Berkeley County Sheriff's Office & FBI Team with Othram to Identify a 1977 Homicide Victim

Summary

In October 1977, the partial skeletal remains of an unidentified individual were discovered by workers clearing brush from a property lot near Highway 52 in Goose Creek, South Carolina. Goose Creek is just north of Charleston in Berkeley County. Investigators arrived at the scene to find the remains scattered along the wooded area. It was determined that the remains were that of a black female. The woman was estimated to be between 5’ 2” and 5’ 8” tall and anywhere from 20 to 75 years old. Due to the condition of her remains, the woman’s weight as well as her hair and eye color could not be determined. Neither the woman’s identity nor her cause of death could be determined. The woman became known as Berkeley County Jane Doe.

In 2020, in a renewed effort to identify Berkeley County Jane Doe, the woman's remains were transferred to the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office. This prompted the opening of a death investigation to identify the victim and to determine whether a crime had been committed. Details of the case were entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) as UP70316. A forensic sketch depicting how the woman appeared during her life was developed and released to the public in hopes that it would generate new leads about her identity. An STR profile was developed and entered into CODIS in hopes of identifying a match to the woman or a close relative. Additionally, dental records were examined. Efforts to identify the woman were unsuccessful. In 2022, officials with the Berkeley County Sheriff's Office sought the assistance of Othram in hopes that advanced DNA testing could help to identify the woman.

In July 2022, the Berkeley County Sheriff's Office submitted forensic evidence to Othram in The Woodlands, Texas. Othram scientists used Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing® to build a comprehensive DNA profile for the unknown woman. After successfully completing the process, the DNA profile was delivered to the FBI's forensic genetic genealogy team and the FBI team performed the necessary genealogical research to generate new investigative leads in the case.

Using these new leads, a follow-up investigation was conducted leading investigators to potential relatives of the woman. During the course of the investigation, it was learned that serial killer Samuel “Sam” Little confessed that he strangled an unidentified woman after meeting her at a nightclub in North Charleston. He admitted to leaving the woman's body somewhere on the side of Highway 52.

This investigation led to the positive identification of Berkley County Jane Doe, who is now known to be Leola Etta Bryant, born February 5th, 1923. Bryant went missing in March 1974. She was last seen at the Midway Bar on Reynold’s Avenue, the same location Little stated he met the victim prior to killing her. Bryant, who was 51 years old at the time of her death, was reported missing to the North Charleston Police Department. Leola Etta Bryant was the 65th confirmed victim of Samuel Little.

Funding for the advanced DNA testing and forensic genetic genealogy used in this case was provided by NamUs, a national clearinghouse that assists the criminal justice community with the investigation and resolution of missing, unidentified, and unclaimed persons cases across the United States and its territories. NamUs is funded and administered by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) and is managed through a contract with Research Triangle Institute International. We are grateful for the support of RTI, NamUs, and the NIJ.