178UFMS - Unidentified Female



Reconstructions of the victim; gravesite and scene where the body was found (photos taken by Liz Chipman).

Date of Discovery: May 8, 1998

Location of Discovery: Hancock County, Mississippi

Estimated Date of Death: Hours prior

State of Remains: Recognizable face

Cause of Death: Auto/pedestrian accident

Physical Description

Estimated Age: 37-42 years old

Race: White

Gender: Female

Height: 5'3" to 5'5"

Weight: 130-135 lbs.

Hair Color: Naturally brown, curly and 16 to 18 inches long. Dyed a slightly different color, giving it the apppearence of reddish-brown.

Eye Color: Gray (described as unique in color.)

Distinguishing Marks/Features: Vaccination scar on her left arm. Old hysterectomy scar from a C-section running from her navel down to her pubis. Closer examination revealed that the woman had given birth to at least 2 children, perhaps more. Seven "Ephedrine-Guaifenefine MINI" pills were found in her right back jean pocket. She suffered from black lung disease, emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Thick mucus was present in her lungs. She had moderate osteoarthritis in her spine. She was tan and freckled with bug bites present on her body. Her legs and underarms were unshaven. Her fingernails and toenails were short, uneven and dirty. There was a black, greasy smudge on the medial right foot from the base of the first toe into the arch. Her ears were not pierced. There were no signs of alcohol or drugs in her system.

Identifiers

Dentals: Not available. Edentulous. Dentures not located.

Fingerprints: Available.

DNA: Not available.

Clothing & Personal Items

Clothing: Bongo jeans, a black hooded Spalding Activewear sweatshirt with "Florida" on the front, and blue velvet slippers. She was not wearing socks or underwear.

Jewelry: Unknown

Additional Personal Items: Unknown

Circumstances of Discovery

A truck driver discovered the victim's body off I-10 East near Exit 2 (Stennis Space Center), Mile Marker 4 in Hancock County at 10:40 a.m. She had been hit by a car and was flung 230 feet from the road. She was found face down with her head toward a wooded area, slanting in a grassy area.

A group of teenagers came forward when they heard about the incident. They had been traveling through the area earlier the same morning, between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m. in a 1998 green Mitsubishi when they hit something that they assumed was a deer.

An autopsy revealed that she suffered several injuries as a result of the accident: fracture of the cervical spine, compression-contusion of the spinal cord, lacerated abraded scalp, a deep laceration of the right popliteal region (knee-joint) and left heel, a fractured right femur and multiple deep abrasions of the trunk, extremities and face. There was a hair resembling the scalp hair entangled in the fingers of her left hand. She suffered 21 broken ribs as well as a lacerated liver.

The autopsy also revealed that she had recently eaten french fries and pickle slices, as well as a thick brown liquid, but no meat. She had numerous small hydatid cysts in her oviducts. Hydatid cysts are caused from a parasite that is accidentally ingested when consuming contaminated/unsanitary food.

In October 2013, the Hancock County Coroner Jim Faulk received permission to exhume the woman's remains to gather DNA samples to compare to two missing women from Louisiana, Nelda Louise Hardwick and Faye Aline Self. During the exhumation in December 2013, it was determined that the remains in the grave were that of a man and not the unidentified woman. Since the exact location of the remains is unknown, plans for future exhumations have been halted.

Investigating Agency(s)

Agency Name: Hancock County Coroner's Office

Agency Contact Person: Jim Faulk

Agency Phone Number: 228-467-9031

Agency E-Mail: N/A

Agency Case Number: 98-185516

NCIC Case Number: Unknown

NamUs Case Number: 2841

Information Source(s)

NamUs

Copsite

Sun Herald News Archive

Admin Notes

Added: Prior to 2013; Last Updated: 1/3/17