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Monday, October 22, 2007

Jane Doe - New Lenox Illinois - 1981


Sometime in the fall of 1980 or early in 1981 - a young woman was taken nude from an auto traveling on the east-bound side of Interstate 80 in a rural area of Will County, Illinois and tossed over the side of the road. Her body lay undiscovered, except by the animals that carried off pieces as food or nesting material, until Spring.

On a cold, overcast Easter Sunday in 1981 a man searching for cans came across her remains. By the time the police arrived to check on the man's gruesome discovery, a cold chilly rain was falling.

Lt. William Ferguson of the Will County Coroner's office, along with the Illinois State Police did a remarkable job of trying to identify the young woman. Forensic reconstruction of unidentifed persons was in its infancy when Lt. Ferguson decided to send the victim's skull to Colorado to Dr Michael Charney at Colorado State University in Ft. Collins. Dr. Charney's reconstruction of what the victim may have looked like is pictured above.

The photo of the reconstruction was sent to other law enforcement agencies, to local papers and a wire service. A few leads came in - some from as far as Pennsylvania, but none matched. The young woman was buried, the last mention of her in the media came in July 1981 - 3 months after she was found...and then she was forgotten.

But was she really? Wasn't there someone still looking for her? Her parents, perhaps? A sibling, a neighbor, a friend? Was she from Illinois or did someone passing through find the rural, lightly traveled interstate the perfect place to dispose of her body?

What is known about Jane Doe is that she was probably 25 to 30 years old, roughly 5'5" to 5'7" tall, and 100 to 125 pounds. She probably had long hair - either blonde or light brown. At some point her nose may have been fractured. She had dental work performed. She was someone's child.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Lisa Marie Sexton. went missing about the same time Jane doe was suspected to have been murdered please look into this very very similar circumsatances
.

Anonymous said...

No, the time line doesn't add up.
Plus, Lisa's mother heard from her in 84.

Anonymous said...

She looks like April Zane,only April had long,straight hair.Has this been ruled out?

Unknown said...

I am Sharonrose Zane Neu, April is my older sister. Our father brought dental records to compare. It was not her.

Emsmilieface27 said...
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Anonymous said...

How sure are they, that Jane Doe wasn't there much longer than just one year? Could be why there has been a problem knowing who she is.

Anonymous said...

There is no proof that Lisa Marie Sexton's mother received a call from her in '84. Only her word (the word of a mother who did not report her daughter as a runaway at age 14.) The sketch does roughly resemble Lisa (very roughly, the nose being the most alike). Given how long the body was out there, it could be that the sketch isn't spot on. And 80 East? Lisa allegedly called a friend from Humble, TX, wanting to come home. 80 East through IL is a remote possiblity. Hitch hiking? Yes, check Lisa Marie Sexton from Elyria Ohio.

Anonymous said...

Totally looks like Lisa Wilson, who went missing from TX in the 70s. Totally!

Anonymous said...

Yes, it does look like her.

Anonymous said...

Has the name Catherine A. Runte been submitted? Last seen in Palatine, IL after an altercation with her husband. Has a scar on her nose.

UID was found in New Lenonx, which is only 40 minutes south of Palatine. If you look up Catherine A. Runte, her one photograph with straight hair bears an incredibly striking resemblance to Jane Doe.

http://charleyproject.org/case/catherine-a-runte

Unknown said...

Oh FFS!!!! This isn't a platform for your Dr. Emu B.S. it's about an unidentified person.