Mrs. Alice Jones 1937

 Mrs. Alice Jones "Starvation" 1937 (found under her house).

On June 20, 1937, a mummified body of a red-haired woman, wearing a kimono gown and silk slip, was discovered under a four-flat building at 6617 Orange Street in the fashionable Wilshire district of Los Angeles. The body was tentatively identified as 42-year-old Mrs. Alice Jones by her husband, Harold Jones, vice-president of a wholesale optical company. Jones had reported his wife missing but had been unable to find any trace of her until her body was found by three young boys the day before. Police initially theorized that she may have been dragged beneath the building by a rapist and then killed, though this was pending further investigation.

The body, which was clad in a velvet evening wrap, was found by 10-year-old Malcolm Alberts, who lived in the apartment building, and two other boys, Jack Howell, 11, and Joseph Maritze, 12. The children were searching for a lost baseball when they crawled under the building and made the grim discovery. Due to the dry conditions beneath the apartment, the body had mummified rather than decomposed, and police estimated that Mrs. Jones had been dead for about a month. There was no immediate evidence to support suicide, and the exact cause of death was unclear pending autopsy results.

An odd detail that puzzled investigators was that Mrs. Jones, dressed for a social event or party, wore a carpet slipper on one foot—on the wrong foot, in fact—while the other slipper was missing. Police were also perplexed as to why she had ended up beneath the building. Jones identified his wife by her wedding ring and the blue dressing gown she had been wearing. Her brother, Fred E. Manning, also confirmed the ring, engraved with "Hal to Alice, August 1, 1919," belonged to Alice. Neither man was allowed to view the body directly.

Jones revealed that his wife had suffered from a nervous disorder that caused her to fear people, leading her to hide in unusual places such as under houses or in closets. She had previously suffered from nervous breakdowns and had been admitted to a Hollywood sanitarium, from which she had disappeared six months earlier, on December 14, 1936. The family had hoped she would be found, as she had been during previous disappearances, and her daughters had even prepared Christmas gifts for her. After her extended absence, Jones had hired private detectives to aid in the search.

Police suspected that Alice may have crawled under the building on a rainy night shortly after she disappeared and was too weak to crawl out. The county autopsy surgeon, Dr. A.F. Wagner, conducted an examination and concluded that Alice Jones likely died from exposure and possibly starvation. While the body was partly mummified, Wagner set the probable date of death as the latter part of December 1936. He also found no immediate evidence of foul play, such as a bullet wound or blunt force trauma, though further tests for poison were planned.

Morgue photos revealed that Alice was dressed in a velvet kimono, silk slip, undergarments including a girdle, stockings, and a single slipper on the wrong foot. Her body was found lying on her back with her hands near her chest. Upon further examination, a waxy substance known as adipocere was discovered on the remaining tissues of her body. This substance, formed through the decomposition of soft tissues, typically appears in warm, damp environments, though Alice's body had mummified due to the dry ground under the building.

On June 23, 1937, the investigation into Alice Jones’ death was officially closed. A funeral service was held at Pierce Brother's Chapel, officiated by Dr. George Davidson of St. John's Episcopal Church, and Alice's body was cremated. She was survived by her husband, Harold F. Jones, and their three daughters, Marion, Marjorie, and Mildred, as well as her mother, Mrs. Nellie Smith, and her brother, Frederick E. Manning.

Explanation of the Body's Appearance:

Accidental partial-mummification and the formation of adipocere are two processes of decomposition that can sometimes occur simultaneously under specific environmental conditions. Each leads to distinct changes in the body’s appearance, and the combination of both can result in a unique preservation of certain body parts, while others may decompose at a slower rate.

Partial Mummification:

Partial mummification occurs when a body is exposed to conditions that slow or halt the normal decay process, allowing tissues to dry out rather than break down completely. Mummification typically requires a dry, arid environment with low humidity, as moisture is a key factor in decomposition. However, in partial mummification, only certain parts of the body may dry out, often those most exposed to air or areas that have lost fluids quickly.

The appearance of a partially mummified body includes shriveled, leathery skin, often darkened or brown due to dehydration and oxidation. The facial features, particularly around the nose, mouth, and eyes, may become sunken and distorted. Skin on the extremities, such as the hands and feet, might shrivel and tighten around the bones. Hair, nails, and teeth can remain relatively well-preserved in the mummified areas. These areas typically lack any significant putrefaction or bloating, as decomposition has been stalled.

Adipocere Formation:

Adipocere, also known as "grave wax," is a waxy, soap-like substance that forms when body fat undergoes saponification during decomposition. This process occurs when a body is exposed to moist, anaerobic conditions, often in a cool, damp environment like waterlogged soil or a sealed, airtight space. The fat in the body, particularly in areas with high fat content such as the cheeks, breasts, and buttocks, breaks down into adipocere when exposed to bacteria and moisture but without enough oxygen for full decomposition.

A body affected by adipocere appears white, gray, or pale yellow, with a waxy texture. The skin and underlying fat take on a smooth, soap-like consistency, and this can preserve the shape of the body in affected areas. Unlike mummification, adipocere formation can happen even in parts of the body submerged in water or buried in a damp environment. Areas rich in body fat are more likely to develop adipocere, while other parts may decompose or mummify, depending on their exposure to environmental factors.

Conditions for Both Processes:

For partial mummification and adipocere to occur at the same time, a unique combination of both dry and moist conditions needs to be present. This can happen when parts of the body are exposed to air (drying out and mummifying), while others remain in contact with moisture or an anaerobic environment (leading to adipocere formation). For example, if a body is left partially exposed to the air in a damp room or buried in shallow soil where one side is more ventilated than the other, the exposed areas might mummify, while the buried or damp areas develop adipocere.

Appearance of a Body with Both Processes:

A body that undergoes both partial mummification and adipocere formation will have contrasting characteristics. The mummified areas (typically the head, hands, or feet) will appear dried, darkened, and leathery, with sunken facial features and taut skin over bones. These areas will lack signs of active decay, such as bloating or odor.

The areas affected by adipocere, usually around the torso or fatty regions, will have a waxy, pale, or grayish appearance. These sections may retain their original body shape better than mummified areas due to the saponification of fat. The body may appear swollen in these areas, with the tissue under the skin feeling firm and smooth, almost like soap. Both processes help preserve the body but in markedly different ways, creating a stark contrast between the dry, shriveled mummified sections and the smooth, waxy adipocere-covered areas.

Ideal Conditions:

For these phenomena to occur together, conditions must be mixed:

Partial mummification needs a dry environment, which could be provided by air circulation or a relatively arid space where moisture evaporates quickly.

Adipocere requires dampness, cool temperatures, and limited oxygen, often found in waterlogged or anaerobic environments like shallow graves, closed spaces, or areas exposed to groundwater.

In conclusion, accidental partial mummification alongside adipocere formation is possible when different parts of the body experience varying environmental conditions. While mummification preserves dry, exposed areas in a shriveled, leathery state, adipocere formation preserves moist, fatty areas in a waxy, soap-like state, resulting in a body that displays a unique combination of decomposition and preservation processes.