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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 (MP118696) and 2 other sources
In the winter of 1980, a 36-year-old woman named Maria A. Lindner vanished from Buffalo, New York, leaving behind a mystery that would endure for decades. She was last seen on February 2nd of that year. At the time of her disappearance, Maria was described as a white female, standing at 5 feet 1 inch tall and weighing approximately 105 pounds. She had brown, frosted, shoulder-length hair and hazel eyes. When she was last seen, she was believed to be wearing a white nurse's uniform with slacks, white shoes that had a ribbed sole and a blue star in the heel, and a beige canvas coat with fur lining. She was also wearing pearl earrings.

The circumstances surrounding Maria's disappearance point to a tragic accident across the border in Canada. It is believed that she was involved in a motor vehicle crash while she was visiting Ontario. The vehicle she was in, a red and white 1977 Ford Thunderbird with New York license plate 942-EKF, reportedly entered the Niagara River. This incident occurred at the Niagara River Parkway and Marshall Road in Niagara Falls, Ontario. Following the crash, it was presumed that Maria had drowned in the powerful currents of the river.

Despite the passage of over four decades, Maria Lindner's case remains unresolved. The initial belief that she drowned in the Niagara River has never been definitively confirmed, and her body has never been recovered. Over the years, law enforcement agencies have revisited her case, but no significant breakthroughs have been made. The lack of concrete evidence and the passage of time have made this a challenging cold case for investigators. The Erie County Sheriff's Office continues to have an open investigation into her disappearance, a poignant reminder of a life interrupted and a family left without answers. The overview of this case is one of presumed tragedy, yet without final confirmation, it remains an open wound for those who knew and loved Maria.

Last Seen: Feb 2, 1980

Links to Additional Sources (2)

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Possible Unidentified Matches (1)

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 — Ellery, New York - unidentified case UP15489
Jane Doe — Ellery, New York
UP15489 • Found Dec 6, 1983
View case
Sex ✓Female
Age 100%Est. 30–37 vs 36 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 88%54 mi away, same state
TimingFound 4 years after last seen
Height 68%5'4" vs 5'1"
Weight 76%128 lb vs 105 lb
Hair 100%Brown vs Brown
Eyes 60%Brown vs Hazel

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.