Police officers have identified a woman who was found dead in a San Diego ravine 27 years ago wearing a high-school reunion t-shirt.
Following years of attempts to determine her identity, El Cajon Police Department said officers have identified the woman as Alicia Ledezma Sanchez after confirming a DNA match with her son.
Newsweek contacted El Cajon Police Department via email on Tuesday, outside of regular working hours.
Why It Matters
The identification of this cold-case victim highlights how advances in DNA technology and public collaboration are propelling the investigation of long-unsolved crimes.
What To Know
The body of a woman was discovered in a ravine in Avocado, El Cajon, in August 1998, according to El Cajon police.
The remains were badly decomposed, and the woman was believed to have been deceased for six weeks at the time. The death was determined to be a homicide.
Police said the woman was believed to be white or Hispanic with brown hair, approximately 5 feet, 2 inches and weighing 110 pounds. She was believed to be in her 30s and had at least one pregnancy.
The woman had been wearing a blue T-shirt that said, “Woodruff Warriors 20 year reunion 1971-1991,” along with a silver herringbone bracelet and black shoes.
Authorities made several attempts over the years to identify her, including in 2003 by the Cold Homicide Unit of the El Cajon Police Department creating a forensic sculpture using her skull.
A DNA profile was developed in 2008, but no matches were found.
Beginning in 2022, El Cajon’s volunteer Cold Case Unit partnered with Othram and Parabon NanoLabs to use advanced DNA technology, including genetic genealogy and phenotyping, to generate new leads.
The research revealed that the victim likely had family ties to Michoacán de Ocampo, Mexico, and potential relatives in the San Diego area, Othram said.
A distant relative was identified, who then shared the information about the case in a Facebook group of people in Michoacán, prompting a potential family member to get in contact.
DNA testing confirmed a match with the woman’s son, finally identifying her 27 years after her death.
What People Are Saying
Othram, the forensic genealogy company that worked on the case, said: “This case is a compelling demonstration of how the combination of forensic genetic genealogy and public participation can bring resolution to even the most complex cold cases.”
What Happens Next
Police officers have still not revealed any potential suspects in her death, and have requested anyone with knowledge of the crime to come forward.
