Top 10 Unsolved Jane Doe Mysteries
#10: The Female Stranger
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Jane Does have been a tragic trend for centuries. Even our great great great great ancestors were pondering the identities of Jane Does, as illustrated by the Grave of the Female Stranger. Found in Virginia’s St. Paul’s Cemetery, this grave memorializes an unidentified woman who died in 1816. The grave became popular owing to its headstone, which recounts the mysterious tale of her death - including a “disconsolate husband” who held his wife as she died. Speculation regarding her identity began almost immediately, with a poem appearing in the Alexandria Gazette in 1833. Some speculate that the grave belongs to Aaron Burr’s daughter, Theodosia Burr Alston, but conflicting dates make this unlikely.
#9: Sahara Sue
On August 14, 1979, the body of a young woman was found at the intersection of Sahara and Las Vegas Boulevard, just outside the city’s Sahara Hotel. The location has resulted in her informal nickname Sahara Sue. Distinguishing this Jane Doe is her curious lack of teeth -- she wore dentures despite being between 15 and 30 years old. Later forensic palynology revealed that Sahara Sue was likely named “Shawna”, that she had ties to a trailer park in the Napa Valley area, and that she may have been employed at the Holiday Inn on Las Vegas Boulevard. Still, despite modern facial reconstructions, she remains unidentified.
#8: Miss X
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Found on the side of the road in Bear, Delaware, Miss X was a young woman whose legs were encased in a white laundry bag. Said bag was traced to a location in New Jersey, but the lead went cold before answers could be given. Miss X was three months pregnant at the time of her death, leading investigators to believe that she had died from a failed attempt to end the pregnancy. However, later examination proved that she had died from sepsis resulting from an unknown infection. It’s believed that Miss X died at a separate location and was later dumped at the side of the road. The perpetrators, however, were never identified, and neither was Miss X.
#7: Penny Doe
This Jane Doe received her unique nickname from the two pennies that were found in the pockets of her pants. Found in Monroe Township, Pennsylvania, this unidentified female is estimated to have been between 15 and 22 years of age. She was found under a trestle bridge with a broken leg and massive blunt force trauma to the head, and authorities have concluded that this was the cause of death. Unfortunately, not much else is known about the young woman. A significant lead appeared in 2003 when an anonymous stranger contacted authorities in regards to Penny Doe, but the letter could not be traced and the author never wrote back, despite numerous pleas from the police.
#6: Little Miss Panasoffkee
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In February of 1971, two teenagers were walking in Lake Panasoffkee, Florida when they discovered the body of a woman floating under an overpass with a man’s belt was wrapped around her. Forensic examination discovered that the woman had been dead for thirty days, and a broken rib suggests that someone had forcefully knelt on her during the act. Further examination of the victim’s teeth in the ‘80s showed that she had lived most of her life in Greece. A facial reconstruction was made, and a Greek woman came forth claiming that the Jane Doe was named Konstantina and that she was visiting America as part of a work contract. However, this has never been officially confirmed.
#5: The Maury County Jane Doe
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In February of 1975, the decomposed remains of a woman were found beside a highway in Maury County, Tennessee. The woman was young, estimated to be between 15 and 25, and she had likely been dead up to nine months before the discovery of her body. Unhealed fractures in the victim’s ribs and pelvis have led to the theory that she was involved in a fatal car accident, either being accidentally hit or intentionally run over while walking on the side of the road. The body of a young dog was also found near the victim’s remains. It’s unclear, however, if the two have any connection.
#4: The Wayne Fitzgerrell State Park Jane Doe
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This is certainly one of the creepiest Jane Doe cases in American history. In January of 1993, the head of a woman was found hanging in the brush of Illinois’s Wayne Fitzgerrell State Park. It is believed that the head had been thrown from a passing vehicle, although this vehicle was not observed, and neither it nor the woman have ever been identified. Unfortunately, the lack of other body parts has made identifying this woman difficult. Further study revealed that she had suffered from wry neck syndrome, which results in an abnormal neck position, but that’s certainly not much information to go on.
#3: The El Dorado Jane Doe
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This Jane Doe ostensibly went by multiple aliases throughout her life, lived in numerous states, and had an extensive arrest record. On July 10, 1991, the woman met her ex-boyfriend James McAlphin at a motel in El Dorado, Arkansas. A witness reported seeing McAlphin hit the woman and heard a gunshot following a vicious argument. McAlphin was arrested but refused to cooperate. Cards on the body ID’d the woman as Cheryl Ann Wick, but this was an identity she had apparently stolen from a woman in Minneapolis. McAlphin refused to fully cooperate with identifying the Jane Doe, so her true identity remains a mystery.
#2: Bella in the Wych Elm
In 1944, a piece of graffiti asking “Who put Bella in the Wych Elm?” was found on a wall on Upper Dean Street, Birmingham, England. This was a reference to a skeleton that was discovered inside a wych elm on the Hagley estate near Wychbury Hill. The skull was the first thing discovered, but authorities soon uncovered a shoe, wedding ring, and clothing. As well, the remains of a hand were found nearby. Upon examination of the skull, forensic analysts discovered some fabric in the mouth, indicating suffocation. But despite the graffiti identifying the skeleton as “Bella”, she remains unidentified. Numerous theories have been put forth, like the woman being the victim of an occult ritual, but nothing is certain.
#1: Lady of the Dunes
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This is another horrific case that has captivated sleuths for decades. On July 26, 1974, a child discovered the body of the Lady of the Dunes lying face down in the Race Point Dunes of Provincetown, Massachusetts. The body was nearly decapitated. It’s also been theorized that the killer removed her hands and teeth to prevent identification. Despite numerous exhumations and leads, the body remains unidentified. Serial killer Hadden Clark has confessed to the murder, but authorities claim that he is unreliable. A woman resembling the deceased was also seen with crime boss Whitey Bulger, who was known for removing his victims’ teeth.
