KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Jackson County Medical Examiner's Office is working to determine if advanced forensic DNA evidence could help identify the remains of an unidentified woman found in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1993.
According to DNASolves.com, law enforcement has investigated several leads about the Jane Doe's identity, but the case has gone cold and leaves officials questioning what happened 30 years ago.
Cable installers discovered the skeletal remains of an unidentified Black woman in the weeds of a vacant lot south of downtown on September 21, 1993.
Investigators determined the woman's remains were "minimally disturbed." They estimated that she was between 20 and 32 years old and approximately 5 foot, 2 inches tall, according to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs). Although, investigators determined that the Jane Doe had been deceased for a year before her remains were discovered, making it impossible for her physical features to be determined because of the decomposition that had taken place.
Investigators were also unable to determine the cause and manner of death.
According to NamUs, one or more of her limbs were not recovered, and a possible partial wig and false nails were found at the scene.
In 2009, she was entered into NamUs.
In 2023, the Jackson County Medical Examiner's Office teamed up with Othram, whose technology enables NamUs to identify human remains and resolve missing person cases, to see if advanced forensic DNA testing could identify the Jane Doe or a close relative.
Anyone with information that could aid law enforcement in identifying this Jane Doe is encouraged to contact the Jackson County Medical Examiner's Office at 816-881-6600 and reference agency case 93-ME-749 or NamUs ID #UP5013.
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