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Crime Solvers Central
302 Cases Solved. Advancing justice for missing persons, unsolved homicides, unidentified and unclaimed remains.

Case Description

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Summary based on the NamUs case record (MP28085) and 7 other sources
On a spring day in Fairfax, Virginia, 16-year-old Helen Irene Allison vanished, leaving behind a mystery that has spanned decades. On May 11, 1972, the teenager, a student at Bishop Dennis J. O'Connell High School in Falls Church, was given a ride to a local Jack-in-the-Box restaurant after school but never returned to her home. When she didn't come home or attend school the following day, her family was left to wonder about her whereabouts. At the time of her disappearance, Helen was described as a white female with brown hair and blue eyes, standing at 5'3' and weighing approximately 115 pounds. She was last seen wearing a white blouse, a pleated blue and gray skirt, and a white knit sweater.

Initially, Helen's family considered the possibility that she may have run away. However, as time stretched on with no word from her, concern grew that she might have encountered harm. It seemed unlikely to her loved ones that she would voluntarily stay out of contact for such an extended period. The details surrounding her disappearance remain scarce, with little public information available about the circumstances of that day. It is not publicly known why she was dropped off at the Jack-in-the-Box or which specific location it was. There have also been suggestions that she may have traveled to the Washington D.C. area after she went missing.

Decades have passed since Helen Allison was last seen, and her case remains an unsolved and painful enigma for her family and community. The Fairfax County Police Department continues to list her as a missing person, with the hope that someone might still come forward with information that could shed light on her fate. DNA from her family members has been made available for comparison with unidentified remains, a standard procedure in long-term missing persons cases. Despite the passage of time, the investigation into what happened to the 16-year-old girl who disappeared after a stop at a fast-food restaurant continues, a quiet but persistent search for answers in a case with very few leads.

Last Seen: May 11, 1972

Possible Unidentified Matches (9)

Unidentified remains cases whose details are consistent with this person, ranked by how closely they compare. Fields that are unknown in either case are left out of the score.

79%Possible
Jane Doe — Upper Marlboro, Maryland - unidentified case UP2260
Jane Doe — Upper Marlboro, Maryland
UP2260 • Found Sep 30, 1979
View case
Sex ✓Female
Age 100%Est. 18–29 vs 16 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 95%30 mi away
TimingFound 7 years after last seen
Height 84%5'5" vs 5'3"
Weight 0%173 lb vs 115 lb
Hair 100%Brown vs Brown
Eyes 100%Blue vs Blue
78%Possible
Jane Doe — Washington D.C., District of Columbia - unidentified case UP136202
Jane Doe — Washington D.C., District of Columbia
UP136202 • Found Dec 31, 2024
View case
Sex ✓Female
Age 85%Est. 60–80 vs 16 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 99%15 mi away
TimingFound 53 years after last seen
Height 100%5'4" vs 5'3"
Weight 99%103 lb vs 115 lb
Hair 70%Gray vs Brown
Eyes 100%Blue vs Blue
77%Possible
Jane Doe — Washington, District of Columbia
UP16571 • Found Feb 6, 2005
View case
Sex ✓Female
Age 100%Est. 40–50 vs 16 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 99%15 mi away
TimingFound 33 years after last seen
Height 100%5'3" vs 5'3"
77%Possible
Jane Doe — Brooklyn, Maryland - unidentified case UP1856
Jane Doe — Brooklyn, Maryland
UP1856 • Found Jul 27, 2005
View case
Sex ✓Female
Age 100%Est. 19–23 vs 16 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 90%46 mi away
TimingFound 33 years after last seen
Height 84%5'5" vs 5'3"
Weight 100%120 lb vs 115 lb
Hair 100%Brown vs Brown
76%Possible
Jane Doe — Frederick, Maryland - unidentified case UP1665
Jane Doe — Frederick, Maryland
UP1665 • Found Jul 31, 1991
View case
Sex ✓Female
Age 100%Est. 15–29 vs 16 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 92%40 mi away
TimingFound 19 years after last seen
Height 84%5'1" vs 5'3"
Hair 100%Brown vs Brown
75%Possible
Jane Doe — Quantico, Virginia - unidentified case UP118401
Jane Doe — Quantico, Virginia
UP118401 • Found Sep 26, 1976
View case
Sex ✓Female
Age 58%Est. 25–52 vs 16 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 97%22 mi away, same state
TimingFound 4 years after last seen
Height 100%5'1"–5'4" vs 5'3"
Hair 100%Brown vs Brown
75%Possible
Jane Doe — Winchester, Virginia - unidentified case UP6629
Jane Doe — Winchester, Virginia
UP6629 • Found Feb 3, 1991
View case
Sex ✓Female
Age 85%Est. 20–39 vs 16 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 89%52 mi away, same state
TimingFound 19 years after last seen
Height 100%5'3"–5'6" vs 5'3"
Weight 100%114–135 lb vs 115 lb
Hair 50%Blond vs Brown
75%Possible
Jane Doe — Baltimore, Maryland - unidentified case UP5439
Jane Doe — Baltimore, Maryland
UP5439 • Found Jun 15, 1987
View case
Sex ✓Female
Age 100%Est. 24–30 vs 16 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 90%48 mi away
TimingFound 15 years after last seen
Height 68%5'6" vs 5'3"
Weight 80%138 lb vs 115 lb
Hair 50%Red vs Brown
Eyes 70%Gray vs Blue
75%Possible
Jane Doe — Rawley Springs, Virginia - unidentified case UP6249
Jane Doe — Rawley Springs, Virginia
UP6249 • Found Nov 14, 1980
View case
Sex ✓Female
Age 100%Est. 20–30 vs 16 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 76%97 mi away, same state
TimingFound 9 years after last seen
Height 100%5'1"–5'3" vs 5'3"

These comparisons are generated automatically from public NamUs case data and are not confirmed identifications. Only DNA, dental or fingerprint comparison by investigators can confirm an identity. If you believe two cases are connected, contact the agency handling the unidentified case.

Unidentified photos are blurred because many are post-mortem. Tap a photo to reveal it.