The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office has announced that a victim in a homicide case from nearly four decades ago has been identified. Human remains were found in a shallow grave on Crescent Beach in April 1985, and the victim was determined to be a white female between the ages of 30 and 50. The manner of death was ruled as a homicide. After years of advancements in DNA technology, the remains were sent to a private forensics lab, where they were eventually identified as Mary Alice Pultz in January 2024. Pultz was born in 1943 and raised in Maryland, last seen by her family in 1968 after leaving with her boyfriend.
Investigators discovered that Pultz had burr holes in her skull, indicating she underwent brain surgery after 1968 and suffered severe trauma that would have required hospitalization. Dr. Wendolyn Sneed, the Chief Medical Examiner, also found evidence of an abscess in the upper gum line of the skull that would have caused discomfort and pain. Despite these injuries, they are not directly related to the cause of death at the time of the homicide. Pultz’s boyfriend, John Thomas Fugitt, also known as Billy Joe Wallace, was considered a person of interest in the case. Fugitt was sentenced to death in Georgia for the 1981 murder of a male roommate and died in prison before his execution.
St. Johns County Sheriff Rob Hardwick praised the dedication of his detectives and the advancements in DNA technology for providing answers to Pultz’s family after nearly 40 years. The investigation serves as an example that law enforcement will never give up on solving cold cases. The Sheriff’s Office is actively investigating the homicide, and anyone with information related to the case is encouraged to come forward. This case highlights the importance of continued efforts in solving cold cases and bringing closure to both victims and their families.
The discovery of Mary Alice Pultz’s identity after decades of efforts showcases the power of modern forensic technology in solving cold cases. Through DNA analysis and the submission of profiles to genealogy databases, the victim was ultimately identified by potential relatives. Pultz’s history and past injuries provided valuable insights into her life and potential events leading up to her death. The connection to her boyfriend, who was known to have a violent past, adds another layer to the investigation of the homicide.
The case of Mary Alice Pultz sheds light on the challenges faced in communicating and investigating cases from past decades. The lack of communication and information available to law enforcement at the time of her disappearance hindered the progress of the investigation. Despite these obstacles, advancements in DNA technology and the dedication of detectives played a crucial role in finally identifying Pultz. The ongoing investigation into her homicide underlines the commitment of law enforcement to seek justice for victims and their families, no matter how much time has passed since the crime occurred.
The identification of Mary Alice Pultz’s remains serves as a reminder of the unresolved cases that still exist in law enforcement databases. The discovery of her identity after nearly four decades highlights the importance of perseverance and advancements in forensic technology in solving cold cases. As the investigation into Pultz’s homicide continues, the Sheriff’s Office encourages anyone with information related to the case to come forward. The efforts to bring closure to Pultz’s family and seek justice for her death reflect the dedication of law enforcement to solve cold cases and uphold justice.
