September 30, 1952, Gilpin County, Colorado Maria Doe

On September 30, 1952, charred remains were found by a man on a hunting trip. He found the body under a 7ft charred log in an unused gravel pit in a wooded area 100 yards from Highway 119 and 35 ft from Clear Creek in Gilpin County, Colorado.

It was found that the body belonged to a woman and that she had blunt force trauma her head. It's unknown if this was the cause of death or if she was still alive when set on fire. A 3 ft stick was found near her body and was possibly used to hit her. She'd been dead between 20 days to a month.

She's a white female between 17 and 30-years-old. She was around 5'7" and had brown/black hair. She would have had a notable overbite. A fragment of a turquoise sequinned blouse, metal rivets of blue jeans, and a sole of a shoe. She was wearing a whinstone necklace and earrings. A purse, small electric razor, and an empty lipstick container. A man's wedding ring with no setting was found near the scene.

This case is often known as Maria or Pyre Case.

SOURCES:
NamUs
Doe Network
Greeley Daily Tribune (October 1, 1952)