The King County Sheriff’s Office announced Monday (March 19, 2012) progress on efforts to identify the remains of eight individuals who have been long termed “John/Jane Doe” homicide victims, including one found at a little league field in Burien in 1984.
The Bode Technology Group, working with police under an NIJ (National Institute of Justice) Grant, have been able to obtain full DNA profiles on the remains of seven of eight sets of remains sent to them, and a strong partial profile on the eighth set of remains.
“These are remains that in some cases have gone to several prior labs without profiles being developed,” said Sgt. Cindi West of the KCSO. “New DNA technology and testing lead Bode Tech to the DNA profiles. In conjunction with the grant, the profiles will now go to the University of North Texas for review and uploading into the National DNA database.”
Detectives hope that once the profiles are uploaded, they will be matched up to missing person cases that have had profiles submitted to a DNA database. Typically family members of missing persons provide DNA samples to be used in “building” a DNA profile that would represent their missing family member. Other times a toothbrush, comb or other personal item left behind by the victim can be used to form a DNA profile for the victim.
The Cases involved are:
Case number- 84-054800 (ME 84-0346): Green River Killer Homicides: “Bones 10”
Found 03/21/1984 at a little league filed in Burien. Gary Ridgway plead guilty to this murder. The victim’s remains have never been identified.
Case number- 03-263862 (ME 03-1139): Green River Killer Homicides: “Bones 20”
Found 08/21/2003 at 24000 block of Kent-Des Moines Rd in Kent. Gary Ridgway lead detectives to these remain, and has pled guilty to this murder. The victim’s remains have never been identified. Strong Partial DNA Profile
Case number- 69-014372 “Tolt Hill 1969 Jane Doe” murder victim.
The victim was found on June 5, 1969 one mile west of the Tolt River Bridge in eastern King County, near the town of Canation. the heavily decomposed body was on a dirt road that is now 290th Ave NE. The body was dubbed the “Tolt Hill jane Doe.” At the time the Medical Examiner’s Office described the woman as Caucasion, 23 to 28-years old, 5’1″ to 5’2″ tall, 105-115 lbs, with dark hair, She died from a few weeks to as much as six months before she was found.
Case number: 83-198246 Case Moniker: “North Bend Male”
Location: 1 Mile South of 42003 SE 166 St.
Date of Recovery: 10/12/1983
Facts: Male skeletal remains. Victim died from a gunshot wound to the head.
Case number- 88-260904 “Cascade Tunnel Man” ( see Bulletin )
This man died in an apparent accident in King County on November 2, 1988, after falling from a train in the tunnel through Stevens Pass. He was possibly living in the Wenatchee area in the Fall of 1988.
Case number: 91-280335 Case Moniker: “Snoqualmie River Skull”
Date of recovery: 9/5/1991
Facts: Partial female skull and vertebra remains. Est. age at time of recovery, 29.
Case number: 06-353095 Case Moniker: “Tolt Hill Female 2006”
Location: 2110 290 Avenue Northeast, Carnation (Tolt Hill Rd)
Date of recovery: 11/25/2006
Facts: Top portion of skull found in horse pasture. The remains very old, and may be a related victim to the “Tolt Hill 1969 Jane Doe” homicide whose unidentified body was recovered three blocks away in 1969.
Case number- 85-260579 (ME 85-1462): Green River Killer Homicides: “Bones 16”
Found 12/30/1985 near Mt View Cemetery in Auburn. Gary Ridgway has plead guilty to this murder. The victim’s remains have never been identified.
