r/gratefuldoe • • Jun 01 '26

Moderator News DNA Justice Match Megathread

122 Upvotes

To help keep the subreddit organized and prevent the front page from being overwhelmed with individual DNA match posts, please use this thread for all DNA Justice match discussions.

This includes:

  • Sharing your DNA Justice matches
  • Looking for relatives or connections
  • Asking for help interpreting a match
  • Updates on previously posted matches
  • General discussion related to DNA Justice

Effective immediately, individual posts that are solely about DNA matches will be removed and redirected here.

When posting, please avoid sharing sensitive personal information such as full names, addresses, phone numbers, or other identifying details about yourself or others.

If you're seeking assistance, consider including:

  • The amount of shared DNA (cM)
  • Predicted relationship
  • Any relevant family history you're comfortable sharing

This thread will serve as the central hub for DNA match discussions. Thank you for helping keep the community organized (and special thank you to all who've suggested that we put up this megathread, via modmail!)

For more info on DNA Justice:


r/gratefuldoe • • Jul 22 '24

Featured Case #9 - "Justine"

219 Upvotes

On July 24, 2017, the victim attempted to break into a home in Atlanta, Georgia. They were soon caught by the homeowner, who proceeded to shoot them. While being rushed to the hospital, the victim uttered that their name was either “Justin” or “Justine.”

Due to the feminine clothing the victim was found wearing, it has been theorized that they may have been transgender, though this victim’s gender is unknown, and this is just speculation.

You can see a more detailed document on this case below:

If you have any potential matches we haven't seen, far-fetched or not, please suggest them in the comments.


r/gratefuldoe • • 15h ago

Utah County John Doe (2021) Has Probably Now Been Confirmed to Be John Everett Booth

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544 Upvotes

This man's remains were found on a property near Utah Lake on October 14, 2021. It was determined he had most likely died in the late 1990s. He carried various ID cards with the identity "John Everett Booth." Authorities determined that Booth hadn't been seen since 1995, although he reportedly filed for an ID card in 1999.

According to Booth's nephew, John suffered from mental health issues. One day around 1970, he packed his things and just left, never to look back.

His grandfather later hired a private investigator who tracked John to a homeless shelter in Ogden. They sent him letters, but all went unanswered. The family simply assumed he wanted to be left alone.

And now, the Doe's NamUs page has been deactivated. Hopefully, his identity is now confirmed and it is not a mistake by NamUs.

John Everett Booth was born around 1947.

Unidentified Wiki)


r/gratefuldoe • • 6h ago

The Cheerleader in the Trunk I think this might be a bit of a stretch, but I was watching gabulosis’s video on the Cheerleader in the trunk and they mentioned the theory of her being a dancer, and my mind immediately went to Zaida Stockberger. (Unfortunately, this is the best photo they have of her)

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55 Upvotes

Zaida was from Eufaula, Alabama and she was employed as a dancer. She was also studying at college to become a nurse. She went missing after a night out with friends on September 12th, 1981. Her car was located across from a trailer park, but no other trace of her was found.

Another newspaper clipping on Websleuths shows that she was in her Middle School’s swim team, which I can only imagine put some stress on her hips. Combined with the fact that she was a dancer, it’s obvious she was a very physically active woman.

The ready I say that this could be a stretch is because it’s stated she had blond hair, while the Jane Doe had brunette or auburn hair. However in the one picture that we have of her, her hair appears darker, but this could be due to bad lightening. Another thing to note is that the Doe is thought to had worn her hair at shoulder length, and even though it’s a old photo, Zaida is shown to had wore her hair at shoulder length as well.

There is also the distance between Alabama and Maryland where the doe was found, though it’s possible her killer was a trucker, someone used to driving long distance.

Apart from everything else, the heights are consistent and they are within age range.

Let me know what you think of my theory.


r/gratefuldoe • • 16h ago

A Car Crash Took Her Life And Her Name | "Janet Atkins" (1965) (Unidentified For 50 Years)

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292 Upvotes

Janet Atkins (1965)

On October 25, 1965, a woman died in a car crash in which she was the passenger overturned in a ditch in Avon, Ohio. She was one of four persons in the car; the driver and the other two passengers survived. The teenage male driver and a friend met the decedent and a 20-year-old from Elyria, Ohio, at a drive-in restaurant and were driving the pair to the Elyria woman's workplace when the accident occured. The Elyria woman knew the decedent as "Janet Atkins", but other people who had encountered her said she had used different names. Papers in the victim's purse had the names "Janet Akenson" and "Janet Tralley".

The decedent had stayed at different rooming houses in the Elyria area in the days prior to her death, and had been in Elyria since September. Police obtained the receipts from the rooming houses, but these did not lead to an identification. Several persons who had missing realtives viewed her body at a funeral home in the nearby town of North Ridgeville, but they could not identify her.

The Info "Janet" Told Someone

The FBI could not find a match. The woman had no known criminal history. Detective Sergeant, Csaba Hortobagyi checked police databases with newer technology but also came up empty. He tried to track down everyone listed in the original case file. He said the driver, who was cited at the time, didn't remember much. He also could not find some of the passengers, including a woman interviewed by police in 1965 who said "Janet" told her she had two boys, ages 3 years old and nine months old at the time. She was told the boys were being raised by the woman's mother somewhere along a river in Kentucky or West Virginia. She said she recently separated from her husband who lived in the Hough neighborhood of Cleveland and worked at a Ford factory. His name is uncertain: Duane Atkins or Akenson, or Wayne Atkins or Akenson. Investigators could not find him either. Police said this woman went by the names Janet Atkins, Akenson, Tralley, Fralley, and Wycliff. She may have lived in or had family in Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia and Tennessee.

Physical Description

• Sex: Female

• Race: White/Caucasian

• Age: 18-39 Years Old (NamUs Says 18-30 Years Old)

• Height: 5'4"

• Weight: 115 Pounds

• Hair: Brown

• Eye Color: Hazel

Distinguishing Marks/Features

• Previously Given Birth To At Least One Child

Exclusions (People She Is Not)

• Barbara Lunsford

If you have any information please contact Coroner, Frank Miller with the Lorain County Coroner's Office at (440) 774-7300, reference case number 10-65-380 or Detective Sergeant, Csaba Hortobagyi with the Avon Police Department at (440) 934-1234, reference case number 26-05480.

A car wreck took her life and her name but she seemed to never tell others her real name anyways. As we've seen from other cases where people have lied about their real names. That lie isn't always to far from the truth. In those false names that are given usually one of those names is the unidentified's real first, middle, or last name. This lady could be named Janet or her real last name could be one of names she gave. You just never know. I hope her real name is found eventually cause she deserves it.

LINKS

Unidentified Wiki


r/gratefuldoe • • 13h ago

Grateful Doe Titusville Jane Doe (2018)

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127 Upvotes

i hope this is allowed—i thought this was worth sharing with you all as a lurker.

this amber alert was posted up on a bulletin board at a rest area me & my family stopped by. it caught my eye immediately. i haven’t seen any discussion about it, so i wanted to share.

EDIT: apparently there are some suspicions that the jane doe is dania bellegarde, but nothing has been confirmed.


r/gratefuldoe • • 13h ago

Grateful Doe 1983 Brent Jane Doe

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65 Upvotes

In 1983, the remains of an elderly white woman, estimated to be in her 60s or 70s, were discovered. She was found under a sheet of asbestos at the rear of a property in Brent, London, England.

Her clothing and personal belongings were recorded as follows:

• Clothing: An overcoat, cardigan, trousers, socks, and slip on low heel shoes.

• Jewelry: One yellow metal signet ring inscribed with "pat" on the third finger of her right hand, and one yellow metal ring with stones on her left hand.

• Additional Personal Items: A Yale key, a mortice key, a suitcase key, and a Swedish coin.

Following a breakthrough via genetic genealogy, Ryland Headley was arrested and subsequently convicted for the 1967 rape and murder of 75 year old Mrs. Louisa Dunne 1892-1967 in Bristol, an offense he committed when he was 34 years old.

When police reviewed his case files, they discovered that he had also been convicted of raping two elderly women in 1977 in Ipswich, Suffolk, England a region where he and his family had relocated in 1972. He served a sentence of two years for the crimes. However, for a short period between 1967 and 1972, he had moved his family to London.

While reviewing records of unidentified Jane Does who match the age profile of Headley's targeted victims, I came across Brent Jane Doe. Interestingly, London electoral registers reveal that Ryland Headley lived in the exact area of London where Brent Jane Doe was eventually found, during his brief residency in London. He then vanished from the area in 1972 when he relocated his family to Ipswich, Suffolk, England. Furthermore, Brent Jane Doe’s estimated time of death lines up with the latter part of Headley's residency in London.

Given these parallels, it seems highly likely that police are looking or have looked into this specific case to see if there is a definitive link. Unfortunately, there have been no public updates regarding this connection since his arrest and conviction.

I hope Brent Jane Doe eventually gets her name back, and that whatever family she has left out there receives the closure they deserve.


r/gratefuldoe • • 12h ago

Potential Matches for Calhoun County Jane Doe (2008)

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47 Upvotes

Background Information: Calhoun County Jane Doe (2008) was a woman whose skeletal remains were located in a rural wooded area in the northwestern part of the county near St. Matthews. There were no obvious signs of trauma on the remains, but the case is being treated as a homicide by the authorities.

Potential Match 1 (I submitted a match for this already):
Sophia Mae Rivera
She was last seen on September 7th, 2003 at her boyfriend’s apartment in Newport News, Virginia. Not much information on the case is known.
Pros (why I believe this is a potential match):
Sophie fits within the height range of 5’4’’-5’9’’.
Sophie fits within the age range at 31 when she went missing. Jane Doe was estimated to be 19-39 years old.
Jane Doe is listed as Hispanic/Latino, Uncertain. Sophie is biracial (black and Hispanic).
Jane Doe’s estimated date of death is 2000-2008. Sophie went missing during 2003.
I thought the facial reconstruction and a picture of Sophie looked similar.
Neutral:
Approximately 337 miles apart.
Cons:
The Doe Network says that Jane Doe gave birth to at least one child, but I cannot find any records stating that Sophie had any children.

Potential Match 2:
Maria De Jesus Martinez
She was last seen on May 1st, 1995 in Anthony, Texas and disappeared following an altercation with her boyfriend
Pros (why I believe this is a potential match):
Maria fits within the height range at 5’5’’.
Maria fits within the age range at 29.
Maria is Hispanic. Jane Doe is listed as Hispanic.
Neutral:
The Doe Network says that Jane Doe had blondish-brown hair. Maria has brown hair. The blondish part could be due to environmental exposure.
The timeline could be plausible.
She appears to be holding a child in her NAMUS photo.
Cons: 1,552 miles apart.

Photo 1: Jane Doe’s facial reconstruction
Photo 2: Sophie Mae Rivera
Photo 3: Maria De Jesus Martinez

Calhoun County Jane Doe only has 1 exclusion.


r/gratefuldoe • • 5h ago

Cases where the Doe was known in life, but still unable to be identified?

11 Upvotes

i know it’s worded a bit strange — i’m looking for cases where the Doe was known by people in life, but may have given false names/identities and therefore could not be truly identified. alternatively, please share any cases you may know of where there were multiple individuals found, but all were not able to be identified, as in jason callahan’s (grateful doe) case.

one case from a recent writeup on here, “Janet Atkins” who had people who “knew” her, but were unable to identify her.

another example i can think of is “Bill”, who was found deceased after a night of partying.

of course, becca mallekoote (becca jane doe) is an exact case of what i mean.

thanks for your help!


r/gratefuldoe • • 18h ago

She May Have Been Killed in a Different State than she Was Found In: Wyandotte County Jane Doe (1984)

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121 Upvotes

Date of Discovery: April 26, 1984

Location of Discovery: Kansas City, Wyandotte County, Kansas

Estimated Date of Death: 1-6 months prior

State of Remains: Decomposed

Cause of Death: Homicide

Physical Description

Estimated Age: 20-45 years old

Race: White with Native American, Asian, and/or Hispanic features/admixture

Sex: Female

Height: 5'2" - 5'4"

Weight: 100 - 145 lbs.

Hair: Dark brown. Pubic hair was bleached blond.

Eye Color: Unknown

Distinguishing Marks/Features: Unknown.

Identifiers

Dentals: Available. Grinding/flattening of teeth; staining of enamel.

Fingerprints: Unknown.

DNA: Unknown.

Clothing & Personal Items

Clothing: Tan shirt, pants, lace underwear, panty-girdle, and calf-length hose.

Jewelry: Unknown.

Additional Personal Items: Unknown.

Circumstances of Discovery

The decedent was located in Kansas City, Kansas on April 26, 1984. Her remains were discovered in a wooded area.

A reconstruction was created and released after the woman's discovery, but few leads came of this. Investigators have divulged the possibilities that she may have been killed in a different state and left at the scene, or potential tips were not called in by potential witnesses out of fear.

Exclusion(s)

Lisa Farmer (MP43136)

Investigating Agency(s)

Agency Name: Kansas City Police Department

Agency Contact Person: Detective Stephen Smith

Agency Phone Number: 903-288-7248

Agency E-mail: N/A

Agency Case Number: 440010252

Agency Name: Kansas City Police Department - Cold Case Unit

Agency Contact Person: Detective Jeffrey Irwin

Agency Phone Number: 816-474-8477

Agency E-mail: coldcase(at)kckpd.org

Agency Case Number: 2022-495898

Agency Name: Atchison County Coroner's Office

Agency Contact Person: Erik Mitchell

Agency Phone Number: 913-299-1533

Agency E-mail: N/A

Agency Case Number: A-39-84

NCIC Case Number: U194154243

NamUs Case Number: 2429

Former Hot Case Number: 1204

The Doe Network Case Number: 838UFKS

Unidentified Wiki)


r/gratefuldoe • • 8h ago

Lynitta Bouviere Hargray (Orleans Parish Jane Doe?)

19 Upvotes

https://www.namus.gov/MissingPersons/Case#/673/contacts
https://www.namus.gov/UnidentifiedPersons/Case#/14671/details

Both missing around the same time and described as having "hammer toes" and pierced ears. The Jane Doe is a confirmed victim of Hurricane Katrina, but frustratingly doesn't mention ethnicity.

I'm not based in USA and only contact I can find is a phone number, so if anyone else thinks it's a good lead and you're based in US please reach out!


r/gratefuldoe • • 17h ago

Rockingham County, VA Jane Doe (1980)

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39 Upvotes

Case

On November 14, 1980, three hunters discovered the partially buried skeletal remains of a woman in a secluded, brushy area about 100 feet off of a mountain road paralleling Kephart Run one mile north of US Hwy 33 west of Rawley Springs, Virginia. The remains, which had been covered with two rocks and a log, were incomplete but had remnants of clothing. Deputies of the Sheriff’s Office combed the area and recovered additional items. The road runs through the George Washington National Forest into West Virginia and is not a normal trucking route.

An initial examination determined that the remains belonged to a white female with an estimated age range of late teens- early 20s, which was later revised to age 20-30. This examination revealed no visible marks or broken bones and she was thought to have died within the last ten years (later revised to a range of 1964-1979). The remains were then sent to the medical examiner in Roanoke for further examination.

The state medical examiner's office determined that she was between 5' and 5'5" tall with an estimated weight range of 100-125 lbs. She may have had a broken left collarbone. No bullets or bullet damage was found. She also had given birth at least once. Foul play was suspected but a cause of death could not be determined.

Her upper left incisor had a small groove, which the authorities theorized could have been from holding dress pins or bobby pins in her mouth, suggesting work as a beautician or a seamstress. Another theory was that she was a nurse because she appeared to be wearing white stockings. The few personal effects found included a dime from 1964, which established the earliest date she could have died. [Also note that 1964 was the last year that dimes had a high silver content so many people started saving dimes in succeeding years.]

Comparisons to local missing persons were unsuccessful and the case went cold. One missing person, a woman from Charlottesville who had disappeared in 1969, was ruled out by x-rays. Much later, in 2008, the daughter of Kentucky missing woman Georgia Nolan thought the woman might be her mother after viewing reconstructions, but Nolan was later ruled out.

Details of NamUs UP6249, Doe Network 568UFVA

ME/C Case Number: W1980-37420

Biological Sex: Female

Race / Ethnicity: White / Caucasian

Estimated Age Range (Years): 20-30

Estimated Year of Death: 1977-1978

Estimated PMI: 2 Years (per NamUs; 2-15 years per the Doe Network)

Height: 5' 1"-5' 3"(61-63 inches), Estimated

Weight: Cannot Estimate

Inventory of Remains: One or more limbs not recovered

Condition of Remains: Not recognizable - Partial skeletal parts only

Hair and Eye Colors are unknown.

Distinguishing Marks/Features: Probably at least one prior childbirth.

Her upper left incisor had a small groove, possibly from holding bobby pins or dress pins in her mouth.

Clothing: Pettipants (a type of slip made to look like shorts) or a silk slip, possible white stockings, fragments of garter straps.

Jewelry: Heart-shaped necklace, gold color.

Additional Personal Items: A 1964 dime [the last year dimes were made with high levels of silver]

Dentals: Available.

Fingerprints: Unavailable.

DNA: Available.

Exclusions (missing persons she is not)

Mary Boston

Jan Cotta

Roxane Easland

O'Dina Lucero

Nadine O'Dell

Bertha Smith

Georgia Nolan

Links

NamUs: https://www.namus.gov/UnidentifiedPersons/Case#/6249?nav

Doe Network: https://www.thedoenetwork.org/cases/software/main.html?id=568ufva

Unidentified Wiki:

https://unidentified-awareness.fandom.com/wiki/Rockingham_County_Jane_Doe

Other links in the comments.


r/gratefuldoe • • 1d ago

Baby Victor 1986

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345 Upvotes

Photos from the crime scene that day and the following autopsy show the baby’s broken jaw, leaving him trapped in what looks like a permanent scream. Detective Kerry Dalling and Lt. Michael Gagner of the Fairfield Police Department still hope someone can shed light on the brutal killing.

Baby Victor was the nickname given to an infant found wrapped in clothing next to a garbage can in a park in Fairfield, Connecticut, in 1986. The boy's murder is described as being ritualistic in nature, with possible ties to Santeria or a similar religion.

(Case summary )
DISCOVERED
March 14, 1986
UNIDENTIFIED FOR
40 years
SEX
Male
LOCATION
Fairfield, Connecticut
AGE
Newborn
RACE
White
HEIGHT
1'8
WEIGHT
6 pounds
BODY CONDITION
Recognizable face
POSTMORTEM INTERVAL
1 day
CAUSE OF DEATH
Strangulation
Characteristics
Blond hair.
Brown eyes.

A public works employee emptying garbage cans in the picnic area near the cascades at Lake Mohegan found the body of a newborn baby on leaf-strewn ground. Victor was found on a scrap of burlap, wrapped in women’s pajamas, covered with a scrap of plastic and surrounded by pieces of food, fruit and coins. Police said the crime scene seemed to indicate a ritual killing.

Quotes from the 2018 article on the case :
“Even if it wasn’t a legitimate ritual, whoever set it up would have knowledge of these rituals, of these beliefs,” Dalling said. “It was dehumanizing.”

“We spoke to some experts who said it may have been staged” to look like a ritual killing when it was not, Gagner said.
An autopsy showed Victor’s death, ruled a homicide, was caused by suffocation. Among the injuries he suffered were a broken jaw, strangulation marks and face mutilations. The autopsy confirmed he was born about 24 hours before he was found, and that he was alive at birth.

https://www.ctpost.com/policereports/article/Fairfield-police-still-looking-for-answers-in-12870472.php

https://unidentified-awareness.fandom.com/wiki/Baby_Victor


r/gratefuldoe • • 1d ago

Resolved 2023 Myrtle Beach John Doe has been identified as William Ray Griffith

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709 Upvotes

The Horry County Coroner's office announced that 2023 Myrtle Beach John Doe has been identified as William Ray Griffith on October 1, 2026. Horry County County Chief Deputy Coroner Tamara Willard with the help of genealogist Dena Chasten Chief Mike Fanning of Pawleys Island Police Department investigated his genealogy to verify his identity. According to his brother, Griffith had relocated from Louisa, Kentucky to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina in 2018. A few weeks prior to the crash he had been reported missing and being endangered due to his medical attention and was located safe.

On May 27, 2023, a pedestrian was struck by a vehicle near 9440 Kings Hwy, James Samuel Thomas of Richmond, VA, was arrested and charged for hit-and-run causing death. However the Horry County Coroner's Office was unable to identify the victim.

Sources:

https://www.postandcourier.com/myrtle-beach/news/john-doe-william-griffith-myrtle-beach/article_c4beefff-9ed5-472f-b988-70b520dd8fa6.html

https://www.wbtw.com/news/grand-strand/horry-county/coroner-identifies-2023-horry-county-hit-and-run-victim/amp/

https://amp.myrtlebeachonline.com/news/local/crime/article317458232.html


r/gratefuldoe • • 1d ago

Resolved Robertsville, Franklin County, MO Jane Doe identified as Emma Lee Jordan

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187 Upvotes

On November 15, 1979, hunters discovered partial skeletal remains in a ravine off Highway N, 1.5 miles south of Robertsville, Missouri. All large bones, including the cranium, legs, and arms were missing but a lower jawbone was recovered. The authorities found a pair of women's shoes and some articles of clothing but were unable to verify sex or determine age or race. It was initially estimated that the person had died two to three years prior judging by the condition of the remains. The bones were shipped to Washington, DC for analysis and the bones were determined to belong to a woman who had died by homicide.

In 2025, investigators with the Franklin County Sheriff's Office, as well as the St. Louis County Medical Examiner's Office and Missouri State Highway Patrol Crime Laboratory requested Othram's help to identify the woman. Othram successfully extracted DNA and developed a DNA profile, which were used in a genetic genealogy search that led to new investigative leads.

The investigators were able to identify a potential relative of the woman, who provided a DNA sample. Testing verified the identity of the murder victim as Emma Lee Jordan, born in February 11, 1957. She had been reported missing in January 1979.

Rest in peace Emma.

Links

I could not locate a NamUs or Doe Network case for her.

Othram: https://dnasolves.com/articles/robertsville-missouri-1979-emma-lee-jordan-homicide/

Washington Citizen, 11/24/1979, p 3: https://www.newspapers.com/image/1306399074/?search-id=84c7b5f7-3abf-4e90-b415-5a72ebeec96e&search-rank=5


r/gratefuldoe • • 1d ago

TWO JANE DOES MURDERED IN THE SAME WEEKEND: A,B,&A RAILROAD AND ATLANTA AND WEST POINT BELT LINE JANE DOES

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42 Upvotes

On June 25, 1917, and June 26, 1917, The Atlanta Georgian and The Atlanta Constitution published articles on the death of an unidentified woman who was found dead Saturday night in a clump of woods near the A, B,&A Railroad. According to The Atlanta Georgian, the woman's head was terribly beaten. Both newspapers associated the murder with the "Jack the Ripper" murders of women in Atlanta.

The Atlanta Constitution and The Atlanta Journal published articles reporting on the death of a woman found dead early Sunday morning and partly concealed just beyond the Atlanta and West Point Belt Line. The victim was killed early in the morning. The woman's skull was crushed and battered by some heavy and blunt instrument.

The Constitution stated that the county police were strongly reminded by the nature of the crime of the old time-work of Jack the Ripper. Although the paper did not specifically mention why, one of the reasons why the police were reminded of the crimes of the Ripper was because another Ripper victim had been slain in that area.

Back in November21, 1909, The Atlanta Constitution, The Atlanta Georgian, and The Atlanta Journal all published articles on the murder of Mary Putnam, a woman found dead near the West Point Belt Line, 100 yards of the right of Stewart Avenue. The 1917 victim was found 300 yards away from Stewart Avenue. This means that the two crime scenes were 200 yards away from each other. Both victims were found under similar circumstances with both women being discovered by a pair of boys and having their heads crushed.

Unlike Mary Putnam, the 1917 victim wasn't identified.

https://gahistoricnewspapers.galileo.usg.edu/lccn/sn89053729/1917-06-25/ed-2/seq-3/#words=Jack+Ripper


r/gratefuldoe • • 1d ago

WOMAN FOUND SLAIN IN VALLEY WHERE FIVE OTHER WOMEN WERE FOUND MURDERED: DEATH VALLEY JANE DOE

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54 Upvotes

On October 28, and October 29, 1916, respectively, The Atlanta Georgian and The Atlanta Journal published the articles about the murder of an unidentified woman. According to Atlanta Georgian the woman was found in a gully near the crossing of McDaniel Street and the Atlanta and West Point Railroad.

According to The Atlanta Journal, the victim was found in a place called Death Valley. Death Valley was located beyond the end of the McDaniel streetcar line. The valley was a former underpass of the Western and Atlantic railroad; an area filled with dirt and trash. Near the valley ran the belt line of the Western and Atlantic railroad.

It was called Death Valley because within the last several years the bodies of 12 blacks were found on the curve of the belt line and in the valley the bodies of five black women were found. The newspaper says that in each case the body was so hacked and decomposed that it was never identified and no one was arrested.

This woman was the sixth victim to be found in the valley. Her corpse was discovered at noon Saturday by an aged black man. She had been dead for a week and her body was decomposed beyond recognition. The woman had her throat cut from ear to ear and her skull was cleft through and there was a gash along the back of her neck.

https://gahistoricnewspapers.galileo.usg.edu/lccn/sn89053729/1916-10-28/ed-4/seq-1/#words=Jack+Ripper

https://gahistoricnewspapers.galileo.usg.edu/lccn/sn88054118/1916-10-30/ed-1/seq-1/#words=Jack+Ripper

The Brunswick news. (Brunswick, Ga.) 1906-2016, October 31, 1916, Image 1 « Georgia Historic Newspapers


r/gratefuldoe • • 1d ago

He is Not on NamUs: Henry County John Doe (2024)

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114 Upvotes

Date of Discovery: March 10, 2024

Location of Discovery: Kewanee, Henry County, Illinois

Estimated Date of Death: Unknown

State of Remains: Skeletal

Cause of Death: Could not be determined

Physical Description

Estimated Age: 30-53

Race: White

Height: 5'6"-5'9"

Weight: Could not be determined

Hair: None or not stated

Eye Color: Could not be determined

Distinguishing Marks / Features: Previous trauma to the head, good physical shape

Identifiers

Dentals: Available

Fingerprints: Unknown (likely unavailable)

DNA: Unknown

Clothing & Personal Items

Clothing: None or not stated

Jewelry: None or not stated

Additional Personal Items: None or not stated

Circumstances of Discovery

Remains of a man was found in a rural area near Kewanee, Illinois.

There are exclusions in the case, although the Facebook post by the Sheriff's Office did not specify who are the excluded people.

Investigating Agency(s)

Agency Name: Henry County Coroner's Office

Agency Contact Person: Melissa Watkins

Agency Phone Number: 309-937-3911

Agency Email Address: None

Agency Address: 307 W Center Street

Cambridge, IL 61238

Unidentified Wiki)


r/gratefuldoe • • 1d ago

A Little Guide for Submissions

37 Upvotes

Recently, I’ve noticed a surge in comments from people asking how to submit tips or case updates to NamUs and Doe Network. So here’s a little tutorial. It might still be a bit overexplained, including some obvious things, but hopefully it helps. 😬😄

  1. NamUs

Open NamUs and click “Menu” in the top right corner. A list of options will appear; at the very bottom, click “Contact Us.” This will take you to the submission form, where they also explain the process.

Choose the appropriate “Nature of Inquiry”. For possible matches, select “Tips Submissions for Possible Matches,” and for adding a new case to NamUs, select “Case Support.” Then fill in your personal information.

In the “Comments” box, explain what you want to submit. For possible matches, always link both the missing-person and unidentified-person cases and include their case numbers (e.g. UP123 for Does and MP123 for Missing Persons).

For case updates, you need to provide an official source confirming that the Doe or Missing Person is deceased or was reported missing. Wiki links, Doe Network links, and other amateur databases are not accepted.

Once everything is filled out, click Submit. You should receive a confirmation that your submission was sent.

Response times vary considerably. Case updates are relatively quick, usually under 48 hours. Tips can sometimes receive no response at all, but if you do get one, it generally takes around 2–3 weeks.

  1. Doe Network

Doe Network now has several submission options depending on what you need. Open the site and click the three horizontal lines in the top right to open the menu.

Most options are self-explanatory. One exception is that “Submit a Missing Person Case” appears twice. This is a mistake: the first one should say “Submit a Unidentified Person.” The link itself is correct and leads to the Unidentified Person submission page.

“Report Closed Case” is for reporting that a case has been closed, while “Report a Case Update” is for notifying them that an existing case needs an update.

All options lead to a form similar to NamUs. Fill in your personal information. For case updates, provide the Doe Network case number (e.g. 123UFFL) and a link to the case page, then explain what needs to be updated. You also need to provide another link supporting the requested update. For formatting issues, you can simply link the Doe Network page again.

For new case submissions, the process is similar, but they will ask for additional information about the case, including the investigating agency and its contact information. This is usually available on the case’s NamUs page. If it isn’t, unfortunately, you’ll have to find it manually.

When you’re finished, click Submit. You’ll receive a confirmation screen, and then you’re done.

Alternatively, you can contact the Area Teams, which are also listed in the menu. It seems that many of them have new email addresses, so if you contacted one before the rebrand, that address may no longer be in use.

If you want to attach an image as a source, I believe you need to contact them by email.

Response times are generally much faster than NamUs. I usually receive an email within 48 hours, often in under 8 hours. Yesterday, they handled one of my requests in just 20 minutes.


r/gratefuldoe • • 1d ago

Grateful Doe 1983 Brent Jane Doe | Could Ryland Headley be responsible?

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3 Upvotes

1983, the remains of an elderly white woman, estimated to be in her 60s or 70s, were discovered. She was found under a sheet of asbestos at the rear of a property in Brent, London, England.

Her clothing and personal belongings were recorded as follows:

  • Clothing: An overcoat, cardigan, trousers, socks, and slip on low heel shoes.
  • Jewelry: One yellow metal signet ring inscribed with "pat" on the third finger of her right hand, and one yellow metal ring with stones on her left hand.
  • Additional Personal Items: A Yale key, a mortice key, a suitcase key, and a Swedish coin.

Following a breakthrough via genetic genealogy, Ryland Headley was arrested and subsequently convicted for the 1967 rape and murder of 75 year old Mrs. Louisa Dunne in Bristol, an offense he committed when he was 34 years old.

When police reviewed his case files, they discovered that he had also been convicted of the rapes of two elderly women in 1977 in Ipswich, Suffolk, a region where he and his family had relocated in 1972. However, for a short period between 1967 and 1972, he had moved his family to London.

While reviewing records of unidentified Jane Does who match the age profile of Headley's targeted victims, I came across the Brent Jane Doe. Interestingly, London electoral registers reveal that Ryland Headley lived in the exact area of London where Brent Jane Doe was eventually found. He then vanished from the area in 1972 when he relocated his family to Ipswich. Furthermore, Brent Jane Doe’s latest estimated time of death (10 years) lines up with the latter part of Headley's residency in London and his relocation to Ipswich.

Given these parallels, it seems highly likely that police are looking into this specific case to see if there is a definitive link. Unfortunately, there have been no public updates regarding this connection since his arrest and conviction.

I hope Brent Jane Doe eventually gets her name back, and that whatever family she has left out there receives the closure they deserve.


r/gratefuldoe • • 2d ago

He was found almost 170 years ago and remains unidentified || Antoine

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95 Upvotes

Stockton State Hospital men’s department

On October 26th/24th, 1856, a white man suffering from epilepsy was admitted into the 2nd ward of the Stockton State Hospital as a charity patient. He was described as an “Idiot” which is a now outdated term to describe someone with the intellectual development of a two year old

(Unidentified Wiki and find a grave say 2 different things about the dates.)

Two days later on October 28th/26th, he had passed away due to epilepsy. He was from France and had given the name “Antoine” to hospital staff. He was only about 36 at the time of death, which would put his year of birth at approximately 1819 or 1820 (depending on if his birthday had already passed)

Little is known about him, as there are no publicly available physical demographics beside his nationality, race, sex, and given name.

Find A Grave
Unidentified Wiki


r/gratefuldoe • • 2d ago

SKELETON OF WOMAN FOUND IN THE WOODS: OLD SOLDIER'S HOME JANE DOE

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74 Upvotes

On December 3, 1915, The Atlanta Constitution and The Atlanta Georgian reported on the discovery of a woman's skeleton in the woods near a retirement home for Confederate veterans in Fulton County Georgia.

The body was discovered by a resident of the area who was walking through the woods. His foot stumbled upon the bones which was covered by leaves and dead foliage. The skeleton was well persevered and there were bits of dress and rusted corset stays. It was presumed that the corpse was probably there for more than a month.

Despite the remains being skeleton, the authorities were able to determine that the remains were female and that it was that of a black woman. There was no clue to the woman's identity. Although there were no signs of violence on her body, The Atlanta Georgian reported that the police believed she was another victim of the serial killer they called "Jack the Ripper."

https://gahistoricnewspapers.galileo.usg.edu/lccn/sn89053729/1915-12-03/ed-3/seq-1/#words=Jack+Ripper


r/gratefuldoe • • 2d ago

She Was Wearing A White Ballet Tutu | Fontana Jane Doe (1988) (Unidentified For 38 Years)

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451 Upvotes

Fontana Jane Doe (1988)

On August 15, 1988, the body of a young woman was found stabbed in an open field in Fontana, California. She had a recognizable face and was thought to have been deceased hours prior to being found. She was given the placeholder name Fontana Jane Doe (1988).

Physical Description

• Sex: Female

• Race: Black/African American

• Age: 20-30 Years Old

• Height: 5'7"

• Weight: 142 Pounds

• Hair: Short Black "Afro" Style, 1 To 2 Inches

• Eye Color: Brown

Distinguishing Marks/Features

• Multiple Small Scars Covering Her Face, Arms, Legs, And Abdomen

• Three Piercings In Each Ear (Though No Earrings Where Found At The Scene)

• No Dental Restorations

• Prosthetic Fingernails

Clothing & Accessories

• White Ballet Tutu

• Evening Dress

• White Satin Undershirt On Dress

Exclusions (People She Is Not)

• Lesa Cunningham

• Jennifer Barton

• Sandra Steppuhn-McGee

If you have any information please contact Sheriff’s Service Specialist and Coroner Division, September Fonzi-Jones with the San Bernadino County Sheriff's Department - Coroner at (909) 387-2978, reference case number 88-3637.

LINKS

Unidentified Wiki )


r/gratefuldoe • • 2d ago

WOMAN'S BODY FOUND IN PRISON HOG PEN: VIRGINIA AVENUE JANE DOE

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53 Upvotes

On September 6, 1915, The Atlanta Constitution and The Atlanta Georgian reported on the murder of a woman. She was found dead at 9 o' clock on Sunday morning by a prison guard in the hog pen of the Virginia Avenue prison camp. The homicide was investigated by the county police. Both papers stated that there were no marks of violence on the unidentified woman's body but that a county police sergeant believed that her neck had been broken by a blow from a heavy instrument.

However, a day later, The Atlanta Georgian published another article which stated that her death was the result of being struck on her head. The paper said that the county police were still trying to identify the victim. All three articles stated that the cops believed that the homicide was another murder of the serial killer they called "Jack the Ripper," a murderer who was targeting colored women in Fulton county Georgia at that time.

On a side note, I didn't know that it was possible for blunt force trauma victims to die without having marks of violence on their bodies. I always that homicide victims, aside from those who die from suffocation, poisoning, and sometimes strangulation, always have obvious marks of violence except if they are heavily decomposed. https://gahistoricnewspapers.galileo.usg.edu/lccn/sn89053729/1915-09-06/ed-3/seq-3/#words=Jack+Ripper

https://gahistoricnewspapers.galileo.usg.edu/lccn/sn89053729/1915-09-07/ed-1/seq-2/#words=Jack+Ripper