What’s better: Ms Bones or Jane Doe?

I’ve been called Jane Doe, Ms. Bones, Miss Bones and I’m sure a few other names in the process of trying to figure out who I am. The name Bones doesn’t really seem considerate. I’m surprised they didn’t name me Bones Doe. I guess they’ll leave that unfortunate name for some unidentified male. When you die and they don’t know your name they saddle you with some unfortunate semi-descriptive name. In my case, my bones happened to be housed in boxes shuffled from office to office while they tried to figure out who I am. Hence, Ms. Bones.

In the process of shuffling me around, they did learned that I was a Caucasian female, 20 to 25 years old, who stood between 5'3" and 5'6" and weighed approximately 110 to one 130 pounds.

Right about now, you might be wondering how I ended up as bones in boxes on a coroners shelf. Well, brace yourself: on October 1, 1985, a road crew was mowing a ditch area near Interstate 20 in Smith County, Texas when they ran the mower over my body. One investigator was quoted as saying, “The contact scattered bones far and near.” However, we have to chin up and strive forward. You now know why my bones are in boxes on a shelf. The good thing is they gathered enough of me to give you that approximate aforementioned description of me.

In addition to finding me, they found a wadded pile of clothes that rested near me. One item in particular, a shirt, has caught interest of my advocate. On a side note, yes I have an advocate, her name is Betty. She found the shirt very interesting. The shirt was a yellow pullover with an armadillo on it and the phrase "Top Rail Country Music, Dallas, Texas". Plus it had a lace collar. Betty tracked down the club where the shirts were sold. Then she found the actual individual who ordered all the promotional clothing and he said they were never made with a lace collar. It’s very interesting and might hold some significance. The shirt was not the only item they found. I also had white Dickie shorts and canvas sandals. For the record, I was also wearing gold butterfly earnings and a gold watch.

Additionally, they found red hair fibers at the scene. My hair and eye color vary from source to source, but mainly the hair color reads as brown. If my hair color is brown, what are the red hair fibers that were found at the scene? Another important note is they believe that I could have been deceased up to 18 months prior to my run-in with the mowing crew. It was unfortunate for me that my skeleton was scattered by the mowing crew. Kind of a good news/bad news situation for me. If the mowing crew hadn't found me, I could have been left out there alone longer – but they didn't see me in enough time to avoid scattering and shattering my bones into pieces.

Many law enforcement investigators have worked to try and figure out who I am. One of the former investigators went on to teach at a local college, others retired and many still work on finding the answers today. Law Enforcement is not doing this alone. I have my own advocate, Betty. Betty is working tirelessly, scouring through missing persons photos to try and find me.

It’s funny thinking how I’m found and lost at the same time. Then again, no; it’s not all that funny. I’m not the only box of bones on a shelf in a coroner's office. You can ask Betsy James Cooper, right here at Can You Identify Me? -- the good people who are bringing you my story. She knows of many others like me who are lost and found at the same time. You can also ask the thousands of family members who search for their loved ones everyday, they know about those who are lost and found. Those family members just want to find their loved one, like I want to find my loved ones. I’d like my real identity back now.

If you know this woman, please call:

Texas Department of Public Safety
Missing Persons Clearinghouse

512-424-5074
800-346-3243

Case # U9010001
NCIC # U-170025191

VIEW HER PROFILE DATA AT A GLANCE HERE: Smith Texas Jane Doe October 1985

Please help distribute her flyer (remember to read our distribution policy):
http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/mpch/UnidentifieddetailsPrint.asp?id=U9010001&Person=Unidentified