VA VA - Jessica Hatch, 12, murdered, Richmond, 5 February 1984

[The•Qwill•Pen]

I lived two blocks away from Jessica. I remember her disappearance. I was 16 years old. I also remember Gary. He prowled around my house as well. He hung out with a guy named Emmit who called, came by, and knocked on my door many times. I was very clear his advances were not wanted. He later was found on my front porch peaking in my window by my older sister’s boyfriend and scared off. My father Later threatened To call the police if he called again. After Jessica disappeared I never saw him again. I always wondered if the cops looked into him as well. I would love to know who the suspects were that the cops were looking at besides Gary. I was young and didn’t really understand predatory behavior and I don’t know anything about this guy. I just knew he and Gary made me uneasy.

Have you reported this to Hanover PD? If so, what, if anything, did they tell you?

I don’t know if you still live here, but I’m also curious what the MD area was like at the time. I live here now and provided some insight above, but I know it was different back then.

 

[The•Qwill•Pen]

I regret to report that Jessie's mother, Ellen, passed away (in December 2018) with no justice and no answers.

Oh how heartbreaking is there any other family left?

Do you know of anyone that can provide any more insight? I know it’s probably a long shot since it’s been so many years, but I’m local and was interested in maybe chatting with someone that’s still around.

 

[SMFuller]

Well I'm Jessie's cousin, and her uncle and brother are still around, my sister too, in VA, and an aunt and cousin are in TX. I am in the process of compiling everything I can find into a chronology on my blog, I've compiled all links, and will be back-filling the blog stories as I am able. Fair Warning: the site is very pink, for Jessie's Valentine birthday. ♥ Also it's not just a blog, I do ancestry consulting and curate merch there too as a new mechanism for getting her story out - it's literally attached to every single product in my store, but here's the direct link to Jessie's story, visitors/sharers encouraged!

#J4JforJessie!
SMF on...
Thanks v/r ツ SMF

 

[vexed and hexed]

I lived two blocks away from Jessica. I remember her disappearance. I was 16 years old. I also remember Gary. He prowled around my house as well. He hung out with a guy named Emmit who called, came by, and knocked on my door many times. I was very clear his advances were not wanted. He later was found on my front porch peaking in my window by my older sister’s boyfriend and scared off. My father Later threatened To call the police if he called again. After Jessica disappeared I never saw him again. I always wondered if the cops looked into him as well. I would love to know who the suspects were that the cops were looking at besides Gary. I was young and didn’t really understand predatory behavior and I don’t know anything about this guy. I just knew he and Gary made me uneasy.

Gary lived in a 2nd floor apartment on Tilden St. across from St. Gertrude's. I filled in as a newspaper delivery girl for my friend Dee. He was on her route. I was always afraid to go to his door, so i would throw his paper up the stairs.

 

[JohnTate90210]

I see several make mention of Gary Jay Beattie. I see the following cases listed in Richmond City Circuit Court:

10-20-1988 Make indecent prop
9-19-1988 Peep in window
10-16-1991 Trespassing
10-14-1992 Unlawful entry
10-13-1992 Stat. burglary
11-10-1998 Peeping tom

Then another case in Richmond-John Marshall Criminal General District Court:

1-5-2017 Text and drive

Same birthday on the last case, so I'd say it's the same guy. At that time it listed him as living in Henrico, Virginia. FastPeopleSearch says he's currently back in Richmond (but these sites are sometimes out of date).

There are other local courts and I haven't checked any of their records.

 

[Mysteries1974]

MURDER - Jessica Lee Sterling Hatch | Solve the Case

Jessica Hatch was apparently abducted while walking between her residence and her grandmother’s home in Richmond, Virginia during the winter of 1984. Nearly three months passed before her skeletal remains were discovered in a remote wooded area in Hanover County, Virginia. Police suspect she was...

www.solvethecase.org

MURDER​

CASE #: 1984-19​

Jessica Lee Sterling Hatch​

---

Status: Open
Date of Offense: Sunday, Feb 05, 1984
Jurisdiction: Hanover County Sheriffs Office (VA)
Offense Location: Richmond, Virginia

Summary: Jessica Hatch was apparently abducted while walking between her residence and her grandmother’s home in Richmond, Virginia during the winter of 1984. Nearly three months passed before her skeletal remains were discovered in a remote wooded area in Hanover County, Virginia. Police suspect she was murdered but no arrests have been made.

Vital Statistics
Height: 4'6"
Weight: 70 lbs
Sex: Female
Race: White
Hair Color: Red
Eye Color: Blue
Age at Offense: 12 Years

Circumstances of Offense: Jessica Hatch was last seen in Richmond, Virginia on February 5th 1984. She left her family’s home located at 3208 Hanover Avenue just before 6:00 pm to walk the ten blocks to her grandmother’s house located in the 2900 block of West Grace Street. Jessica called her grandmother's house before leaving her home, her uncle answered the phone and Jessica told him she’d be there in a few minutes. However, Jessica never arrived at her grandmother’s house and failed to return home that evening. Police suspect she was abducted by someone somewhere along her path. Despite extensive searches and a reward being offered, no trace of Jessica was found for over two months.

Additional Details: On April 12th 1984, the partial skeletal remains of a young girl were discovered in rural Hanover County, Virginia. The body had apparently been left in a wooded area along Route 721 which is now known as Watkins Road. The area was approximately one-half mile north of Dogwood Trail Road in Rockville, Virginia. Someone who lived in a mobile home had dogs who dragged the remains out of the woods and scattered them all over the yard. They were found by a resident at 1:00 pm. Five days later, the remains were positively identified as belonging to Jessica Hatch. Police believe she was abducted and murdered on the day she went missing. The location she was found in was 12 miles away from where she had been taken. A suspect was identified early on but due to lack of evidence, no charges were filed in connection with her death. To date, Jessica’s murder remains unsolved.

 

[Earth]

Was her head ever recovered?
I wondered if she could be one of these.

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

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

www.namus.gov

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

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

www.namus.gov

 

[Mysteries1974]

Was her head ever recovered?
I wondered if she could be one of these.

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

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

www.namus.gov

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

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

www.namus.gov

Yes, her skull was found