Hurricane Ike's Reported Missing-Laura Project Data Base

[MuffyBee]

ID remains elusive for last known Ike victim

The Associated Press
Nov. 26, 2010, 8:52AM

GALVESTON, Texas — Galveston County's last known victim from Hurricane Ike remains unidentified more than two years after the storm.

The woman was found 16 days after Ike made landfall on Sept. 13, 2008, causing widespread flooding and damage on the southeast Texas coast.

People on all-terrain vehicles discovered the badly decomposed body on the shore of Pelican Island. The woman is believed to be among 13 victims who drowned in the storm.

Spokesman John Florence says the Galveston County Medical Examiner's Office is awaiting word on DNA testing from the University of North Texas. One DNA test failed to match her with a relative.

The Galveston County Daily News reports that the woman is estimated between 35 and 45 years old and 4 feet, 11 inches to 5 feet, 3 inches tall.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/tx/7312186.html

This is sad    I hope in the near future she can be identified. 

[Nut44x4]

DNA fails to ID last known Ike victim

Chris Paschenko / The Daily News
Posted on January 6, 2011 at 8:45 AM

GALVESTON, Texas — The name of a web-footed woman who is the last unidentified victim of Hurricane Ike remains a mystery after a DNA sample turned up no link with a California prison inmate.

The woman was found Sept. 29, 2008, on Pelican Island by people riding the northeast shoreline on all-terrain vehicles.

Ike made landfall 16 days earlier, causing widespread flooding and damaging much of the Upper Texas Coast. At least 21 people died in Galveston County as a direct result of the storm.

Two people, who had missing relatives, submitted DNA samples to the Galveston County Sheriff’s Office, but neither matched, John Florence, a spokesman for the office, said Wednesday.

The office submitted DNA from a California inmate to the University of North Texas, but on Dec. 15 received a letter stating it wasn’t a match.

A woman, who used to live on the peninsula, told Florence the web-footed woman could have been her friend and that she had a son who was incarcerated in California.

Florence sent a DNA kit to the prison, but when he learned of the results, he was unable to contact a woman to give her the news.

The unidentified woman’s left foot had a web between her second and third toe. She was 35 to 45 years old, about 5 feet tall and had a suprapubic scar about 31/2 inches long. Her body was clad only in a black tank top with a built-in Bali bra, size 34 C.

She also wore white socks and had an anklet with white and gray metallic beads she wore on her left ankle.

She is believed to be among 13 hurricane victims who drowned in the storm.

Florence intends to send the woman’s profile to the Department of Public Safety, which has a clearinghouse for the missing and unidentified.

The office also could ask Houston police to perform a sketch of the woman’s face to determine her likeness, Florence said.

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Hurricane Ike Victims

Here is a list of Galveston County residents who died in the county from effects of the storm:

• Martha Ferguson, 69, of Galveston, died Sept. 13, no electricity for breathing machine

• George Helmond, 72, of Galveston, drowned Sept. 14, found in his submerged truck

• Yong Seng Teo, 49, of Galveston, died Sept. 14 of pre-existing health condition, couldn’t reach hospital in time

• Charles Lively, 79, of League City, died Sept. 15 of pre-existing health condition

• Carolyn Williams, 64, of League City, died Sept. 15 of pre-existing health condition, lack of dialysis

• John Manley, 66, of League City, died Sept. 15 pre-existing health condition, lack of dialysis

• Jim Devine, 76, of San Leon, drowned, found Sept. 17 near his home

• Robert Dort, 76, of Galveston, died Sept. 20 of pre-existing health condition

• Eddie Bailey, 64, of League City, found dead Sept. 23, pre-existing health condition

• Ruben Ramos, 60, of Galveston, found dead Sept. 23, pre-existing health condition

• Gail Ettenger, 58, of Gilchrist, found Sept. 23 near Chambers County debris field

• Herman Moseley, 48, of Galveston, drowned, found Sept. 27, on Goat Island

• Unidentified woman, found on Pelican Island Sept. 29, believed to have drowned

• Shane Williams, 33, of Port Bolivar, found drowned Oct. 6 on Goat Island

• Rose Brookshire, 70, of Port Bolivar, found Oct. 6 on Goat Island north of Port Bolivar, believed to have drowned

• Charles Garrett, 42, of Port Bolivar, found Oct. 6 on Goat Island north of Port Bolivar, believed to have drowned

• Walter Fisher, 70, of Port Bolivar, drowned, found Oct. 25 on Bolivar Peninsula’s North Jetty

• Jennifer McLemore, 50, of Gilchrist, found Nov. 2 in Chambers County debris field, believed to have drowned

• Magdalena Strickland, 49, of Port Bolivar, found Nov. 20 on Goat Island north of Gilchrist, believed to have drowned

• Marion Violet Arrambide, 78, of Port Bolivar, found Dec. 22 on Goat Island north of Crystal Beach, believed to have drowned

• Harry Bingham, 61, of Crystal Beach, found Sept. 8, 2009, in Chambers County debris field, believed to have washed from Bolivar Peninsula

Source: Galveston County Medical Examiner’s Office, Chambers County Judge Jim Sylvia and Chambers County Sheriff Joe LaRive, Laura Recovery Center

This story was brought to you thanks to khou.com’s partnership with The Galveston County Daily News.

http://www.khou.com/news/local/DNA-fails-to-ID-last-known-Ike-victim-113004884.html

[Nut44x4]

DNA test will see if Hurricane Ike body is of missing woman
By Sarah Moore
Updated 10:00 p.m., Tuesday, March 8, 2011


photo at link
A relative of a woman missing since Hurricane Ike has agreed to submit a DNA sample to see if the last unidentified body found after the hurricane is, in fact, Susan Shealy.

Shealy's brother had previously agreed to do it but later backed out.

There are several similarities between Shealy and the unidentified body:

- Shealy had webbed toes on one foot. The body has webbed toes on one foot.

- Shealy typically wore sports-bra-type tops, in case of the occasional impromptu swimming opportunity. The body was clad in just such a top.

- Shealy and her boyfriend, Harry Bingham, were last seen together at their mobile home in Crystal Beach before Ike hit. Bingham's Jeep was found washed off the road and his body was later found and identified.

Friends of Shealy's feel strongly that the body is hers, despite old dental records that don't match up.

snipped
http://www.beaumontenterprise.com/news/article/DNA-test-will-see-if-Hurricane-Ike-body-is-of-1048415.php

[Nut44x4]

Last unknown Ike victim identified
7.30.11

Nearly three years after a Crystal Beach woman’s body washed ashore in Galveston, the county’s last unknown victim of Hurricane Ike was positively identified, an official said Friday.

The body of Susan Hardin Shealy, 51, was identified from DNA, which matched that of a close relative in Elgin, S.C., John Florence, a Galveston County Medical Examiner’s Office spokesman, said.
snipped
In January, the university received DNA from one of Shealy’s relatives, and the university told the medical examiner’s office Thursday of the positive match.

Florence spoke to the relative Friday, who asked not to be identified, he said.

The relative was expected to speak with other family before making arrangements for Shealy’s body.

“She said she suspected it was her,” Florence said. “I’m happy the family finally has closure.”   ::snipping2::

http://galvestondailynews.com/story/247658