NamUs #UP85987 - Jane Doe in Arizona's Mohave County

By: Shane Lambert

Update: This article was originally published in December 2021. The Jane Doe has since been identified, conclusively, thanks to DNA testing. She is Colleen Audrey Rice according to an article from TheBee.News and DNASolves.com.

Original article appears below

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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 December 23rd, 1970.

Sex: Female

Age: estimated to be about 40 years old (35-40 years old by another source)

Height: 5'4" (estimated: she had been dismembered, according to another source)

Weight: 125 to 140 pounds

Hair: curly, brown

Location: a deserted area near a dirt road that was 2.2 miles east of US Highway 93 on Hackberry Road

Clothing: a size-14 multi-colored long-sleeve blouse, a black long-sleeved black cardigan sweater, a pair of burnt-orange stretch pants with the words "Symphony, It's what's happening" written on a tab (size 12), a pair of black leather and ankle-high boots, bobby sox, and no jewelry.

Scar: she had a c-section birth scar (sourced below)

Fingerprints: sent to FBI

Dentals: Her dental work was considered expensive. She had two missing molars. She had a "$500 microband bridge."

Family: Thought to have been married (she had a bone indentation that was thought to have been caused by wearing a wedding ring) and she was thought to have had three children.

Find-a-grave: I think this might be the Jane Doe's grave picture. However, the date is off. Then again, with Jane Doe cases the dates on the graves aren't always right.

"Deer-Pak Ames Harris Neville Co.": What does this mean?

The woman was discovered by three hunters. The bag that the woman was in had the following phrase: "Deer-Pak Ames Harris Neville Co."

"Ames Harris Neville Co" gets hits in the newspapers.com database throughout the last century, but mostly in the early parts.  The company sold bags, tents, camping gear, awnings, and canvas goods. The Fox10 news article said the sack was a canvas bag so "Ames Harris Neville Co." was likely the brand name of the bag. The ad below shows that this was a large company on the west coast of the USA.

 

30 Jun 1960, Thu The Californian (Salinas, California) Newspapers.com

"Deer-Pak" appears to be a hunting term. Deer-Pak is a kind of bag that someone would buy to haul away deer after making a kill. With that in mind, it's not surprising that this woman was found by hunters. I think this Jane Doe was stuffed into a hunting bag that would have been meant for wild game. In the second clipping below, see the ad in the bottom-left. It uses the phrase "Deer Pak" amidst hunting equipment.

 

06 Oct 1967, Fri The Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, California) Newspapers.com

01 Oct 1963, Tue Tucson Citizen (Tucson, Arizona) Newspapers.com

"Symphony, it's what's happening": What could this phrase mean?

The phrase "Symphony, it's what's happening" is something I found little information on at first. However, someone at Etsy.com was selling some clothes that were vintage from the 1960s that had "symphony it's what's happening happening happening" written on the tag. I kept a screenshot in my notes. That gave me the idea to just search for "happening happening happening" with my beloved newspaper archive membership and I found a company that used the slogan with some variety.

I believe the Jane Doe's clothes were associated with a brand name called Monsanto's and may have been sold somewhere called Velma's as per the advertisement below. However, many chains may have carried the brand. As you see in the advertisement, they use a variation of the slogan. It's not "Symphony, it's what's happening" but rather "symphony is what's happening, happening, happening!"

I am not sure what "symphony" means: maybe it's a line of clothing within the overall brand? But I really do think that the murdered woman was rich or at least well-off, stylish, and chic.

06 Apr 1969, Sun Panama City News-Herald (Panama City, Florida) Newspapers.com

Journalistic Coverage

I found only a little bit of media coverage with this case. The articles I found are below. Journalist Paul Dean of The Arizona Republic wrote that she was stuffed into "a muslin deer sack" ("muslin" means lightweight cotton cloth in a plain weave), confirming what I wrote above about the canvas bag that she was found in being that of a hunter's. The second article below, the one by Paul Dean, is basically required reading for this murder mystery.

25 Jan 1971, Mon Arizona Republic (Phoenix, Arizona) Newspapers.com 27 Apr 1971, Tue Arizona Republic (Phoenix, Arizona) Newspapers.com

David Barclay Miller -- Missing in Arizona Since 1998

Paraphrased details from government source**: 

David was last seen leaving for a two-and-a-half-day hiking trip in Sedona, Arizona on May 19th, 1998. David was an experienced hiker employed by the Sedona Forest Service. David's vehicle was found abandoned at the Vultee Arch Trail in Sedona, AZ. Mr. Miller was an experienced hiker and was a seasonal employee with the United States Forestry Service.

Missing Person: David Barclay Miller
Last-contact date: May 19th, 1998 (Tuesday)
The area where the MP was last seen: Sedona, Arizona
Link to government source: NamUs MP 

VITAL DETAILS

Ethnicity: Caucasian
Sex: Male
Age at time of disappearance: 22 years old
Birthdate: July 6th, 1975
Hair: Sandy
Eyes: Blue and may be wearing glasses or contact lenses
Scar: None known
Height/weight: 5'11" to 6'1" and 160 to 170 pounds
BMI*: David Barclay Miller was in the normal range for BMI.
Tattoos: David Barclay Miller did not have any tattoos associated with his profiles.

David Barclay Miller, a missing person, was last heard from on Tuesday May 19th, 1998 when he was 22 years old. The last people to see him before he went on a two-day hike were his co-workers on May 19th, 1998 at the Beaver Creek Ranger Station. He left a note indicating what his plans were but a search started when he did not report to work as expected on Friday May 22nd, 1998. This individual has now been missing for about 23 years as of the original publication date of this blog post.

There was significant newspaper coverage with this missing person. His truck was found at the Vultee Arch Trail in the Sedona area. In coverage I read, there was a concern that he would not have enough drinking water in a part of the USA that is very dry and hot.

25 May 1998, Mon Arizona Daily Sun (Flagstaff, Arizona) Newspapers.com

The Vultee Arch Trail is only a 5.8-km "heavily trafficked" trail according to AllTrails.com. However, it is connected to a broader network of trails and backcountry. The missing person may not have perished near the specific trail that his profile is associated with.

What is puzzling with this case is that I did not find any indication that his campsite was located. He was on a multi-day trip and would surely have needed supplies and, I assume, a tent. 

If his campsite was packed as he traveled on foot then he should be a pretty big target to find in an arid part of the USA where the forests are not as thick as many other parts of the country. If he was unpacked and set up for camp when he suffered a mishap, I would think that someone would have found his campground after all this time. 

I do find the concern over his lack of water to be a little difficult to accept. Surely, this is a hot place in the USA. In fact, I looked up the temperatures for the Sedona area on May 20th, 1998 and found a high of 83F (about 28C). But overall, the way I feel about this case is that something sudden and unexpected happened to him. Conversely, running out of a water, when you start with a lot of it, is something that someone would see coming: you could turn back when you realize you didn't bring enough. 

This trail is also very popular. I wondered how it could be that someone didn't help him as he would have foreseen any water shortage approaching.

20 May 1998, Wed Arizona Daily Sun (Flagstaff, Arizona) Newspapers.com

When he disappeared, he was thought to have a t-shirt, shorts and black hiking boots, and a forest-green Gregory backpack. Those details can be cross-referenced against John Does. It would help to know what supplies he was carrying as well. Furthermore, what was found in his vehicle might be interesting. 

The following Youtube video shows what the region was like in 2009. As you can see, there are a lot of smooth edges where someone that's feeling adventurous might fall.

Popular Tag: "Car Found Person Missing" is a popular tag for this site. It describes a missing person who either owned or was using a vehicle at the time of his/her disappearance. The vehicle is found but the person is not. Click the hashtag at the bottom of this blog post to see just how many times this pattern is present in missing person cases.

 

Author: Shane Lambert (UncoolNegated on Websleuths)

All articles are subject to editing after the original posting.

Shane Lambert (UncoolNegated on Websleuths) is not a Private Investigator, however, he is currently studying to be one as of March 2021.

If you like this blog, then you can join the affiliated Facebook group: MPC Facebook Group

Website hashtag: #MPCSL

*For BMI values, I use the UPPER or HIGHER ranges that are given for height and weight.
**Might not be the exact meaning that NamUs or Canada's Missing conveys. I improve upon their descriptions with my research.
Disclaimer: Whenever possible, government sources are preferred for getting the details of a missing persons case. However, any source that the article writer deems reputable may be used.

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Robert (Bob) Bode -- Missing in Arizona Since March 2000

Details from NamUs**: 

Robert "Bob" Bode was last seen on March 3, 2000 leaving his daughter's house in Tucson, AZ saying he was going to visit his parents in Clarkdale, AZ but he never arrived.

Missing Person: Robert M. Bode
May use the following alias: Bob
Last-contact date: March 3rd, 2000 (considered his date of death in his Ancestry profile)
The area where the MP was last seen: Tucson, Arizona

Link to government source: NamUs #MP77536
Missing person's profile on Ancestry: Robert M Bode

VITAL DETAILS

Ethnicity: White or Caucasian
Sex: Male
Age at time of disappearance: 51 years old
Birthdate: August 1st, 1948
Hair: Gray or Partially Gray
Eyes: Brown, wears glasses
Scar: Small scar on the middle of his forehead
Height/weight: 5-foot-9 and 175 to 180 pounds
BMI*: The missing person was slightly overweight by BMI at the time of the last contact.

• BMI is body mass index. It relates to an individual's height and weight. I include it believing it can help picture a missing person or describe one.

Robert M. Bode, a missing person, was last heard from on March 3rd, 2000 when he was 51 years old. From my research, this is considered his date of death. I didn't find a legal notice pertaining to him being declared dead in absentia, however, his Ancestry profile, which would likely have been made by family members, considers him deceased as of the date of his disappearance. He has now been missing for 21 years as of the original publication date of this blog post.

What stands out with this case, is that he is missing with his vehicle. That was a 1995 Ford F250.

When Robert Bode went missing he was driving from Tucson to Clarkdale. That's a 220-mile drive according to Google Maps. The most efficient route as recommended by Google would be through Phoenix, however, it's not clear that Robert made it this far. Nor can the route he would have taken be ascertained.

That Robert and his vehicle both went missing while on a road trip suggests that he may have run off of the road. Many missing people have disappeared with their vehicles while traveling, either to be found roadside or even submerged in a roadside body of water. However, Arizona highways don't really have a lot of these kinds of hiding spots. That is what makes this case puzzling.

The routes he could have taken are likely to have dangerous points, however, the vegetation in Arizona is not lush in the desert. If you run off of the highway it's not very likely that you would be missing for 20 years. In fact, it's not likely that you would be missing after the next motorist passed by. That's not like the Rockies to the north where vehicles going off the highway can be hidden by deep water or vegetation. Arizona is pretty bare and this truly is a strange case precisely because the vehicle hasn't been found.

My thoughts would be that something happened in Phoenix or maybe something happened when he stopped for gas. It would interesting if someone that knew Robert indicated if he ever picked up hitchhikers. Furthermore, the route he commonly took to Clarkdale would be interesting to know.

Robert's vehicle had a license plate of  #5AA711. It had a deep dent in the passenger side door near the hinges. Also, the right rear bumper was loose and hanging.

I did not find any newspaper articles on this matter nor news articles on the Internet. I reached out to the person who posted his Ancestry profile in hopes of getting more details about this case.

The following characteristics of his might help identify him if he is among the John Does:

1. The middle on his right hand is split in the middle.
2. His right upper front tooth had a cap.

Please share this article to social media using hashtags that are related to where the missing person went missing from, which is Tucson, Arizona. Also, it would make sense to share with hashtags that target his destination, which was Clarkdale, Arizona. Lastly, Phoenix is a place to target with hashtags as well.

Author: Shane Lambert, (Freelance Writer)

All articles are subject to editing after the original posting.

Shane Lambert, (Freelance Writer) is not a Private Investigator, however, he is currently studying to be one as of February/March 2021.

Website hashtag: #MPCSL

*For BMI values, I use the UPPER or HIGHER ranges that are given for height and weight.
**Text might be paraphrased. If taken verbatim, then grammar or spelling errors are not necessarily corrected from original sources.
Disclaimer: Whenever possible, government sources are preferred for getting the details of a missing person's case. However, any source that the article writer deems reputable may be used.

NamUs #MP73100 -- Jerole Nathan Tsinnijinnie Missing from Phoenix, Arizona

Author: Shane Lambert

August 5th, 2023 update: 

Reportedly, this individual was found deceased. Azcentral headlined on August 4th, 2023 "Skeletal remains found in South Mountain Park in January are ID'd as Jerole Tsinnijinnie." The deceased was not identified for several months. The composite sketch appeared to be a reasonably good one. 

Original Time of Writing: December 19th, 2020

All articles are subject to editing after the original posting.

Jerole Nathan Tsinnijinnie is a missing person that disappeared from Phoenix, Arizona on New Year's Day in 2020. According to this NamUs profile, he was last seen at about 8AM that day, near South 58th Avenue and South Cottonfields Lane. He was leaving a family member's residence as a pedestrian.

Information on this case is sparse. Looking in online resources and newspaper databases, I didn't find anything except for what NamUs included in his missing person's profile. I have reached out to family members but as of the time of writing, I did not receive a response and updates are pending.

Missing Person: Jerole Nathan Tsinnijinnie

Last seen or contacted: January 1st, 2020

Where last seen: Phoenix, Arizona 85339

NamUs # and Link: MP73100 

Ethnicity/Race: Native American -- a registered member of the Navajo Nation

Sex: Male

Age at time of disappearance: 28 years old

Hair: Black

Eye color: Black

Height and weight at the time of disappearance: 5'9" and 180 to 200 pounds

Clothing: Light blue t-shirt with "Maui" written on it; long blue jean shorts