“Maryland Woman Last Seen in 1968 Identified as Florida Homicide Victim”

By Trend News Line 2024-05-10 19:31:20.

Identification of Human Remains

In a recent development, human remains that were unearthed on a Florida beach over three decades ago have finally been identified as those of a Maryland woman. The discovery was made by construction workers who were building a walking bridge on Crescent Beach back in April of 1985. At that time, all detectives could ascertain was that the body belonged to a white woman aged between 30 and 50. Despite the lack of concrete evidence, the circumstances surrounding the case led investigators to classify it as a homicide.

Breakthrough in the Case

For many years, the investigation into the identity of the deceased woman remained cold. However, in 2023, the St. John’s County Sheriff’s Office decided to send portions of the remains to a private lab in Texas called Othram. The lab was able to develop a DNA profile of the victim, which was then entered into genealogy databases in the hopes of finding potential relatives. This move proved to be pivotal as it led detectives to two individuals who were related to the victim.

Positive Identification

After meeting with the relatives and comparing their DNA with that of the remains, authorities were able to confirm the identity of the deceased woman as Mary Alice Pultz, who originally hailed from Rockville. police subsequently located her son in Arizona and her sister in Virginia, both of whom had lost contact with Pultz back in 1968 when she disappeared with her then boyfriend, John Thomas Fugitt.

The Suspect and Further Investigation

Fugitt, who also went by the name Billy Joe Wallace, was later found to have died in prison after being convicted of murdering his roommate in Georgia in 1981. While Fugitt remains a person of interest in Pultz’s death, law enforcement agencies are not ruling out the possibility of other suspects being involved. The exact circumstances surrounding Pultz’s demise are still unclear, but it is believed that she would have been around 80 or 81 years old if she were alive today.

Medical Examiner’s Findings

According to the Medical Examiner’s Office, Pultz had suffered traumatic injuries in the past, possibly from a car accident, although it could not be definitively linked to her death. St. Johns County Sheriff Rob Hardwick commended the dedication of his team in tirelessly pursuing this case and providing closure to Pultz’s family after nearly four decades of uncertainty.

Appeal for Information

Authorities are urging anyone with information related to the case to come forward by emailing crimetips@sjso.org or calling Crime Stoppers at 1-888-277-TIPS (8477). The investigation into Mary Alice Pultz’s tragic death continues as law enforcement officials seek to uncover the truth behind this long-standing mystery.

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Maryland woman last seen by family in 1968 identified as Florida homicide victim
Family identifies Maryland woman missing since 1968 as Florida homicide victim.