VA VA - Helen Allison, 16, Fairfax, 11 May 1972

[Diane Redfern]

Could this Jane Doe be a match? The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

 

[theshadow45]

Bumping, today is Helen’s birthday.

 

[alb1on]

Her full name is Helen Irene Allison. Her father died in 2005 (James Allison Obituary (2005) - Pittsburgh, PA - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (legacy.com)) and was a retired Marine Colonel. She is listed as surviving him but assume this is in hope as she is listed under her maiden name and still in Virginia. Given that she had previously gone off and the families military background does make me wonder if she was rebelling against a strict upbringing (not always the case but an obvious question).

 

[theshadow45]

Helen has been missing for 50 years today.

 

[chaddylex]

Helen's NamUs profile was modified on 5/13/22
She was ruled out as being the "Cheerleader in the Trunk" in Frederick MD
She currently has 21 rule outs listed.

UP7477
08/24/1982
Frederick
MD
UP16314
06/16/1974
Palm Beach
FL
UP13930
08/01/1978
Cape May
NJ
UP6279
12/18/1996
Fairfax
VA
UP8419
01/16/2001
Isle of Wight
VA
UP1522
04/10/1979
Middlesex
NJ
UP14969
11/15/1978
Hampshire
MA
UP6149
01/22/1996
Halifax
VA
UP1567
06/01/1987
Knox
TN
UP6482
12/30/1979
Frederick
VA
UP4790
04/24/1981
Miami
OH
UP5556
05/30/1976
Virginia Beach
VA
UP2334
12/01/1972
Prince George's
MD
UP6249
11/14/1980
Rockingham
VA
UP6629
02/03/1991
Frederick
VA
UP6796
11/18/1985
Alleghany
VA
UP8493
12/06/1993
Fairfax
VA
UP8579
01/25/1981
Hanover
VA
UP6642
08/07/1986
Chesterfield
VA
UP6661
02/03/1991
Stafford
VA
UP12683
06/06/2014
Newport News
VA
UP7477
08/24/1982
Frederick
MD
UP16314
06/16/1974
Palm Beach
FL
UP13930
08/01/1978
Cape May
NJ
UP6279
12/18/1996
Fairfax
VA
UP8419
01/16/2001
Isle of Wight
VA
UP1522
04/10/1979
Middlesex
NJ
UP14969
11/15/1978
Hampshire
MA
UP6149
01/22/1996
Halifax
VA
UP1567
06/01/1987
Knox
TN
UP6482
12/30/1979
Frederick
VA
UP4790
04/24/1981
Miami
OH
UP5556
05/30/1976
Virginia Beach
VA
UP2334
12/01/1972
Prince George's
MD
UP6249
11/14/1980
Rockingham
VA
UP6629
02/03/1991
Frederick
VA
UP6796
11/18/1985
Alleghany
VA
UP8493
12/06/1993
Fairfax
VA
UP8579
01/25/1981
Hanover
VA
UP6642
08/07/1986
Chesterfield
VA
UP6661
02/03/1991
Stafford
VA
UP12683
06/06/2014
Newport News
VA

UP7477
08/24/1982
Frederick
MD

UP16314
06/16/1974
Palm Beach
FL

UP13930
08/01/1978
Cape May
NJ

UP6279
12/18/1996
Fairfax
VA

UP8419
01/16/2001
Isle of Wight
VA

UP1522
04/10/1979
Middlesex
NJ

UP14969
11/15/1978
Hampshire
MA

UP6149
01/22/1996
Halifax
VA

UP1567
06/01/1987
Knox
TN

UP6482
12/30/1979
Frederick
VA

UP4790
04/24/1981
Miami
OH

UP5556
05/30/1976
Virginia Beach
VA

UP2334
12/01/1972
Prince George's
MD

UP6249
11/14/1980
Rockingham
VA

UP6629
02/03/1991
Frederick
VA

UP6796
11/18/1985
Alleghany
VA

UP8493
12/06/1993
Fairfax
VA

UP8579
01/25/1981
Hanover
VA

UP6642
08/07/1986
Chesterfield
VA

UP6661
02/03/1991
Stafford
VA

UP12683
06/06/2014
Newport News
VA

 

[theshadow45]

Bumping, today is Helen’s birthday.

 

[TheArtfulDetective]

Anniversary of disappearance today.

 

[alb1on]

A bit more info from Ancestry. She was born in Onslow, NC on February 23 1956. Her fathers marriage record shows him marrying at Lejeune, NC in 1955 so this all ties in as he was a marine officer and Lejeune was a base. Interestingly, but not relevant to the case, her father died in a vehicle accident in 2005 which resulted in a long running legal case between the family and the local authority responsible for the road.

 

[theshadow45]

Today is Helen’s birthday.

 

[theshadow45]

Helen has been missing for 52 years today.

 

[DS2021]

21 Unidentified Person Exclusions

 

[Quilty]

I submitted this UID as a potential match for Helen. The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) The UID was found about 1.5 years after Helen was last seen. Clothing on the UID was all marked with the initials H. A. and she was found in a trunk manufactured in 1971 & 1972. Physical descriptions are similar.

 

[alb1on]

I submitted this UID as a potential match for Helen. The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) The UID was found about 1.5 years after Helen was last seen. Clothing on the UID was all marked with the initials H. A. and she was found in a trunk manufactured in 1971 & 1972. Physical descriptions are similar.

The mismatch is on eye colour. Helen is listed with blue eyes and the UID as brown eyes. I wonder how certain the UID colour is given the circumstances of the find?

 

[strangerthanfiction1200]

The photos with her hair color looks to me like some red in it (my personal opinion). Could she have hitchhiked to California and be the Jane Doe in Santa Rosa? No proof but she disappeared at the same time period. I am still new with unidentified Jane and John Does.

 

[Quilty]

The UID has the eye color as “possibly” brown. She was in the water for a few days, which may account for the uncertainty. I realize it’s not a perfect match, but the similarities combined with the initials in the UID’s clothing gave me pause. Either way, no comparison has been made to date, so it would at least rule her out. Hopefully, Helen’s family can get closure soon, even if this isn’t a match.

 

[alb1on]

The mismatch is on eye colour. Helen is listed with blue eyes and the UID as brown eyes. I wonder how certain the UID colour is given the circumstances of the find?

Where does it say possibly on Namus? I can only find brown with no qualification. I certainly accept the possibility of uncertainty given the post death interval but would have mentioned any qualification if I had seen it. Is the qualification from a source other than Namus?

 

[Quilty]

Where does it say possibly on Namus? I can only find brown with no qualification. I certainly accept the possibility of uncertainty given the post death interval but would have mentioned any qualification if I had seen it. Is the qualification from a source other than Namus?

WOMAN STRANGLED, L.I. AUTOPSY SHOWS (Published 1973)

autopsy on woman found in trunk in LI Sound shows she was strangled by wire or rope and that she was in water from 2 to 7 days

www.nytimes.com

 

[alb1on]

WOMAN STRANGLED, L.I. AUTOPSY SHOWS (Published 1973)

autopsy on woman found in trunk in LI Sound shows she was strangled by wire or rope and that she was in water from 2 to 7 days

www.nytimes.com

Thanks for this. It is interesting that the article also notes that the UID was wearing a gold wedding band. Clearly if the UID is Helen this would indicate that she married in the 17 months between going missing and the UID being found. It also makes it a strong possibility that, if she is the UID, her disappearance related to a relationship which led to the marriage. Clearly any marriage would need to have been under a false age (and probably identity). This would then be a line of inquiry likely to make progress. There is also a chance (but no more) that the gold band could help raise or lower the probability of Helen being the UID. If there are hallmarks (not compulsory) they may provide a date or maker which could date the ring. And if the date is materially pre-1972 it makes an identification less probable.
I agree that the HA in the clothing is interesting but the other questions around eyes and marriage status do make me cautious (but hopeful).

 

[theshadow45]

Today is Helen’s birthday.