DISCOVERY:
On August 3, 1969, an off-duty sheriff’s deputy and others were hunting wild boar in Lompoc, Santa Barbara County, California. While walking along what was once the Grefco quarry road, they came upon the body of an unidentified female amongst a cluster of rocks.
According to police, she was likely killed where her body was found. It appears she’d been dragged to the location across the dust and shrub.
AUTOPSY:
Jane Doe’s body was brought in for examination, where it was found she’d died just days prior to being found. She’d been stabbed over 15 times and her throat had been split.
DETAILS:
The deceased is described as a white female between the ages of 16 and 25. She stood anywhere from 5’2″ to 5’4″ and weighed between 120 to 130 pounds. She had shoulder-length brown hair dyed a reddish-brown, and blue eyes.
When found, she was wearing a dark blue blouse; homemade white hip-hugger bellbottom pants with a blue floral print with daisies with a red centre; a black bra; pink bikini panties; brown sandals with a gold-coloured buckle; and thin, horseshoe-shaped gold earrings. Her ears were pierced, and she’d painted her fingernails with silver polish.
Her teeth were very distinct. She was bucked-teeth, and there were 19 fillings that had been done a year or two before her death. Based on the dental work, it’s believed she may have lived abroad before moving to the United States.
Samples of dirt from the crime scene were collected in an attempt to trace the origins of Jane Doe’s clothing. Her fingerprints were also taken. While witnesses came forward and missing persons reports were examined, none of the leads panned out. A possible connection between the deceased and Charles Manson was also looked into, given the proximity to the Tate-LaBianca murders, but no link was established.
There were two leads that held promise, but turned out to be dead ends. The first was a report from a woman who worked at Pea Soup Andersons during the 1960s. She told police that the daughter of a co-worker had gone missing in 1969, but she was unable to recall any other details. The second was from another woman whose friend from high school had gone missing around the time Jane Doe’s body was found. According to police, the friend had actually returned home a few years later, after the woman had moved from the area.
In 2001, Jane Doe’s remains were exhumed to collect DNA and to produce a new facial reconstruction. Evidence collected during the initial investigation was also re-examined.
CASE CONTACT INFORMATION:
Jane Doe’s dentals, DNA and fingerprints are available for comparison. However, it has been noted that the fingerprints, which have been sent to Interpol, are of poor quality.
Those with information regarding the identity of Jane Doe are asked to contact the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office at 805-681-4100. Tips can also be called into its Cold Case Unit at 805-681-4150 or the Coroner’s Bureau at 805-681-4145.
Image Credit: The Doe Network
Stories of the Unsolved 