Missing Person Commentary

Paraphrased details from government source** : Almedia Carolyn Melcher disappeared in late 1963/early 1964 shortly after beginning to reconcile with her oldest daughter. A.C. Melcher's last known contact was a call to tell her daughter she was engaged. No one has heard from Almedia since. There was a rumor that she took off with a truck driver. Missing Person : Almedia Carolyn Melcher Last-contact date : January 1st, 1964 (this may be a placeholder date, meaning the exact date of disappearance is not known but NamUs needed to enter some data in the empty field) The area where the MP was last seen : Louisville, Kentucky Link to government source : NamUs MP#87281 VITAL DETAILS Ethnicity : Caucasian Sex : Female Age at time of disappearance: 43 years old Birthdate : Almedia Carolyn Melcher was born between January 2nd, 1920, and January 1st, 1921 based on her reported age at the last date of reported contact. However, I wondered if she might have been born in 1922. Hair ...

Paraphrased details from government source** : On June 18, 1950, Barbara Joe Kelley’s boyfriend Henry Baird was located deceased on the beach at Table Bluff. Kelley’s belongings were located nearby Baird’s remains. Law enforcement and family have been unable to contact Kelley and she remains missing today. Missing Person : Barbara Joe Kelley ("Barbara Kelly" in journalism) Last-contact date : June 18th, 1950 (Sunday) The area where the MP was last seen : Fortuna, California; she was thought to have been at Table Bluff Beach, which was 20 miles south of Eureka, California. Link to government source : NamUs MP83728 VITAL DETAILS Ethnicity : White/Caucasian Sex : Female Age at time of disappearance: 17 years old Birthdate : Barbara Joe Kelley was born between June 19th, 1932, and June 18th, 1933 based on her reported age at the last date of reported contact. Hair : Light-brown hair, according to journalism Eyes : Hazel, according to journalism Scar : She had a s...

Paraphrased details from government source** : On the morning of May 18th, 1993, Christine Harron stayed home from school as she was not feeling well. Around lunchtime, Christine and her mother argued about Christine returning to school for the afternoon. Her mother heard Christine leave the house at about 1:30 pm. Christine did not attend school that afternoon and she has not been seen since. The investigation revealed that Christine left the house without her purse, money, or knapsack. Subsequent investigations led to the arrest and conviction of a male in regards to the disappearance of Christine Harron, however, remains missing. Missing Person : Christine Marianne Harron Last-contact date : May 18th, 1993 (Tuesday) The area where the MP was last seen : Hanover, Ontario; it sounded like she disappeared between her residence and John Diefenbaker High School. Link to government source : Canada's Missing 2010001799 VITAL DETAILS Ethnicity : White or Caucasian Sex : Female ...

By: Shane Lambert NamUs description : "Construction workers renovating an apartment found a skull in a crawl space of a ground floor apartment located at 1926 I street, NE apt 1." Sex : Female Race : Caucasian/White Age : Thought to be an adult Height and weight : no estimates, skull only Date body found : The body has not been found or, if found, I don't think it has been associated with the skull that was found on December 17th, 2001 (Monday) Where was the skull found : Washington, DC. With so few details available in this case, this is one that amateur investigators might feel as though they should back away from. How can you hope to name a Jane Doe based only on a skull and sparse demographics? However, I think this is a case that Websleuths or amateurs might be able to contribute to. Remember, you aren't really trying to solve a case here. As an amateur, you are trying to find a lead  that police or professional investigators might take seriously with the hopes t...

By: Shane Lambert The Barren County Jane Doe is NamUs #UP107 . This is an individual who was found with a gunshot wound that was fatal near Park City, Kentucky. The Kentucky State Police say she was "stashed in a small ravine." Here are the details for this case that I found from various sources, as mentioned throughout. Date body found : November 2nd, 1973 (Friday) in the afternoon. Time/date of death : This Jane Doe, according to NamUs, was thought to have been dead for "Months." According to the journalism from the time of the discovery, she was thought to have been at the site where she was found for 3 to 10 weeks. It seems that women that went missing in October 1973 or any month before then during that year could be in play for a match. Where the body was found : In Barren County, Kentucky. NamUs says she was found along the Interstate. According to the journalism I read, she was found one mile north of Park City, along I-65 "near a grove of trees."...

By: Shane Lambert The Hillsboro Jane Doe ( NamUs #UP84926 ) is a young woman who was found dead in December 1961. I researched her case and below are the details that I think amateur investigators and writers should be aware of with this case. NamUs description : "Remains found off the side of a rural highway in a ditch. Believed to have been dumped there late 12/15/61 or early 12/16/61. Multiple injuries consistent with being beaten noted." Date body found : December 16th, 1961 (Saturday) at 3:48am in the morning. From the news articles I read from the journalism at about the time of her death, a "sex fiend" was thought to have killed her. However, in subsequent days she was thought to have not been sexually molested. 18 Dec 1961, Mon The Bee (Danville, Virginia) Newspapers.com Location of the body : NamUs says she was found in a rural highway ditch. From what I gathered, she was found a mile south of Hillsboro in a honeysuckle thicket and was presumptively...

By: Shane Lambert NamUs #UP85529 is a Jane Doe that was found near Stony Creek, Virginia in 1948. Her case was uploaded in October 2021, making for a 73-year interval. It's quite likely that, if she was a murder victim, then there is no justice to be had in this case due to how long ago it was. However, here are all the details that I could find on this Jane Doe. Age:  NamUs estimates an age of 15 to 25 years. Sex : Female Race : Black Height : 5'2" to 5'3" (estimated) Weight : 130 to 135 pounds (estimated) Date body found : September 16th, 1948 (a Thursday) according to NamUs. According to the news source I found, the date of discovery was September 17th, 1948 (the source says the body was found on the nearest Friday to the date of publication). When two sources contradict one another, it's not clear which one to go by. It does create potential that the news source is covering a different Jane Doe, however, nearly all the other information lines up. I think ...

By: Shane Lambert I researched the Mohave County Jane Doe tonight, an apparent murder victim whose dead body was found on January 23rd, 1971. The case received some mainstream media coverage with Fox10 in Phoenix . NamUs says that the "Jane Doe was found on a private ranch in a canvas sack with a rope outside of Kingman, Arizona on 01/23/1971."   This artistic rendering of the victim was undertaken in early 1971, I believe by a Flagstaff police artist.  Here are her details, many of which are as per the Mohave County Sherriff's Office Facebook post on October 20th, 2021, however, I source other sources throughout this article: Body found : January 23rd, 1971 Cause of death : murder by strangulation (sourced below) Date of death : Undetermined but early speculation was that she was thought to have been dead for several weeks; later speculation was that she had been dead for a month when she had been discovered. By my research, I think she was thought to have died around...

Paraphrased details from government source** : Mary Ann Mariz was last seen by her mother leaving their shared residence on 04/14/1982 to go out with friends. Missing Person : Mary Ann Mariz Last-contact date : April 14th, 1982 (Wednesday) The area where the MP was last seen : Sacramento, California Link to government source : NamUs MP87396 VITAL DETAILS Ethnicity : Caucasian Sex : Female Age at time of disappearance: 23 years old Birthdate : Mary Ann Mariz was born between April 15th, 1958, and April 14th, 1959 based on her reported age at the last date of reported contact. She might have been born on November 14th, 1958. Someone named "Mary A. Mariz" was born in San Bernardino County at that time according to a file at Ancestry that I found. Hair : Brown, shoulder lengthed Eyes : Brown Scar : None known Height/weight : 5-foot-6 and 120 to 125 pounds BMI *: Mary Ann Mariz was in the normal range for BMI. Tattoos : Mary Ann Mariz did not have any tattoos a...

Paraphrased details from government source** : Tara was last seen leaving her place of employment at The Men's Club in the 3300 block of Sage in southwest Houston, TX, where she worked as a waitress. She was returning home at the time of her disappearance. Her vehicle, a red 1986 Pontiac Fiero was found abandoned and locked in the 1200 block of West Loop North near 12th street, on her route home. The car's alternator belt was missing, there was no sign of a struggle, but she has never been seen since. Foul play is suspected. Missing Person : Tara Suzette Breckenridge Last-contact date : August 4th, 1992 (Tuesday) at about 1am (this would have felt like the night of August 3rd) The area where the MP was last seen : Houston, Texas Link to government source : NamUs MP914 VITAL DETAILS Ethnicity : Caucasian Sex : Female Age at time of disappearance: 23 years old Birthdate : September 30th, 1968 in Kern, California Hair : Brown Eyes : Brown Scar : None known Height/...

Paraphrased details from government source** : He was last seen on his way to the Greyhound station in Houma. Shannon had indicated that he was traveling to Dallas, however, he has not contacted friends or family. Missing Person : Shannon Darnell Harris Last-contact date : Some sources say October 1998, NamUs says November 3rd, 1998 The area where the MP was last seen : Houma, Louisiana Link to government source : NamUs MP#674 VITAL DETAILS Ethnicity : Black Sex : Male Age at time of disappearance: 30 years old Birthdate : October 10th, 1998 ( CharleyProject ) Hair : Black Eyes : Brown Scar : None known Height/weight : 5-foot-10 and 216 pounds BMI *: This individual was obese by BMI standards at the time of his disappearance. Tattoos : This missing person might be identifiable through his tattoos. Please note that he had the following: 'B on right chest', 'Dean on left chest', 'SCDRHP on left upper back.' Shannon Darnell Harris, a missing per...

Paraphrased details from government source** : Hughes was last seen at the Trailways Bus Station in Houston, Texas on December 8th, 1986 (some sources say December 6th of that year). Her husband dropped her off at the depot and she had plans to take a bus to see relatives in Louisiana. Her husband indicated that she was irrational, crying, and confused when he last saw her. She never arrived in Louisiana and has never been seen or heard from again. Her mother reported her as a missing person on December 19th, 1986. Rita Hughes has not attempted to contact any family members since her disappearance. Her last known address was in Magnolia, Texas. Foul play is suspected. Missing Person : Rita Mae Hughes Last-contact date : December 8th, 1986 (some sources say December 6th, 1986) The area where the MP was last seen : Houston, Texas Link to government source : NamUs #MP8548  Maiden name : Midkiff, according to CharleyProject VITAL DETAILS Ethnicity : White or Caucasian Sex : ...

Paraphrased details from government source** : Mary Frances Gregory left her home in Parry Sound, Ontario on February 15th, 1978. She wanted to vacation in California but she failed to arrive at her destination in Palo Alto, California. She has not contacted any family members or friends since. Ms. Gregory is believed to have departed Canada by motor vehicle with a male acquaintance who states that he let her off at a bus station in Las Vegas, Nevada some ten days after leaving Canada. The driver claims to have driven to Nevada via the States of New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois, Colorado, Utah, and Arizona. Missing Person : Mary Frances Gregory Last-contact date : February 15th, 1978 (Wednesday) The area where the MP was last seen : Scenario 1: Parry Sound, Ontario on February 15th, 1978; or Scenario 2: the Las Vegas bus station on February 28th, 1978; or Scenario 3: the Lougheed Hotel in Burnaby between 1993 and 1995 Link to government source : Canada's Missing Case refere...