WV WV - Alta, WhtFem 37-47, 275UFWV, skeletal in roadside dump, May'01

[mtnmom1963]

would you guys consider Veronica Lenhart Safranski?
http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/s/safranski_veronica.html

 

[CarlK90245]

would you guys consider Veronica Lenhart Safranski?
http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/s/safranski_veronica.html

I do see some similarities in her facial structure.

Her height is off by 4 inches. That is probably stretching the margin a little bit, even for skeletal remains.

Also, the circumstances suggest that her body was probably not taken far from where she disappeared. They have a likely perp, and although it doesn't indicate when he was contacted after her disappearance, there doesn't appear to be any reason to believe that he went to West Virginia during the timeframe from when she disappeared, and when he was interviewed by authorities.

 

[mtnmom1963]

I do see some similarities in her facial structure.

Her height is off by 4 inches. That is probably stretching the margin a little bit, even for skeletal remains.

Also, the circumstances suggest that her body was probably not taken far from where she disappeared. They have a likely perp, and although it doesn't indicate when he was contacted after her disappearance, there doesn't appear to be any reason to believe that he went to West Virginia during the timeframe from when she disappeared, and when he was interviewed by authorities.

Thank you, do you have a certain search parameter you use when they give an approximation for height? That would help me in my searching?
I did see the UID was partial skeletal remains so was assuming maybe thats why her height was approximation. Yes, its long stretch between Minnesota and WVA. Wish i had more clues. Im off to search some more.

 

[CarlK90245]

Thank you, do you have a certain search parameter you use when they give an approximation for height? That would help me in my searching?
I did see the UID was partial skeletal remains so was assuming maybe thats why her height was approximation. Yes, its long stretch between Minnesota and WVA. Wish i had more clues. Im off to search some more.

This is not based on anything scientific, but usually I allow 3 inches for skeletal remains, and 1-2 inches if the body is still intact. If the estimated height range is already wide, I probably reduce the margin on either end of the range.

This rule is not set in stone. If there are other factors that are compelling about the possible match, I may stretch the margin a little.

As we've been discussing on other cases, you can't rely on the accuracy of any of this info. Many of these people have remained unidentified for so long because some crucial bit of info is incorrect.

 

[masnitram]

https://www.findthemissing.org/cases/7627/7
http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/2934dfva.html

Geographically Kim Gonzales intrigues me because she is from Virginia, she was just added to the Doe Network a few days ago, however is listed at 5'5". Now it says dental info is available on Kim but no mention of a chipped tooth...I haven't found any indication of childbirth, smoker, etc...

Maybe a long-shot because of the skeletal estimation, but if Deloris is ruled out (Kim is not listed as a rule-out) I may inquire about her. Thoughts?

 

[CarlK90245]

https://www.findthemissing.org/cases/7627/7
http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/2934dfva.html

Geographically Kim Gonzales intrigues me because she is from Virginia, she was just added to the Doe Network a few days ago, however is listed at 5'5". Now it says dental info is available on Kim but no mention of a chipped tooth...I haven't found any indication of childbirth, smoker, etc...

Maybe a long-shot because of the skeletal estimation, but if Deloris is ruled out (Kim is not listed as a rule-out) I may inquire about her. Thoughts?

I don't see it. Her jawline isn't at all as broad and squared as Jane Doe's

 

[masnitram]

True, but imo I thought that was Deloris' shortcoming too (the jawline)...however I will concede that you have a better eye. I'll dig around for more pics of Kim to compare angles etc...

 

[masnitram]

The search continues...Deloris Melton has been ruled out by DNA...

Mr. Martin,

Thank You so much for your assistance and I truly wish my Jane Doe was Delores Melton. I would love to send her home finally.
Delores has been ruled out by DNA, but please keep looking!!

Regina

*Her "rule-out" has been added to NamUs by Regina

 

[LisainWV]

I feel guilty...I knew there was a rather lengthy thread about this Doe and Melton being ruled out, but I never took the time to locate it...

http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=31552&highlight=greenbrier

I haven't re-read the entire thing, but it seems like there were a couple other possibilities for her identity....?

 

[masnitram]

I feel guilty...I knew there was a rather lengthy thread about this Doe and Melton being ruled out, but I never took the time to locate it...

http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=31552&highlight=greenbrier

I haven't re-read the entire thing, but it seems like there were a couple other possibilities for her identity....?

No worries. I did post this UID's ruleouts in the "sticky" thread here in case there are other duplicates.

Not to gripe but having to wait 30 seconds in between using the "search" feature here ticks me off...I remember trying to search "Deloris" but I kept f'n up the spelling; hense the repeat of information...now I digress...

 

[olive]

Anyone have any ideas on this? I submitted the following to the contact person on this UID's page on the Doe Network, and the email was sent back as the address didn't exist.

"Hello Ms. Reynolds,

I am just a concerned citizen that does amateur web sleuthing in my spare time. Recently I have perused the doe network database to try and match up unidentified case file 275UFWV and wanted to submit a few leads for you to take a look at. Hopefully one of them will pan out as a match.

Here are missing people that are potential candidates for this Jane Doe 275UFWV:

Doe Network files:
1698DFFL
2303DFSC
2697DFPA
2043DFOH
682DFCA
2291DFMI
2130DFTX
2750DFOH

Thanks for you time and efforts."

Anyone have any advice? I spent a lot of time on this. Thanks!

 

[Donjeta]

Try the address on the UID's Namus page

https://identifyus.org/cases/2159

 

[CarlK90245]

One thing I suggest when sending correspondence reuesting a comparison is to provide include the names of the MP's and links to their DoeNet or Charley Project profiles. This saves the reader the work of having to look up each case that you are referencing.

By the way, if you click on a link (left mouse button) in DoeNetwork, you won't get the full URL when the link opens in DoeNet. However, if you click the link with your right mouse button and choose "Open in New Window" the full URL of the link will be shown in the newly opened window, and you can then copy and paste it into an e-mail or a WS post.

 

[webrocket]

good luck getting a reply to an email like that, no offense intended.

I have a hard enough time getting a reply when I submit one possible match for a UID and explain why I feel it is a match providing the links to both the missing person and the UID. I summarize things like age, hair color, proximity in time and place or anything else that makes me think it is a match. I want the recipient to take my submission seriously and not think I am some kook or totally bored person with nothing better to do than submit names.

I don't know how close your potential matches are as each one requires the reader to find a link before knowing anything about the potential match.

I think there is a thread for tips on submitting possible matches to LE.

 

[webrocket]

I would add this:

2303DFSC is Sharon Medlin and she has been ruled out.

 

[Cubby]

I think there is a thread for tips on submitting possible matches to LE.

Respectfully snipped by me.

Yes, there is a sticky thread on Tips before submitting at the top of the page here in the UID forum. Here is a direct link to that thread:

Possible Match Tips before submitting - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community

 

[olive]

good luck getting a reply to an email like that, no offense intended.

I have a hard enough time getting a reply when I submit one possible match for a UID and explain why I feel it is a match providing the links to both the missing person and the UID. I summarize things like age, hair color, proximity in time and place or anything else that makes me think it is a match. I want the recipient to take my submission seriously and not think I am some kook or totally bored person with nothing better to do than submit names.

I don't know how close your potential matches are as each one requires the reader to find a link before knowing anything about the potential match.

I think there is a thread for tips on submitting possible matches to LE.

Ok, so I don't mean to be disrespectful here. But this is my opinion. I spent a lot of time on this search. For free. Because I felt compelled. And I submitted the email to the correct person. Now, that person, whose job it is to follow up on my tip, is paid with my tax dollars (yes, I live in WV). Therefore, why is it my job to do her job? I'm confused.

 

[CarlK90245]

Ok, so I don't mean to be disrespectful here. But this is my opinion. I spent a lot of time on this search. For free. Because I felt compelled. And I submitted the email to the correct person. Now, that person, whose job it is to follow up on my tip, is paid with my tax dollars (yes, I live in WV). Therefore, why is it my job to do her job? I'm confused.

I agree. But the reality is that some professionals are more professional than others. There are some LE and ME professionals that are very appreciative of what we do, and will take you seriously whether or not we dot the i's and cross the t's.

Others will give you a big fat yawn. But most are somewhere in between - That is to say that they will pay attention to you if you come across as confident that you are on to something, but will probably set it aside for some other day (that never comes) if you don't make it easy for them.

I keep track of everything that I have called in. There are quite a few of them that have been ignored. There are also a few where they've outright told me that they aren't going to bother with it. At that point, there is very little that you can do about it.

For some, I keep calling back every few months for follow-ups, but there are a few that I know any efforts are futile.

I'm not saying it's right. I'm only saying that this is the reality of it.

 

[webrocket]

Ok, so I don't mean to be disrespectful here. But this is my opinion. I spent a lot of time on this search. For free. Because I felt compelled. And I submitted the email to the correct person. Now, that person, whose job it is to follow up on my tip, is paid with my tax dollars (yes, I live in WV). Therefore, why is it my job to do her job? I'm confused.

In an ideal world, LE would check out any tips provided by concerned citizens. Now if I recall your original post, it is not that your submission was ignored, it came back undeliverable so it is not like someone dismissed your submission. There is a flip side to the tax dollar issue and that is efficient use of public resources. some smaller local jurisdictions just don't have the full time staff that can dedicate its days to scouring the internet for possible matches for long cold cases and even if they did, they could spend considerable time with submissions that require unnecessary extra steps only to find out that perhaps some of the names are already on the rule-out list.

I looked back at the Namus page for the UID and there is not a whole lot to work with being that partial skeletal remains were found. they do not have as much as a hair color.

we have a white woman with an estimated age range of 37-47, around 5'0" tall, found in May 2001, with a possible 3 year post-mortem interval. they do have DNA for the UID.

While it is true that anyone could wind up deceased anywhere in the US, it may be unrealistic to expect a small local agency to request records from across the country so that they can manually compare records when there is the remotest of possibilities of a match.

taking your suggestions one at a time, the first one, 1698DFFL, is Sherri Vanessa Holland, last seen in FL on Aug 16, 1996. she was between 5'2" and 5'5". circumstances surrounding her disappearance make it appear she was the victim of a crime and quite probably murdered within days of her disappearance. LE figures she was abducted somewhere between Flagler Beach FL and Atlanta GA. I could not find Sherri in Namus so there is no indication whether there are any DNA samples on file.

so it is possible the UID is Sherri but it is not likely that someone drove all the way from FL or GA to dump a body in WV.

the second one was ruled out already, that being Sharon Medlin.

The third one is 2697DFPA, or Kathleen Ann Mohn. as per her Doe Network page, it is believed her body was dumped into the Schuylkill River near Levittown, PA on the day she was last seen, December 3, 1999.

the fourth one is 2043DFOH, or Tonia Gay Aldrich, missing March 29, 1997 from Elyria, OH. the height is about right as is the age. I could not find her in Namus as either Aldrich or Woodburn so there is no indication about her DNA. Judging by a visual inspection of google maps, I would say it is about a 7 hour drive from Elyria, OH to Greenbrier County, WV.

The fifth, 682DFCA, is Rebecca Patterson, last seen on Aug 20, 1997 in Santa Cruz, CA. She is in Namus and they do not have a DNA result on file. other than her being a white woman, within the age range and about 5'2", there is nothing to suggest how she would have gotten to WV.

Just going through these took more than about 45 minutes of my time and I am not being paid to do so. Some people at WS throw out possible matches on the threads for the input of others before submitting anything to LE. it is of course not a requirement as any member of the public can look at any missing persons reports and make a call or send an email. as I indicated, on the occasions when I send in a possible match, I want to be as specific as possible as to why I think it is a match as to provide a justification for the recipient to spend some time looking into the match.

 

[carbuff]

It's not just small town LE organizations that don't have time or resources to put into long-cold cases. LE everywhere is being hit with budget reductions, layoffs, more work for fewer people, and in many cases rising crime rates. Anything we can do to cut the amount of work they have to do to give an answer helps.