Who was George Brody?

[Dr. Doogie]

All discussion about the true identity of George Brody should go here on this new thread. Thanks.

 

[Dr. Doogie]

We still have some outstanding questions that the Kukodas are helping us answer, but one exciting (yet confounding) tidbit is that when Margaret left for California, she went with her "boyfriend" who was named Russell. It was evidently Russell who then sent Margaret's ashes back to her family after her death. Yet we know that it was Brody who had power-of-attorney over Margaret and her estate, so it would make sense he would be the one who sent the ashes. But...the Kukoda who meet Russell says that she does not recoginize the pictures we have of Brody as being the same person as Russell. So we end up with three possible scenarios:

*Brody is Russell, and time has played tricks on the memory of the Kukoda who met him.

*Brody is not Russell. It is possible that Margaret come to California with a Russell, drifted apart, and later met Brody who was the one who sent the ashes. The family member may have remembered Russell as the boyfriend when Margaret left for San Francisco, then when a different boyfriend then sent the ashes, assumed that it was the same person.

*Brody is not Russell, but Russell was still involved with Margaret when she passed away. Knowing the way that Brody either drove apart relationships or drew loved ones into his web, if Russell was still around at this point, he would have had to have been a Brody disciple also. Brody could have had power-of-attorney, but Russell was the one who actual mailed the ashes. One kink in this theory is that there did not appear to be a Russell involved with Brody when he met Waters.

The questions raised above are those that we are trying to nail down with the Kukodas' help.

 

[kyresearcher]

Doogie, did you see the power of attorney papers listing Brody as the person over Margarets estate? Wouldn't he have had to lists his social security # or birthdate to do this?
As for Russell, didn't you have a piece of paper in the BFH where GW had done test on a person the day Anna went missing with the initals R something (sorry don't remember the last inital and too lazy to look it up) ha ha Could this "RUSSELL" have been the person he saw in the clinic?
Keep digging, I am sure you will find out who he is..

 

[mfmangel1]

P.O.A.s do not require a social security number or birthdate of the appointed P.O.A. on the documentation.

It should be witnessed and notarized.

 

[natasha-cupcake]

I keep coming back to the fact that Margaret Kukoda used to call Brody by the first name "Bobby". My gut feeling is that "Bobby" is a nickname for his real first name. The obvious one being Robert, but others are possible. My uncle has been called Bobby his whole life, but his given name is Baldasario! I kid you not! It's Italian and, of course, he's despised it his entire life. But that's beside the point.

It seems to me that "Russell" is more likely to be Brody/Bobby than a separate person. The question is (and always has been) what is Brody's real name? Russell may have been an alias, or Margaret's sister may not be accurate in her memory. Russell may also have been his last name. If Brody was always as shady or as mentally bizarre as he seemed when he was with GW, then he may have always used aliases. I believe that Brody's bizarre persona is based partly on his inherent character. But I've also always had the impression that there is a criminal or immoral incident in his early life that set him on a path of hidden identity. I think he either committed a criminal act, or was a draft dodger, or a con artist, or on the wrong side of someone in organized crime, or some similar explanation.

Because she is quite elderly, the state of Margaret's sister's memory could be a major issue. But thank God she is still alive since she is a very valuable source of original information. The "Russell" name is intriguing, but not knowing a complete name, it may just be a red herring. I think the secret is buried in the details of what she may remember about Margaret and "Russell" before they left for California. Is there anyway at all to get a tape recorder and encourage her to simply talk about her life and Margaret's life in the years immediately prior to, and after, Margaret left for California? There may be details in her narrative that could potentially offer more clues.

Also, we have to remember that although I think it's important to solve the "Brody Mystery", it may never lead to significant headway in discovering what happened to Anna. I think it's possible that IF we discover some clues about Brody, we may find that he MAY have had some responsibility in Anna's disappearance and that MAY lead to information on where Anna is now. I think that publicizing Anna's story may be just as important, probably more so, because it may help us uncover more people like our kind friend "C".

I know I'm rambling a little bit, but what I mean is that we need to look for Anna by tracking her both in the past, and in the present.

 

[Cubby]

Do we know when/ and or why Margaret left for California? Perhaps Russell is Brody, and the Kukoda relative would not recognize the pictures if Brody/Russell left as a young man. Might be interesting to have an age regression photo(s) done of Brody from those older pictures. - possibly to the time Margaret left with Russel.

I don't recall whether or not it was known who posted bail for Margaret back in the 50's. Could that hold a clue?

Also, could the Mary Kay be a nickname based on using her middle name? Was her full name Margaret Mary? and Kay just be the phonetic spelling for K?

If Russell was not Brody, do we know if this is a first or last name, and if a first name would Margarets family happen to know of a last name? Perhaps Margaret left him, and he still held on, and for whatever reason, possibly Margaret feeling sorry for him convinced Brody to remain active in their lives. Brody doesn't strike me as the kind of person who would have done something for someone unless it benefited him in some way, and perhaps after Margarets death, there was no longer any benefit to him so he allowed Russell to take care of the contact with her family.

Do we know anything about this Russels interests or history that might match up with Brody?

 

[InterestedNHelping]

Thanks Doogie for the info...everyone seems to have alot of viable theories, I hope that each one can be researched and then maybe a sub thread to rule in or out each one, maybe? That way we won't be going 40 directions with no thorough ending to each?
That 'Russell' name adds some more intrigue to the mix! Here we go again! I am still here, and won't give up until the end result is finding Anna!

 

[GraceBlue]

Thats great the Kukoda family was able to provide some information.

I looked up and looked up different names with Russell. Did the Kukoda family say whether 'Russell' was his last or first name?

I did a search on the SSDI for someone whoses last name was Russell and died in SF on Dec 1981. Here is what I came up with:

JAMES RUSSELL b.15 Mar 1915 d.Dec 1981 94080 (South San Francisco, San Mateo, CA)

I have no idea if thats where GW and 'GB' lived (South SF) It doesnt fit in the category of GB claiming he was a Leo since this James was born in March.

ETA: Honestly, I think 'GB' was born way before 1915. Possibly 1900 or even the late 1890s. My grandfather was born in 1909 and died in 1983. When he died he didnt look nearly as old as GB did in the pictures I've seen of him.
Is it possible to look up military records for a Russell?

 

[Dr. Doogie]

Thats great the Kukoda family was able to provide some information.

Yes, they have been very helpful.

I looked up and looked up different names with Russell. Did the Kukoda family say whether 'Russell' was his last or first name?

I believe that Russell was the first name.

I did a search on the SSDI for someone whoses last name was Russell and died in SF on Dec 1981. Here is what I came up with:

JAMES RUSSELL b.15 Mar 1915 d.Dec 1981 94080 (South San Francisco, San Mateo, CA)

I have no idea if thats where GW and 'GB' lived (South SF) It doesnt fit in the category of GB claiming he was a Leo since this James was born in March.

South San Francisco is a different city in a different county. Brody's death certificate was issued by San Francisco and there is no connection between the two Georges and South SF. This is most likely someone else.

ETA: Honestly, I think 'GB' was born way before 1915. Possibly 1900 or even the late 1890s. My grandfather was born in 1909 and died in 1983. When he died he didnt look nearly as old as GB did in the pictures I've seen of him.

I agree.

Is it possible to look up military records for a Russell?

Without a last name, it would seem impossible.

 

[GraceBlue]

On SSDI I found a Russell Brubaker who was born Aug 15 1900 and died Dec 1981 and is from Pennsylvania HOWEVER it said his last residence was Pennsylvania (not California) Hmm

 

[Dr. Doogie]

On SSDI I found a Russell Brubaker who was born Aug 15 1900 and died Dec 1981 and is from Pennsylvania HOWEVER it said his last residence was Pennsylvania (not California) Hmm

Didn't Brody claim his birthday was August 15th, 1925? (Somebody help me here!) This looks real interesting.

 

[GraceBlue]

According to 'his' myspace page he claimed his birthday was Aug 15 1923

http://www.myspace.com/georgebrody

 

[Dr. Doogie]

Didn't Brody claim his birthday was August 15th, 1925?

Found it! August 15th, 1923. One of the medical bills for Brody mentions a birth year of 1935, which is just patently ridiculous. A 1900 birth year definitely fits with how old he looked.

This may be our guy. Anybody want to due a genealogical search on Russell Brubaker?

 

[Dr. Doogie]

According to 'his' myspace page he claimed his birthday was Aug 15 1923

http://www.myspace.com/georgebrody

You beat me to the punch! Thanks, GB.

 

[GraceBlue]

I did a quick search on Rootsweb.com but didnt find anything. I need to go now because my daughter is up from her nap boohoo I'll look some more later!!

 

[Dr. Doogie]

Thanks, GraceBlue.

So what we have is a man who has the same first name as the man who travelled to California with Maragret during WWII. This man has the same birthday as Brody with a plausible birth year. He was from Pennsylvania like Margaret and we suspect Brody was. We know that he is listed as dying the same month and year as Brody died.

I have often wondered why Brody (who seemed to have been at least partially motivated by money) would not have been collecting social security checks (remember, no known SS number). It may be that he had parallel identities: one as Brody who was born in 1923 and one as Brubaker who was drawing SS checks.

 

[SherlockJr]

This is from a newspaper archive from June 7, 1956 ....age doesn't match up. But still finding articles on this Russell Brubaker in the 1960's in Pa. Doubt he is GB, but could have taken his identity.

Allegheny County grand Jury returned Indictments Tuesday against RUSSELL BRUBAKER, 48, a former automobile dealer, and Thomas Stepp, 32. Unable to raise bond, they have remained in jail since their arrest May 3 at a Washington, Pa., motel. The men are accused of duping owners of expensive cars by pur- chasing the automobiles by check, then ...

 

[GraceBlue]

I did a search on SSDI with BLANK first name and BLANK last name but with the birthdate of Aug 15 and death date of Dec 1981. Here is what I found:

-KARLE SCHERZER 15 Aug 1881 Dec 1981 94123 (San Francisco, San Francisco, CA)

I know its a totally different name but the interesting thing is the surname Scherzer is from Czechoslovakia/Austria. I remember there was a discussion whether or not GB came from that area? Was there?

 

[Annasmom]

I did a search on SSDI with BLANK first name and BLANK last name but with the birthdate of Aug 15 and death date of Dec 1981. Here is what I found:

-KARLE SCHERZER 15 Aug 1881 Dec 1981 94123 (San Francisco, San Francisco, CA)

I know its a totally different name but the interesting thing is the surname Scherzer is from Czechoslovakia/Austria. I remember there was a discussion whether or not GB came from that area? Was there?

I'm almost positive that GB was born in the US. This was a great idea, looking for the dates with blank first and last names, though I think this person is too old--a hundred years old when he died! I would make GB's birth date probably about 1902. He must have been about 65 when I met him in 1967.

 

[GraceBlue]

Annasmom- I THINK Scherzer was born in the US. I was just doing a quick search on Rootsweb.com when I saw Austria/Czechoslovakia. I did some more searching and there are families with the last name Scherzer in Pennsylvania.

Are you sure GB was about 65 when you met him? Is there ANY chance he COULD have been older? From the pictures I've seen of GB (I believe the ones Joe Ford took) he looks he could've been close to 100 but thats just my opinion. Hmm