The Doe Network: Case File 239UFON

The Doe Network:
Case File 239UFON

Reconstructions of Victim (far right 2005)

Unidentified White Female

Located on May 3, 1975 in Casselman, Ontario, Canada.

Cause of death was homicide by strangulation.

Estimated date of death: possibly as early as the summer or early fall of 1974.

Vital Statistics

Estimated age: 25 - 50 years old

Approximate Height and Weight: 5'3" (160 cm); 100 lbs. (45 kg)

Distinguishing Characteristics: Shoulder-length brown hair (recently dyed reddish-blond); blue eyes. Slight build; she had no prior pregnancies. Her appendix had been removed previously and she had bright pink or red enamel on her finger & toe nails that was manicured. Webbed toes.

Clothing: She was naked except for a blue body suit that had been pulled up over her shoulders.

Fingerprints: Available

Dentals: Available. Extensive dental work. The victim wore partial dentures with porcelain teeth in her upper and lower jaws. Many of her natural teeth had required fillings.

Case History
On the morning of May 3, 1975, this victim was located floating face down in the Nation River about 100 yards from the Highway 417 bridge. The Nation River is west of Casselman, Ontario and just thirty five miles east of Ottawa.
This unidentified woman has become known as 'The Nation River Lady'.
After recovering the body, it was discovered that the victim's wrists were bound together in front using a man's necktie. Two other neckties had been used to secure the ankles.
The victim's head was wrapped in 2 fringed green cloths. Upon removal of the cloths, investigators found that a kitchen towel had been knotted in the back to form a ligature around her neck. A television cable wire had also been wrapped around the victim's neck, over top of the kitchen towel.
Blood evidence found on the bridge suggested that the victim had been killed 1 to 4 weeks prior to discovery. After a recent (2005) re-examination of the case, experts have suggested that the victim may have entered the Nation River as early as the summer of 1974.

The police recovered the following items with the victim's body:

"Irish Toast" towel: This item was manufactured in Ireland, exported to Toronto, Ontario and distributed to stores in Ottawa, Toronto and Montreal. They were sold at $1.39 (Canadian) each and had been stocked in stores for some time. The towel had Irish Gaelic printing on it, spelling out a traditional Irish toast.

A decorative necktie known as a 'Canadian Tie' and bearing three Canadian emblems on a navy blue background. The necktie was manufactured in Montreal and had been sold by various stores in the province of Quebec and in the eastern part of Ontario.

Partial dentures: Initially, it was believed that the woman's dentures had been manufactured abroad. However, it has now been suggested that the dentures were fairly common in Southern Ontario and Canada in terms of quality and materials.

A blue and gray necktie.

A red and white necktie.

2 fringed green cloths: each 70 inches long and 48 inches in width.

Flat black plastic-covered wire: This was the typical wire used in cable television hook-ups. The plastic wire had a slight splattering of gray paint. Subsequent investigation revealed that the cable was manufactured in Renfrew, Ontario and distributed in the Ottawa, Hull, Montreal and Brockville areas.

The only real clue was a vague report from a store clerk in Marmora who remembered selling a provincial necktie to a man and woman couple. The woman matched the victim's description, but the store clerk could not remember a date for the sale.

The male with the woman at that time could only be described as possibly 5'4"-5'6" and about 35 years of age.

Victim's Dentures

Dentures
Victim's Tie

Investigators
If you have any information concerning this case, please contact:
Ontario Provincial Police
Criminal Investigations Branch
Detective Inspector Phil George
705-329-1835
or
1-888-310-1122 (Toll-Free)
OR
Crime Stoppers
1-800-222-TIPS (8477)

Coroner Case Number:
20050011

NCIC Number:
N/A
Please refer to this number when contacting any agency with information regarding this case.

Source Information:

"Disappearances", by Derrick Murdoch Ontario Provincial Police (CIB)
Crime Files: Cold Case Edition - The Nation River Lady

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