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DNA used to ID body
Published Friday, June 6, 2008
NATCHEZ — The Adams County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed the identification of a woman’s body that was found floating in the Mississippi River on April 19.
Deputy Maj. Jody Waldrop said dental records and DNA were used to identify the body of Mary Jones, 55, of Markham, Ill.
A boater near the Carthage Point Road area originally found Jones’ body. The Adams County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue Team recovered the body later that day.
Waldrop said once an autopsy was conducted, and drowning was listed as the official cause of death, fingerprints were used to make a tentative match.
Jones’ prints were run through a national fingerprint database where they matched a 1976 arrest record in Chicago for Mary Taylor.
Waldrop said the Chicago Police Department was contacted but they had no additional information from Taylor’s arrest record.
“They did not have any missing persons with that name or birth date,” he said.
Waldrop then began cross-referencing several national databases and found a missing persons alert from Markham.
However that alert listed the missing woman as Mary Taylor, not Mary Jones.
After contacting the Markham Police Department, authorities there contacted Jones’ family and learned Taylor and Jones were the same person.
“It was her maiden name,” Waldrop said.
Authorities in Markham sent Jones’ toothbrush to a lab in Brandon so DNA from the toothbrush could be matched against DNA gathered during the autopsy.
“It matched up,” Waldrop said.
Dental records were not confirmed until last week and the family was then notified.
And while Jones’ identity has been confirmed, exactly what she was doing in Natchez is a bit of a mystery.
Markham is more than 800 miles from Natchez.
While Waldrop said there is no reason to suspect foul play Jones’ case is still under investigation.
“She was estranged from her family and we know she had mental illness,” Waldrop said.
Police reports from Markham indicate Jones’ sister had not spoken to her for a few months before she was reported missing in March.
Jones was reported missing by a family member March 26; her body was not recovered until April 19.
Waldrop also said toxicology test results showed show no signs of drugs in Jones’ system prior to her death.
While it was previously reported Jones was under the influence of alcohol at the time of her death, toxicology results show she was well under the legal limit to be considered intoxicated.
Adams County Coroner, James Lee, said he notified authorities in Markham on Monday that a definite identification was on made Jones.
Lee said Jones’ cremated remains were sent back to her family on Thursday.
Comments
Posted by grrbrts (anonymous) on June 7, 2008 at 12:57 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Good bless!
Posted by Swapmeet (anonymous) on June 7, 2008 at 2:19 a.m. (Suggest removal)
It it possible that she had not been in Natchez. Maybe she came from up river. That's the first thing I thought when I saw she was from Illinois.
Posted by Bar_Louie (anonymous) on June 7, 2008 at 3:58 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Markam is in the South Suburbs of Chicago which is nowhere near the Mississippi River. I live in the village right next to Markham. Totally odd for her to end up way down there.
Posted by kpage (anonymous) on June 7, 2008 at 7:28 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Tis strange, Bar_Louie. Bless the family. I'm sorry they had to receive such tragic news from Natchez, MS.
Posted by lroberts1 (anonymous) on June 7, 2008 at 8:04 a.m. (Suggest removal)
WEll God had a plan! HE knows why she ended up here. God Bless her and her family.
Posted by sayitloud (anonymous) on June 7, 2008 at 8:39 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Markam is STILL in Illinois which is near the Miss River AND the river was very, very high during this time so it COULD be that her body floated down river to Natchez.
It isn't that farfetched.
Posted by kpage (anonymous) on June 7, 2008 at 8:42 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I feel the same way, sayitloud. She was either dumped in or she fell in the river. Makes total sense that she floated down the Mississippi. Even though she didn't live near the river, she could have wandered off. That's common with people with mental illness, unfortunately.
Posted by sayitloud (anonymous) on June 7, 2008 at 9:42 a.m. (Suggest removal)
EXACTLY kpage and good morning!
I don't think the folks up there need to blame Natchez for this woman's demise.
Posted by sayitloud (anonymous) on June 7, 2008 at 10:48 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I think it is highly unlikely she made the trip down here to throw herself in the river! I just don't see it!
Posted by thetruthhurts (anonymous) on June 7, 2008 at 11:08 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Strange. I wonder if anyone will ever know what really happened.....????
Posted by kpage (anonymous) on June 7, 2008 at 11:19 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Just imagine...this is an episode of Ghost Whisperer. Mary Taylor's spirit roams Markham and Natchez, searching for a medium to help her tell us how she died. No, I don't watch that show but it would make for a good episode. Somebody call Hollywood! Which one of Natchez's officials knows some big time producers? You know, the one the taxpayers supported on his trips to Cali?
Maybe Doo-Dah Allen over in Ferriday can drop a line when he's in Vegas.
Posted by sayitloud (anonymous) on June 7, 2008 at 11:24 a.m. (Suggest removal)
You are toooo funny kpage!!
Posted by kpage (anonymous) on June 7, 2008 at 11:43 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Ding Dong Dell
Doo-Dah Allen's in the well.
Who put him in?
The new mayor Glen.
Who'll pull him out?
noone...let him pout.
There once was a guy named Geney
Who fancied himself a meanie.
He stole from the town
Daring you make a frown
But proved to us all he's a weenie.
How's that, sayitloud? This is soooo fun.
Posted by sayitloud (anonymous) on June 7, 2008 at 12:08 p.m. (Suggest removal)
You Go Girl!!
Posted by CEIDT (anonymous) on June 7, 2008 at 12:18 p.m. (Suggest removal)
This lady's car was found 30 yards from where she was found. I know this because I found it. she had to drive to where she was. There is no way she could have gotten where she was by floating down the river.
Posted by sayitloud (anonymous) on June 7, 2008 at 12:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Thanks for that update CEIDT, who knew.
Posted by Swapmeet (anonymous) on June 7, 2008 at 12:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Thanks CEIDT. It didn't say anything about a car so I didn't know. I just thought that it was a lot more plausible that she could have wandered to the Mississippi from Markam instead of getting in it here. It was not that far-fetched Bar Louie as you originally thought. Now that we know the car was there then it eliminates the possibility she floated down the Mississippi. It is not hard for a body to float that far.
kpage: I usually don't have a problem with your comments, but what you just wrote was cold and heartless. You know her family could very well be reading these postings. What a nice image they will get of the people of Natchez when they read of you making light of their relative's demise.
Posted by jack (anonymous) on June 7, 2008 at 1:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)
looks like maybe the sheriff is not telling it all yet the paper said still investigating lets wait and see we donot know the whole story according to ceidt maybe he will tell us i do hope he told the sheriff he found the car stranger things have happened maybe ceidt can solve the mystery of who really broke in the houses in the city of natchez since he knows more info on things
Posted by Peace007 (anonymous) on June 7, 2008 at 1:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Isn't Carthage Point Road the road that runs in front of International Paper which turns into a gravel road? I'm having a problem imagining a woman from Illinois out there alone.
Posted by CEIDT (anonymous) on June 7, 2008 at 1:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I can't tell you who broke in the house in natchez but I can tell you that Buddy Franks with the sheriffs dept. and Mark Cupit a Fed game warden came down there when we were there and got the tag off the car.
Posted by sayitloud (anonymous) on June 7, 2008 at 1:46 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I'm with you Peace007! Something fishy.
Posted by Peace007 (anonymous) on June 7, 2008 at 1:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I just looked on google earth and there's only one house out in that area near the river. Who owns the house and land out there?
Posted by Peace007 (anonymous) on June 7, 2008 at 1:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)
CEIDT, the tag was registered to that same woman?
Posted by CEIDT (anonymous) on June 7, 2008 at 2:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Yes it was
Posted by Krogers (anonymous) on June 7, 2008 at 3:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Once again, the ND leaves out critical info.
There's more to this story
Posted by andy (anonymous) on June 7, 2008 at 3:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)
sounds like maybe the nd has not got the whole story didn't waldrop state the case was still under investigation sounds like some of you need to contact him since you have so much info sounds to me like the sheriff is not finished with this and maybe we should play wait and see before someone here gets called in to a grandury for saying things we might not say especially since we are not sure where this case stands my paper said still under investigation the water is still up probably and it might be more to this story folks-
Posted by BurningStar (anonymous) on June 7, 2008 at 3:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)
seems like they wouldve guessed a lot sooner that that was her maiden name......
Posted by atribett (anonymous) on June 7, 2008 at 10:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)
To all with the negative comments "You never know when your day will come." That was a close member of my family, and you best believe we are all hurten and have wondering minds.
Posted by sayitloud (anonymous) on June 7, 2008 at 10:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Did I miss something? No one is bashing this poor woman.
We all feel sorry for her family and sorry her body was found HERE, that's all.
Posted by kpage (anonymous) on June 8, 2008 at 8:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I agree, sayitloud. I only said this would make a good episode of Ghost Whisperer. Isn't that a positive show, generally? The girl helps those who have passed on. How was that being mean. We all want to know the answers. I guess this is a good example of people looking for the worst in a situation. I apologize if it bothered the family members of Mary Davis. That was not my intention.
She was from Illinois and her car was found in Adams County... she had a house in town? Did this lady have ties to Adams County? Did she live and work here? I guess the family members shouldn't say anything considering the investigation is still in full-swing.
Posted by srob (anonymous) on June 8, 2008 at 2:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Ok everyone, I don't know about you, but you would think with all of this flooding and the way the river is, that by the time she got from Illinois to Mississippi, her body would be far too deteriorated, if it even made it that far, and one might wonder how she made it down here without being discovered before then?? Yeah, and it is strange that someone from Illinois is down here, cause we all know that the only tourists are from foreign countries, and that even further they are only allowed to come during pilgrimage...right??? She could have been just visiting and exploring (as I did when I first moved here) and got lost over there (like I did when I first moved here).
Posted by Teach4Peace (anonymous) on June 8, 2008 at 10:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)
http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.d...
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