Thursday, March 31, 2022

Ñusta

 


Ñusta was found in Bolivia and was a child that was sacrificed in the later half of the 1400s. She was around 8-years-old and was believed to be an important person, or the daughter of someone elite as she was found in a chullpa on the Andes highlands near La Paz, Bolivia. Her tomb had various items like pouches, feathers, a clay jar, and some plants.

Ñusta was ethnically Aymara, a South American people where The Aymara Kingdom was between 1200 to 1438 until they were conquested by the Incas. When the Incas claimed them religious rituals and rights were overhauled and child sacrifice (Qhapaw hucha) was practiced. The children are often sacrificed after important events or disasters. The Chullpa she was found in was rare. It was likely she was an important person or the daughter of someone elite. 


SOURCES:

Mummipedia Wikia

Lansing State Journal

All That's Interesting

WKAR

Wednesday, March 30, 2022

Disappearance of Kelvin "Shoes" Nusu Dennis

 On March 30, 1999, 27-year-old Kelvin Dennis was last seen in Houma, Louisianna. He resided in Baton Rouge. There is little information in this case. 

Kelvin was 27-years-old and is African American. He is 6" to 6"2' and 160 lbs to 180 lbs. He has black hair that was in braids at the time and brown eyes. He has tattoos on both arms and possibly both shoulders, and a scar inside right arm from elbow to wrist. His blood type is O (unknown if positive or negative). He was wearing a black t-shirt and jeans.

SOURCES:

Doe Network

NamUs

LSU

Tuesday, March 29, 2022

Disappearance of Rhonda Dale Byers



18-year-old Rhonda Dale Byers was last seen in Birmingham, Alabama in 1981. There is little information in this case. She may also by Rhonda Phelps. 

Rhonda is a white female and was 18-years-old at the time. She was 5'4" to 5'7" and 120 to 150 lbs. She has brown hair and blue eyes. 

SOURCES:

Doe Network

NamUs

Monday, March 28, 2022

1855 Nacogdoches County, Texas The Traveler

 



In about 1855 a Traveler got sick in Nacogdoches County, Texas in what is now Cushing. He would spend the night in the settlement and die. No one knew who he was and he would be buried at the Fuller-Nichols Garden Cemetary. 

SOURCES:

Find a Grave

Sunday, March 27, 2022

The Croghan Man

 

The Old Croghan Man is a bog body found in Croghan Hill, Daingean, County Offaly, Ireland in June 2003. Despite his name, he was believed to be in his early 20's and died between 362 BCE and 175 BCE. From the measurements of his arms, it's believed he was around 6'6". His body indicated he did little to no labor and manicured nails. His lungs had scars which indicated he may have had pleurisy.

He was naked except for an arm ring on his left arm. The arm ring was made from two waterlogged leather, strands of fibers, and four bronze mounts.

It's believed that he was a king that was sacrificed for a bad harvest or disaster. At the time of his death kings were blamed and sacrificed for such things. This may have been done to please the gods. He was also in a bog that may have been a lake at one time at the bottom of a hill used for kingship ceremonies. 

It's believed he was killed in the winter months as his diet indicated that it was rich in meat. His last meal was wheat and buttermilk, but that may have been because of ritual. He was stabbed in the ribs and there's a cut on his arm indicating he tried to defend himself. It's believed that he died from this stab. He had cuts beneath his nipples and may have been tortured before death. His nipples may have been mutilated because of failed kingship or failed candidate for kingship.  He would be dismembered and beheaded. Hazel ropes were passed through his arms before he was buried in the bog.

SOURCES:
Wikipedia
Mummipedia Wiki
BBC News Jan. 7, 2006
Archeology

Saturday, March 26, 2022

1878-1884 Tombstone, Arizona Kansas Kid

 Between 1878-1884 a cowboy (likely male) was killed in a stampede in or near Tombstone, Arizona. They were buried in Tombstone and the graveyard was active between 1878 to 1884. There is little information in this case.

SOURCES:

Unidentified Wiki

Find a Grave

Tombstone Chamber of Commerce

Friday, March 25, 2022

Unknown Artists: Cross Legged Angel Artist



The Cross-Legged Angel Artists is the notname of an American fraktur artist. The name is derived from the repeated use of an Angel with crossed legs as a decorative element in their works. Other elements in the paintings include birds that sit upon the shoulder of the figures. This artist created a number of birth and baptismal certificates between 1790 to 1815 in northeastern Lancaster County and Berks County in Pennsylvania. Their handwriting on the documents was poor, but some were printed before being completed. 

Work by the Cross-Legged Angel Artist may be found in the collections of the Reading Public Museum and Franklin and Marshall College. 

SOURCES:

Wikipedia 

Worth Point

Thursday, March 24, 2022

Disappearance of Christopher L. Davis

 In 1980, 25-year-old Christopher L. Davis was last seen in Omaha, Nebraska, and was reported missing in 1991. He was last known to live on the 3200 block of Ohio St. in Omaha. 

Christopher is an African American male and was 25-years-old at the time. He has black hair and brown eyes and was bald at the time. He was 5'11" and 160 lbs at the time. 

SOURCES:

NamUs

Omaha Crime Stoppers


Wednesday, March 23, 2022

Bog Bodies: The Clonycavan Man

 



In March of 2003, a body was found in a bog by peat cutters in Clonycavan, County Meath, Ireland . The body belonged to a man between 24 to 40 (believed to be in his 20's) who died between 392 BC to 201 BC. He was 5'2", and had crooked teeth. He had long and styled hair. The front of his hair was shaven, giving him a higher hairline, and the remainder was several inches long which was folded forward and then back, and sported a goatee and mustache. There was hair oil in his hair that consisted of plant oil and pine resins found in France or Spain. He had a rich diet consisting of vegetables, fruits, and protein.

It's believed that he may have been a king that was sacrificed after a bad harvest or another disaster.  His death may have been done to please the goddess of fertility. He was likely killed during the warmer months of the year which was indicated by his diet.

He was killed from a blow to the head with a sharp instrument, possibly an ax, and then was hit in the nose, chest, and was disemboweled. His nipples were may have been sliced off or were missing due to decomposition. If his nipples were sliced off, that would possibly mean that he failed kingship or a failed candidate for kingship.

SOURCES:
BBC News Jan. 7, 2006

Tuesday, March 22, 2022

November 1, 1962 Harris County, Texas Jane Doe

 On November 1, 1962  skull of a woman was found in Harris County, Texas. It's believed she had been dead for around a year. There is little information in this case. 

Jane Doe was an African American woman between 40 to 60-years-old. 

SOURCES:

NamUs

Monday, March 21, 2022

Monsters: Shirime

 

Shirime drawn by Yosa no Busa (1754)



The story goes in Japan a samurai was walking down the road to Kyōto. Another man would call out to him telling him to wait. The cautious samurai asked "Who's there?" nervously. When he turned around he would spot the owner of the voice. It was a man who was stripping off his clothing and pointing his butt at him. Where the anus should have been a huge glittering eyeball opened up.

It's believed that he is a faceless ghost pulling pranks on unsuspecting people.

Haiku PoetYosa Buson liked the monster so much he included it in many of his yōkai paintings.


SOURCES:

Wikipedia

Scary For Kids

Yōkai Wiki

Myths and Folklore Wiki

Hyakumonogatari Kaidankai

Sunday, March 20, 2022

Disappearance of Roberto Orejel Blanco


On March 20, 1985, 32-year-old Roberto Blanco was last seen at his home in Santa Cruz, California. His car was found abandoned at Butano State Park and it's believed that foul play is involved in his disappearance.

Roberto is a Hispanic male and was 32-years-old at the time. He's 5'6" and 170 lbs. He has black hair and brown eyes and may be sporting a mustache. He was an alcoholic and may have suffered from an unstated behavioral disability. 

SOURCES:

NamUs

Charley Project

Saturday, March 19, 2022

May 1877 Kansas City, Kansas John Doe

 A male was found in the Missouri River in or near Kansas City, Kansas in 1877. He would be buried at the Oak Grove Cemetary on May 19, 1877. There is little information in this case. 

SOURCES:

Find a Grave

Friday, March 18, 2022

March 18, 1976 San Francisco, California Jane Doe

On March 18, 1976, a man was jogging along the beach near Fort Funston in San Francisco, California. He would find the body of a woman lying on the beach. It's not stated how she had died, but the woman was believed to have died in 1976 and was missing her head and one or more of her limbs, and one or more of her hands.

Jane Doe was between 25 to 60-years-old. She was around 5'5".

SOURCES:

NamUs


Thursday, March 17, 2022

Curses: Pele's Curse



Photo by Cole Kiester 



Pele's Curse is the belief that anything natively from Hawaii such as rocks, sand, pumice, etc. will bring bad luck on whoever took it away from Hawaii. It's believed that the Goddess Pele punishes the thieves until the items are brought back to Hawaii. There are a lot of people who claim that the curse is real. Every year there are thousands of pounds of mail are sent to Hawaii to Pele asking for forgiveness and stating that the curse was real. One postmaster who opens these mails finds that some of the items are not from Hawaii and were random items. 

There is no historical context to the curse and was believed to have been started by tour guides and park rangers trying to preserve Hawaii's beauty. It is however illegal to take items from National Parks and is looked down on to take such items and depleting them.

SOURCES:

Wednesday, March 16, 2022

Murder of Helen Dunnagan

 On September 16, 1961, 50-year-old Helen Dunnagan's body was found on the Matanuska Sandbar in Sutton, Alaska. She had been shot twice with one in the chest and the other in her stomach with a high-powered rifle. Earl Dunnagan, her husband, had left for Icy Straights on August 19th. She was last seen alive a week after her husband had left.


SOURCES: 

Alaska Bureau of Investigation

Fairbanks Daily News-Miner September 20, 1961


Tuesday, March 15, 2022

March 15, 1922 Phoenix, Arizona John Doe

 On March 15, 1922, an unknown man drowned in Phoenix, Arizona. There is little information in this case. 

He was a white male around 50-years-old. 

SOURCES: 

Monday, March 14, 2022

Murder of Tina Sue Spencer

 




In January of 1976 17-year-old Tina Spencer ran away from her home in Nevada, Missouri. Police could not do anything about it as 17-year-olds are considered no longer juvenile for runaway purposes. By March of 1976, Tina was in Springfield, Missouri 

On March 14, 1976,  and 10 p.m. Tina was reportedly picked up from the Springfield Airport.  She told the Taxi driver her friend was supposed to pick her up, but never showed up. Tina stated she had nowhere to go. The taxi driver would then bring her to a house in the area of 400 N. Main. Residents of the home stated Tina left on foot to a payphone to make a call to the person who was supposed to pick her up.

On November 28, 1976, 5 days after Tina would have turned 18, Tina's skeletal remains were found in a shallow grave near McDaniel Lake. She was found in some dense underbrush with a knotted vinyl belt near her neck. She had been strangled to death. Her wallet was found in the area in April.

SOURCES:

Springfield Police

Justice for Shirley Jane Rose

Sunday, March 13, 2022

1608 Chislet, England John Doe

 In 1608 a traveler whose name was unknown died in the County of Kent, England. He would be buried in the St. Mary the Virgin Churchyard in Chislet.

He was around 30-years-old

SOURCES:

Find a Grave

Saturday, March 12, 2022

Murder of Jean Hooper

Around 11 p.m. on March 12, 1976, a cleaning lady for an apartment complex on the 200 block of NE Sacramento in Portland, Oregon went to 71-year-old Jean Hooper's apartment. She would find Jean dead on her bed. She had been beaten and strangled to death.

Jean was reported to be an alcoholic and had lots of visitors to her apartment. She kept her doors unlocked. It was rumored that she was bedridden at the time of her death.

SOURCES:

The City of Portland, Oregon

Friday, March 11, 2022

Ghost Ship: Lady Lovibond

 

Photo by Annie Spratt

There is a legend of a ghost ship called The Lady Lovibond. Story goes that the ship was at sea on Feb. 13, 1784 because the Captain, Simon Reed sometimes Simon Peel, had just married and was celebrating with a cruise. It was said the ship was bound for Oporto, Portugal. Despite superstitions of women bringing bad luck on board, he would bring his new wife Annetta with him. 

Below deck Simon and Anneta were celebrating with their guests. A first mate, John Rivers, a rival for Anneta's love was pacing the decks in a jealous rage. John thinking that he'd never get Anneta's love grabbed a heavy, club-like belaying pin from the rail. He would sneak up being the crewmember at the wheel and hit him with one crushing blow. He would take control of the ship and steer the ship into the Goodwin Sands killing everyone.

It is said that the ship was seen again on the 50th aniversary in 1798. It was reported by atleast two ships. The ship was seen again in 1848, and again in 1948. It was said that in 1998 there was no reported sighting of the ghost ship, but maybe they were unknowningly seen. In 2048 it will be the next time you'll be able to see the ship. 

In actuality it's unknown if the Lady Lovibond ever exist. The earliest known mention of the ship was from a 1924 article. It's possible the ghost story was created for a Valetines Day type ghost story. 

SOURCES:

Wikipedia

History Daily

Astonishing Legends

Thursday, March 10, 2022

Murder of Sergio Lopez

 On March 10, 2011, at 7:24 p.m.24-year-old Sergio Lopes was leaving a residence in the 5600 block of E Lake Mead in Las Vegas, Nevada and walked eastbound. This was when he was shot multiple times by two unknown people. 

SOURCES:

Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department

Las Vegas Review-Journal

Wednesday, March 9, 2022

Murder of Jennifer Watkins Dorch

 On March 8, 1991, 24-year-old Jennifer Dorch went out for the night. She would return to her mobile home on Hwy 43 in Northport, Alabama. Her family member would find her in her home Jennifer had been stabbed to death.

SOURCES:

Tuscaloosa  County Alabama

Spot Crime

Tuesday, March 8, 2022

Disappearance of Michelle Wells

 


In 1982 13-year-old Michelle Wells was last seen leaving a residence she was visiting in Detroit, Michigan. There is little information in this case.

Michelle is a Biracial Native American/Caucasian and was 13-years-old at the time. She was 5'0 to 5'5" and around 100 to 200 lbs at the time. She has red hair. 

SOURCES:

NamUs

Charley Project

Resources Center for Cold Case Missing Children's Cases

Monday, March 7, 2022

Bog Bodies: Frær Mose Woman

 The Frær Mose Woman was found four feet beneath a Denmark bog in 1842. Only her foot, a well-preserved wool garment, and a shoe were found. It's not stated whether or not this was a recent death or historical. There is no time window stated for when she lived and died. 


SOURCES: 

Mummipedia 

Wikipedia

Academic

Liqui Search

Sunday, March 6, 2022

Unknown Artists: Philadelphia Wireman

Work by the Philadelphia Wireman at the Lille Métropole Museum of Modern, Contemporary, and Outsider Art

The Philadelphia Wireman is the name given to an unknown artist responsible for around 1,200 small-scare wire-frame sculptures. The sculptures were found by a passerby on a street outside of a transient home in Philidelphia, Pennsylvania in 1982. 

It's been hypothesized that it may be possible that the statues were abandoned after the artist's death. This is unknown though as the artist is unknown. It's assumed that the artist had access to tools that helped with the bending of heavy-gauge wire. Some of the sculptures are believed to resemble African art and due to the demographic of the area, it's believed that they may have been African American.

In 1999 according to the Fleischer-Ollman Gallery, a visitor came and identified the street the art was found on. The visitor stated that they had seen an elderly black man working on the sculptures around 1970, but it's still unknown who the artist is. 

SOURCES:





Saturday, March 5, 2022

Murder of Thomas Blake Armstrong Jr.

 On March 5, 1976, 52-year-old Thomas Armstrong Jr. was working at his liquor store the Elm Street Liquor Store in Covington, Georgia. He was killed during a robbery at the store. 

It's suspected that the same people who robbed a different liquor store in Rockdale County may be involved in this murder. At this robbery, one perp went into the store while the other stayed in the vehicle.

SOURCES:

Georgia Bureau of Investigation

Find a Grave

Friday, March 4, 2022

Ghost Ships: The Ghost Ship of Northumberland Strait

Photo by Olia Nayda


For at least the last 200 years a ship has been seen in the Northumberland Strait that separates Prince Edward Island from New Brunswick. It's a beautiful schooner with 3 or 4 masts of pure white sails which become fully engulfed in flames. This ship is said to be seen before the northeast wind and is a warning for an upcoming storm.

There are a number of legends and ghost stories surrounding this ghost ship. It's said that the crew has been seen climbing the masts before the ship completely sinks or vanishes. According to legend in 1900 the ship was seen and a group of sailors boarded a small sailboat in Charlottetown Harbour and tried to save the people on the ship. Only for the ship and crew to vanish before they got to it. 

It's unknown what ship the ghost ship is, but there are several theories. One is that it is the John Craig Light that shipwrecked off Shippigan Island. Another is the Colbum that was lost during a storm in 1838. The Isabella is another contestant as a ship that was lost in 1868 and was last seen by a light housekeeper at Amet Island on its way to South America. Some theorize that it is a pirate ship or pleasure craft set ablaze by a drunken brawl.

There are three natural causes of the sightings of this ghost ship.

The first is St. Elmo's fire, which is a weather phenomenon. which is when a burst of electricity is discharged from pointed objects when the atmosphere becomes heavily charged. Which can serve as a warning for lightning and is seen as a good omen for sailors. (click the link above for a better explanation).

It's possible that it's a form of fata morgana mirage caused by when warm air settles atop a distinct band of cool air and rays of light are bent as they pass through different temperatures. This makes things seem like they are floating, flipped upside down, flying, or being seen in great detail at a distance. (click link above for better explanation)

The third is more simple. It's possible that people seeing the ship is the brain trying to place or make sense of something there. If it's a foggy, or stormy night lights and such might make a trick of the eye. 

SOURCES:

Thursday, March 3, 2022

March 3, 1961 St. Kilda, Victoria, Australia Jane Doe (unknown 433)



On March 3, 1961, the body of a woman was found lying next to the train tracks in Alma Park in St. Kilda, Victoria, Australia. Her death is believed to be natural and foul play was not suspected. She had a high concentration of alcohol in her system.

She was a white female around 55-years-old. She was 173 cm tall with a slim build. She had dark or grey hair and hazel eyes. She wore a complete set of dentures. She was wearing a red and white blouse, a black skirt, a red cardigan, a dark grey overcoat, and black shoes. 

SOURCES:

Unidentified Wiki

Herald Sun

Wednesday, March 2, 2022

1920's-1930's Ben Arnold, Texas Unknown Gypsy

 According to Find a Grave back in the late 1920s or early 1930s, a band of gypsies camped in Ben Arnold, Texas. They had camped across from the Ben Arnold Cemetary for several weeks. Their children even attended a local school in Ben Arnold for the time they were there. 

One morning the gypsies were gone and a new grave was in the cemetery way off from the other graves. It was believed that Gypsies may have camped in the area so long because someone was sick, possibly the deceased. It's unknown who was buried or their gender or age. A small cross was made with the word Gypsy written on it as a marker.

SOURCES:

Find a Grave

Tuesday, March 1, 2022

Lost Media: What Price Decency

 



What Price Decency is a 1933 American drama film directed by Arthur Gregor. The film was based on a play by Arthur Gregor. This film was released by Majestic Pictures on March 1, 1933, and was 67 minutes long. This film is now considered lost. 

CAST:

PLOT:

A beautiful woman boards a ship and is forced to stow away by a brutish fellow who kidnaps her. Later he proposes to her and would tell her of a life of luxury in a tropical chateau. She would accept and the two would have a "wedding" onboard the ship. It turns out that the man lied to her and he was just a pearl trader who abused locals. 

Their home is a leaky shack. He starts to use her as a slave up until a young man arrives. The two start to fall in love. Her "husband" would tell her that they were never officially married before he plans to leave her. The woman angry would beat him with a leather thong and would blind him. She then tells all this to her new lover and the two leave the island towards sunnier places. 


SOURCES:

Disappearance of Albert Marinus Snijder

On April 26, 1995, 37-year-old Albert Snijder was last seen in Gouda, The Netherlands. He did take some personal items including his passpor...