A missing person’s case from 1968 has finally been solved after authorities positively identified remains found nearly 40 years ago at a beach in St. Augustine, Florida. The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office announced that the remains discovered in 1985 belonged to Mary Alice Pultz, a woman who had disappeared nearly two decades earlier at the age of 25. Pultz had left home with her boyfriend at the time, John Thomas Fugitt, also known as Billy Joe Wallace, who was later convicted of murder and died in prison before his execution. The circumstances of Pultz’s death remain unclear, but detectives are investigating it as a homicide and named Fugitt as a person of interest.
Construction workers had found the skeletal remains in a shallow grave at Crescent Beach in 1985, and the victim, believed to be a white woman between 30 and 50 years old, could not be identified at that time. In 2011, some of the remains were sent to the Florida Institute for Forensic Anthropology and Applied Science, where experts created a facial reconstruction in hopes of generating tips. However, the case remained unsolved until 2023 when the sheriff’s office partnered with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and sent the remains to a private lab in Texas for DNA extraction. The DNA profile led genealogists to Pultz’s living relatives, who provided samples for a match, confirming her identity.
Medical examiner Dr. Wendolyn Sneed examined Pultz’s remains and noted multiple injuries, including fractures of the nasal bones, ribs, and lower legs, as well as three surgical burr holes drilled into her skull. Burr holes are typically used by surgeons to relieve pressure on the skull caused by fluid build-up, often as a result of a head injury. Interviews with Pultz’s family indicated that these burr holes were likely done after her disappearance in 1968. The discovery of these injuries sheds light on the possible circumstances surrounding Pultz’s death and adds to the ongoing investigation into her homicide.
St. Johns County Sheriff Rob Hardwick emphasized the determination of his team in never giving up on solving cold cases like Pultz’s, highlighting the importance of skilled detectives and advanced DNA technology in bringing closure to families after decades of uncertainty. Mary Alice Pultz’s family has finally received some answers about her disappearance nearly 40 years ago, thanks to the relentless efforts of law enforcement and forensic experts who were able to positively identify her remains. Though the exact details of Pultz’s death may remain elusive, the identification of her remains marks a significant step forward in bringing justice and closure to her loved ones.
The discovery of Mary Alice Pultz’s remains serves as a reminder of the persistence and dedication of law enforcement agencies in solving cold cases and bringing closure to families of missing persons. The use of advanced DNA technology and partnerships with forensic experts played a crucial role in positively identifying Pultz after decades of uncertainty. The ongoing investigation into her homicide, with John Thomas Fugitt named as a person of interest, sheds light on the circumstances surrounding Pultz’s disappearance and death. The resolution of this 1968 missing person’s case stands as a testament to the commitment of authorities in seeking justice for victims and their families.
