Connecticut Office of the Chief Medical Examiner and Othram Team to Identify 1994 Fairfield County Jane Doe

After twenty-nine years, a woman, whose remains were discovered in Darien, Connecticut in 1994, is now identified as Patricia Hall, born June 4, 1962.
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Published December 08 by Michael Vogen
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Summary

In September 1994, two teenagers discovered a human skull in a wooded area near a stream off of Interstate 95 in Darien, Connecticut. Investigators determined that the skull belonged to a white female who was between the ages of 40 and 50 years. It is estimated that the woman died as many as ten years prior to the discovery of her remains. No belongings or identifying characteristics were recovered and the identity of the woman was unknown.

In 2015, details of the case were entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) as case number UP14546. Since the discovery of the woman’s remains, law enforcement investigators have pursued various leads about her identity. Despite their efforts, the case went cold.

In 2023, in an ongoing collaboration aimed at solving the backlog of cold cases in Connecticut, the Connecticut Office of the Chief Medical Examiner submitted forensic evidence to Otham's laboratory in The Woodlands, Texas. Othram scientists developed a suitable DNA extract from the evidence and then used Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing® to build a comprehensive DNA profile for the unknown woman. Othram's in-house forensic genetic genealogy team used the profile in a genetic genealogy search to develop new investigative leads that were returned to investigators.

In a follow-up investigation, Connecticut Office of the Chief Medical Examiner investigators made contact with potential relatives of the woman, and were able to obtain a familial DNA reference sample. That reference sample DNA was submitted to Othram for comparison against the DNA of the unidentified woman using KinSNP® Rapid Relationship Familial Testing. This information allowed law enforcement to establish that the human skull found in 1994 was that of Patricia Hall, born June 4, 1962.

Othram's costs for laboratory and investigative effort in this case were covered by DNASolves® crowdfund. We are so grateful to everyone that helped crowdfund this case and other DNASolves cases.

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.

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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.