Bump!
Hello! As you may know, I've been following the case of the Helendale Jane Doe, and I've been developing different theories about the time of death, clothing, and so on. And just yesterday, I found a possible match with this JD (I've known about this missing person for a long time, but I never made the connection until now). Happy reading!
Laura was 13 years old (would have turned 14 in October 2002) when she disappeared in March 2002 in Houston, Texas. The unidentified woman was found in Helendale, west of Barstow, California, on September 5, 2002.
Laura Ayala was Hispanic, lived with her mother. Her family likely had roots in Central America (one of the suspects was from Honduras). This perfectly matches the description of Jane Doe 906, whose race is listed as unknown, with characteristics of multiple races. Hispanics often have mixed European, Indigenous, and other features, so this description fits Laura well. This is not a contradiction, but rather additional support for a possible match.
Laura had a full set of orthodontic braces, and in one family video you can see she had a slight limp. Jane Doe had braces and missing toes on her left foot. Nothing like this is mentioned for Laura, but it could have been omitted from the report. Jane Doe is also described as having had at least one pregnancy, but as we know, skeletal remains can have unique features. For years, women with ovarian cysts, false pregnancies, or even specific pelvic bone structures have been incorrectly identified as having given birth. So that could be the case here.
The height doesn't match (4'0" / 122 cm), but for Laura this could have been her last recorded height. At the time she disappeared, she might have already been 4'3" – 4'5" (130–135 cm) tall. Jane Doe's remains were partial, and her height was estimated based on long bones, but again, the remains were partial, so her height could be revised down to 4'3" – 4'9" (130–145 cm).
Laura had dark hair with highlights, Jane Doe had reddish-brown hair. Treated hair (highlights, perms) and dark hair often turn reddish under sunlight. Laura's hair was dark and treated, so after several months in the desert sun, it could easily have become reddish (I can give a personal example: after getting highlights, I spent a lot of time in the sun in August, and my lighter strands became slightly reddish).
The clothing doesn't match – Laura was wearing a plaid dress (maybe a house dress?) and sandals (one of them was found near the store). Jane Doe was wearing fashionable clothes from the late 80s to mid-90s. But in the early 2000s (and late 90s), thrift shopping and vintage style (60s–80s) were very popular. At nearly 14, Laura was old enough to be interested in fashion. She was described as "smart", so she could have known about this trend and dressed that way. The blazer is definitely oversized (size L), but if Laura was around 4'3" – 4'5" (130–135 cm) at the time, the blazer would have fit her as an oversized look. The top with shoulder pads could have been her mother's (shortened or worn as is) or from a thrift store. The leggings could have been her own, and the boots could have been her mother's or from a thrift store.
Laura kept a diary and was very organized. Her favorite color was maroon, and her favorite number was 1. If she took her diary with her in her backpack, the killer could have taken it. If Jane Doe had been found wearing jewelry with the number "1" or maroon-colored items, that would have been a key to identification. But none were found – meaning the killer destroyed or disposed of them.
By the way, the report doesn't mention a bag or backpack when she went to the store for the newspaper. But she could have taken a bag (backpack, sports bag) and put not only the newspaper but also her change of clothes (the ones found on Jane Doe) inside. The top and leggings are lightweight, the boots have a low heel, and the blazer, though oversized, could be folded compactly.
Circumstances (from Charley Project):
"Laura resided in an apartment complex in the 7930 block of Serita Street in Houston, Texas. She asked her mother for money to purchase a newspaper for a school assignment during the evening hours of March 10, 2002. Laura departed from her home at approximately 10:15 p.m. and walked to the Broadway Convenience Store, which is less than 100 feet behind her residence. The store is housed inside the Conoco gas station in the 2600 block of Broadway Street. An employee told authorities that Laura arrived at the store alone and bought a newspaper, then left shortly afterwards. She has never been heard from again."
Suspects and connection:
The suspects mentioned in connection with Laura's case are Walter Alexander Sorto and Edgardo Rafael Cubas. They drove a late-1980s minivan, reddish in color. In February 2003, they were charged with the murders of several women. In their van, police found Laura's blood (identified by DNA) and semen.
I know that driving from Houston to the Mojave Desert (San Bernardino County) takes about 25 hours non-stop. But they had a van, and Jane Doe's postmortem interval is estimated at "2 months to 2.5 years". Laura disappeared on March 10, so they had plenty of time to dispose of the body. I think if they killed her immediately or during the journey, they could have taken back roads, driven in circles, and eventually made it to California.
For now, until more evidence comes in, this is where my analysis ends.
Do you think I should submit this? In my opinion, this could be a strong possible match, despite the height and other discrepancies.
