NamUS UP #16509 (Springhill Jane Doe) vs. NamUs MP #25291 (Victoria Shoupe)

By: Shane Lambert
Original Time of Writing: February 15th, 2018
Updated: March 16th, 2025

The Springhill Jane Doe, as of March 16th, 2025, remains listed as UP #16509 on NamUs. She is an unidentified individual who died in a vehicle accident without any identification on May 2nd, 1986.

This case stands out because it feels solvable. With a clear post-mortem photo and a solid description available on her NamUs profile, you’d think identification would just take the right person seeing it. Yet, nearly 39 years later, she remains nameless. This mystery reminds me of a once-unsolved case: the Grateful Doe, identified in 2015 as Jason Callahan.

Grateful Doe: A Solved Case That May Have Insight

The Grateful Doe was a hitchhiker who died on June 26th, 1995. He also died in a car accident while riding as a passenger. Like the Springhill Jane Doe, he carried no ID, leaving his identity a puzzle for years. Headlines for both could’ve read the same: young, transient, and unknown.

Callahan’s resolution offers insight. He had personal strifes with family members at the time of his death. That led loved ones to assume he’d cut contact with them voluntarily.

It wasn’t until 2015 that Jason's mother reported him missing, linking him to the Grateful Doe. Could the Springhill Jane Doe have a similar story? Estrangement might explain why no one’s claimed her, despite a clear photo that could make identification straightforward—if only the right eyes see it.

I feel like this is a case that could have been solved through publicity alone. But with the forty-year mark of her death approaching, it's now very possible that many of those who knew her have forgotten about her, if they didn't know her that well. Conversely, it stands to reason that many of those who did know her well have since died themselves.

Unpacking the Springhill Jane Doe’s NamUs Profile

Her NamUs entry might complicate things. It lists her as white, but a *Pittsburgh Post-Gazette* article from June 13th, 1986, by Vince Leonard quotes coroner Phillip Reilly noting his opinion that she had "characteristics of the American Indian, Negro, or possibly Asian races." This ambiguity or mixed ancestry suggests flexibility is key when matching her to missing persons.

The age range on NamUs—30 to 45 at death—also feels off. My take on her post-mortem photo is that it shows no graying hair or wrinkles, signs I’d expect in someone older.

A *Pittsburgh Press* report from May 3rd, 1986, estimated her in her early 20s. If that’s right, searches targeting 30–45-year-olds might’ve overlooked her. I’d widen the net to 17–45 to cover all possibilities.

*The Pittsburgh Press*, May 3rd, 1986, Pg. 24 (no author listed)

Springhill Jane Doe vs. Victoria Shoupe: A Possible Match?

Update, March 16th, 2025: I previously contacted a relative of Victoria Shoupe via Facebook about a potential match. They reviewed the Jane Doe’s photo and doubted they were the same person. No further progress has emerged as of now.

Victoria Shoupe, listed as NamUs MP #25291, vanished in May 1984—exactly two years before the Springhill Jane Doe’s death. Among missing persons from the three years before May 2nd, 1986, she’s the closest physical match I’ve found, a view shared on forums like Websleuths. She’s worth investigating.

Qualitatively, they align well. Shoupe was 30 when she disappeared, making her 32 by May 2nd, 1986—fitting my proposed age range. Both had brown hair and brown eyes, with no scars or tattoos noted. Their heights are off by just an inch but weight is the challenge: Shoupe was 120–130 pounds, while the Jane Doe was estimated at 170 pounds. That 40–50-pound gap is notable, but weight can shift over two years.

Furthermore, I previously contacted a relative of Victoria Shoupe's via Facebook about a potential match with the Springhill Jane Doe. The relative, after reviewing the Jane Doe’s post-mortem photo, felt they weren’t the same person. No further progress has been reported on this angle as of now.

DNA and Dental Records: The Key to Solving This Case?

DNA and dental records could settle this. The Jane Doe’s DNA is in her NamUs profile, but Shoupe’s isn’t in her entry, so no automatic rule-out exists. Shoupe’s dental info is listed as "to be entered later"—still pending as of March 16th, 2025. The Jane Doe’s dental records are ready, so entering Shoupe’s could confirm or exclude her fast. I’d urge authorities to prioritize this.