Artistic renderings of the victim; Victim's tattoos and clothing
Identified...Identified...Identified
Artistic renderings of the victim; Victim's tattoos and clothing
Date of Discovery: February 15, 1991
Location of Discovery: Big Coppitt Key, Monroe County, Florida
Estimated Date of Death: February 14, 1991
State of Remains: Recognizable face
Cause of Death: Homicide by strangulation
Estimated Age: 14-25 years old
Race: White
Gender: Female
Height: 5'4" to 5'7"
Weight: 130-145 lbs.
Hair Color: Dark brown, straight and cut just above the collar.
Eye Color: Brown to green
Distinguishing Marks/Features: She was a non-smoker. Her ears were pierced four times each. She may have carried a baby to full-term. She had stretch marks on her abdomen. She was suffering from ovarian and fallopian tube cysts, which may have caused her abdominal pain. She had two tattoos: the word "Love" encircled by a heart on her upper left arm/shoulder; and a cross with sun rays emitting from the center located between the thumb and forefinger of her left hand. She had antemortem skeletal markers of anemia.
Dentals: Available. She had excellent dental care. One filling was present. Around age 10, she had two top teeth extracted.
Fingerprints: Not Available
DNA: Available
Clothing: Found near her body - a blue/purple/red striped knitted Forenza long-sleeved cardigan sweater, blue Big Yank knee-length denim shorts, a bikini top, and black Clicks moccasin-style shoes with red stitching, leather fringe down the back seam, and some turquoise-style bead work (size 6 1/2B), sold by Baker Shoes in 1989.
Jewelry: She wore a Timex watch with a silver band on her right wrist. She had two earrings in her left ear - one silver ball and one white imitation pearl. She had four earrings in her right ear - description not available.
Additional Personal Items: Unknown
Windsurfers camping in the area near Bahia Honda State Recreation area, located near mile marker 35 on US 1 in the Florida Keys, discovered the victim's nude body on a dirt trail in a heavily wooded area south of Bahia Honda Channel Bridge near a recreational area known as the “horseshoe” on West Summerland Key. The area was frequently used as an illegal campground.
She had been beaten, sexually assaulted, and strangled with her bikini top.
Investigators received tips that the victim, aka Florida Jane Doe or Valentine Doe, had been seen by motorists hitchhiking along US 1 in the Keys. Because of her clothing, especially the sweater and moccasins, she stood out. Based on the tips, police determined that the girl was in Key West and walked northbound on US 1 on Big Coppitt Key, about ten miles north of Key West on Valentine's Day She was seen by another eyewitness at mile marker 15 and around 6:30 p.m. that night at mile marker 17.
It is believed that she was not from the area as her clothing was not typical of someone who was from South Florida, she did not have any tan lines at all, and she didn't wear tennis shoes or sandals.
Agency Name: District 16, Monroe County Medical Examiner's Office
Agency Contact Person: Thomas Beaver, M.D.
Agency Phone Number: 305-743-9011
Agency E-Mail: district16medicalexaminer(at)gmail.com
Agency Case Number: 91-0027
NCIC Case Number: U340001574
NamUs Case Number: 6182
NCMEC Case Number: 1103868
Namus
NCMEC
Crime Watch Daily
FDLE
America's Most Wanted
Fox News Archive (4/26/07)
Added: Prior to 2011; Last Updated: 1/28/18
Questions or comments? Please contact appropriate member of the Area Team
** Listed information may be estimated.
Return Home