DISCOVERY:
While on his way to the local police station to pick up parking passes on October 18, 2007, Leo Campbell of Leo Campbell Tank Service, LLC. noticed something in the bush, a few feet off the shoulder of Route 440 at 30 Street east in Bayonne, New Jersey. Initially believing what he’d saw to be a mannequin, he circled back before heading to the station to report what he’d found. Upon he and a police officer returning to the area, it was confirmed that what Leo had found was the decomposing body of an unidentified female.
Route 440, also known as New Hook Road, is known to carry local, inter-county and interstate traffic. However, the part near 30 Street is known to be more of an isolated area, given most drivers tend to take Avenue J to 22nd Street in order to head southbound on the road.
AUTOPSY:
An autopsy was performed on the body upon Jane Doe being brought to the Northern Regional Medical Examiner Office, where it was determined she’d died a few weeks prior to being found. There were no obvious signs of trauma to the body, and while there was no evidence of sexual assault, it hasn’t been ruled out.
Currently, the cause of death is undetermined, but it has been deemed suspicious.
DETAILS:
Jane Doe is described as African-American, and is believed to have been between 16 and 20 years old. Standing between 5’2″ and 5’5″, she weighed approximately 118 to 138 pounds.
Her black hair had 28″ long copper-coloured braid extensions. As the body had begun to decompose, her eye colour is currently unknown. According to reports, her front teeth featured gaps between them, which may have been noticeable, and she had a filling in one of her upper back teeth. As well, three of her wisdom teeth were impacted.
When found, she was wearing a Pascal Tex pink top, size medium; Vigoss camouflage pants, size 11 or 12; a black Buff bra with red lace around the cups, size 36C; Pascal boys’ short underwear; white socks with orange toes and a green-coloured bear head on the ankles; a silver chain around her torso; and a brown translucent ring on her right thumb.
Initially, it was believed Jane Doe could have been from the Caribbean, as Island authorities had called about a missing persons case there. However, upon Jane Doe’s details being compared to their missing female, no match was found.
Given she wasn’t reported missing, police feel Jane Doe wasn’t from Hudson County and could have been a sex worker, a victim of human trafficking, a transient or someone with no close ties to those in her life. Given the amount of traffic that travels on Route 440 daily, they feel she could have been from anywhere in the United Sites.
The current theory in the case is that she was dumped over the median by an over-the-road truck driver, as the area is industrial.
CASE CONTACT INFORMATION:
Jane Doe’s DNA and dentals are available, as are partial fingerprints.
Those with information regarding the identity of Jane Doe are being asked to contact the Missing Persons Unit of the Bayonne Police Department at 201-858-6925 or New Jersey State Police at 1-800-709-7090. Tips can also be called into the Northern Regional Medical Examiner Office at either 609-584-5054 ex. 5656 or 973-648-7259.
Image Credit: The Doe Network
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