Oak Ridge PD, Knox County Regional Forensic Center, and Othram Team to Identify of Knoxville's “Lady in the Lake”

The unknown woman, found in Melton Hill Lake, has been unidentified for 20 years
Funded
Funding complete
Help fund another case Your contributions pay for lab supplies and research tools

Would you like to help solve cases like this one?

You can help by contributing your DNA data here:
Contribute DNA
Published July 26 by Michael Vogen
SHARE
Media Inquiries

Summary

In March 2000, a woman's body was discovered by fishermen in the Melton Hill Lake in Knoxville, TN and is believed to have entered the water from upstream. Investigators described the unknown woman as Caucasian and estimate that at the time of death, she was likely 24–35 years old.

Termed "The Lady in the Lake", the unknown woman had long brown hair and pierced ears. She had no jewelry or notable distinguishing marks. She was 5'9" and was found with no clothing on her body. The unknown woman had extensive dental work, including silver fillings, a porcelain crown, and possibly braces at some point. Investigators suspect that the unknown woman might have been a drowning victim and that she might have been drugged. Despite a lengthy investigation, she has remained unidentified.

The Oak Ridge Police Department and Knox County Regional Forensic Center have partnered with Othram with the goal of using advanced forensic technology to identify this woman or to find her family. If anyone has any information that could aid this investigation, they are encouraged to contact the Oak Ridge Police Department at 865-425-4399, via email at PoliceTips@OakRidgeTN.gov. Please refer to medical exam case number 171107-197 or NamUs ID: UP2895. A DNASolves fund has been created to cover the costs of testing for this case.

Help fund another case Your contributions pay for lab supplies and research tools

Michael Vogen

Michael Vogen

Director of Case Management

2829 Technology Forest Blvd Suite 100, The Woodlands, Texas 77381
media@othram.com

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.

Similar cases

Read More
Read More
Read More
About Othram Inc.

Othram is the world’s first private DNA laboratory built specifically to apply the power of modern parallel sequencing to forensic evidence. Othram’s scientists are experts at ... Read morerecovery, enrichment, and analysis of human DNA from trace quantities of degraded or contaminated materials. Founded in 2018, and located in The Woodlands, Texas, our team works with academic researchers, forensic scientists, medical examiners, and law enforcement agencies to achieve results when other approaches have failed. Follow Othram on Twitter @OthramTech or visit Othram.com to learn how we can help you with your case. With dnasolves.com anyone can make a difference and help solve the next cold case.