Homicide Victim Found Near California Highway in 1979 Identified

Police responding to the discovery of skeletal remains in a wooded area can make investigators think, how are we going to solve this one? Finding no more than skeletal remains, investigators knew they were in for the long haul.

In September 1979, a couple went out for a day of hunting and found human remains near Highway 175 in Lake County, California. This discovery would lead to an investigation that would last 45 years.

At the time, investigators believed the victim was a woman between 25 and 35 years old. She died between 1976 and 1979. Despite their hard work, they couldn’t figure out who she was. She became a sad murder mystery, faceless in a stack of cold, unsolved cases.

Added to National Database

The case was given UP58032 and added to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons Database. The woman still needed to be identified and remained unidentified for 45 years. Police worked hard to find out who she was but had little information.

Jane Doe Case Goes Cold for Decades

In 2023, there was new hope. The California Department of Justice and Lake County Sheriff sent evidence to Othram Inc. in Texas. They hoped that DNA testing from Othram, Inc., could solve the mystery of the woman’s identity. Oram was able to create a DNA profile from the remains, finally giving the woman a chance to be identified.

Forensic Genetic Genealogy Breakthrough

The DNA profile allowed Othram’s experts to develop new leads for the Sheriff’s Office. This breakthrough would reveal the woman’s identity and start investigators into what happened to her.

Potential Relatives

Deputies found a potential relative in January but couldn’t initially confirm an identity. Then, in March, they found another family member. This person told them about their missing great-aunt from the 1970s.

Wanda Brewer: The Identified Victim

The Lake County Sheriff’s Office used new clues to expand their search. They eventually found genetic relatives of the unidentified woman. They got a DNA sample from possible family members and matched it to Jane Doe. This match proved that Jane Doe was Wanda Lee Brewer, who was from Arkansas and later moved to California.

Lake County Sheriff’s Office Perseverance

The Lake County Sheriff’s Office never gave up on their Jane Doe spirit to solve this 1979 mystery. With the advancement of DNA technology and the discovery of the victim’s family members, they finally learned who Wanda was.

Othram Inc.: Forensic Genealogy Experts

Othram’s The Roads to Justice (RTJ) program made Othram’s help possible. Scientists at Othram took DNA from evidence and made a complete DNA picture of the woman. Thanks to this, their genetic genealogy team helped find new leads for the Sheriff’s Office, leading to solving the mystery of the victim’s identity.

Unsolved Homicide Investigation Continues

The case of Brewer’s death is still an unsolved cold case. But now, with her identity known, law enforcement can develop leads that will hopefully lead to her cause of death and a perpetrator.

Conclusion

It’s taken almost 45 years, but a mystery from 1979 has been solved. A body found near a California highway has been identified as Wanda Lee Brewer. Thanks to new forensic methods and teamwork from law enforcement and the private sector, Wanda was finally identified, and her family had some level of closure.

Genetic genealogy played a crucial part in solving this cold case. DNA tests and family research made a big step forward in this gone-cold investigation.

However, there’s still a lot to figure out about Brewer’s death. Police are working hard to unravel the story behind this old crime. Their goal is to bring justice and peace to Wanda’s family and friends, who have long waited for answers.