DISCOVERY:
On October 2, 1969, the body of a recently deceased female was discovered in room #15 of the St. Louis Hotel at 539 7th Street in Oakland, Alameda County, California.
AUTOPSY:
An autopsy determined the deceased had died just a few hours prior to being found. The cause of death was determined to be murder, as she’d been beaten and strangled with an article of her own clothing.
DETAILS:
The deceased is described as a White female between the ages of 16 and 25. She had a slim build, standing at 5’5″ and weighing 105 pounds. She had short-to-medium-length dark brown or auburn hair, blue eyes and a “commercially-made” partial denture plate in lieu of a front upper central incisor tooth. The denture appeared to have been repaired numerous times. She also had “indefinite scarring” on her right forearm, stretching from her hand to just below her elbow, and needle marks on the inside of both arms, indicating she was likely a drug user.
When found, the deceased was wearing a white knit dress with a zipper on the back, a black bra and blue panties. Also found in the room were multi-coloured bell-bottom jeans, a white sweater, a multi-coloured blouse, white knee-high leather boots and a multi-coloured miniskirt dress.
It’s believed Taylor Morris Teaford – also known by the names “Melvin Teaford”, “Taylor Melvin Meaford” and “Morris Teaford” – is responsible for her murder, as he was seen entering the hotel room with Jane Doe. A warrant was issued for his arrest in relation to the case in 1972, and it is among the many crimes he’s been accused and/or convicted of since he was eight years old, including the murder of his grandmother. He was added to the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted list in May 1968 for unlawful flight to avoid prosecution in relation to another case, but the charges were dropped in May 1972.
Teaford is described as a 6’0″-tall Native American male weighing between 170 and 190 pounds. He had black hair, brown eyes and a crippled right leg, the result of having contracted polio when he was 13 years old. Despite having a limp, he’s said to be a strong walker who regularly lifted weights. Originally from North Carolina, he was alleged to have been in North Dakota during the mid-1990s. He is skilled at hunting and fishing, and is proficient in all types of firearms. He’s also described as a heavy drinker and drug user with a “vicious and explosive temper”.
Given the amount of time that has passed since the murder, it’s speculated Teaford may now be deceased. If alive, he would be in his mid-80s.
CASE CONTACT INFORMATION:
Jane Doe’s fingerprints are available for comparison.
Those with information regarding the identity of Jane Doe are asked to contact the Oakland Police Department at 510-238-3821. Tips can also be called into the Coroner’s Bureau of the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office at 510-382-300 or the Alameda County Coroner at 510-268-7303.
Image Credit: NCMEC
Stories of the Unsolved 
This one is especially sad, since they had a good idea who did it, but never found him either. Just sad ________________________________