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 8), 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 History On
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.
More recently, DNA comparison was conducted between the Publicker girl and both Tracy Ann Byrd and Jeanette Rose Tambe. The results were negative. Publicker Jane Doe is neither Tracy nor Jeanette.
