Reconstructions of the victim by the Attorney General's Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Jack Sudimack and Amy Stump; approximations of victim's clothing.
Identified...Identified...Identified
Reconstructions of the victim by the Attorney General's Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Jack Sudimack and Amy Stump; approximations of victim's clothing.
Date of Discovery: April 22, 1981
Location of Discovery: Chesapeake, Lawrence county, Ohio
Estimated Date of Death: 1979-1981
State of Remains: Decomposed
Cause of Death: Homicide by strangulation
Estimated Age: 30-60 years old
Race: White
Sex: Female
Height: 5'2" to 5'4"
Weight: 130 to 150 lbs.
Hair Color: Unknown
Eye Color: Unknown
Distinguishing Marks/Features: Mild signs of arthritis in the thoracic and lumbar spine. She had prominent cheekbones.
Dentals: Available. Prominent overbite and buck teeth. Upper teeth most likely protruded over her lower lip. Photographic images depict perimortem trauma to the premaxilla which resulted in avulsion of tooth 8 and 9. The anterior mandibular dentition shows wear on tooth 22, 24 and 25. Dental charting done and radiographs made on 7/21/11 by Robert Barnett, DDS, after remains were exhumed.
Fingerprints: Not available.
DNA: Available.
Clothing: Dark pullover sweater over the upper body, covered with a lightweight shirt. On top of all this was a heavy red cable-knit sweater. The individual was wearing gray slacks. On the right foot was an inner light-colored lightweight sock, covered by a heavyweight red sock. The left foot had only the inner light-colored lightweight sock on it, though the cuff of the red sock was still present. Her hands were covered with socks.
Jewelry: Unknown
Additional Personal Items: A pay stub, bus ticket and Greyhound terminal locker key were recovered but lead nowhere. She also had a Jerry Falwell combative coin with her.
Two girls playing near their home on Wright Ridge found a woman's body in a covered cistern/well in a rural part of Chesapeake. There was a rope and cinder block around her neck and elastic bands on her wrists - two around her left wrist and one around her right wrist.
The victim's DNA was later analyzed by the DNA Doe Project, which indicated she could have originated from Cabell County, West Virginia. Extended relatives have also been identified.
She is known by the nickname "Belle in the Well."
Agency Name: Lawrence County Coroner's Office
Agency Contact Person: Kurt Hoffman
Agency Phone Number: 740-533-0202
Agency Case Number: HCCO-OC-45-81
NCIC Case Number: Unknown
NamUs Case Number: 6259
Former Hot Case Number:
NamUs
The DNA Doe Project
ABC 6
Ohio Attorney General
Ohio Criminal Intelligence Unit
WSAZ Channel 3 News Archive
Added: Prior to 2014; Last Updated: 5/27/18
Questions or comments? Please contact appropriate member of the Area Team
** Listed information may be estimated.
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