Thanks to forensic technology, cold case investigators may be closer to identifying a woman killed more than 30 years ago and dumped in the desert east of Palm Springs, but authorities said Tuesday the public’s help remains vital to confirm who the victim was and solve the crime.
The woman’s remains were located by utility workers in open desert near Eagle Mountain Road, roughly a half-mile north of Interstate 10 in Desert Center, on Oct. 20, 1994, according to the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office.
The agency said Regional Cold Case Homicide Team personnel, composed of investigators from the DA’s Office, Riverside County Sheriff’s Department and Riverside Police Department, reopened the case three years ago and submitted genetic samples to Woodlands, Texas-based Othram Labs, resulting in a DNA profile, and in 2024, Parabon Nanolabs was able to create a photographic representation of the victim.
She was confirmed to be Southeast Asian, between 25 and 35 years old, just over 5-feet tall and about 130 to 150 pounds, with brown eyes, shoulder- length black hair and a light brown complexion.
In addition to the physical attributes, detectives said there was a yellow necklace on the victim, onto which was attached a medallion in the shape of a ship’s wheel bearing an anchor in the middle.
“To assist with this investigation, the Regional Cold Case Homicide Team is asking the community to contact investigators with any information about the identification of the victim, her jewelry, or knowledge about her disappearance or death,” according to the DA’s Office.
The agency said anyone who feels the victim could be a relative, or in some other way connected to them, should consider submitting DNA samples to an ancestry database with an established record of good conduct, including Family Tree DNA and GedMatch.
“Voluntary DNA submissions help … bring long-awaited answers to families,” officials said.
Anyone who may have information relevant to the investigation was urged to contact cold case detectives at coldcaseunit@rivcoda.org, or 951-955- 0257.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Public’s help sought to ID woman killed, dumped in desert decades ago
Reporting by City News Service / Palm Springs Desert Sun
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
