Mary Edith Silvani (September 29, 1948 - July 17, 1982), formerly known as Sheep Flats Jane Doe, was a woman found shot to death near Lake Tahoe in Nevada in 1982. She was a victim of serial killer James Richard Curry, who died by suicide in prison in January 1983 after confessing to three other murders.
Silvani was born in Pontiac, Michigan as the only daughter of John and Blanche Silvani. She grew up in the Detroit area before moving to California as an adult.
Discovery[]
When discovered, there were two sets of footprints leading to the scene from the parking area. One set returned to where a vehicle was parked and continued onto the freeway. She was sexually assaulted and shot in the head.
No one had seen her in the Tahoe area in the day before her body was found. An autopsy has shown that her last meal was a salad. She is currently buried at Our Lady of Sorrows on North Virginia Street in Reno, Nevada.
Her nickname originated from the fact that she was discovered in the Sheep Flats area outside of Mt. Rose on a hiking trail.
Investigation[]
Silvani was originally believed to be from Europe due to inoculation scars on her arm and her dental work. An independent dental examination in 2010 has discredited this original assumption. Other testing indicated she had spent time in the Western states. However, it's been confirmed that she was born in Michigan and her father was Italian. Most of her family is deceased, and she was not reported missing.
In July 2018, it was announced she has been tentatively identified, and in September her identity was confirmed, although withheld, due to the ongoing investigation. Her identity was announced in May 2019.
As of May 2019, Silvani's case is considered closed.
Gallery[]
Sources[]
- KOLO TV
- Fox Reno
- Detroit Free Press
- Mary Silvani on Wikipedia
- Mary Silvani at the DNA Doe Project
- Mary Silvani at the Doe Network