PA BUSHKILL JANE DOE: WF, 35-55, found in Northampton County, PA - 23 October 1987 *DONNA GRIFFIN*

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BUSHKILL JANE DOE: WF, 35-55, found in Northampton County, PA - 23 October 1987 *GRAPHIC* 3hM9lYF



BUSHKILL JANE DOE: WF, 35-55, found in Northampton County, PA - 23 October 1987 *GRAPHIC* EMH7T5R




The body of a female between thirty-five and fifty-five was found in brush on the shoulder of Route 33 in Bushkill Township, Northampton County, Pennsylvania on October 23, 1987. She was believed to have died due to a heart attack, yet her face contained multiple lacerations from an undisclosed cause. She had died within a day of being found.


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https://identifyus.org/en/cases/12414

Case Information
Status Unidentified
Case number 87-10231415J
Date found October 23, 1987 13:30
Date created May 01, 2014 11:37
Date last modified April 18, 2016 11:55
Investigating agency
date QA reviewed

Local Contact (ME/C or Other)
Agency Northampton Cnty Coroners Ofc
Phone 610-258-1806
Case Manager
Name Raymond Judge
Phone 610-861-2026

Exclusions
The following people have been ruled out as being this decedent:
First Name Last Name Year of Birth State LKA
Marsha Ferber 1941 West Virginia
Gloria Korzon 1943 Pennsylvania
Sheree Magaro 1956 Maryland
 
https://identifyus.org/en/cases/12414

NamUs UP # 12414
BUSHKILL JANE DOE: WF, 35-55, found in Northampton County, PA - 23 October 1987 *GRAPHIC* 23521

ME/C Case Number: 87-10231415J
Northampton County, Pennsylvania
35 to 55 year old White Female
Case Report - NamUs UP # 12414
Case Information
Status Unidentified
Case number 87-10231415J
Date found October 23, 1987 13:30
Date created May 01, 2014 11:37
Date last modified April 18, 2016 11:55
Investigating agency
date QA reviewed

Local Contact (ME/C or Other)
Agency Northampton Cnty Coroners Ofc
Phone 610-258-1806
Case Manager
Name Raymond Judge
Phone 610-861-2026

Demographics
Estimated age Adult - Pre 60
Minimum age 35 years
Maximum age 55 years
Race White
Ethnicity
Sex Female
Weight (pounds) 160, Estimated
Height (inches) 63, Estimated
Body Parts Inventory (Check all that apply)
All parts recovered
Head not recovered
Torso not recovered
One or more limbs not recovered
One or both hands not recovered
Body conditions
Recognizable face
Probable year of death 1987 to 1987
Estimated postmortem interval 24 Hours

Circumstances
Location Found
GPS coordinates
Address 1 Pa Route 33
Address 2 1.7 miles north of Belfast Interchange
City Bushkill Township
State Pennsylvania
Zip code
County Northampton
Circumstances
Remains found in brush just off the shoulder of the highway.

Physical
Hair color Blond/Strawberry
Head hair
Shoulder Length, Wavy
Left eye color Blue
Right eye color Blue
Eye description

No other distinctive body features

Verical stretch marks on abdomen.
Diagonal scar on right shin.
Series of scattered, small, circular scars on left calf.

Prior surgery
Tubal Ligation (Removal of Fallopian Tubes)
Other medical
information
Blood Type: A-Negative
Mild external hemorrhoids.

Fingerprints
Status: Fingerprint information is available elsewhere

Clothing and Accessories
No clothing or accessories
Clothing and accessories are described below
Clothing on body
"Super Fitz", red, crewneck shirt with design of a woman's face on front. (see images)
"Longhaul", blue denim jeans. Size 33-35.
Sears, "Winterskin", thermal underwear bottoms. White with blue, snowflake design. Size medium.

Jewelry
Silver, wire, bangle bracelet.

Dental
Status: Dental information / charting is available and entered

DNA
Status: Sample is currently not available
 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_unidentified_decedents_in_the_United_States#Bushkill_Jane_Doe

Bushkill Jane Doe

BUSHKILL JANE DOE: WF, 35-55, found in Northampton County, PA - 23 October 1987 *GRAPHIC* WKCo51N


The body of a female between thirty-five and fifty-five was found in brush on the shoulder of route 33 in Bushkill Township, Northampton County, Pennsylvania on October 23, 1987. She was of Caucasian descent and had blue eyes and blond hair. The height was estimated to be between five feet and five feet two inches and the weight between 155 and 165 pounds. The decedent wore a red shirt with a decal of a woman, a multicolored bracelet, jeans and thermal long underwear with a snowflake design. The woman is believed to have died due to a heart attack, yet her face contained multiple lacerations from an undisclosed cause. She had died within a day of being found.
 
http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/250ufpa.html

The Doe Network:
Case File 250UFPA

BUSHKILL JANE DOE: WF, 35-55, found in Northampton County, PA - 23 October 1987 *GRAPHIC* HXQDNFV


Reconstruction of Victim by Wesley Neville

Unidentified White Female
Discovered on October 23, 1987 along PA. Route 33, Bushkill Township, Northampton County, Pennsylvania.
Death occurred approximately 24 hours prior to discovery.
Cause of death appears to be a heart attack.

Vital Statistics
Estimated age: 40 - 50 years old
Approximate Height and Weight: 5'0"-5'2"; 155-165 lbs.
Distinguishing Characteristics: Blonde, shoulder length hair, blue eyes. Blood type: "A" negative.
Dentals: Dental records available.
Clothing: She was wearing Longhaul jeans size 33-35, a red pullover shirt with multicolor abstract design of a woman's face with glass bead eye, Sears thermal underwear, white with blue snowflake design, size medium hips 37-39 and a thin silver wire bangle bracelet.

Investigators

If you have any information about this case please contact:
Pennsylvania State Police
Belfast Station
610-258-0816
You may remain anonymous when submitting information.

NCIC Number:
U-272797688

Please refer to this number when contacting any agency with information regarding this case.

Source Information:
Pennsylvania State Police
 
http://pennsylvaniamissing.com/250ufpabushkill.html

Unidentified White Female
Found October 23, 1987 in Bushkill, Northampton County

Vital Statistics
Estimated Age: late 30s to early 50s
Height: 5'1"
Weight: 160 lbs
Hair Color: ash blonde with gray streaks
Eye Color: blue
Blood Type: A Negative
Clothing: Longhaul brand blue jeans (size 33-35);
a red t-shirt with a black and yellow abstract design of a woman's face with a glass bead or rhinestone eye;
thermal underwear, Sears brand, with blue & white snowflake design (size medium, hips 37-39);
a thin, silver wire bracelet on her left wrist.
No coat, shoes, purse or identification were found with the body.
Cause of Death: Heart Attack
Dentals: Available
Fingerprints: Available

Case Details
On Friday, October 23, 1987, the body of an unidentified woman was found along Route 33 in Bushkill. A PennDOT crew, who had been working on the southbound lanes, were backing up their equipment collecting traffic cones when they saw the body. The area she was found in is roughly 2 1/2 miles south of the Wind Gap exchange and about 2 miles north of the Belfast exchange. Her body was found some 10 to 20 feet from the shoulder of the road.
The woman was found face down, with one arm underneath her and the other flung to her side. Disturbances in the grass showed that she had been dragged to the spot where she was found. It is believed she may have been at the site as early as Wednesday night, October 21st, since her clothing and hair were wet and the last recorded rainfall had been on Wednesday.
Also noted was a sunburn pattern on the women's neck and right arm that would indicate that she regularly spent time in the passenger side of a vehicle, possibly someone who frequently rode with truckers.
 
The woman was found face down, with one arm underneath her and the other flung to her side. Disturbances in the grass showed that she had been dragged to the spot where she was found. It is believed she may have been at the site as early as Wednesday night, October 21st, since her clothing and hair were wet and the last recorded rainfall had been on Wednesday. Also noted was a sunburn pattern on the women's neck and right arm that would indicate that she regularly spent time in the passenger side of a vehicle, possibly someone who frequently rode with truckers.

The coroner said she died from a heart attack and they don't know where the abrasions on her face came from

She may have been riding with a trucker who dragged her to the side of the road when she died in his cab.
 
Woman whose remains were found in 1987 along Route 33 is identified, 33 years later

Woman whose remains were found in 1987 along Route 33 is identified, 33 years later
Updated 2:13 PM; Today 11:49 AM

By Tony Rhodin | For lehighvalleylive.com
A 37-year-old woman whose remains were found nearly 33 years ago along Route 33 in Bushkill Township has been identified, Pennsylvania State Police said Friday.

The investigation into the death of Donna Kay Griffin has involved troopers, the Northampton County District Attorney’s Office and the Northampton County Coroner’s Office.

The probe turned a corner recently when Bode Technology of Lorton, Virginia, conducted a genealogical DNA analysis on the remains, police said in a news release. That provided information leading to woman’s identity, police said, and an FBI lab used testing to link her to her child.

Griffin also went by the last names of Shelby and Linton, according to police. She was born in Dalton, Georgia, but in the 1970s moved to Philadelphia. Her remains were found in October 1987. No one had reported her missing, police said.

The investigation into the circumstances of her death is continuing, police said. Troopers are still trying to identify whoever dumped her body along the highway, police said.

Anyone who has information about this investigation or who might have known Griffin is asked to call the state police Troop M Criminal Investigation Assessment Unit at 610-861-2026. The incident report to reference is M06-0314230.
 
After 33 years, police identify woman found dead on Route 33

After 33 years, police identify woman found dead on Route 33
By TOM SHORTELL
THE MORNING CALL |
JUN 26, 2020 AT 3:25 PM

Pennsylvania State Police have identified a woman found dead on the side of Route 33 in October 1987 as Donna Kay Griffin. Griffin, seen here photographed as a teenager, died at the age of 37. Police are still investigating how she died. (The Morning Call)
Thirty-three years after a PennDOT road crew found a woman’s body on Route 33, Pennsylvania State Police have finally determined her name.

Now, investigators hope the new information will help them figure out what happened to Donna Kay Griffin and how she wound up dead on the highway in Bushkill Township.

In a news release Friday, police identified Griffin as the woman found Oct. 23, 1987. Morning Call articles from the time reported construction workers were collecting traffic cones when they found her body near goldenrods in the western berm of the highway about two miles north of the Belfast. Police at the time thought her body may have been there for several days before being discovered.

Authorities had no means of identifying her at the time, and state troopers said today that Griffin, 37 at the time of her death, was never reported missing.

The changed when Bode Technology of Lorton, Virginia ran a DNA test of Griffin. With the help of the FBI, investigators were able to link Griffin to her child. Troopers said Griffin, originally from Dalton, Georgia, moved to the Philadelphia area in the 1970s. She also used the last names Shelton and Linton, police said.

Northampton County District Attorney Terry Houck said investigators are still trying to figure out what happened to Griffin. It’s not clear how she wound up on the highway or where she had been prior to her death.

“We just have remains. We don’t know if it was foul play,” Houck said.

At the time, then-Northampton County Coroner Joseph F. Reichel couldn’t identify Griffin but determined she had a heart attack immediately before her death. He ruled out foul play and drug involvement.

But Houck indicated authorities are re-examining the case to be certain.

“There’s a lot of investigation left, which is why it’s important to get this out there. Now that we have a name, we’re hoping that someone knew her, saw her,” he said.
 
CASE: UPDATE!! IDENTIFICATION OF 1987 REMAINS - JANE DOE- BUSHKILL TOWNSHIP - NORTHAMPTON

UPDATE!! IDENTIFICATION OF 1987 REMAINS - JANE DOE- BUSHKILL TOWNSHIP - NORTHAMPTON CO
February 12, 2018
Tabs

Case
UPDATE!! June 2020 – Jane Doe has been identified!

The female has been identified as Donna Kay Griffin who was 37 years of age at the time of her death. A native of the Dalton, Georgia area; Griffin reportedly relocated to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the 1970’s. Griffin also used the last names of Shelby and Linton. Griffin had not previously been reported missing to any law enforcement authorities.

A joint investigation conducted by the Northampton County Coroner’s Office, Northampton County District Attorney’s Office, and the Pennsylvania State Police Troop M has resulted in the identification of Donna Kay Griffin whose remains were deposited along Pa Route 33 in Bushkill Township, Northampton County in October 1987.

Bode Technology of Lorton, Virginia recently conducted genealogical DNA analysis on the remains which provided investigators with leads which enabled them to positively identify the female. The FBI Laboratory conducted additional testing confirming kinship with a child of the previously unidentified female.

The investigation continues regarding the circumstances surrounding Griffin’s death and identifying the actor(s) responsible for depositing her body at the aforementioned location.

Any persons having information relative this incident or having had previous contact with Griffin are asked to contact the Pennsylvania State Police, Troop M Criminal Investigation Assessment Unit at 610-861-2026 or you can contact the Pennsylvania Crime Stoppers if you have information on this crime, any serious crime, or wanted person, call the Pennsylvania Crime Stoppers Toll Free at 1-800-4PA-TIPS (8477) or online at Tip Form

All callers remain anonymous and could be eligible for a CASH REWARD.

All information is accurate as of Release Date.

Media Release #2188

Original Media Release Information:

The Pennsylvania State Police, Troop M, Criminal Investigation Assessment Unit (CIA) and the Bureau of Criminal Investigation, CIA Unit, continue their investigation of unidentified remains that were located along PA Route 33 in Bushkill Township, Northampton County, PA.

On Friday, October 23, 1987, human remains of an adult female; blue eyes; shoulder-length blonde hair; 5’0” – 5’2” in height; 155-165 in weight; estimated to be 40 to 50 years old was discovered. The female was wearing “Long haul” brand denim jeans (size 33-35); a red crewneck shirt with abstract design of a woman’s face (glass bead eye); and white Sear’s brand, “Winter Skin” thermal underwear with a blue snowflake design (size medium hips 37 – 39). The female was also wearing a thin silver wire bangle bracelet. There is a possibility that the female may have some association with areas along the Interstate 81 corridor in New York and Pennsylvania.

WHAT YOU CAN DO: If you have information on this crime, any serious crime, or wanted person, call Pennsylvania Crime Stoppers Toll Free at 1-800-4PA-TIPS. All callers remain anonymous and could be eligible for a CASH REWARD.
All information is accurate as of Release Date.

Date:
Friday, October 23, 1987
 
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