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A database of Unidentified's buried in KY & Beyond Select
a State
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A database of Unidentified's buried in KY & Beyond Select
a State
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In 1988, after the identification of the Tent Girl, (with the web-work of Lynn Johnson) I created The Lost & The Found. I found along my journey that there were MORE Doe cases throughout the state. So naturally I wanted to do something to help them as well. This was a very difficult task indeed. Eventually....I put The Lost & The Found on hold, and began working with a new web-site that was far more web capable than myself, the Doe Network.
As time passed the DoeNetwork has grown enormously! I became the Media Director for the group. Then, I was reminded of the original intent of The Lost & The Found as someone tried to e-mail me with a tip through the last remaining pages. I realized that some of these cases are only listed on The Lost & The Found. Until we have a certain amount of data on a case we cannot list it on the DoeNetwork. Some of these cases listed here have only a paragraph of data available. In my searches I have found two additional cases not included at the Kentucky Medical Examiner's office as they occurred prior to the creation of that office in the late 60's. The Tent Girl case inspired the creation of the Kentucky State Medical Examiner's Office when her body was found in 1968. She also inspired the creation of this site.
I know now that this site must continue. It is the only way that I can see to profile the cases that we have only a slim amount of data. It was the original goal of this site to reach into the communities of Kentucky to gather more data on the cases listed here, AND cases prior to 1968 that have not yet been brought to our attention. I hope to get enough data on the older cases to give to the state of Kentucky for their records and enough info to be included on the DoeNetwork in a more complete profile.
Kentucky has since created a web-site called Unidentified Remains. There they will be focusing on some of the later cases. So I will not be including new Kentucky cases on this page. Dr. Emily Craig does a very good job with these cases. UnidentifiedRemains.net is the ultimate resource for the newer cases of Kentucky.
So for now this site will focus on the older Kentucky cases and we hope to hear from the people of the state to help bring more info on these cases and show us ones we don't even know exist!
I don't have any info like this for other states yet. But I hope to one day. In the mean time I will supply links to other web-site's and organizations in various states.
But I still seek the old and lost cases and soon hope to add new chapters to The Lost & The Found.
Todd Matthews
January, 2003
931-397-3893
UPDATE!
March, 2005
It took me a long time to finally find the right direction for this site as well as "ColdCases Yahoo Group".
During this time I realized I also had to take a stronger stand in Tennessee. The state needed to be centralized.
I promised while I was at the state capitol last year (Feb 2004) that if something positive didn't happen I was going to make it happen one way or another with this prototype ~
Tennessee Lost And Found
This was the proposal to them...
Proposal about Tennessee Lost And Found
Some of the officials displayed interest and some took action to no avail. Therefore; living up to my word, I have followed through and filed for non-profit status for The Lost and The Found.
The margin is wider than promised in the original statement, I am looking at global but in a different direction.
I have changed the original direction of the Lost & Found (this being the old the original site) into something MORE. A Global Resource Center for missing, murdered and unidentifieds. There are no case files actually maintained at the Resource Center, mostly just a compilation of resources and referrals etc. To help families & Law Enforcement know what is available for their particular needs (i.e. if thy need help with finding a local search & rescue team).and direct tech support. Basically the lost & the found will present all the info on the org's that can help in one place & help others direct their case info to the right org's.
Also it will serve a more visible role in Tennessee itself to create and bring in resources that will assist in coordinating the missing, reviewing autopsy reports, and transferring of data. Having the official status will allow the supporting state officials to be more open in their support of a change in the state.
I was given a grant from Merrill Lynch that allowed this to proceed through with ease. They have expressed a desire to specifically help fund Project EDAN, but I needed to have the 501-c status. I know I can get some great stuff for the artists from many outlets that provide materials for forensic study and artwork etc.
The resource center was the only way that I knew to coordinate these projects easily. I always hated the thought of letting the lost and the found drift away so I found a new way to keep it alive with a different direction. Rather than doing what is already being done by org's like Doe & Outpost, I turned the lost & found into a center that will compliment all the organizations that I support.
A good sidebar for me to compliment my work at Doe Network & Outpost For Hope. And Lori, (my wife) has agreed to help pull it together for me as additional support here.
The NEW Lost & Found web-site is in the works now with a new face and mission statement. Much of it has been what I have been doing on the side for years now, just not in an organized manner.
Big dreams that have been almost two decades in coming but things take time. Much of this has taken most of two decades.
Besides my wife...another friend also shares this vision.
Tracie Fleischhut and I have worked together on various projects since 2001. Including the Coldcases yahoo group, Project Edan and The Doe Network. During their time working together, we have the broadening goal for The Lost & The Found site. After some discussion and time, Tracie realized that the dream to evolve THE LFGRC was something she wanted to help see become reality. Tracie joined the project, using her web design skills to create the new home for LFGRC - Lost and Found Global Resource Center. And become the third pary needed to form The Lost And The Found into a non profit org officially, after 7 years, I think I am finally ready. With the help of these two ladies intially, and many more friends in the near future.
www.TheLostAndTheFound.com
(LFGRC)- Lost and Found Global Resource Center
for Murdered, Missing & Unidentified
But don't forget this old section of the site, there are still some cases in Kentucky listed here and no where else until more data is found. We're working on that. :-)~
~Todd Matthews
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