Unidentified AND MISSING

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Tag: Unverified Photo

  • Dulzura John Doe (February 17, 2004)

    Colour photograph (1 ½ inches by ⅞ (0.875) inch) of a woman posing on a sidewalk. She appears to have long hair and is wearing a white sleeveless top and blue jeans

    (FIRST) Small piece of paper with “0446696717695 Lupita” (or “Lupitia“) handwritten on it
    (SECOND) Spanish Bible with various writing inside

    (FIRST) Metal wristwatch with analog face and leather wristband (Brand “Mossimo”); two “stiff fabric items”
    (SECOND) Black shoe with buckle (No brand or size noted)

    Dulzura John Doe (February 17, 2004)

    • DATE OF DISCOVERY: February 17th, 2004
    • LOCATION OF DISCOVERY: Dulzura, San Diego County, California, 91917
    • ESTIMATED YEAR OF DEATH: 2004
    • POSTMORTEM INTERVAL: 4 months
    • CONDITION OF REMAINS: Not recognizable – Mummified
    • CAUSE OF DEATH: Not stated/Unknown
    • SEX: Male
    • ESTIMATED AGE: 20 – 25 years old
    • RACE: Hispanic / Native American
    • WEIGHT: Cannot estimate
    • HEIGHT (ESTIMATED): 5’4” (64 inches; 162.56 cm)
    • EYE COLOUR: Unknown
    • HAIR: Black (straight, ¾ (0.75) inch (1.905 cm) which extends onto the back of the neck and is present on the temples)
    • DISTINGUISHING MARKS/FEATURES: 
      • Black moustache (measuring up to 3/4 (0.75) inch (1.905 cm) in length)

    BACKGROUND

    At approximately 4:00 p.m., on February 17th, 2004, mummified remains were discovered “…near a freshly graded road…” (NamUs) in Dulzura, California. It is believed that the individual had been deceased approximately 4 months.

    The individual is believed to be a Hispanic and/or Native American male between 20 to 25 years of age. He stood at 5’4” in height. He had black, straight hair that was ¾ inch in length; it extended onto the back of his neck and was present on his temples as well. He had a black moustache that measured up to ¾ inch in length.

    Clothing discovered included:

    • Denim blue jeans with thigh pockets and detachable (zip off) lower pant legs (brand “One Tuff Brand”; size “33 Waist, 32 Length”)
    • Black shoe(s) with a metal buckle (these are not listed under items discovered but a photo is included on NamUs of one, so I am unsure if one or two were found) (no brand or size noted)
    • Metal wristwatch with an analog face and leather wristband (Brand “Missimo”)

    Other items discovered included:

    • Two “stiff fabric items” were also found in the right thigh pocket of his jeans. These fabric items each measured 6 inches by ⅜ (0.375) inch wide. Both had a loop at one end and 3 ½ inches of loose, frilly string on the other end. One was yellow and blue with the sewn-on name “Rodolfo”, the other was red, green, and a yellow, and had the sewn-on name “Josefina”.
    • Small piece of paper with “0446646717695 Lupita” handwritten on it.
    • Colour photograph (1 ½ inches by ⅞ (0.875) inch) of a woman posing on a sidewalk. She appears to have long hair and is wearing a white sleeveless top and blue jeans.
    • Spanish Bible which appears to be from “The Gideons International” church in Nashville, Tennessee. There is handwritten text (in pencil) on some pages, including: “2930 The (illegible) Race Castiac CA 91384 NCCF”, “765997”, “Raymundo Hernandez” (or possibly “Hernandes”), “799259 4A”, “oaxaca“, and “3761960”. I describe this Bible more in depth in the paragraphs below.

    Regarding the Bible:

    On the first page (left side/page), there appears to be printed text at the top, but due to the condition of the pages it is hard to read.
    Underneath this, there is handwritten text (all handwritten text was done in pencil) that reads, (at least in part, as the beginning difficult to read), “2930 930 the old Road Castiac CA 91384 NCCF”.
    Underneath this, at the bottom of the page, there is printed text that reads “ESTE LIBRO NO SERA VENDIDO”.

    On the second page (right side/page), there appears to be printed text at the top, but due to the condition of the pages it is hard to read, however, it looks to at least end with “A”. There is handwritten text above which NamUs says states “765997”.
    Below that are five black lines which appear to be for writing information (possibly the information of the owner of the Bible?). Each line has handwritten text.
    On the first line, it appears to read “Raymundo”.
    The second line appears to read “Hernandez” (or possibly “Hernandes”?).
    The third line appears to read “799259 4A”.
    The fourth line appears to read “oaxaca”.
    The fifth line appears to read “3761960”.

    Underneath the fifth line, there is printed text that reads
    “FECHA
    By
    THE GIDEONS INTERNATIONAL
    2900 LEBANON ROAD
    NASHVILLE, TENNESSE 37214
    U.S.A
    www.gideons.org”

    Below is more information as well as some of my thoughts on the Bible.

    First: “2930 the old Road Castiac CA 91384 NCCF” appears to refer to the North County Correctional Facility which is a county jail and one of four hails within the Pitchess Detention Center. This center is located at 29340 The Old Road, Castaic, California. The zip code is 91384. NamUs notes that this handwriting says “2930 The (illegible) Race…” but when reading it myself it appears to possibly be “the old Road” which matches up with the rest of the address. Was he at some point at this location, possibly an inmate or seeing a friend or family member there?

    Second: The Gideons International is a church with headquarters in Nashville, Tennessee. They distribute free copies of bibles in numerous languages. They are known for placing many of these bibles in hotel rooms, as well as hospitals, prisons, schools, etc. There is a chance that this Doe was at a hotel or other institution and that is where he acquired this Bible, or someone else got it from a hotel or other institution and then gave it to this Doe, or he somehow encountered someone else that was part of the Gideons International that gave him a copy. I am leaning more towards another institution other than a hotel as I feel most hotels in the U.S. would have English bibles in the rooms, but I am not sure in the area he was discovered, if they sometimes put Spanish or both English and Spanish versions in rooms. Could he have acquired it from the county jail (mentioned previously), or someone he met or knew acquired it from there and gave it to him?

    Third: NamUs states that a handwritten line reads “Oxacai:” but when reading it myself it appears to read “oaxaca”, which is a state in Mexico (the capital city of Oaxaca, Oaxaca de Juárez, is often simply referred to as Oaxaca as well). It looks like a small box was drawn around the “o”, possibly just doodling when writing as there appears to be a small doodle(?) above the “o” as well.

    CLOTHING/ITEMS – Near the body, the following was noted

    • Denim blue jeans with thigh pocket; lower pant legs are attached but can zip off (Brand “One Tuff Brand” (OTB); size “33 Waist, 32 Length”)
    • Black shoe(s) with metal buckle (Not listed on items found but a photo of one is included on NamUs; unsure if one or two shoes were found) (No brand or size noted)
    • Metal wristwatch with analog face and leather wristband (Brand “Mossimo”)
    • Two stiff fabric items both measuring 6 inches (15.24 cm) long by ⅜ (0.375) inch (0.9525 cm ) wide; both have a loop at one end and 3 ½ inches (8.89 cm) of loose frilly string at the other end; one is yellow and blue and inscribed with the sewn-one name “Rodolfo”; the other is red, green, and yellow, and had the sewn-on name “Josefina”.
    • Small piece of paper with “0446646717695 Lupita” (or “Lupitia”) handwritten on it
    • Colour photograph (1 ½ inches by ⅞ (0.875) inch (3.81 by 2.2225 cm)) of a woman posing on a sidewalk. She appears to have long hair and is wearing a white sleeveless top and blue jeans.
    • Spanish Bible which appears to be from “The Gideons International” church in Nashville, Tennessee. There is handwritten text (in pencil) on some pages, including: “2930 The (illegible) Race Castiac CA 91384 NCCF”, “765997”, “Raymundo Hernandez” (or possibly “Hernandes”), “799259 4A”, “oaxaca“, and “3761960”.

    IDENTIFIERS – I could not find any information regarding identifiers

    • Dentals: Unknown
    • Fingerprints: Unknown
    • DNA: Unknown

    INVESTIGATING AGENCY & OTHER CASE INFORMATION

    AGENCY ONE

    • Agency Name: San Diego County Medical Examiner’s office
    • Agency Contact Person: Tessa Lee (Medical Examiner Investigator III)
    • Agency Phone Number: 858-694-2895
    • Agency Case Number: 04-00383

    OTHER INFORMATION/CASE NUMBERS

    • NamUs Case Number: #UP55722

    REFERENCES

  • Three Points John Doe (October 28, 2007)

    (FIRST) Clear plastic keychain with photograph enclosed (possibly a teenage girl)
    (SECOND) White and blue striped handkerchief discovered

    (FIRST) Black t-shirt discovered which has a graphic of a baseball and says, “WORLD SERIES 100th ANNIVERSARY 2003” “2003 WORLD SERIES” “Champions” “FLORIDA MARLINS MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL” (Brand “Delta Pro Weight”; size “M”)
    (SECOND) Brown boot discovered (Brand “Mack“, size unknown)

    Three Points John Doe (October 28, 2007)

    • DATE OF DISCOVERY: October 28th, 2007
    • LOCATION OF DISCOVERY1: Three Points, Pima County, Arizona, 85629, USA (31°58’45.4″N 111°11’28.7″W (31.979267, -111.191317))
    • ESTIMATED YEAR OF DEATH: 2007
    • POSTMORTEM INTERVAL: Months (Human Borders notes “< 6 – 8 months”; DoeNetwork notes “4 to 8 months”)
    • CONDITION OF REMAINS: Not recognizable – Partial skeletal parts only
    • CAUSE OF DEATH: Probable exposure (Humane Borders)
    • SEX: Male
    • ESTIMATED AGE: 17 – 21 years old
    • RACE: Hispanic
    • WEIGHT: Cannot estimate
    • HEIGHT (ESTIMATED): 5’2” (62 inches; 157.48 cm)
    • EYE COLOUR: Unknown
    • HAIR: Unknown
    • DISTINGUISHING MARKS/FEATURES:  None stated

    BACKGROUND

    On October 28th, 2007, skeletal remains of a male were discovered near Three Points, Arizona, “…in a desert area known for migrant activity.” NamUs notes a postmortem interval of “Months”, DoeNetwork notes “4 to 8 months” and Human Borders notes “< 6 – 8 months”.

    The remains were determined to belong to a Hispanic male between 17 to 21 years of age. He stood around 5’2” (62 inches; 157.48 cm) in height. His weight, eye colour, and hair colour could not be determined.

    He was discovered wearing a black World Series Champions 2003 baseball t-shirt that says “2003 WORLD SERIIES” “Champions” WORLD SERIES 100th ANNIVERSARY 2003” “FLORIDA MARLINS MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL”, a white tank top, two pairs of blue jeans, and one black sock. A white and blue striped handkerchief was also found on the body.

    Items discovered near the body included one brown boot, one black leather belt with a metal buckle, and a plastic keychain with an enclosed photograph of a possible teenage girl. There is a high possibility that the person in the photo is a loved one or close friend to the Doe.

    (*Currently, I am focusing mostly on cases of migrants who passed when crossing the Mexico-United States border. A lot of these cases have very little information provided.*)

    CLOTHING/ITEMS – On the body, the following was noted

    • Black t-shirt which has a graphic of a baseball and says, “WORLD SERIES 100th ANNIVERSARY 2003” “2003 WORLD SERIES” “Champions” “FLORIDA MARLINS MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL” (Brand “Delta Pro Weight”; size “M”)
    • White tank top (No brand or size noted)
    • Blue jeans (Brand “Jingo Jeans”, size unknown)
      Blue jeans (Brand “Lee”, size “30”)
    • White and blue striped handkerchief
    • One black sock (No brand or size noted)
    • One brown boot (Brand “Mack”; size unknown)

    Near the body, the following was noted

    • Plastic keychain with enclosed photograph
    • Black leather band with metal buckle (Brand “Nike”; no size noted)

    NOTES – Things to note or discrepancies found during research

    • 1 LOCATION OF DISCOVERY – NamUs lists coordinates that lead to Florence, Arizona but notes the location of discovery as near Three Points. It seems to be one digit off of the coordinates given on the Humane Borders map, which is in fact near Three Points, so I believe those are the correct coordinates.

    IDENTIFIERS

    • Dentals: Available
    • Fingerprints: Not available
    • DNA: Available

    INVESTIGATING AGENCY & OTHER CASE INFORMATION

    AGENCY ONE

    • Agency Name: Pima County Sheriff’s Office
    • Agency Phone Number: 520-351-4600
    • Agency Case Number: 07 10 28 161

    AGENCY TWO

    • Agency Name: Pima County Medical Examiner’s Office
    • Agency Contact Person: Bruce Anderson (Forensic Anthropologist)
    • Agency Phone Number: 520-724-8600
    • Agency Case Number: ML 07-01995

    OTHER INFORMATION/CASE NUMBERS

    • NamUs Case Number: #UP5340
    • NCMEC Case Number: 1184121
    • DoeNetwork Case Number: 2777UMAZ

    REFERENCES

  • Ocotillo John Doe (October 2, 2003)

    (FIRST) Business card found within wallet (Photo from NamUs)
    (SECOND) Tan Ostrich skin like belt (Size 38) and plaid shirt/fabric found (not listed on NamUs) (Photo from NamUs)

    (FIRST) Ankle work boots found (Brand “Establo“; size “8”) (Photo from NamUs)
    (SECOND) Ankle work boots found (Brand “Establo“; size “8”) (Photo from NamUs)

    (FIRST) Photo discovered within wallet (Appears to be of a young boy with short, dark hair. He is wearing a white shirt and is posing in front of a blue backdrop. It reminds me a school photo.)
    (SECOND) Photo discovered within wallet (Appears to be of a young girl with dark hair that is pulled back into a ponytail with a white scrunchie hair tie. She is wearing a white dress and is posing next to a newborn baby girl with dark hair who is wearing a white dress, white headband, and white shoes. They are in front of a Winnie-the-Pooh backdrop.)
    (THIRD) Photo discovered within wallet (Appears to be of a woman with long, dark hair. She may be wearing lipstick and may have a small mole/birthmark on one cheek near her nose. She is with a young child (possibly a girl) who has long, dark hair. They are both smiling for the camera. They may be inside, possibly on plaid a couch or chair.)

    Ocotillo John Doe (October 2, 2003)

    • DATE OF DISCOVERY: October 2nd, 2003
    • LOCATION OF DISCOVERY: Ocotillo, Imperial County, California, 99259, USA (32°41’49.7″N 116°02’58.4″W (32.697140, -116.049550))
    • ESTIMATED YEAR OF DEATH: 2003
    • POSTMORTEM INTERVAL: 1 month
    • CONDITION OF REMAINS: Not recognizable – Partial skeletal parts only
    • CAUSE OF DEATH: Not stated/Unknown
    • SEX: Male
    • ESTIMATED AGE1: 20 – 40 years old
    • RACE: Hispanic / Caucasian
    • WEIGHT: Cannot estimate
    • HEIGHT (ESTIMATED): 5’4” (64 inches; 162.56 cm)
    • EYE COLOUR: Unknown
    • HAIR: Unknown
    • DISTINGUISHING MARKS/FEATURES:  None noted

    BACKGROUND

    On October 2nd, 2003, human remains were discovered in the Ocotillo Mountains near Kumeyaay Highway/Interstate 8, West of Ocotillo, California. It is believed that the person had been deceased for 1 month prior to discovery.

    The individual is believed to be a Hispanic and/or Caucasian male between 20 to 40 years of age. He stood at approximately 5’4” (64 inches; 162.56 cm) in height. His weight, eye colour, and hair colour could not be determined.

    On the body, size 8 “Establo” brand ankle work boots and white socks with blue toe and heel patches were found. Near the body, size 34×31 “Levi’s” brand jeans, a size 38 tan Ostrich skin style belt, size 8 “ESTABIO” brand ankle work boots, white socks with blue toe and heel patches, and a “NIKE” brand tan cap/hat for the “Lakers” NBA basketball team were found.

    A wallet was also found near the body, which had the name “AVILA-TORRES” and possibly the word “RANA” carved into it. It contained photos of possible family members of the Doe. Descriptions of these photos include:

    • One appears to be of a young boy with short, dark hair. He is wearing a white shirt and is posing in front of a blue backdrop. It reminds me a school photo.
    • One appears to be of a young girl with dark hair that is pulled back into a ponytail with a white scrunchie hair tie. She is wearing a white dress and is posing next to a newborn baby girl with dark hair who is wearing a white dress, white headband, and white shoes. They are in front of a Winnie-the-Pooh backdrop.
    • One appears to be of a woman with long, dark hair. She may be wearing lipstick and may have a small mole/birthmark on one cheek near her nose. She is with a young child (possibly a girl) who has long, dark hair. They are both smiling for the camera. They may be inside, possibly on plaid a couch or chair.

    Also, within the wallet, a business card (or cards) was discovered which reads “GARDENING MAINTENANCE SERVICE” and has the name “DOMINGO ROMAIN” with “OWNER & MANAGER” underneath, a telephone number “TEL: (213) 381-7814” and an address “133 N. RENO ST. #104 Los Angeles, CA 90026” on it. NamUs states “…there was a business card…” but in the photo of the card it looks like there are possibly multiple of them? I attempted to find information on this business or the owner, but could not find anything solid.

    (*Currently, I am focusing mostly on cases of migrants who passed when crossing the Mexico-United States border. A lot of these cases have very little information provided.*)

    CLOTHING/ITEMS – On the body, the following was noted

    • Ankle work boots (Brand “Establo”; size “8”)
    • White socks with blue toe and heel patches (No brand or size noted)

    Near the body, the following was noted

    • Jeans (Brand “Levi’s”; size “34×31”)
    • Tan Ostrich skin style belt (No brand noted; size “38”)
    • Tan hat/cap for the “Lakers” NBA basketball team (Brand “NIKE”)
    • Wallet with the name “AVILA-TORRES” and possible the word “RANA” carved into. It contained possible family photos and a business card for “GARDENING MAINTENANCE SERVICE”
    • Some sort of plaid shirt/fabric can be seen in some of the photos provided on NamUs but is not mentioned otherwise

    NOTES – Things to note or discrepancies found during research

    • 1 ESTIMATED AGE – Under “Estimated Age Range (Years)” NamUs notes “20-40”, while in the “Circumstances of Discovery” NamUs notes “30s-40s”.

    IDENTIFIERS

    • Dentals: Unknown
    • Fingerprints: Unknown
    • DNA: Unknown

    INVESTIGATING AGENCY & OTHER CASE INFORMATION

    AGENCY ONE

    • Agency Name: Imperial County Coroner’s Office
    • Agency Phone Number: 442-265-2105
    • Agency Case Number: 03-186

    OTHER INFORMATION/CASE NUMBERS

    • NamUs Case Number: #UP13207
    • DoeNetwork Case Number: 4763UMCA

    REFERENCES