermac]

Sherry Jones was 24 when she went missing. In 1976, she would've been 27-28.

There is a 10-year age difference between Mrs. Jones and the UID. Seems unlikely, although it's not impossible as we've seen time and time again major discrepancies with identified victims and their profiles. Several UID's thought to be male turn out to be female and vice versa.

 

[phantomstrider]

Sherry Jones was 24 when she went missing. In 1976, she would've been 27-28.

There is a 10-year age difference between Mrs. Jones and the UID. Seems unlikely, although it's not impossible as we've seen time and time again major discrepancies with identified victims and their profiles. Several UID's thought to be male turn out to be female and vice versa.

It is mentioned somewhere that the Jane Doe did have large breasts for her estimated age range. If she is older that could explain it.

 

[Springrain]

I highly doubt they would have gotten her sex wrong though especially seeing as she was recognizable when found.

I think that poster just meant that there have been a lot of cases with identified Does with major discrepancies between their estimations and the victim's real information, and that sex is one example of that. JMO.

 

[phantomstrider]

I think that poster just meant that there have been a lot of cases with identified Does with major discrepancies between their estimations and the victim's real information, and that sex is one example of that. JMO.

I just realized that. I have edited my comment in response.

 

[Susikatze]

It is mentioned somewhere that the Jane Doe did have large breasts for her estimated age range. If she is older that could explain it.

10 years is not such a big difference, especially since anthropology based Sherrys age on bone and teeth developmental parameters for North American Native Americans and not on other populations. Puerto Ricans are a very diverse mix of Southwest European, Native Islander and African genetics and hard to compare to common anthropological measurements.

 

[Susikatze]

Only thing that makes it less likely is the 4 year PMI interval between Sherry missing and Jane Doe being found.
Technically, Sherry could have lived as transient for 4 years but somehow normally people turn out to have died closely around the time of going missing.

 

[Shana_mathis]

So I came upon this case in Tn on unsolved.com, she was found deceased in davidson county which is nashville. COD: drowning, but the creek she drowned in was like a little creek that passes under a small bridge on a random road. That's me describing the creek lol. <modsnip - not an approved source>
So the ppl that dropped her and her friend off was in grundy County (exit 127 winchester exit) which is SE from Nashville but her body was found on McCrory creek rd east of Nashville; the 2 guys stated they had seen her 10 days prior. But what doesn't make sense is where they dropped them off supposedly and where her body was found. I dont believe the 2 men stories. I spoke to a detective and he stated that we really don't know what could have happened in those 10 days they last them but I stated what if they were just giving those days to throw off the police. I suggested going back to the 2 men and reinterviewing them. I mean she recently has relations prior to her death but it doesn't state whether they gave DNA samples either and neither did the detective. So I then started digging to where she was supposedly from or coming from. They were coming from a mental institution from st. Paul Mn per the 2 men. But most the mental hospitals closed down in the 1980s BUT those places that were in that area, that were open in 1976, those archives are still available obviously police would have to get them. 2 of the 6 remained open. I'll attach pics and my scribble scrabble on here. Lmk what u all think.