June 18, 1979 Baltimore, Maryland (New Jersey) John Doe

On June 18, 1979, the remains of a man were found in a pump of a dry dock in Baltimore, Maryland. The dry dock was towed from New Jersey to Baltimore in the late 1950s. This would estimate that the man had died between 1929 and 1959.

John Doe was likely white between 40 to 65 years old. He was 5'11" with a muscular robust build. He had arthritis in his knees and had mouth stress suggestive of a mind instrument player or glass blower. Two china buttons were found with the body. The buttons were likely used on suspenders and were a style of WWII. 

SOURCES:

NamUs

Doe Network

Unidentified Wiki

Murder of Hester Vanauken

On News Years 1821 in Wantage, New Jersey Hester Vanauken, was at her sisters home. Her husband Wilhelmus would send a black boy to tell her to come home that he was near dying. She paid no attention as she knew it was a lie. He would send the boy again with the same message and as a response this time the Hester and her sister invited him to come over for dinner with them.

Wilhelmus would join his wife and sister-in-law for dinner. That night she would return home with him. That night she went to bed and he read a book. Three of the children were asleep and Hester's daughter and Wilhelmus's step daughter was out of the house. He would then find her sleeping in the bed and put out the fire and candle. This was when attempted to cut her throat with a double bladed knife.

She would wake up and nearly overpowered him as she tried to escape. Because he didn't succeed in cutting her throat he took a larger stick of wood and beat her on the head with it. He would then hit the back of her head with an andiron. It's unknown which blow killed her, but it was brutal.  

Wilhelmus would go to a neighbor to admit what he had done and ask the women to lay her out. He would go to another neighbor to do the same. He told both houses to bring their own light as there was none in the house. Wilhelmus would return to his home with the neighbors.

The neighbors came to a brutal scene with the walls and doors and floor covered in blood. She was nearly naked lying on her knees and face. Her body was covered in bruises, stab marks, and marks that looked as if she was stabbed with a fork. The knife laid half open on the floor, and the club had Hester's brains sticking to it. After the neighbors came one of the young children crept upon the scene of their murdered mother.

At the time Hester was 6 months pregnant. Wilhelmus starting from about 2 to 3 years before would frequently threaten to kill his wife and his stepdaughter. His step daughter was away from the home at the time and it was believed had she been home he probably would have killed her also. 

Wilhelmus would be prosecuted and set for execution. He would be executed on January 22, 1822.

SOURCES:

Death Penalty USA

Sussex County New Jersey Archives

The Hillsborough Recorder Jan. 31, 1821 pt.1

The Hillsborough Recorder Jan. 31, 1821 pt.2

Newbern Sentinel Feb. 10, 1821 pt.1

Newbern Sentinel Feb. 10, 1821 pt.2

GHOSTS: The Golden-Haired Girl

Pine Barrens, New Jersey holds many legends. One includes a blonde-haired girl wearing white mourning her lover's death. She is usually seen staring out at the sea by herself, but after a while, the Jersey Devil sometimes joins her. 

Another legend says that the Jersey Devil's son, who was strangely human, fell in love with a girl. She was from a rich family and her family did not agree with their love. They would take her away and this would result in her killing herself. Heartbroken from his loss this caused him to become the next Jersey Devil just like his dad. She would become a ghost that now follows him and this is why the two are seen together. 

SOURCES:

Wikipedia

Academic

NJ Pines Barrens

Frst Hand

INFANTICIDE: May 24, 1959 Parsippany, New Jersey Baby Jane Doe

On May 24, 1959, the body of a newborn baby girl was found in the woods near Vail Road in the Lake Hiawatha section of Parsippany, New Jersey. The girl was found in a paper sack. She had been born and died several hours before she was found.

Jane Doe was a white female.

SOURCES:

Morris County New Jersey

The News May 25, 1959

Unsolved Murder of Santo Joseph DiStefano

On July 22, 1947, the body of 34-year-old Santo DiStefano was found in a sewer catch basin along Green Pond Rd. in Rockaway Township, New Jersey. Santo was last seen alive at 12 a.m. on March 22, 1947, at Ernie and Buff's Tavern on 21st st. in Patterson and likely died around that time.

Joseph had been shot around 5 times in the back of the neck killing him. He was not killed at the scene. Multiple people had to of been involved in his death or at least the disposal of his body. The grate that covered where he was could only be lifted by no less than 3 people. 

SOURCES:

Morris County New Jersey

The Morning Call July 23, 1947

The Daily Journal July 24, 1947

INFANTICIED: March 13, 1955 Harding Township, New Jersey Baby John Doe

 On  March 13, 1955, two young brothers were riding bikes down Long Hill Rd. in Harding Township, New Jersey. They would spot a pasteboard box tied with a sash cord in the swamp waters near Bridge 545. Opening the box partway terrified the brothers as they saw an infant's leg. They would quickly go to their father and report what they found. Police were contacted and looked inside the box. Inside was the body of an infant around 6 weeks old when he died.  He had been killed. 

The infant was male and was around 6 weeks old. 

SOURCES:

Morris County New Jersey

The Courier-News March 14, 1955

UNIDENTIFIED: February 3, 1945 Florham Park New, Jersey Baby Doe

 On February 3, 1945, kids were playing on Brooklake Rd. In Florham Park New, Jersey. The kids would find a shopping bag and the body of a newborn baby boy inside. The infant was born alive and died about 2 days before and was wrapped with newspaper and a woman's slip. 

SOURCES:

Morris County New Jersey

The Maddison Eagle Feb. 8, 1945

Unsolved Murder of Anna Ulm

 

In the summer of 1933 45-year-old Anna Ulm was staying at a cottage on Lake Hopatcong in Mount Arlington, New Jersey with her sister. On the morning of August 13, 1933, Anna told her sister she was going to go pick flowers. She did not return back that night and her sister called the police and reported her missing. Searchers were sent out to find the woman. 

Anna would be found hanging from a tree by searchers. It was initially believed that she had committed suicide, but it was to be false. Someone had beat her with a heavy stone crushing her head with it. They then hung her from the tree possibly hoping that they would think she had killed herself. 

It's unknown what the motive for the murder was. She was not sexually assaulted and robbery wasn't as her two diamond rings were untouched. One theory was that someone may have targeted her because she worked for her brother-in-law who was a chiropractor. At the time there had been two bombings of Chiropractor offices in Patterson.

SOURCES:

Find a Grave

Morris County New Jersey

The Courier News August 15, 1933

Daily News August 16, 1933

The Daily Record August 19, 1933

The Patch June 4, 2016

Murder of Mathilda Russo

On June 4, 1921 7-year-old Mathilda Russo was outside of her Moorestown, New Jersey home around 7 and 8 that night. Her mother heard a scream but ignored it thinking she was just playing. It wasn't until later that night they found out that their daughter was missing. It wasn't until June 11th they knew what had happened to their daughter. Her mother didn't report the scream when they contacted the police.

A neighbor of the Russo's was that of a black family. The police did not initially suspect Louis Lively and interviewed him. He stated he had he and his wife and 5-year-old son had visited a south New Jersey town called Swanton. The family had previously lived there before they moved to their current home three months before. Police found that Louis's story was falling apart. He had a bad reputation in Swainton and had been in jail several times and he wasn't in Swainton.

This led police to search the home's cellar. She was found buried 3 feet under the dirt floor of the family's home. She was nude, had a bruised head, and her stomach and throat had been slashed. It was also found that the girl was sexually assaulted.

It turns out the Louis Lively somehow convinced the girl into his home. At the time his wife and son were out of the home. He then attacked and killed the young girl and likely died the night she disappeared. It was initially believed that his wife didn't know he killed the girl. They kept her in jail anyway.

Many of the black community in Moorestown were outraged about this crime. They had even asked if it was allowed to lynch Louis Lively. The black community wanted to do it themselves "as race itself is opposed to men like Lively".

Louis was found on October 19, 1921 and arrested in Vineyard, New Jersey. While being arrested he shot one of the police officers three times. After a long sleep in jail, Louis admitted that he did tell his wife that he murdered the girl before the body was found.

Louis went to trial and was charged with the Death Penalty. He was then executed on Jan. 17, 1922 by Electric Chair.

SOURCES:
Find A Grave
The Pioneer
The Morning Post
The Evening Times 
Daily News
The Standard Union
Ironwood Daily Globe
The Cincinnati Enquirer 

MISSING: Flora "Dan" Ligon (Green, Greene, White)

 

During the Spring or Fall of 1956 in Washington D.C. the daughter of 41/42-year-old Flora "Dan" Ligon last saw her mother getting money from under the linoleum. Flora told her daughter she was going to the store and did not return. Flora may have traveled to Trenton, New Jersey, or Greenville, or Clemson in South Carolina. Flora has a history of alcohol abuse. Flora may have been a victim of foul play. She may be using the last names Green, Greene, or White. 

Flora is an African American woman and was 41/42-years-old at the time. She's 5'6" to 5'7" and 130 lbs. She has brown hair and brown eyes. Her ears are pierced. She was wearing a blue jacket, white shirt, and grey pants at the time of her disappearance. 

SOURCES:

Charley Project

Doe Network