Reconstruction of the victim by the FBI; Parabon NanoLabs rendering (depicted at age 48); sketches and previous clay rendering and close up of victim's teeth.
Identified...Identified...Identified
Reconstruction of the victim by the FBI; Parabon NanoLabs rendering (depicted at age 48); sketches and previous clay rendering and close up of victim's teeth.
Date of Discovery: June 27, 1977
Location of Discovery: Townsend, New Castle County, Delaware
Estimated Date of Death: 1-6 months
State of Remains: Decomposed
Cause of Death: Homicide
Estimated Age: 33-63 years old
Race: White
Sex: Female
Height: 5'2" to 5'6"
Weight: 90 to 110 lbs.
Hair Color: Blond to light brown
Eye Color: Most likely blue, based on DNA phenotyping.
Distinguishing Marks/Features: Thin build. She had given birth to at least two to three children during her lifetime. Scar on right buttock. May have had a fair complexion, based on DNA phenotyping. Wear patterns on vertebrae suggests chronic stress resulting in periods of inflammation and bony reaction.
Dentals: Charts and x-rays available. Amalgam fillings #3, 5, 7, 11, 12, 14, 15 in upper jaw, 21, 28, 30, in lower jaw. Evidence of heavy accumulation of tar (indicating she smoked), old extraction in lower jaw, removable appliance in upper jaw, and gum disease. Work is of poor quality. Individual had not seen a dentist for at least 1 or more years prior to her death.
Fingerprints: Not available.
DNA: Available.
Clothing: None.
Jewelry: None.
Additional Personal Items: None.
On June 27, 1977, County Police detectives responded to a rural area outside of Townsend, Delaware after the victim's remains were found in an open field.
Police are investigating her case as a homicide. The right second metacarpal was broken at mid-shaft. It may have resulted from a struggle.
Serial-killer Henry Lee Lucas lived in Elkton, Maryland, which is very close to the area where the remains were found. Investigators also found that writings Lucas made while he was serving time in a Texas prison have many similarities to the crime scene and information that was developed.
Lucas claimed to have brought a female from Michigan to Delaware, where he murdered her. In 1983, Lucas confessed to killing 6 women in Delaware, but he later recanted. He falsley confessed to over 3,000 murders and died in 2001.
No local leads were ever developed making investigators believe that the victim may not be from the area.
In 2018, investigators turned to the Parabon NanoLabs for assistance with solving the case. Their results, from studying the woman's DNA, indicated she was of Northern European descent and also suggested possible traits that were previously unknown due to the condition of her remains.
Agency Name: New Castle County Police Department
Agency Contact Person: Brian Shahan or Glenn Davis
Agency Phone Number: 302-573-2800, 302-395-2781 (Shahan) or 302-395-8216 (Davis)
Agency E-Mail: BShahan(at)nccde.org or GLDavis(at)nccde.org
Agency Case Number: 32-77-040780
Agency Name: Medical Examiner Unit Delaware - Division of Forensic Science
Agency Contact Person: James Schaeffer-Patton
Agency Phone Number: 302-577-3420
Agency E-Mail: N/A
Agency Case Number: 32-77-040780
NCIC Case Number: Unknown
NamUs Case Number: 2170
NamUs
New Castle County Sheriff
Law and Crime
Added: Prior to 2002; Last Updated: 3/16/19
Questions or comments? Please contact appropriate member of the Area Team
** Listed information may be estimated.
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