Bayonne Jane Doe: Remains Found On Side Of Highway In 2007
This case of Bayonne Jane Doe was sent to me by a forensics science teacher who is actively working to bring a name to an unidentified woman who was found dead in 2007. It was on October 18 of that year when human remains were located in Bayonne, New Jersey, in a brush along Hook Road. A man named Leo Campbell was driving down the highway, spotted something on the road, and called the authorities. Detective Bill Napier arrived at the scene, and while he retired in 2011, he reflected on the case of Bayonne Jane Doe with the Houston Reporter in 2017 and spoke on how it affected him and the community.
“We spoke with Leo,” Napier said at the time. “There are no other witnesses. It’s not like it’s in the middle of a neighborhood where you would be knocking on everybody’s doors to find out what they saw or what they didn’t see. There’s nothing. There’s no point of reference. There’s not a lot to work with, with the lack of witnesses and the lack of physical evidence.”
A Medical Examiner’s Findings
It was later determined that Bayonne Jane Doe was somewhere between 16 and 20 years old, but pinpointing where she was from proved to be difficult. That particular stretch of highway where she was located, Route 440, is a traffic hub with trucks, tractor-trailers, and travelers passing by from one town to the next. The DNA Doe Project describes it as being “isolated” and “heavily traveled by truck drivers,” so Bayonne Jane Doe could have been transported before or after her death.
Although a cause of death could not be determined, authorities are treating her case as a homicide. When found, Bayonne Jane Doe had been deceased for approximately a few weeks.
A Detective Shares His Theory About Bayonne Jane Doe
“I don’t think she’s from around here. If she were, somebody would be making noise about this, somebody,” said Napier. In 2007, local news stations covered this discovery, but there wasn’t any movement in identifying the victim.
“There’s no science to back it up, there’s no smoking gun, but it’s my theory that she was dumped there by some over-the-road truck driver because the area that she was in was an industrial part of town. My theory is that someone who was on the way to someplace used that area to dump her, and you could surmise that it was in the middle of the night that she was dumped.”
He also believes that Bayonne Jane Doe is closer to the younger side of her estimated age range. Napier might be retired, but a new team of New Jersey detectives has promised to continue the fight to find out who this young lady may be.
“I don’t lose sleep over it, but as far as unfinished business, you want to see it get closed, and if she was the victim of a homicide, you want to see that person held accountable for his or her actions,” Napier added. “There’s no statute of limitations on murder in New Jersey. She deserves a name, she really does. I’m sharing this sentiment, I’m sure, with everyone that I worked with; we all want to identify her.”
Bayonne Jane Doe: What To Know
At the time of her death, Bayonne Jane Doe may have stood approximately 5 feet 2 inches to 5 feet 5 inches tall, and her weight is estimated at 118 to 138 pounds. She had black/dark brown hair (styled in 28-inch long braided extensions in black and red/copper) and unknown eye color (due to decomposition).
The remains were found with several items of clothing and jewelry (information provided per Doe Network): “Vigoss brand green camo pants, size 11,12; Pascal Tex brand pink top, size medium; Pascal brand boy shorts underwear; Buff brand black bra with red lace around the cups, size 36C; white socks with orange toes and green colored bear head on the ankles.” Her dental records, fingerprints, and DNA are on file. She had gaps between some of her teeth and one dental filling in one of her upper back teeth.
Anyone with information about this case is urged to contact the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office – Scott Jeffery, Detective at 201-795-6400 x6918, Northern Regional Medical Examiner Office at 609-584-5054, or their local authorities. The agency case number is 09070889.
Please share this story about Bayonne Jane Doe to help find out who this young lady is and to reunite her with her loved ones. She is our sister, and her life matters.
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