Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department & the FBI Partner with Othram to Identify 1993 Homicide Victim

After 31 years, Jane Tropicana Jane Doe is identified as 38-year-old Linda Sue Anderson of Henderson, Nevada.
Solved

You can help by contributing funding.

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 January 16 by Michael Vogen
SHARE
Media Inquiries

Summary

In April 1993, while conducting field research in the Las Vegas, Nevada desert area of Tropicana Avenue and Durango Drive, a biologist discovered a grave covered with a handmade quilt and several large rocks. The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) Homicide Section responded to the scene and led the investigation. The Clark County Coroner’s office conducted an autopsy and determined that the remains were that of a female. The woman’s death was ruled as a homicide. It was estimated that her death occurred mid to late 1991.

Despite the investigative efforts of law enforcement, the woman could not be identified and she became known as “Jane Tropicana Doe”. The case remained unsolved and was assigned to the LVMPD Homicide Cold Case Section. Details of the case were entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) as UP14396.

In February 2023, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department once again teamed with Othram to determine if advanced DNA testing could help to identify Jane Tropicana Doe. Forensic evidence was submitted to Othram in The Woodlands, Texas. Othram scientists successfully developed a comprehensive DNA profile for the woman using Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing®. 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 work to generate new investigative leads in the case.

The FBI identified several promising leads and LVMPD Cold Case Investigators began working to identify family members of the unknown woman. Using familial reference DNA samples, investigators were able to identify the murdered woman as 38-year-old Linda Sue Anderson aka Linda Sue Andrews of Henderson, Nevada. Cold Case Investigators learned that family members last spoke to Linda Sue by phone in June of 1991. She was never heard from again.

The LVMPD Homicide Cold Case Section is investigating this case. Anyone with information about Linda Sue Anderson is urged to contact the Homicide Section by phone at 702-828-3521, or by email at homicide@lvmpd.com. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers by phone at 702-385-5555, or on the internet at www.crimestoppersofnv.com.

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.

In December 2023, working with LVMPD, Othram announced the identification of Sahara Sue Doe as 19-year-old Gwenn Marie Story. Story was discovered in Las Vegas in 1979.

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.