A teenager who was found dead in France with a British 10p coin in her pocket is among one of 46 unsolved murder cases highlighted by a new Interpol ‘Identify Me’ campaign.
The bodies of 46 women were found across six European countries, up to 40 years ago. Yet, their deaths remain unsolved and their identities a mystery. Interpol is now appealing to the public for any information they may have.
The women were all “either murdered or died in suspicious or unexplained circumstances”, states Interpol in a statement.
It has used facial reconstruction techniques and DNA analysis in a bid to gather as much information as possible.
The International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) is working with police in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, and Belgium. All 46 bodies were found in these countries.
"Our goal is simple,” said Interpol Secretary General Jürgen Stock. “We want to identify the deceased women, bring answers to families, and deliver justice to the victims. But we can't do it alone.”
The women are all thought to have been aged between 15 and 30 when they were killed.
‘The girl with the 10-pence coin’
Found on the woman: A leather choker with five beads, a British 10-pence piece, a keychain in the shape of Napoleon, and a gold-coloured chain with a brown wooden bowling pin-shaped pendant (as worn by conscripts who have completed their military service)INTERPOL
In a case that Interpol called “mystifying”, a teenager was found dead outside the French village of Le Cellier (Loire-Atlantique, Pays de la Loire), in 1982.
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She was found with a British 10-pence piece in her pocket.
Further details on the woman include:
Discovered November 25, 1982, by a hunter
Estimated to be aged 16-23
Found next to departmental road D723 (formerly the RN23)
White, with brown hair
165cm tall
She was also found with a ‘Taxiphone’ telephone token, a small box of matches without a lid, and a metal keyring in the shape of Napoleon attached to her jeans (see image above).
She was found fully clothed, and had “perfect” teeth, but her body was “in a state of skeletonization [sic]”, it added. She was also wearing size 38 blue jeans (Loys brand), with a dark leather belt, a white pinstripe blouse with ruffles, and red shoes (Bata brand) in size 38, with a small heel.
Her jewellery comprised a gold-coloured metal chain with a brown wooden bowling-pin-shaped pendant (as worn by conscripts who have completed their military service), a black leather choker necklace with five beads, and four gold-coloured metal bracelets.
Anyone with information on this specific case is invited to contact Interpol and the French police via a form on the website here.
Black Notices
Small details such as this are among the information released by Interpol in a bid to gather more information.
Extracts from what are called ‘Interpol Black Notices’ - police alerts - have been published for the first time, in a bid to help. These include details on DNA, fingerprints, dental charts, and physical descriptions.
This can be pivotal, it said, citing the example of British woman Rita Roberts, whose body was found in Antwerp, Belgium, in June 1992, one month after her family last heard from her.
Her family only realised the discovered body was her 31 years later, when they saw an Interpol campaign that published a photo of her “distinctive flower tattoo”.
Other women found in France
The ‘girl with the 10-pence coin’ is not the only one of the 46 women who were found in France. The others are:
The “woman with the ‘Jean & Nelly’ ring”, who was found below a coastal road near Villefranche-sur-Mer, Alpes-Maritimes in 2008, wearing a gold ring engraved with ‘Jean et Nelly 25/06/1960’ on the inside.
‘The appeal highlights the importance of public involvement’
Interpol expanded the campaign to include the 46 women after an initial appeal launched in May 2023 to identify 22 women. After this campaign, more than 1,800 tips were received from the public.
“The appeal highlights the importance of public involvement and international cooperation in solving cold cases. It provides hope that crucial leads can be generated, so more of these women can be identified and that justice is served if murder has been established,” it said.
Interpol has urged anyone with any possible information to come forward. It said: “Members of the public, particularly those who remember a missing friend or family member, are invited to consult the Interpol website and contact the relevant national police team should they have any information.
“For biological relatives who believe one of the women could be their missing loved one, national police can liaise with Interpol for international DNA comparison,” it said.
