Summary
In June 1993, the remains of an unidentified individual were found in an empty lot in Bridgeport, Connecticut, which is located southwest of New Haven off of I-95. The Bridgeport Police Department responded to the scene in a vacant lot at Lafayette Street and Railroad Avenue in the south end of the city. The Connecticut Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined that the remains were that of a black female between 25 and 35 years of age who stood 5’ 3” tall. The woman was badly burned and no other identifying characteristics could be determined. A white Asics sneaker was found near the woman’s remains as well as a Reebok sneaker. It was determined that the woman's manner of death was homicide.
In 2015, case details were entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) as #UP14478. Additionally, a composite sketch depicting how the woman may have looked during her life was developed and released to the public in hopes that it would generate new leads in the case. For more than thirty years, the identity of the woman has remained a mystery despite efforts of investigators.
In 2024, as part of an ongoing collaboration aimed at solving the backlog of cold cases in Connecticut, the Connecticut Office of the Chief Medical Examiner partnered with Othram in The Woodlands, Texas to determine if advanced DNA testing could help to identify the woman. So far, five individuals have been identified through this collaboration, including Linda Sue Childers, formerly known as "Lorraine Stahl". Childers' identity was determined in March 2024, nearly fifty years after her remains were discovered in Ledyard, Connecticut. To read about other solved and in-progress Connecticut cases, click here.
Othram will use Forensic-Grade Genomic Sequencing® to build a comprehensive DNA profile to generate new investigative leads for the case. Anyone with information that could aid in this investigation is encouraged to contact the Connecticut Office of the Chief Medical Examiner by calling 860-679-3980 and referencing agency case 93-05848 or NamUs ID #UP14478.
A DNASolves crowdfund has been created to raise funds for the casework costs. Anyone can contribute here. We are grateful for your support.
Michael Vogen
Director of Case Management
Michael works with law enforcement agencies throughout the United States and Canada on “unsolvable“ cases that can benefit from advanced DNA testing methods. He helps these agencies use cutting edge DNA sequencing and new forensic techniques to develop investigative leads for their cases.