She disappeared in 1985 after leaving home with a friend, who later murdered someone. Her remains have just been identified

Mary Alice Pultz, a native of Maryland, was last seen by her family

Although a cold case in Florida remains unsolved for decades, investigators have made an important discovery: the identity of the victim.

On April 30, 1985, construction workers discovered human remains on a beach near St. Augustine, according to the Saint Johns County Sheriff’s Office. Initial investigation revealed that the remains belonged to a woman between the ages of 30 and 50, police said, and that she was the victim of a homicide.

In 2023, police sent the remains to Othram, a Texas laboratory that uses advanced genetic genealogy techniques to discover possible relatives of the victim. Ultimately, the remains were identified as those of Mary Alice Pultz, according to the sheriff’s office.

Born in Rockville, Maryland, Pultz was last seen by her family in 1968 before becoming estranged from them, police said. She left the house with her boyfriend, John Thomas Fugitt, who detectives discovered went by the alias Billy Joe Wallace and was sentenced to death for the murder of another man. Fugitt died in prison in 1981 before he was scheduled to be executed, police said.

Fugitt is considered a person of interest, although police have not ruled out alternatives.

Through examination of Pultz’s remains, it was discovered that she had surgical drill holes in her skull, which are used to relieve pressure on the brain. A medical examiner also recently reviewed the remains and found evidence of “multiple fractures of the nasal bones, healed fractures of multiple ribs and healed fractures of the lower extremities,” according to a statement from the sheriff’s office.

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The medical examiner said these findings suggest Pultz required hospitalization after severe trauma unrelated to the killing, according to the sheriff’s office, which said the injuries occurred after he left home in 1968.

According to police, Pultz has two surviving relatives, a son and a sister.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the sheriff’s office at crimetips@sjso.org.

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