Finley Creek Jane Doe: A Case Closed in 1990, Despite it Remaining Unsolved

DISCOVERY:

At astir 7:00 AM connected August 27, 1978, hunters Ron Swinger and Lee Parr discovered partial skeletal remains successful a wooded country adjacent to Finley Creek Cow Camp, adjacent Elgin, Oregon. The remains, which had been scavenged by animals, were recovered beneath a log, astir 100 feet from the road.

AUTOPSY:

An autopsy revealed Jane Doe had apt died betwixt 1970-75, with the latest imaginable decease day being 1976. While her origin of decease couldn’t beryllium determined, it’s believed to person been the effect of a homicide, fixed the circumstances nether which her remains were found. Along with being buried look down successful a shallow grave, 2 lengthy cords were recovered nearby, indicating she whitethorn person been strangled.

Fetal remains were besides recovered astatine the scene, meaning the decedent had been large astatine the clip of her death.

DETAILS:

Jane Doe was a pistillate betwixt 14 and 25 years old, and portion her contention couldn’t beryllium confirmed, it’s believed she was White. She stood from 5’1″ and 5’4″, weighed 114-140 pounds, and had either airy brown, blonde oregon sandy-blonde hair. Given the level of decomposition, her oculus colour couldn’t beryllium determined.

Several items of covering were recovered adjacent the body: size 15/16 Catalina-brand reddish pants that had perchance had the magnitude modified; a halter-top oregon bra with a angiosperm pattern; and pieces of reddish cloth, achromatic cloth and zippers. Ankle-high, lace-up shoes, perchance from Red Wing, were recovered connected the remains, and 2 cords (a four-foot-long nylon cord and a two-foot-long vigor cord) were recovered nearby.

An investigation of the decedent’s remains recovered she’d had extended dental enactment done portion alive. She had amalgam fillings successful each of her archetypal 2 molars, with others noted connected her 3rd molars and premolars. Her close maxillary 3rd molar was missing and the others were erupted.

The fetal bones recovered with Jane Doe bespeak she had been large astatine the clip of her death, with it theorized she was apt successful her 6th-8th period of pregnancy.

It’s believed the decedent wasn’t section to the area, fixed her statement didn’t lucifer immoderate missing persons reports from the time. If she did reside successful the region, she apt kept a debased profile.

INVESTIGATION:

Between 1978-90, respective leads were followed up on. One of them came successful 1979, erstwhile members of the Oregon State Police and the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office visited an abandoned campy on Forest Road 241, astir 25 minutes from wherever Jane Doe’s remains were found. The makeshift campy consisted of a lean-to made from woody poles chopped with either a manus oregon chainsaw.

A filled-in spread measuring 6′ x 6′ x 6′ was recovered astatine the site, with assorted items, covering and toiletries recovered within, including 30-40 Stay Free mini pads, utilized during one’s menstrual cycle, a canteen with “TESE” written connected it successful marker, a acheronian bluish nylon windbreaker with “NISQUALLY EAGLES” connected it, and a brace of boots with the names “FOX, HOLMAN AND STEPETIN” written connected the inside.

The “Stepetin” sanction was of peculiar involvement to officers from Thurston County, Washington, arsenic a comparative of the household had reported his wife, Dana Lou Sanchez, missing years prior. She’d moved backmost location to Toledo, Ohio, astatine which constituent her husband, James “Jamie” Sanchez, had mislaid contact. Documents were aboriginal recovered that indicated the brace divorced successful 1978, proving she was live aft the decedent’s remains were found.

In 1990, contempt Jane Doe’s individuality and mode of decease remaining unknown, Union County District Attorney Russ West ordered the lawsuit closed and each evidence, including the skeletal remains, beryllium destroyed. The decedent’s assemblage was subsequently sent to Walla Walla, Washington, and cremated.

Fast-forward to 2019, erstwhile 2 researchers, Jason Futch and Mel Jederberg, created a unpaid task unit to effort and lick the case. They contacted Redgrave Research to make a rendering of what Jane Doe perchance looked similar erstwhile alive, and efforts got underway to effort and find her cremains. Unidentified cremains were recovered and subsequently sent to Lakehead University’s Paleo-DNA Lab successful Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada, for testing.

Following the merchandise of the artist’s rendering, Suzanne Timms, girl of missing pistillate Patricia Lee “Patty” Otto, came guardant to accidental she suspected her parent is the Finley Creek Jane Doe, contempt her being ruled out. According to Timms, the decedent and her parent stock similarities, including their tallness and hairsbreadth colour, and Patty was past seen wearing covering that appears to lucifer that recovered astatine the scene: reddish pants, ankle-length boots and a achromatic blouse.

Ralph Otto, Timms’ father, is believed to beryllium the 1 liable for Patty’s disappearance and presumed murder, and helium was really convicted of hiring a declaration slayer to instrumentality retired the pb researcher successful complaint of the lawsuit little than a twelvemonth aft she went missing. The conviction, however, was overturned successful 1981 implicit a technicality. Unfortunately, Otto can’t beryllium questioned today, arsenic helium passed distant connected September 8, 1983.

In 2022, the Oregon State Police searched Finley Creek to effort and uncover immoderate grounds that whitethorn person been missed backmost successful 1978. While bones were found, they were aboriginal proven to not beryllium human.

Several theories person been brought up implicit the people of the investigation, with it believed Jane Doe could person perchance been a unfortunate of Gary Ridgway (the Green River Killer) oregon the chartless perpetrator(s) of the Lewis Clark Valley Murders.

RULE OUTS:

1. Benita Gay Chamberlin, who went missing from Eugene, Oregon, connected February 23, 1978.
2. Teresa Lyn Fittin, who went missing from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, connected August 1, 1975.
3. Laura Lee Asynithe Flink, who went missing from Pacific Beach, Washington, connected February 21, 1969.
4. Melanie Dee Flynn, who went missing from Lexington, Kentucky, connected January 25, 1977.
5. Jamie Rochelle Grisim, who went missing from Vancouver, Washington, connected December 7, 1971.

6. Wanda Ann Herr, who went missing from Gresham, Oregon, connected June 1, 1976. Her remains were discovered successful 1986, but not identified until 2020.

7. Rita Lorraine Jolly, who went missing from West Linn, Oregon, connected June 29, 1973.
8. Patricia Lee “Patty” Otto, who went missing from Lewiston, Idaho, connected September 2, 1976.
9. Laurie Lynn Partridge, who went missing from Spokane, Washington, connected December 4, 1974.
10. Robyn Ann Pettinato, who went missing from Whitefish, Montana, connected July 5, 1975.
11. Sherry Jean “Sonny” Pickle, who went missing from Long Beach, California, connected May 16, 1972.

12. Dana Lou Sanchez, who was reported missing successful 1976. She’s been ruled retired via documents that beryllium she was live beyond that date.

CASE CONTACT INFORMATION:

Jane Doe’s dentals are disposable for comparison. Crime Stoppers of Oregon is presently offering a $2,500 reward for accusation starring to a solution successful the case.

Anyone with accusation regarding the decedent’s individuality oregon her mode of decease is asked to interaction the Oregon State Police astatine either +1 (800) 442-2068 oregon (503) 378-3720. Tips tin besides beryllium called into the Oregon State Medical Examiner’s Office astatine (971) 673-8300 oregon (971) 673-8200.

Image Credit: Anthony Lukas Redgrave

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