1. Disappearance of young woman with her partner in 1968
2. Resolution of cold case involving missing mother and boyfriend.
Accident – Death – Obituary News : The enigma surrounding the disappearance of a young mother-of-two, who vanished with her boyfriend in 1968 at the age of 25, has finally been unravelled after nearly four decades. Mary Alice Pultz, originally from Rockville, Maryland, had severed ties with her family after eloping with John Thomas Fugitt, as revealed by the St Johns County Sheriff’s Office.
The last sighting of Mary by her family dates back to 1968. However, in a surprising turn of events last week, the sheriff’s office disclosed that skeletal remains discovered on Crescent Beach, Florida in 1985 by construction workers have now been positively identified as belonging to Mary Alice Pultz.
Initial investigations in 1985 indicated that the remains were of a white female aged between 30 and 50. Unfortunately, the case went cold over the years, leaving the remains unidentified until January this year.
In 2011, forensic experts at the Florida Institute for Forensic Anthropology and Applied Science crafted a facial reconstruction from the victim’s skull and jaw to give a depiction of her appearance. Despite this effort, the case remained unsolved until the remains were sent to Othram, a forensic genetic genealogy lab in Texas, last year.
Thanks to the advanced technology at Othram, potential relatives of the victim were identified, including her son Norman Jenkins from Yuma, Arizona, and her sister Patricia Allamong from Winchester, Virginia. DNA sampling from these relatives helped in the positive identification of the remains in January 2024.
Further examinations by medical examiner Dr. Wendolyn Sneed revealed that Mary had suffered multiple injuries, including fractures of the nasal bones, ribs, and lower legs, some of which had healed. Additionally, three surgical burr holes were found in her skull, indicating severe trauma that would have required hospitalization.
The circumstances surrounding Mary’s death remain unclear, but detectives are treating it as a homicide. Fugitt, Mary’s boyfriend, has been named a person of interest in the case. Despite not knowing the exact details of Mary’s demise, authorities are hopeful that the information gathered so far will lead to closure for her family.
Sheriff Rob Hardwick of St. Johns County expressed his determination to never give up on such cases, emphasizing the importance of skilled detectives and advanced DNA technology in finding answers. Norman, Mary’s son, expressed his desire to learn more about his mother’s life and fate.
The investigation into Mary’s disappearance and death continues, shedding light on a decades-old mystery and bringing a sense of closure to her loved ones..
– Missing mom of two
– Disappeared with boyfriend in 1968.
