PA PUBLICKER JANE DOE: WF, 20-30, found in Bensalem, PA - 24 January 1988 *LISA TODD*

On January 24, 1988, a man walking his dog discovered the skeletal remains of a young woman in a valve/pump house at the old Publicker distillery property on State Road in Bensalem. She had been deceased more than 3 years, prior to being found. She was six months pregnant when she died.


*Click the Report button if you'd like this case moved to the general discussion area to be opened for commenting.

 

[Akoya]

https://identifyus.org/en/cases/2202

NamUs UP # 2202

ME/C Case Number: 88-801995
Bucks County, Pennsylvania
20 to 30 year old White Female


Case Information
Status Unidentified
Case number 88-801995
Date found January 24, 1988 00:00
Date created July 15, 2008 15:04
Date last modified August 11, 2016 09:30
Investigating agency
date QA reviewed December 31, 2011 12:55

Local Contact (ME/C or Other)
Agency Bucks Cnty Coroners Ofc
Phone 267-880-5040
Case Manager
Name Christopher McMullin
Phone 215.633.3726

Exclusions
The following people have been ruled out as being this decedent:
First Name Last Name Year of Birth State LKA
Katherine Anderson 1954 Maryland
Kimberly Blackburn 1958 Indiana
Kimberly Blackburn 1958 Indiana
Tracy Byrd 1968 Pennsylvania
Bernadette Caruso 1963 Maryland
Susan Cerritelli 1956 Pennsylvania
Evelyn Davis 1962 Ohio
Gina Hall 1962 Virginia
Marchelle Hansen 1964 Wisconsin
Charlotte Heimann 1954 New York
Charlotte Heimann 1954 New York
Christine Huyer 1960 Florida
Anne Manchester 1954 Delaware
Amy Matthews 1959 Pennsylvania
Monique McClelland Pennsylvania
Linda Peterson 1949 Utah
Deborah Post 1961 Massachusetts
Michele Reidenbach 1964 Pennsylvania
Leichia Reilly 1963 New York
Susan Riedling 1967 Kentucky
Patricia Schmidt 1964 Virginia
Barbara Shumac 1953 Pennsylvania
Barbara Shumac 1953 Pennsylvania
Karen Wilson 1963 New York

 

[Akoya]

https://identifyus.org/en/cases/2202

NamUs UP # 2202

ME/C Case Number: 88-801995
Bucks County, Pennsylvania
20 to 30 year old White Female

Case Report - NamUs UP # 2202
Case Information
Status Unidentified
Case number 88-801995
Date found January 24, 1988 00:00
Date created July 15, 2008 15:04
Date last modified August 11, 2016 09:30
Investigating agency
date QA reviewed December 31, 2011 12:55

Local Contact (ME/C or Other)
Agency Bucks Cnty Coroners Ofc
Phone 267-880-5040
Case Manager
Name Christopher McMullin
Phone 215.633.3726

Demographics
Estimated age Adult - Pre 40
Minimum age 20 years
Maximum age 30 years
Race White
Ethnicity Other
Sex Female
Weight (pounds) 100, Estimated
Height (inches) 60, 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
Not recognizable - Near complete or complete skeleton


Probable year of death 1984 to 1986
Estimated postmortem interval 4 Years

Circumstances
Location Found
GPS coordinates
Address 1
Address 2
City Bensalem
State Pennsylvania
Zip code 19020
County Bucks
Circumstances
Skeletal remains located in an underground pumphouse on an old distillery. White feamle early 20's and pregnant.

Physical
Hair color Brown
Head hair
N/A
Body hair
N/A
Facial hair
N/A
Left eye color Unknown or Missing
Right eye color Unknown or Missing
Eye description
N/A
No other distinctive body features
Distinctive features as described below
Amputations
Deformities
Scars and marks
Tattoos
Piercings
Artificial body parts
and aids
Finger and toe nails
Other distinctive
physical characteristics

Medical
Medical implants
Foreign objects
Skeletal findings
Victim was pregnant
Organ absent
Prior surgery
Other medical
information

Fingerprints
Status: Fingerprint information is currently not available

Clothing and Accessories
No clothing or accessories
Clothing and accessories are described below
Clothing on body
Braxton Designer Jeans size 8
Clothing with body
purple lace camisole
white patterned pullover dress
black mesh stockings
black leather open toed paltforms 8/8.5
grey leather high heeled pumps 6 to 6.5
Footwear
See above - not on body, found with body
Jewelry
oval sterling silver ring with 5 clear stones and 5 stones missing.
silver colored ring with belt & buckle design.
Eyewear
N/A
Other items found
with body


Dental
Status: Dental information / charting is available and entered

DNA
Status: Sample submitted - Tests complete

 

[Akoya]

https://identifyus.org/en/cases/2202

 

[Akoya]

https://identifyus.org/en/cases/2202

Stockings

Shirt

Shoes Size 8 to 8 1/2

 

[Akoya]

http://canyouidentifyme.org/BucksPennsylvaniaJaneDoeJanuary1988

Bucks Pennsylvania Jane Doe January 1988

Date Found :
Sunday, January 24, 1988
Location Found:
Underground an old distillery in Bensalem, Pennsylvania.
County Found:
Bucks
State Found:
Pennsylvania
Est Date of Death:
Two to four years prior to discovery.
Sex:
Female
Race:
Caucasian
Age Minimum :
20
Age Maximum:
30
Height Minimum:
5'0"
Weight:
100lbs
Hair Color:
Brown
Medical :
She was several months pregnant at the time of death.
Dental:
Available
Clothing :
Jeans. Found with her (but not on her) Purple lace camisole, a white patterned pullover dress, black mesh stockings, black leather open toed platforms and grey leather high heeled pumps.
Jewelry:
Oval sterling silver ring with 5 clear stones and 5 stones missing and a silver colored ring with belt & buckle design.
DNA Available:
Yes
Fingerprints Available:
N/A
Contact Information:
Bensalem Police Department 215-633-3700 Bucks County Coroners Office 267-880-5040 NCIC #: U-2865311973

 

[Akoya]

http://pennsylvaniamissing.com/publickerjanedoe.html

Reconstruction by Frank Bender


Unidentified White Female
Discovered on January 24, 1988 in Bensalem, Bucks County

Estimated Time of Death: 1-5 years, but most likely more than 3 years, prior to being found
State of Remains: skeletal

Vital Statistics
Estimated Age: 17 to 23 years old
Estimated Height: 5'-5'3"
Estimated Weight: 100-120 lbs
Haircolor: Brown
Other: she was six months pregnant when she died.
Clothing/Jewelry: Braxton stretch designer jeans (size

,
a purple lace camisole,
black leather open-toed platform shoes (size 8 to 8 1/2)
and a black bodysuit top.
She was also wearing an oval sterling silver ring with five clear stones and five additional stones missing
and a silver colored ring with a belt-and-buckle design.
Other clothing found near the remains: a black blouse with gold and silver metallic threads,
gray leather high-heeled pump shoes (size 6 to 6 1/2),
a white patterned pullover dress
and black mesh stockings.
It is unknown if the additional clothing belonged to the victim.
DNA: available
Dentals: available


Case HistoryOn January 24, 1988, a man walking his dog discovered the skeletal remains of a young woman in a valve/pumphouse at the old Publicker distillery property on State Road in Bensalem.

About 8 inches of water and oil fuel had to be pumped out of the vault-like structure to retrieve the remains.

The pumphouse, which is mostly underground, houses pipes and valves that connect to a concrete storage tank, which was once used to store distilled spirits that had been manufactured at the distillery. The distillery was closed down in the early 70s. In 1974, the six huge storage tanks on the property were being used to store fuel oil, which in all likelyhood was the cause of the oil found in the pumphouse. By the time the victim was found, the property had become an illegal dumping ground for stolen vehicles and was well known to local criminals.

Flyers with a picture of the above reconstruction were distributed to school guidance counselors and doctors' offices (particulary obstetrician/gynecologists), clinics and local police departments. Dental records were also distributed. There were, at the time, 50 missing person reports nationwide that fit the description of the woman, but all of them were eliminated from the investigation.


If you have any information about this case, please contact:
Bensalem Police Department
Detective Chris McMullin
215-633-3700

NCIC #: U-2865311973

Sources
Bensalem Police Department
newspaperarchive.com

 

[Akoya]

https://www.facebook.com/WeWontForgetThem/photos/?tab=album&album_id=1112504192096950

Bensalem, PA-Jan 24, 1988-Bucks County Jane Doe

Updated about 6 months ago · Taken at Bucks County, Pennsylvania
It is estimated that she was deceased between 1 and 5 years before she was found, and most probably at least 3 years. So she most likely went missing sometime around 1983-1985. She could have been missing longer than that.

It is estimated that she is between the ages of 17 and 23. As we all are aware estimates can sometimes be off. She was 6 months pregnant at the time of her death.

An unidentified female was found deceased on January 24, 1988 in Bensalem, Pennsylvania. Her body was found on the old Publicker Distillery property off State Road near the Delaware River. She had been deceased for several years prior to being found. The female is approximately 16-21 years old. She was petite standing around 5’00”-5’01” and weighing 100-120 pounds. The female was also six months pregnant. An exam of her teeth revealed that she had poor dental health. Two lower back teeth had been extracted earlier in life possible due to severe decay. She was possibly subjected to facial trauma that resulted in severe tooth loss of her upper three front teeth that might have been noticeable in life. The female also had a slight open bite. The female was found clothed in designer “Braxton” jeans, a purple lace camisole, a white patterned dress, and black mesh stockings. Two rings were found with the female. One was a silver oval ring with settings for 10 stones. 5 clear stones were present and 5 were missing. The second ring was silver with a belt and buckle design. Two different pairs of shoes were found. One was a black leather open toed platform shoe and the second pair was a grey leather high heeled pump. The image above is a facial reconstruction created by a NCMEC Forensic Artist and depicts what the female may have looked like in life. The additional images are enhanced images of the rings found with the female.

Unidentified White Female

The victim was discovered on January 24, 1988 in Bensalem, Bucks County, Pennsylvania
Estimated Date of Death: 1-5 years, most likely more than 3 years, prior to being found.
Skeletal Remains
Vital Statistics

Estimated age: 17 - 23 years old
Approximate Height and Weight: 5'0 - 5'3"; 100 - 120 lbs
Distinguishing Characteristics: Brown hair.
Dentals: Available. 2-Present and the cheek side of the clinical crown was missing. 8-Present, incisal edge chipped, crescent shaped edge. 9-Present & distal half of clinical crown missing. 10-Present & mesial half of clincial crown missing.
Clothing: Braxton designer jeans, size 8; a purple lace camisole, black leather open-toed platform shoes (size 8 to 8 1/2) and a black bodysuit top. Other clothing found near the remains: a black blouse with gold and silver metallic threads, gray leather high-heeled pump shoes (size 6 to 6 1/2), a white patterned pullover dress and black mesh stockings. It is unknown if the additional clothing belonged to the victim.
Jewelry: An oval sterling silver ring with five clear stones and five additional stones missing, and a silver colored ring with a belt-and-buckle design.
DNA: Available at University of North Texas
Other: She was six months pregnant.
The victim was located on January 24, 1988, when a man walking his dog discovered the skeletal remains in a valve/pumphouse at the old Publicker distillery property on State Road in Bensalem.

About 8 inches of water and oil fuel had to be pumped out of the vault-like structure to retrieve the remains.
The pump house, which is mostly underground, houses pipes and valves that connect to a concrete storage tank, which was once used to store distilled spirits that had been manufactured at the distillery. The distillery was closed down in the early 70s. In 1974, the six huge storage tanks on the property were being used to store fuel oil, which in all likelihood was the cause of the oil found in the pump house. By the time the victim was found, the property had become an illegal dumping ground for stolen vehicles and was well known to local criminals.

Flyers with a picture of the above reconstruction were distributed to school guidance counselors and doctors' offices (particularly obstetrician/gynecologists), clinics and local police departments. Dental records were also distributed. There were, at the time, 50 missing person reports nationwide that fit the description of the woman, but all of them were eliminated from the investigation.

Investigators
If you have any information about this case please contact:
Bensalem Police Department
Detective Chris McMullin
215-633-3700
--
Bucks County Coroners Office
267-880-5040
You may remain anonymous when submitting information.

Agency Case Number:
88-801995

NCIC Number:
U2865311973
Please refer to this number when contacting any agency with information regarding this case.

http://doenetwork.org/cases/461ufpa.html

http://www.missingkids.com/poster/NCMU/1104714/1

https://identifyus.org/en/cases/2202

 

[Akoya]

http://doenetwork.org/cases/461ufpa.html

The Doe Network:
Case File 461UFPA

Top reconstructions of Victim by Frank Bender

Unidentified White Female


The victim was discovered on January 24, 1988 in Bensalem, Bucks County, Pennsylvania
Estimated Date of Death: 1-5 years, most likely more than 3 years, prior to being found.
Skeletal Remains

Vital Statistics

Estimated age: 17 - 23 years old
Approximate Height and Weight: 5'0 - 5'3"; 100 - 120 lbs
Distinguishing Characteristics: Brown hair.
Dentals: Available. 2-Present and the cheek side of the clinical crown was missing. 8-Present, incisal edge chipped, crescent shaped edge. 9-Present & distal half of clinical crown missing. 10-Present & mesial half of clincial crown missing.
Clothing: Braxton designer jeans, size 8; a purple lace camisole, black leather open-toed platform shoes (size 8 to 8 1/2) and a black bodysuit top. Other clothing found near the remains: a black blouse with gold and silver metallic threads, gray leather high-heeled pump shoes (size 6 to 6 1/2), a white patterned pullover dress and black mesh stockings. It is unknown if the additional clothing belonged to the victim.
Jewelry: An oval sterling silver ring with five clear stones and five additional stones missing, and a silver colored ring with a belt-and-buckle design.
DNA: Available at University of North Texas
Other: She was six months pregnant.

Case History
The victim was located on January 24, 1988, when a man walking his dog discovered the skeletal remains in a valve/pumphouse at the old Publicker distillery property on State Road in Bensalem.

About 8 inches of water and oil fuel had to be pumped out of the vault-like structure to retrieve the remains.
The pump house, which is mostly underground, houses pipes and valves that connect to a concrete storage tank, which was once used to store distilled spirits that had been manufactured at the distillery. The distillery was closed down in the early 70s. In 1974, the six huge storage tanks on the property were being used to store fuel oil, which in all likelihood was the cause of the oil found in the pump house. By the time the victim was found, the property had become an illegal dumping ground for stolen vehicles and was well known to local criminals.

Flyers with a picture of the above reconstruction were distributed to school guidance counselors and doctors' offices (particularly obstetrician/gynecologists), clinics and local police departments. Dental records were also distributed. There were, at the time, 50 missing person reports nationwide that fit the description of the woman, but all of them were eliminated from the investigation.

Investigators
If you have any information about this case please contact:
Bensalem Police Department
Detective Chris McMullin
215-633-3700
--
Bucks County Coroners Office
267-880-5040
You may remain anonymous when submitting information.

Agency Case Number:
88-801995

NCIC Number:
U2865311973
Please refer to this number when contacting any agency with information regarding this case.

Source Information:
Pennsylvania Missing
Philly Burbs

 

[Akoya]

http://unidentified.wikia.com/wiki/Bucks_County_Jane_Doe


Bucks County Jane Doe

Bucks County Jane Doe, locally nicknamed asPublicker Jane Doe, was a girl or woman found deceased near a water distillery plant in January 1988 in Pennsylvania.

Case
The remains were found in January 1988, some time after the female died, most likely three years before. Many articles of clothing were found with the body, but it is unknown if it belonged to her.

Frank Bender's clay reconstruction of the victim was briefly shown on an episode of Forensic Files when Bender was interviewed about the List family murders.

Physical traits
The female was likely between 16 and 21, although she may have been as old as 30.
She had poor dental hygiene.
She was pregnant with a baby at about six months gestation.
She had a slight open bite.

Bucks County Jane Doe

Sex Female
Race White
Location Bensalem, Pennsylvania
Found January 24, 1988
Unidentified for 28 years
Postmortem interval Years
Body condition Skeletal
Age approximation 16-30
Height approximation 5' - 5'1
Weight approximation 100-120 pounds
Cause of death Undetermined(S)

 

[Akoya]

 

[Akoya]

www.pennlive.com

 

[Akoya]

Publicker's own promotional description of that facility -- also known as the Angelo Myers Distillery before prohibition.

 

[Akoya]

Continental Distilling Corporation
Publicker Industries, Inc.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

EPA photo of the pre-cleanup Publicker site. The photo was taken after the 1987 fire.

http://www.ellenjaye.com/pub_publicker.htm

 

[Akoya]

http://www.strangeusa.com/ViewLocation.aspx?id=64129&desc=_Publicker_Distillery__Bensalem__PA&x=1

Publicker Distillery
Main Street
Bensalem, PA 19020

County: Bucks County
GPS: 40.1384010, -74.9036946

Description:

Publicker Distillery is a place that is very creepy to go into. Years ago it was shut down due to many reasons, failing business and unsafe conditions. Once it was shut down it became a common place for theives and violence and any crime of such. A few years ago a man was walking his dog and found a dead body in a pipe inside the property, the women had been dead for several years as her body was already nothing but bone. You can look this up as its fact, and to this day the women was never identified.

The Distillery made whiskey along with other things, and if you've ever been to or heard of Pennhurst, the property actually sits very near to each other. Now a days the Distillery is quiet without many visitors - lets keep it that way. Though the police do patrol it often the property is very large and interesting to say the leaste!

- See more at: http://www.strangeusa.com/ViewLocat...illery__Bensalem__PA&x=1#sthash.3ie0oFkq.dpuf

 

[Kimster]

PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Bucks County authorities have identified the skeletal remains of a young woman found on the grounds of the abandoned Publicker Distillery in Bensalem in the 1980s.


Investigators say the girl, known as Publicker Jane Doe, is really 17-year-old Lisa Todd from Philadelphia — who was also pregnant, which investigators have known since the bones were found.

KYW’s original podcast Gone Cold profiled the case in November in an episode called "What Happened to Publicker Jane Doe."


In January of 1988, a couple walking with their dog through the abandoned grounds of the distillery discovered the bones.


Bensalem Detective Chris McMullin, who took over the case in 2004, described the state of the body.




"She didn't have any major signs of trauma -- no broken bones, no fracutres to her skull, nothing that appeared to be a bullet wound or stab wound," he said. "Obviously, as far as sexual assault, it couldn't be determined. She was dressed, but there was no signs of that that could determined."


Sculptor Frank Bender used the young woman's skull to recreate her face — which drew many tips from the public on various identities — but the name Lisa Todd was not one of them.


On Tuesday afternoon, authorities are expected to announce how they finally identified Todd.

https://www.radio.com/kywnewsradio/news/local/exclusive-remains-found-in-88-identified-as-missing-girl

 

[GrandmaBear]

PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Bucks County authorities have identified the skeletal remains of a young woman found on the grounds of the abandoned Publicker Distillery in Bensalem in the 1980s.


Investigators say the girl, known as Publicker Jane Doe, is really 17-year-old Lisa Todd from Philadelphia — who was also pregnant, which investigators have known since the bones were found.

KYW’s original podcast Gone Cold profiled the case in November in an episode called "What Happened to Publicker Jane Doe."


In January of 1988, a couple walking with their dog through the abandoned grounds of the distillery discovered the bones.


Bensalem Detective Chris McMullin, who took over the case in 2004, described the state of the body.




"She didn't have any major signs of trauma -- no broken bones, no fracutres to her skull, nothing that appeared to be a bullet wound or stab wound," he said. "Obviously, as far as sexual assault, it couldn't be determined. She was dressed, but there was no signs of that that could determined."


Sculptor Frank Bender used the young woman's skull to recreate her face — which drew many tips from the public on various identities — but the name Lisa Todd was not one of them.


On Tuesday afternoon, authorities are expected to announce how they finally identified Todd.

https://www.radio.com/kywnewsradio/news/local/exclusive-remains-found-in-88-identified-as-missing-girl

Identified is always great news!!

 

[Kimster]

I looked and couldn't find where Lisa's disappearance made it to the internet, which is a real shame! Her being pregnant would have been a great way to make the match.

 

[Guess Who]

I looked and couldn't find where Lisa's disappearance made it to the internet, which is a real shame! Her being pregnant would have been a great way to make the match.

and not clarifying that the minimum age was 20

 

[The Coffeenator]

Wow.. I wish Frank Bender was alive to see this day His recon of Lisa was very close!




And here we see another case of a reported missing person being purged from the archives once she turned 18! Sorry, but it just makes me so angry!

"Investigators were able to build out a family tree thanks to a genealogist and located two of Todd's family members in Philadelphia. They verified that Lisa Todd has disappeared in the fall of 1985, at the age of 17, and was never heard from or seen again.

Police say Todd, who had a 2-year-old, was reported missing to Philadelphia police in October of 1985 but was taken out of the National Crime Information Center on her 18th birthday.

Todd's death is considered suspicious and it remains under investigation.

"We're here today to give you a rundown of the case, but more importantly, the family is still alive and have many family members in the city of Philadelphia," said Fred Harran, Bensalem's Director of Public Safety. "We know that there is someone out there that has more information on this particular case and we want that person to come forward."

Harran says the department will not rest until they find out the exact cause of death and manner of death, and whoever may be responsible is brought to justice."

Pregnant woman in 1988 cold case identified by police as missing Philadelphia mother

The identification was a collaboration between Bode Technology and Othram Inc.:

"In 2020, Bensalem PD partnered with Bode Technology to explore advanced DNA testing methods. Bode Technology had to leverage propriety DNA extraction methods to work with the highly degrade skeletal evidence. The DNA extract developed at Bode Technology was then sent to Othram Inc. for further analysis. Othram used human enrichment paired with Forensic-Grade Genomic Sequencing® to produce a genealogical profile. While the DNA evidence was severely degraded due to the age of the case and the condition in which the remains were found, the Bode-Othram partnership produced a genealogical profile that enabled genealogy search. Genealogical research performed by Bensalem PD produced the leads necessary to confirm Lisa Todd’s identity."

After 35 years, "Publicker Girl" is finally identified

Investigators have identified the young pregnant woman, found in 1988, as Lisa Todd.

dnasolves.com