*UPDATE: The DNA Doe Project has uncovered the identity of the Marion County Jane Doe: Dana Nicole Lowrey.*
DISCOVERY:
On March 10, 2007, the skeletal remains of an unidentified female were found in a bushy area in Grand Prairie Township, Ohio. The area, which is surrounded by fields and located within Marion County, is along the 2500 block of Victory Road, just south of Linn-Hipsher Road.
AUTOPSY:
The body was examined upon the body being brought to the Marion County Coroner’s Office, where it was learnt Jane Doe had died sometime between 2002 and 2006.
DETAILS:
Jane Doe is described as being white. However, there is a belief she could have been either Asian or Hispanic. She is said to have been between 15 and 24 years old. She stood between 5’3″ and 5’9″, and weighed approximately 100 to 150 pounds.
Due to the state of the remains, her eye colour is unknown. Her hair was brown, straight and of short-to-medium length. She wasn’t wearing any clothing when found. According to authorities, she had received dental work throughout her life and had no fillings. She had four teeth that were impacted, and one of her top teeth were chipped. It’s currently unknown if the damage occurred before or after her death.
In 2016, serial killer Shawn Grate confessed to the murder of Jane Doe, saying she was his first victim. According to Grate, he first encountered her when she sold his mother magazines. He claims she never received them. A few months later, he saw Jane Doe walking along South Prospect Street and decided to our lure into his car, before driving her to his house and stabbing her to death in his basement.
In an interview with police, Grate described Jane Doe as being a young girl who was selling magazines door-to-door. According to a piece of ID he’d seen, she was 26 years old and her name began with a “D”, most likely “Dana” or “Diana”. He said she had a thin build.
Authorities believe she was residing in Ohio around the time of her death, and isotope testing suggests she was born in the Gulf Coast region, either in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Texas or Mississippi. According to the tests, she had spent the last years of her life living in Florida, Texas or the Caribbean.
RULE OUTS:
1) Patricia Adkins, who went missing from Marysville, Ohio on June 29, 2001.
2) Phyllis Brewer, who went missing from Lowellville, Ohio on June 13, 1981.
3) Linda Britton, who went missing from Cambridge, Ohio on June 11, 1963.
4) Darcy Brown, who went missing from Lakewood, Ohio on January 21, 1964.
5) Cynthia Anderson, who went missing from Toledo, Ohio on August 4, 1981.
6) Kristen Anderson, who went missing from Martins Ferry, Ohio on October 2, 2006.
7) Trudy Appleby, who went missing from Moline, Illinois on August 21, 1996.
8) Shannon Arif, who went missing from Clarksville, Tennessee on March 17, 1998.
9) Danielle Bell, who went missing from Pensacola, Florida on September 30, 2001.
10) Susan Cappel, who went missing from Newcomerstown, Ohio on March 16, 1982.
11) Cynthia Carmack, who went missing from Hamilton, Ohio on June 26, 1987.
12) Amber Cates, who went missing from Maury County, Tennessee on April 11, 2004.
13) Rachel Cooke, who went missing from Georgetown, Texas on January 10, 2002.
14) Clarissa Culberson, who went missing from Blanchester, Ohio on August 28, 1996.
15) Hope Curry, who went missing from Virginia Beach, Virginia on November 11, 2000.
16) Molly Dattilo, who went missing from Indianapolis, Indiana on July 6, 2004.
17) Evelyn Davis, who went missing from East Liverpool, Ohio on June 21, 1979.
18) Danielle Day, who went missing from Lindenwold, New Jersey on March 30, 2001.
19) Madeline Edman, who went missing from La Crosse, Wisconsin on July 29, 2005.
20) Nicole Engle, who went missing from Vancouver, Washington on October 2, 2001.
21) Shaylene Farrell, who went missing from Piqua, Ohio on August 8, 1994.
22) Jessica Foster, who went missing from Las Vegas, Nevada on March 28, 2006.
23) Elizabeth Franks, who went missing from Toledo, Ohio on April 14, 1965.
24) Tracy Hill, who went missing from Columbiana County, Ohio on June 7, 2001.
25) Emillie Hoyt, who went missing from Highland Beach, Florida on December 1, 2005.
26) Jennifer Kesse, who went missing from Orlando, Florida on January 24, 2006.
27) Margaret Leader, who went missing from Chicago, Illinois on October 10, 2005.
28) Lori Lloyd, who went missing from Kettering, Ohio on February 11, 1976.
29) Carla Losey, who went missing from Columbus, Ohio on December 31, 2002.
30) Brookley Louks, who went missing from Greenwood, Indiana on June 24, 2002.
31) Brianna Maitland, who went missing from Montgomery, Vermont on March 19, 2004.
32) Ashley Martinez, who went missing from Saint Joseph, Missouri on July 6, 2004.
33) Judy Martins, who went missing from Kent, Ohio on May 24, 1978.
34) Diana Mazariegos, who went missing from Fontana, California on June 23, 2006.
35) Melanie Metheny, who went missing from Belle, West Virginia on July 19, 2006.
36) Sherry Milton, who went missing from Ensley, Alabama on August 14, 2005.
37) Maura Murray, who went missing from Haverhill, New Hampshire on February 9, 2004.
38) Morgan Nick, who went missing from Alma, Arkansas on June 9, 1995.
39) Roxanne Paltauf, who went missing from Austin, Texas on July 7, 2006.
40) Donna Riggsby, who went missing from Sylacauga, Alabama on June 28, 2003.
41) Kimberly Riley, who went missing from Lorain, Ohio on December 23, 1998.
42) Christina Rodriguez, who went missing from New Port Richey, Florida on November 17, 2006.
43) Patricia Schmidt, who went missing from Richmond, Virginia on June 4, 1985.
44) Tiffany Sessions, who went missing from Gainesville, Florida on February 9, 1989.
45) Jamie Seymour, who went missing from Brick, New Jersey on July 22, 2005.
46) Patricia Small, who went missing from Liberty, Texas on May 11, 2002.
47) Karen Spencer, who went missing from Miami Township, Ohio on December 29, 1989.
48) Ashley Summers, who went missing from Cleveland, Ohio on July 9, 2007.
49) Heather Teague, who went missing from Spottsville, Kentucky on August 26, 1995.
50) Tabitha Tuders, who went missing from Nashville, Tennessee on April 23, 2003.
51) Danielyelle White, who went missing from Killeen, Texas on May 21, 2004.
52) Brandy Wilson, who went missing from Colfax, Indiana on June 4, 2002.
53) Renee Yeargain, who went missing from Torrington, Wyoming on August 10, 2004.
54) Dawn Young, who went missing from Sacramento, California on May 29, 2005.
CASE CONTACT INFORMATION:
Jane Doe’s dental records are available and DNA samples have been processed.
Those with information regarding the identity of Jane Doe are being asked to call the Marion County Sheriff’s Department at 740-382-8244 or the Marion County Coroner’s Office at 740-383-7036.
Image Credit: Carl Koppelman/The Doe Network
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