DISCOVERY:
On April 18, 1985, the partial skeletal remains of an unidentified female were located in a field along Cooley Road, located in rural southeastern Clay County, Missouri. The only remains found were her skull and a few other bones, including numerous teeth. Two bullets were also recovered from the scene.
The area where the remains were found is in the vicinity of Missouri 210 Highway and Boyer Road, just north of the Missouri River, and is approximately 11 miles east of Missouri City.
AUTOPSY:
Upon the remains being brought in for examination, it was determined that Jane Doe had died approximately one month to a year before she was discovered, between 1984 and early 1985. The cause of death was homicide, the result of multiple gunshot wounds to the head.
DETAILS:
While Jane Doe’s race was initially unknown, later testing from the Center for Human Identification at the University of North Texas revealed she was likely African-American or biracial. This is in contrast to the previous theory, which stated she had been white. She had been between the ages of 17 and 25, and stood anywhere from 5’0″ to 5’9″. While her weight and eye colour are unknown, due to the state of the remains when found, it’s noted that she likely had brown hair.
A look through Jane Doe’s dentals showed she had several cavities that had not been attended to. There was also decay noted on both sides of her upper incisors, which would have been visible, and she is said to have had enamel hypoplasia, which may have been cased by a high fever.
While no clothes were located at the scene, it has been said that a brown tortoise shell-coloured hair comb was found near the remains.
In November 2015, police used a K-9 unit from the Missouri Search and Rescue Organization to search the field where the remains were found in 1985. It’s unknown if anything of value was recovered.
In October 2016, after the release of a new composite image, a tipster contacted Crime Stoppers. They said that Jane Doe may have used the name “Darlene” when alive and had resided in Kansas City, Kansas with her two children. The tipster claimed she may have been employed at an envelope company in the Northland, as the pair occasionally commuted to and from work together.
RULE OUTS:
1) Laronda Marie Bronson, who went missing from Portland, Oregon on November 19, 1982.
2) Kimberly LaWanda Carter, who went missing from Kansas City, Missouri on July 5, 1984.
3) Mary Georgine Lang, who went missing from Hays, Kansas on October 21, 1983.
4) Judith Erin O’Donnell, who went missing from Baltimore, Maryland on November 30, 1980.
5) Tracy Lynn Ramsey, who went missing from Kansas City, Missouri on October 30, 1984.
6) Leichia M. Reilly, who went missing from West Seneca, New York on January 31, 1985.
7) Tammie Lynn Wilkinson, who went missing from Kansas City, Missouri on June 21, 1984.
8) Karen Louise Wilson, who went missing from Albany, New York on March 27, 1985.
CASE CONTACT INFORMATION:
Jane Doe’s DNA and dentals are available for comparison.
Those with information regarding the identity of Jane Doe are asked to contact the Clay County Sheriff’s Office at 816-407-3750 or its Cold Case Squad at 816-407-3716. Tips can also be called into the Jackson County Medical Examiner’s Office at 816-881-6600, FBI ViCAP at 1-800-634-4097, or the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-8477.
Image Credit: NCMEC
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