WV Human Remains: Found near Appalachian Trail in Jefferson County, WV - 7 April 2020 *Presumed Resolved*

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Police investigating human remains found off of the Appalachian Trail in West Virginia
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Photos of articles of clothing found with human remains in West Virginia provided by West Virginia State Police
By WHSV newsroom |
Posted: Wed 4:17 PM, Apr 08, 2020
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JEFFERSON COUNTY, W.Va. (WHSV) — West Virginia State Police say they recovered human remains not far off the Applachian Trail on Tuesday.
According to police, workers with a tree trimming service that was working in the Harpers Ferry area of Jefferson County on April 7 found a human skull and contacted authorities.
West Virginia state troopers, the United States Park Police, lue Ridge Search and Rescue Volunteer Team, and the Medical Examiner responded to the scene, where they recovered human remains and the clothing of an uknown person.
Police said the body had on a blue “Montgomery Ward” dress shirt, red jacket with a stripe across the chest, elastic cuffs and waistband, white Puma shoes (high-tops, size 10) and a necklace with an image of “Saint Mary” and the following saying: “O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee."
Investigation is ongoing to try to identify the person. If you have any information about the investigation, you're asked to contact Trooper First Class M.C. Morgan or Sergeant Chumley at 304-725-9779 or 304-725-9770.
 
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Please remove if not in the right place😚

Police investigating human remains found off of the Appalachian Trail in West Virginia
WV+human+remains+jacket+and+neckace.JPG

Photos of articles of clothing found with human remains in West Virginia provided by West Virginia State Police
By WHSV newsroom |
Posted: Wed 4:17 PM, Apr 08, 2020
Social-Facebook-34.png
Social-Twitter-34.png
Social-LinkedIn-34.png
Social-Email-34.png
Social-Print-34.png

JEFFERSON COUNTY, W.Va. (WHSV) — West Virginia State Police say they recovered human remains not far off the Applachian Trail on Tuesday.
According to police, workers with a tree trimming service that was working in the Harpers Ferry area of Jefferson County on April 7 found a human skull and contacted authorities.
West Virginia state troopers, the United States Park Police, lue Ridge Search and Rescue Volunteer Team, and the Medical Examiner responded to the scene, where they recovered human remains and the clothing of an uknown person.
Police said the body had on a blue “Montgomery Ward” dress shirt, red jacket with a stripe across the chest, elastic cuffs and waistband, white Puma shoes (high-tops, size 10) and a necklace with an image of “Saint Mary” and the following saying: “O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee."
Investigation is ongoing to try to identify the person. If you have any information about the investigation, you're asked to contact Trooper First Class M.C. Morgan or Sergeant Chumley at 304-725-9779 or 304-725-9770.
Most likely has been there for quite some time since Montgomery Wards has been closed for many years now.
 
Wow. I agree about the Wards thing, not heard of any longer much if at all. They don't say female or male do they?
"In the 1990s Montgomery Ward faced stiff competition from new discount retailers such as Target and Wal-Mart, and it filed for bankruptcy in 1997. Although it attempted to modernize its stores, the company continued to suffer losses. In December 2000 it announced that it was going out of business, and in 2001 it closed its remaining stores. After being acquired by a catalog marketer, Montgomery Ward was relaunched as an online company in 2004. "

 
"In the 1990s Montgomery Ward faced stiff competition from new discount retailers such as Target and Wal-Mart, and it filed for bankruptcy in 1997. Although it attempted to modernize its stores, the company continued to suffer losses. In December 2000 it announced that it was going out of business, and in 2001 it closed its remaining stores. After being acquired by a catalog marketer, Montgomery Ward was relaunched as an online company in 2004. "


I actually knew they still existed because I traced something I bought at an auction to them, in Iowa, a very old unique appliance. Clothing though yes, would be very unusual unless it is from some time back unless it was some kind of donation or thrift shop purchase? It does look like the body for that reason and condition has been there for a number of years most likely?
 
Similar style looking jacket (though not the same jacket obviously).

also he is the only person missing from Jefferson County in the Namus system. At least when I search.


Morten apparently met a nefarious end.

below is the distance I mapped from the estimated area the remains were found to where Morten’s vehicle had been abandoned back in 2015. Only 17-19 minutes driving time.
 

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I actually knew they still existed because I traced something I bought at an auction to them, in Iowa, a very old unique appliance. Clothing though yes, would be very unusual unless it is from some time back unless it was some kind of donation or thrift shop purchase? It does look like the body for that reason and condition has been there for a number of years most likely?

does Montgomery Ward have strong ties to Norway production wise? I’m looking at some old Mont Ward stoves and waterfalls made in Norway.

I ask because Morten (the missing man I’m yammering on about here) was from Norway. Also wondering if the jacket had a tag showing country of production. Hm.

also, Puma as a brand is typically worn more by European folks Imho
 
does Montgomery Ward have strong ties to Norway production wise? I’m looking at some old Mont Ward stoves and waterfalls made in Norway.

I ask because Morten (the missing man I’m yammering on about here) was from Norway. Also wondering if the jacket had a tag showing country of production. Hm.

also, Puma as a brand is typically worn more by European folks Imho

I wondered about the Puma too. I don't know about Montgomery Ward and Norway but they have been around since the 1800s. Here is the continued catalog site which I am surprised exists or makes money as I never even knew they had one. https://www.wards.com

I would imagine someone could possibly date the shirt to a certain year or range of when Wards sold them?
 
Morten’s page on The Charley Project links to his Facebook page, which is still accessible.
Based on a comment he made about religion, it‘s very unlikely he would be carrying a Miraculous Medal. JMO.

I know Facebook isn’t a good source, but since this page was linked by the Charley Project I thought I would mention it.
 
Morten’s page on The Charley Project links to his Facebook page, which is still accessible.
Based on a comment he made about religion, it‘s very unlikely he would be carrying a Miraculous Medal. JMO.

I know Facebook isn’t a good source, but since this page was linked by the Charley Project I thought I would mention it.

THANK YOU Steve! Very important info that I was surely wondering about!

Could the necklace have been placed there to throw off LE on identifying his remains if found? If not it’s probably not Morten. (Maybe his remains are on that large sprawling estate in WV somewhere...)

I did message Morten’s sister with the article about the remains just in case. His whole family has no rights to his property/belongings since they don’t live in the US. They are reported to be distraught over his disappearance understandably so. 😢
 
THANK YOU Steve! Very important info that I was surely wondering about!

Could the necklace have been placed there to throw off LE on identifying his remains if found? If not it’s probably not Morten. (Maybe his remains are on that large sprawling estate in WV somewhere...)

I did message Morten’s sister with the article about the remains just in case. His whole family has no rights to his property/belongings since they don’t live in the US. They are reported to be distraught over his disappearance understandably so. 😢
The proximity of the remains to where the truck was found is pretty intriguing, for sure. It should definitely be looked into.

My family visited the AT headquarters in Harpers Ferry a few years ago, and did a little bit of walking on the trail nearby. The general area is full of tourists. If the remains aren’t Morten, I could imagine someone perhaps wandered off the trail and had a medical event, or an accident. If they were a thru-hiker, they wouldn’t be wearing Pumas, so I’m guessing they may be a local, a tourist, or crime victim.
 
NamUs #UP75513


On 4/7/20 @ approx. 14:00, Xyzlem Tree Service employee was at the top of the mountain by Witness Post (Appalachian Trail) in Jefferson Co. cutting trees. When they was waiting and looking around they discovered a human skull. LE & EMS responded, LE continued to look for more bones, the search continued until 4/10/20, LE found approx. 20 bones in the immediate area (Longitude 39320226, Latitude 77722773). Male clothes was in the area, 2 necklaces were found (1 silver & 1 with a St. Christopher medal on it), a crucifix was found, a t-shirt w/Montgomery Ward on it was found w/bones in it, LE thinks the bones may have been in the area since the late 1970’s-early 1980’s. Two (2) white Puma tennis shoes were found, LE contacted PUMA and they stated that that particular brand of shoe had not been produced since the 1980’s. A Quarter (1976), a dime (1969), & a nickel were also found near the clothes. LE is investigating all missing persons from the late 1970’s & early 1980’s for that area.

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The proximity of the remains to where the truck was found is pretty intriguing, for sure. It should definitely be looked into.

My family visited the AT headquarters in Harpers Ferry a few years ago, and did a little bit of walking on the trail nearby. The general area is full of tourists. If the remains aren’t Morten, I could imagine someone perhaps wandered off the trail and had a medical event, or an accident. If they were a thru-hiker, they wouldn’t be wearing Pumas, so I’m guessing they may be a local, a tourist, or crime victim.
@Steve, do you know if this person has been identified? I'm not familiar enough with the area to easily figure it out.
 
It looks like they have a NamUs page now.


On 4/7/20 @ approx. 14:00, Xyzlem Tree Service employee was at the top of the mountain by Witness Post (Appalachian Trail) in Jefferson Co. cutting trees.
When they was waiting and looking around they discovered a human skull. LE & EMS responded, LE continued to look for more bones, the search continued until 4/10/20, LE found approx. 20 bones in the immediate area (Longitude 39320226, Latitude 77722773).
male clothes was in the area, 2 necklaces were found (1 silver & 1 with a St. Christopher medal on it), a crucifix was found, a t-shirt w/Montgomery Ward on it was found w/bones in it, LE thinks the bones may have been in the area since the late 1970’s-early 1980’s. Two (2) white Puma tennis shoes were found, LE contacted PUMA and they stated that that particular brand of shoe had not been produced since the 1980’s. A Quarter (1976), a dime (1969), & a nickel were also found near the clothes.
LE is investigating all missing persons from the late 1970’s & early 1980’s for that area.
 

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