THE WOMEN OF DOE
Every day roughly 2,000 people go missing in the United States, most are found within hours or days. There are an estimated 80,000 active missing persons cases in the US and 40,000 unidentified bodies, numbers that are inexact due to inconsistent reporting, documentation, and cooperation between reporting agencies.
Doe began as a project to write about missing and unidentified women in the United States as a way to raise these stories in our collective memory and to honor these women. Doe only captures a small fragment of these stories. I hope that in reading Doe you will carry their stories with you.
Here, I have gathered information about each woman in Doe.
Missing
The Abduction Narrative
Girly Chew Hossencoft, 36, missing since September 9, 1999, from Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Conductance
Virginia Pictou-Noyes, 26, missing since April 24, 1993, from Bangor, Maine.
Cynosure
Mary Shotwell Little, 26, missing since October 14, 1965, from Atlanta, Georgia.
Surrender, Dorothy
Lola Celli, 24, missing since February 23, 1946, from Grandview Heights, Ohio.
Dustland Fairytale
Deanna Michelle Merryfield, 13, missing since July 22, 1990, from Killeen, Texas.
Madrigal of the Sierra Nevadas
Theresa Ann Bier, 16, missing since June 1, 1987, from Fresno, California.
Scorpiris
Iris Brown, 27, missing since March 13, 1976, from Burlington, Vermont.
Backland
Bessie Ann Kutnak, 63, missing since August 16, 1992, from Cameron, Texas.
Bloom
Ann Miller, 21; Renee Bruhl, 19; Patricia Blough, 19; missing since July 2, 1966, from Indiana Dunes State Park, Chesterton, Indiana.
In the Midst of a Divorce
Nahida Ahmed Khatib, 30, missing since October 1, 1976, from Wauwatosa, Wisconsin.
What the Eye Can't See
Promila Mehta-Paul, 70, missing since March 21, 2011, from Munster, Indiana.
Ornithology
Lilawattie Buerattan, 35, missing since June 2, 1994, from Loxahatchee, Florida.
This is what the heart sounds like
Beverly Sharpman, 17, missing since September 11, 1947, from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The Fox Twin Theaters Plays The Omen
Cynthia May Hernandez, 20, missing since August 26, 1976, from Glendora, California.*
*Cynthia's body has since been identified and her killer pled guilty to her murder.
Light/Dark
Shelly Kathleen Sikes, 19, missing since May 24, 1986, from Galveston, Texas.
Rubicon
Sharon Baldeagle, 12, missing since September 18, 1984, from Eagle Butte, South Dakota.
The Body in Motion
Jean Spangler, 27, missing since October 7, 1949, from Los Angeles, California.
The Origin of Language
Sequoya Vargas, 16, missing since August 22, 1993, from Pahoa, Hawaii.
Inamorato
Dorothy Harriet Camille Arnold, 27, missing since December 12, 1910, from New York, New York.
How the Ocean and Desert Meet
Tara Leigh Calico, 19, missing since September 20, 1988, from Belen, New Mexico.
Stridulation
Cynthia and Jackie Leslie, 15 and 13, missing since July 31, 1974, from Mesa, Arizona.
After the Maison de Mère
Keiosha Felix, 15, missing since April 30, 2012, from Duson, Louisiana.
The Reading of the Fates of Love and Death
Sophia Felicita Moreno, 16, missing since May 11, 1979, from Bryan, Texas.
Rest Your Head Beside the Mountains
Brianna Maitland, 17, missing since March 19, 2004, from Montgomery, Vermont.
The Saints of the Last Days
Ann Marie Burr, 8, missing since August 31, 1961, from Tacoma, Washington.
Rita Jolly, 17, missing since June 29, 1973, from West Linn, Oregon.
Vicki Lynn Hollar, 24, missing since August 20, 1973, from Eugene, Oregon.
Donna Gail Manson, 19, missing since March 12, 1974, from Olympia, Washington.
Georgann Hawkins, 18, missing since June 11, 1974, from Seattle, Washington.
Nancy Wilcox, 17, missing since October 2, 1974, from Holladay, Utah.
Debra Kent, 17, missing since November 8, 1974, from Bountiful, Utah.*
*Debra Kent remains have since been identified
Julie Cunningham, 26, missing since March 15, 1975, from Vail, Colorado.
Denise Lynn Oliverson, 24, missing since April 6, 1975, from Grand Junction, Colorado.
Lynette Culver, 12, missing since May 6, 1975, from Pocatello, Idaho.
Susan Curtis, 15, missing since June 27, 1975, from Provo, Utah.
Nancy Baird, 23, missing since July 4, 1975, from East Layton, Utah.
UNIDENTIFIED
In the cursed country
Unidentified woman discovered December 2, 1990, in McDonald County, Missouri.*
*Known as Grace Doe for 31 years, Shawna Beth Garber was identified in 2021 through the work of
Othram, Inc. using forensic genealogy.
Detroit, and Other Sorrows
Unidentified woman discovered June 7, 2010, in Detroit, Michigan.*
*this is now a closed case indicating she has been identified. No other information is available.
The Killing Field
Unidentified woman discovered February 2, 1986, Calder Road, League City, Texas.*
Unidentified woman discovered September 8, 1991, Calder Road, League City, Texas.*
*The Jane Doe discovered in 1986 was identified as Audrey Lee Cook in 2019 through the work of
Parabon NanoLabs.
* The Jane Doe discovered in 1991 was identified as Donna Prudhomme in 2019 through the work
of Parabon NanoLabs.
Our Bodies, the Ocean
Unidentified woman discovered January 23, 2013, in Lattingtown, New York.
Underbrush
Unidentified woman discovered October 23, 1994, in Sequoyah County, Oklahoma.
Prime
Unidentified woman discovered April 24, 1981, near Troy, Ohio.*
*Known as Buckskin Girl for 37 years, Marcia King was identified by DNA Doe Project using
investigative genetic genealogy
Fourteen Pounds
Unidentified woman discovered September 30, 1952, near Black Hawk, Colorado.
Victim #0
Unidentified woman discovered September 5, 1934, in Bratenahl, Ohio.
Blood Relics
Unidentified woman discovered April 28, 1979, in Newark, New Jersey, and November 1990 in North Camden, New Jersey.
Valentine
Unidentified woman discovered February 15, 1991, in Big Coppitt Key, Florida.*
*Known as Valentine Doe for 29 years, Wanda Deann Kirkum was identified in 2020 by the Florida
Department of Law Enforcement using genetic genealogy. Her killer was also identified by
Parabon NanoLabs. He was murdered 1 year after he murdered Wanda.
Night in the Arms of the Two-Hearted Lover
Unidentified woman discovered March 26, 1986, near San Antonio, Texas.
Bone Woman
Unidentified woman discovered May 7, 1990, in Rogers, Arkansas.*
*After 32 years as a Jane Doe, Donna Nelton was identified by Othram, Inc. in 2022.
La belle au bois dormant
Unidentified woman discovered August 14, 1977, in Everett, Washington.*
*After 43 years as a Jane Doe, Lisa Roberts was identified through genetic genealogy in 2020.
Magnetic Declination
Unidentified woman discovered October 7, 1998, in Weatherford, Texas.
Battle Lines
Unidentified woman discovered March 1, 1992, in Bitter Creek, Wyoming.
Santa Muerte
Unidentified woman discovered November 4, 2009, near Casa Grande, Arizona.*
*this woman has since been identified
Go, Roam
Unidentified woman discovered August 15, 2011, near Glasgow, Kentucky.*
*known as a Jane Doe for 5 years after her body was found, Carma Purpura, who went missing in
2007, was identified in 2016 using DNA matching. Her killer confessed to her murder in 2008.
A Painting of the Body
Unidentified woman discovered May 4, 2004, in Honolulu, Hawaii. Died April 27, 2013.
Contact Prints
Unidentified woman discovered August 22, 1968, near Morgantown, Berks County, Pennsylvania.*
Unidentified woman discovered April 18, 1969, in French Creek State Park, Berks County, Pennsylvania.*
*Known as Jane Does for roughly 45 years, Sandra Stiver, 14, and her sister-in-law, Martha Stiver, 17,
were identified by a family member using the Doe Network database.
Things a Girl Should Know
Unidentified woman discovered July 21, 1980, in Eklutna, Alaska.
Prayer for Protection
Unidentified woman discovered December 9, 1990, on the bank of the Passaic River, North Arlington, New Jersey.
These Dark Centuries
Unidentified woman discovered March 21, 1984, in Seattle, Washington.*
Unidentified woman discovered August 21, 2003, in Kent, Washington.
Unidentified woman discovered February 18, 1984, in Federal Way, Washington, and January 2, 1986 in Auburn, Washington
*Known as Jane Doe B-10 for 37 years, Wendy Stephens was identified in 2021 by the DNA Doe
Project.
Here, the Heart
Unidentified woman discovered June 6, 1937 in Cleveland, Ohio.
Unidentified woman discovered March 11, 2002 in Marine, Illinois.
Unidentified woman discovered February 28, 1977 in Cranbury, New Jersey.
Unidentified woman discovered April 2, 1998 in Collin County, Texas.
Unidentified woman discovered August 16, 2002 in Baltimore, Maryland.
Unidentified woman discovered June 28, 1997 in Rockville Centre, New York.
Unidentified woman discovered August 16, 1990 in Glynn County, Georgia.
Unidentified woman discovered March 3, 2007 in the Village of Mamaroneck, New York.
Unidentified woman discovered June 19, 1995 in Lakewood, Washington.
Notes from the Pierce County Sheriff's Department
Unidentified woman discovered December 11, 1976, in McKenna, Pierce County, Washington.
Unidentified woman discovered August 29, 1978, in Elbe, Pierce County, Washington.
Details
Unidentified woman discovered June 14, 1995, in Lassen County, California.