Identified! WA - Vancouver, WhtFem 40-59, UP10801, branded jacket/clothes/boots, Nov'04 - Donna Lee Swindell

[sasha17]

This isn't a new addition to NamUs but I didn't see a thread for her here at Websleuths so I thought I'd start one.

NamUs #UP10801
The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

White female, found in Vancouver, Washington on November 6, 2004. Age estimated 40 to 59.

Height: 5' 4", estimated
Weight: Cannot estimate
Hair color: Red/Auburn
Head hair Description: Medium length red-brown hair.
Not recognizable - Near complete or complete skeleton
Clothing on the body: Hooded black nylon zippered jacket size XXL, "Seventy Seven" brand. High necked sweater size grande, "Carolyn Taylor Essentials by Design". Knit long sleeved pullover size large, "Clairborne" brand. Blue jeans size 16 tall, Classic Fit, "Faded Glory" brand. Boots "Route 66" brand - size 9. Sock on left foot only.

 

[sasha17]

Exclusions from NamUs:

MP32573 Peggy Wilker
MP20296 Sharman Carey
MP20343 Stephanie Miles
MP4743 Karen Penson
MP22715 Mary Burns
MP4476 Mary Hunter
MP14018 Salie Signani
MP3059 Elizabeth Rogers
MP490 Tina D'Ambrosio
MP18050 Billie Willard

 

[sasha17]

Additional details from The Columbian newspaper:

Unidentified female
Nov. 6, 2004
The decomposed body of an unidentified woman was found in a field and woods north of the 1400 block of Northeast 78th Street in Hazel Dell. Investigators said she was a middle-aged, heavy-built white female with short to medium reddish brown hair. The victim appeared to be a transient. Her cause of death was not determined.
Cold case unit off and running

 

[bombardier]

thank you for starting this thread! some additional possibilities;
Karen Kincaid DLC Oct 3, 2002, last seen 2.5hr drive from Vancouver. She has dark red hair and is 5'3". NamUs says 140lbs but this report archived on her websleuths thread says 180lbs. She is bipolar. foul play suspected but doesn't say why?

Cheryl Seyedin DLC Nov 17, 1998, last seen a 5hr drive away. Has light reddish hair, is 5'2", only 115lbs at the time but she could have gained weight ofc. She seemed to be troubled and often moved around a lot.

Mary Hunter DLC Sept 1 1996, last seen a ~4hr drive away. Has dark hair, is 5'3", and of the weight to be around a size 16 pant. Super complicated story on the charleyproject! I don't necessarily think she would be a transient but this UID could have been dumped, I guess.

multiple MP possibilities who don't live close to WA:

Janeth Rowe, DLC 1997, from Virginia. 5'4", 170lbs, brown hair (that looks reddish to me).

Tammy Ferguson, DLC 1995, from NC. 5'5", 140lbs, dark blonde hair. Missing a finger so easily ruled out if they found all the UID's fingers.

 

[bombardier]

[cont of MPs country-wide]
Suzanne Gookins, DLC 1996, from Colorado. 5'6", 175lbs, dark curly hair.

Cary Huie, DLC 1998, from Delaware. 5'2", 170lbs, brown hair that looks red to me, known psychiatric condition.

Patsy Nonemaker, DLC 1999, from Kentucky. 5'2", 140lbs, short brown hair. Known bipolar. Last seen walking on the highway.

Sharon King, DLC 2002, from Texas. 5'3", 145lbs, red hair. Apparently has one 'brown' tooth but no info on this UIDs dentals.

Janice Matney, DLC 2002, from Illinois. Hair that looks to vary from dark brown to blonde. 5'2", 145lbs. History of drug use + depression. Has traveled the country before.

Tammie Chipman, DLC 2001, from Alabama. 5'6", 190lbs, dark hair. Can't attach image as only 5 per post :/

 

[Skyval]

I believe she has been identified

DNA helps identify woman whose remains were found in Clark County 17 years ago

 

[Skyval]

The medical examiner’s office recently identified the remains found in Hazel Dell on November 6, 2004, as Donna Lee Swindell, who was 57 at the time of her death.

 

[victoriarobinson642]

Technology, detective work crack Hazel Dell cold case
Sounds like she was identified using forensic genealogy and that her family was from Lane County, OR

 

[sasha17]

I'm so glad to see this woman has her name back. Rest in peace, Donna.

 

[MadMcGoo]

Rest peacefully now Donna.

 

[dotr]

Dec 27 2021
“Anytime I had a moment, anytime I had a lead to run down, I was trying to reunite this woman with her family,” Walker said in the release.

He used government search engines, public ancestry websites, marriage records and death certificates to limit the names on the list. Eventually, that led him to Swindell. Walker learned that all the activity linked to her social security number stopped a few months before her body was discovered and her license hadn’t been renewed after November of 2004, the release said.

With the help of University of Oregon professor, Dr. Jeanne McLaughlin, Walker was able to track down possible relatives in Lane County, Oregon. McLaughlin gathered a DNA sample from a family member to compare in the medical examiner’s office, which proved to be a match. Swindell’s identity was then confirmed.''

After 17 years, Walker and McLaughlin were able to return Swindell’s remains to her loved ones.

“Everybody deserves the human dignity of being cared for and returned to their family,” he said in the release.

 

[victoriarobinson642]

Photos of Donna from Sheldon High School in Eugene, Oregon's 1964 & 1965 yearbooks.