Case File 486UFPA - Unidentified White Female - Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania - First Assumptions

Direct Link to Jane Doe: http://doenetwork.org/cases/486ufpa.html

Okay so, I am going to be working on this case starting today.

I find this one to be very interesting since there is such an obvious identifying item that was found with the victim but yet there is still no name to this woman.

The item is a key, it looks like it would go to a necklace or a bracelet, but they don't say in the report 'how' they found the item, but I assume that it is part of the 'Yellow Necklace' they mentioned.

The words "AZB", E. MATHIS, Life Member June 2, 1946, Alpha Delta." are inscribed onto the key charm according to the report... I would magnify it further but based on the already terrible quality they've put online, I would only distort it further and will probably never get a clear view of what I can make out...  Based on the fact that this woman hasn't been identified I think there's a small chance that the investigators who were examining the key may have mis-spelled what's actually on the key.

Assuming that they haven't misspelled it however, I've gone ahead and tried to do a little digging about Sororities that carry the same name that were open around that time frame.

Now the name is probably not going to match the person, it's probably going to be a relative of one them.

• I came to this conclusion because the necklace says 1946.  

• Assuming that's accurate, the woman would have had to be at least 19 when she joined the sorority (unless she was a genious and got into a college/university much sooner).

• This person's estimated date of death is sometime in 2001.

• The math works says that if it truly is the owner of the necklace that she would have been between 69 - 85 years old at the youngest in 2001.

• The person who was found is presumed to be anywhere between 34 to 65 years old and assuming the anthropologist was correct then this woman have been between 10 years old to not even born yet in 1946.

So given all that, I assume this person is most likely a daughter, granddaughter... basically a younger relative.

(Don't worry I'll list my assumptions at the bottom) ^_^


I've tried to find other examples of this Key charm but to no avail.  I tried eBay to see if someone was listing an item similar as an antique (given it's age) and I also tried to Google the phrases: 'AZB' Key', Alpha Key, Alpha Zeta Beta Key, Alpha Key Necklace.  I did this because I assumed that maybe for that year, 1942, the sorority gave this charm out to all it's sisters who became lifetime members.

Given that I found no other examples and was only led back to this original key on the Doe Network, I've now come to the conclusion that:

• Either there weren't that many members that year and the keys have either been lost, passed down or thrown away, 

or

• That this was a custom made piece, meaning it's one of a kind.  

Either possibility seems reasonable. ^_^


My next step was to try and locate all the Alpha Zeta Beta sororities that might have been opened around 1942 or earlier... 

Now when I first started to look up the information, I ended up in that Websluething forum... I know bad me. 

The forum is famous currently for its paranoid moderators who went into a 'Banning Spree' one day and took out most of it's members because it was afraid of a 'hacking conspiracy'.  Now this is what I was talking about when I was quoting Stabler from SVU: "Someone's hearing Zebras."  

Today, many members say that if don't believe what they believe, they'll ban you the first time you post.  No one's aggressive, they just state their opinions and end up being banned.  Example: my blog right here, if I'd of posted any of my theories, most would contradict their 'daytime television' theories and I would automatically be banned lol.

However, despite all this, it seems they may have gather a little useful information, however if the right steps were taken I think things would have been solved today and this unidentified person would have a name.  Given that hasn't happened, it seems things weren't directed or handled the right way.  From what I can gather, right after the group was able to find out the name of the original owner of the necklace, the conversation dropped into limbo.  Now the members are just shouting random questions without answers and trying to assume the woman was Edna and was dug out of her grave... again, very far fetch as a trained anthropologist (I would assume) would have been able to tell if the body was originally prepared for burial.

Website of information relating to it is found here:
http://www.websleuths.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-50604.html

Okay so what they came up with was the originally owner of the necklace was:

• Edna Mathis of Collingswood, NJ 

• And it is believed she was part of the Philadelphia Chapter of Alpha Beta Zeta and became a lifetime member the exact date that was listed on the key.

Now, again, it's obvious that Edna Mathis is not the body that was found, she would have to be much younger which she was not.

Okay so next step (since these little sleuthers mentioned nothing about it) is to find out her middle name so we can identify WHICH Edna Mathis this is....

The letter says she 'lived in Collingswood, NJ'  but that doesn't mean that she was born or died there.
Given that the letter also says she is from the Philadelphia Chapter, I almost guarantee we're going to find something in connection there... also the fact that the remains were found in Philadelphia is a promising lead.

So, after researching a bit, I came across a Edna 'ELIZABETH' Mathis.
I found the information here:
http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/l/e/x/Wendy-M-Lex/GENE8-0077.html

It says

• She was born 1897 which means she would have been 46 years old when she received her 'Lifetime' key, (which seems appropriate).

• It is presumed she died before 1997, which means she would have been almost 100 years old!  But, my own grandmother was 103 when she passed and about the same year too, so it is not impossible!

• Edna Elizabeth and her husband Raymond Mathis were married in Philadelphia, PA so we are back to the common link of Philadelphia...

Given this information, I attempted to look up the Obtiturary to Edna Elizabeth Mathis... how ever I seem to have run into a dead end....  I'm actually really surprised I hit this dead end, I expected to find some information regarding this woman's death but there is nothing about her death.

Even more suspcious is the fact that the family tree only states her death is 'Before' 1997, where as other date of deaths are actual full dates.

I attempted to try and find the Husband, Raymond Mathis, but I didn't have any luck with him either.

Also, according to the family tree, it seems the couple didn't have any children.  So if it is a close relative then it would have to be like a niece or someone similiar.

Well, I'm going to wrap this up for today and pick up when I find some more information...



Okay so lets run down everything discovered as fact so far...

• Date of actual death is estimated 2001, body was discovered 2006
• The Original owner of the Key necklace is Edna Mathis
• Edna Mathis once lived in Collingswood, NJ
• Edna Mathis attended the Philadelphia Chapter of Alpha Zeta Beta
• Remains found cannot be Edna Mathis (they're too young)

I'll go through more obvious information already provided by the Doe Network in the next post, but I just wanted to try and clear up the name of original owner today.

As a reminder, if you have any idea of who this person might be, do not hold it in, let yourself be heard!  Any information you provide can ultimately help bring closure to the family of this loved one who still remains unidentified today.

- Please feel free to comment your thoughts on this case!

Never Hold Back!

I just wanted to take a moment to talk about how you can avoid making one of the most common mistakes in your own investigation.  Holding back what you 'think' you know.

After watching thousands of hours of criminal investigation shows, I've learned one major thing.  No one wants to get 'involved' because they don't think they 'know' anything, or they think that what they want to tell police, has already been said.  9 times out of 10, everyone else is thinking the same thing and then no one says anything at all.

A lot of people think that unless a Policeman/woman shows up at their door, that their opinion isn't worth anything.  The truth is, it's worth a lot more then you give it credit for.  You might be that one person that's opinion solves the case, all it takes is just one phone call!

Another problem people who have, is trying to figure out 'who' to call if they have information.  Most fliers say 'Call the police station' to give information, but what does that mean? 911?  The answer is both a yes and a no.  Many people are put off on the idea of calling 911 to give information, that it is strictly for 'emergencies'.  Well that is true, if you can't find any other way to give your information, 911 is an option.  All you have to do, is call them and say to the operator, "I have information regarding so-so's missing person/unidentified case and would like an officer to call me."  And that's it.  The dispatcher will then take your information and then pass it to an available officer and they will call you back to speak with you further.

If you're still put off on the idea of dialing 911, then, if you can get to a computer, try and 'Google' your city's 'Non-Emergency' number.  You will still be calling a dispatcher, but it'll be routed a little differently because they will know you're calling a Non-Emergency number.

Even better yet though, if you can find the detective's number who's handling the Missing Person/Unidentified or Criminal case, call it!  It is usually printed on the missing person fliers or listed under the John Doe or Jane Doe case on the Doe Network!

Personally for me, I prefer to send e-mails to start out, that way I can give links to where I found information, attach pictures I might have compared, etc etc, but if I run into an issue where I can't send an e-mail, (which I have!) then making a phone call is the next logical step!

But the bottom line to all of this is, never hold back information.

I am a mom of 2 with no college degree to speak of.  I stay at home and sell items on eBay for a living and to make ends meet.  The only thing I have is my personal opinion based on the research I do online, but you know what I've found?  That it is enough.

Right now, I'm waiting for a call from a Detective who took my e-mail seriously.

I compared a skull recreation against a missing person's picture who went missing less then an hour away from where the unidentified remains were found.  I took a shot in the dark and compared them as best I could and when I was finished, I couldn't look away without saying something.  I had that 'What if' factor hanging over my head... What if no one has ever considered what I see here, what I've found here, what if no one's called in about this person, 'What if this really is him and I stay silent?'.

I wrote that e-mail and attached the pictures I compared, provided all the links that I researched and within 24 hours I got one back from the detective who asked me to call him.  I did so and he told me I was his first lead it 2 years.  That he took my e-mail so seriously that he went to the family of the missing person and collected DNA for comparison and even divulged information about the unidentified remains.

I can't tell you how good that felt to know I helped.  Whether I am right or wrong on this, the fact that this detective listened to what I had to say when I never thought in a million years he would, it felt amazing inside.

Because of this, I am now fully devoted to dedicating my spare time in helping solve other cases.

I am still awaiting the call from Detective who has promised to contact me as soon as he gets the DNA comparison back and I'm am anxiously waiting by the phone.

So remember, if you have information, don't hold back, don't think that someone else has already made the call, make yourself be heard!  You just might be holding in that last lead the detectives need to bring closure to a loved one's family or to bring that missing person home again!

Make that call!

About me!

Well, to start out, my name is Jessica.

Since before I can remember, puzzles were always a big hobby of mine.  No matter how difficult it was, I wanted to put it together.  I partially thank my Great Grandmother for this because she also was into puzzles.  When I would come and visit, she would always have one laid out, usually consisting of thousands of pieces and it would take weeks to complete, but we always managed to put it together.

After awhile, I was told I had a talent for 'reading people'.  I could talk to someone and see through their rage or sadness and understand the underlying cause of their distress.  I didn't re-act to aggression, I just stood back and took a bigger picture of the situation and then would try and talk with the person about what was causing them to act the way they were acting.

I learned this technique from my father.  He himself, was a puzzle.  I won't go into details but we did end up losing my father just this passed August 10th, 2013.  It was devastating and a huge shock, even though I partially saw it coming...  He would try and hide his true self, and did so quite well with most, but a few close family members and I could see through the mask and tried desperately to work with him through this issues.  I know now, his death is not my fault, but the thought that we could have done something more to prevent his death, I fear, will always be there.

Since then, I've been working out how to better my free time, as most of it was taken up by talking or visiting with my father.


I've decided to follow my hobby and actively participate in trying to help solve Missing and Unidentified Person Cases.

I didn't decide to do this out of the blue however.  Because of my fascination with puzzles, I've always had an attraction to Criminal Investigation shows.

I believe I was 14 or 15 when I started watching the TV shows that I found... I mostly stuck with shows like Oxygen's 'Snapped' and TruCrime's 'FBI Files'.  I would always turn the TV on and straight to that channel and would watch them all and then would watch them all again.  The crime itself wasn't what interested me, it was how the detectives ended up solving them.  Listening to officers and private detectives speak on the show about what they saw, how they determined a crime was committed, and what steps they took to secure evidence and then solve who had committed it, that was my passion.

I learned more then I think I would have if I would have taken a Criminal Investigation class in college.  I mean, I've heard some people talk about their 'conclusions' about a crime and find most are really 'out there'.  I like Detective Stabler from Law & Order: Special Victims Unit's quote, saying in one episode, "Someone's hearing Zebras,"  When Dale Stucky asks if he missed something, Detective Benson then says, "Dale, did anybody ever tell you that if you hear hoof beats in Central Park, don’t think zebras?"  It's the same basic principle.

So for example: If you're listening to the news and a woman's been found stabbed in New York City, don't jump to it being a 'Mobster Hit'.  Although, it does happen, it's extremely rare and not the first thing people should be jumping to.

At the same time, don't take what you learn from Fictional Crime Shows like Law & Order as the devote truth.  It's a Crime Drama, it's meant to make you want to watch the show.

In any case, after watching those shows, and then watching shows later in life such as 'Wicked Attraction', 'Deadly Women', 'Cold Cases', 'Disappeared', etc, I decided I wanted to do more then just 'watch' the shows, I wanted to get involved and help.

The show 'Disappeared' is what really gave me the kick off into this however.  After watching an episode about a woman who was missing her daughter and ultimately ended up finding her on the Doe Network website herself, I came to a realization that anyone, who has some free time and wants to do some good, can help investigators by searching for answers right from their computer!  A took a few days to ponder the idea but in the end, I brought myself to find the 'Doe Network' website.

In that website, I found a wealth of information, much more then I ever thought.  I never thought there could be so many unidentified people.  Surely with all the technology now and DNA we should be able to pair up missing people with the unidentified?  It almost didn't make sense to me.  Then, after thinking about how the police who were investigating my own's father's death handled everything and how long it is still taking to get laboratory work back about him, I came to realize that there is just too much going on for an officer to actually sit down and dedicate his time to one person for so long.

For example, in Johnstown Pennsylvania, where my father was found, there are only 3 Investigating Detectives in the entire town.  This is what I was told by the police officers and the detectives themselves.  With a town full of crime, this is ridiculous.  They even divulged to me that they're working on cases now that are almost a year old, that's how far their backlog is.  How can this town ever expect to get anything done in this kind of a situation?  The answer is, they can't.

Knowing this from this town, I assumed it for a good majority of all other towns and decided to really dive right into the Doe Network.

Now I am wading through case after case of the identified and missing and for each one I come across I thought to myself, "If my father was missing, I would want to know someone out there is working on finding him."  So I decided to start this blog where I will be discussing cases that I will be going through and information I find in hopes that it will encourage others to look into the cases as well and lend their time to a great cause of uniting families with their missing loved ones or providing closure to families who have been unable to recover their family's remains.

I am not encouraging people to go out and hunt in the forest or mountains for answers, but rather to sit down and take the time to search online for answers and help connect the dots for the overworked investigators out there that are just waiting for that one phone call that will help close the case.

I dedicate these following investigations to my father who also helped me think 'outside the box' and who my family and I miss everyday.