Victim's Sweater; Cord Used to Bind Victim
Victim's Sweater; Cord Used to Bind Victim
Date of Discovery: February 28, 1983
Location of Discovery: St. Louis City, Missouri
Estimated Date of Death: 5 days prior
State of Remains: Not recognizable - Traumatic injuries
Cause of Death: Strangulation
Estimated Age: 8-11 years old
Race: Black
Sex: Female
Height: 4'10" to 5'4"
Weight: 61 to 70 lbs.
Hair Color: Unknown
Eye Color: Unknown
Distinguishing Marks/Features: Two coats of red fingernail polish; there were no scars, irregularities, deformities or other specific features that would give clues to her identity
Dentals: Unavailable
Fingerprints: Available
DNA: Available
Clothing: Yellow v-neck sweater, new
Jewelry: None
Additional Personal Items: None
On February 28, 1983, a young female was found in the basement of a vacant building on Clements Avenue in St. Louis. She was found lying on her stomach with her hands tied behind her back with red and white nylon rope. She was naked from the waist down, wearing only a new yellow sweater with the tag removed. She had been sexually assaulted prior to being strangled. Her head was removed by a large-bladed knife after her death. Green paint was found in the cut marks on the neck. Her head has never been recovered.
There were no signs of previous abuse on her body. Her stomach was empty at the time of death. Despite what has largely been reported, her anthropogical exam did not reveal spina bifida occulta.
Advanced forensic testing of her bones suggested that she was not originally from the local St. Louis area but possibly spent most of her childhood in the following states: Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Indiana, and West Virginia.
Additional tests showed she may have also been from the Carolinas, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Texas, Louisiana and Tennessee.
Agency Name: St. Louis City Medical Examiner's Office
Agency Contact Person: Tara Rick, Medicolegal Death Investigator
Agency Phone Number: 314-622-4975
Agency E-Mail: N/A
Agency Case Number: CITY-1983-0441
Agency Name: St. Louis Metro Police Department
Agency Contact Person: N/A
Agency Phone Number: 314-231-1212
Agency E-Mail: EMAIL
Agency Case Number: 1983-29584
NCIC Case Number: U470002710
NamUs Case Number: 3199
NCMEC Case Number: 1104360
NamUs
NCMEC
St. Louis Post-Dispatch - Mar. 2, 1993 & Jan. 21, 2014
Our Precious Hope
Added: 12/7/05; Last Updated: 2/26/22
Questions or comments? Please contact appropriate member of the Area Team
** Listed information may be estimated.
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