Skeletal remains found on Florida beach identified as woman missing for nearly 60 years
ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. (WFLA) — A 1968 cold case has finally been solved after the St. Johns Sheriff’s Office (SJSO) announced the remains of a woman who has been missing for nearly 60 years have been identified.
The remains of Mary Alice Pultz from Rockville, Maryland, were identified through DNA matching and a facial reconstruction graphic. The graphic was completed by experts at the Florida Institute for Forensic Anthropology and Applied Science at the University of South Florida.
On April 10, 1985, construction workers working on a beach walkover discovered human remains in a shallow grave on Crescent Beach in St. Johns County, the sheriff’s office said. Investigators said the manner of death was considered to be a homicide.
The remains, belonging to a woman between the ages of 30 and 50 at the time of death, went unidentified for decades and the case grew cold.
In 2023, detectives working with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) sent a portion of the remains to Othram, a private lab in Texas that specializes in advanced forensic genetic genealogy. The private lab managed to build a DNA profile from the remains, SJSO announced.
Credit: St. Johns Sheriff’s Office Credit: St. Johns Sheriff’s Office Credit: St. Johns Sheriff’s Office
Pultz has two living relatives: her son Norman Jenkins and her sister Patricia Allamong. She was last seen in 1968 when she left with her boyfriend, John Thomas Fugitt, who died in prison awaiting execution for the murder of his roommate in 1981, the sheriff’s office said.
Investigators found three burr holes in Mary Alice’s skull, which are used to relieve pressure on the brain in the event of brain bleeding or other fluid buildup. Her remains also showed multiple fractures of the nasal bones, healed fractures of multiple ribs, and healed fractures on the lower legs. Dr. Wendolyn Sneed, M.D., Chief Medical Examiner for the District 23 Medical Examiner’s Office, said these types of injuries could be caused by severe trauma such as being in a car wreck or being hit by a car.
The trauma is noted to not be related to the cause of death at the time Mary Alice was killed.
“This investigation is a powerful example that we will never give up. The combination of highly skilled detectives and advanced DNA technology has given Mary Alice’s family some answers about her disappearance close to 40 years ago,” St. Johns County Sheriff Rob Hardwick said. “Our Major Crimes detectives are some of the best in the business and I am proud of their dedication to be a voice for homicide victims and their families as we seek closure for loved ones.”
Detectives are still investigating the homicide. Anyone with information about the death of Mary Alice Pultz is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at 1-888-277-TIPS (8477).
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