Who killed Patricia Gildawie? Remains found in 2001 identified as 17-yr-old missing since 1975
MCLEAN, VIRGINIA: A teenage girl who vanished in 1975 has been confirmed dead after police recently identified her remains discovered in a ditch 21 years ago. Patricia Agnes Gildawie, also known as "Choubi," disappeared 47 years ago, and her family is still seeking answers about what happened. According to WJLA, bone remains discovered near Mclean, Virginia, in 2001 were identified as belonging to the missing 17-year-old in August.
26 years after the teen went missing, the remains were located in a drainage ditch in a forested area next to some garments. Investigators believe Patricia died from a gunshot wound to the head, but it took another 21 years for the identity of the body to be established. Recently, the authorities collaborated with advanced DNA and forensic genome sequencing company Othram to reopen the cold case. The major breakthrough came when Patricia's DNA was linked with that of her half-sister, 66-year-old Veronique Duperly.
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Veronique reported that Patricia had bruises all over her arms and legs before she vanished in February 1975. The last time Veronique spoke to her, she also had bruises all over her back and shoulders. “Whether she ran into things, or somebody was beating on her, I don't know for sure,” she told The Washington Post.
Veronique claimed that Patricia fled after she voiced her worries about the injuries. The teen even said, "I'll see you soon," before she left, but the sisters were never to be reunited.
She only visited for a few hours once or twice a week in the months before her disappearance, Veronique added. Apparently, Patricia was seeing an older man in his 30s before she left without a trace. According to reports, he was employed by a Vienna, Virginia upholstery shop.
Veronique remembered Patricia occasionally bringing around the man's white Cadillac Eldorado, with a crimson inside. “He let her drive around in that car,” she said. “I mean, that’s crazy. She was only 17 years old and didn’t have a license.”
Veronique put up posters all around Fairfax County after Patricia vanished. “God, I remember putting them things up,” she told The Washington Post. “Nobody ever called.” She claimed that she had given up on locating her sister years ago. The family was unable to hire a private investigator and police were of little assistance in the hunt, she alleged.
“Oh my god, I was just so relieved,” she said of her feelings after hearing of the recent discovery in her sister's case. “I can stop worrying: ‘Is she in jail? Is she in a prison? Is she hurt?' Now I know. Yeah, she was hurt.” Veronique feels at ease knowing the remains are those of her sister, but she still has questions about how long her sister was in the woods and who killed her.
Initially, an incorrect assessment from a medical examiner and anthropologist said that the deceased was probably an African American woman. The body was allegedly in the woods for a year or two, according to the claim, which authorities now believe is untrue. Ed O’Carroll of the Fairfax County Police Department said, “Not only were they off by the time frame, but they were also off by the race, which really threw detectives off in their search. We now think she was murdered not long after she was known alive, which was 1975.” O’Carroll told WJLA. “Identifying this young woman solves a mystery that has been more than 47 years in the making. Our community should take comfort in knowing that our detectives never stop working these cases."
Jacqueline Bradford, Patricia and Veronique's mother, died six years before her daughter's body was found. “She was so worried about her,” Veronique said. “And she never knew whatever happened to her after all these years.”
With new information from her loved ones, police are pursuing their investigation even though no arrests have been made so far.