Summary
In July of 1984, the remains of an unidentified female were discovered along the northbound lanes of Interstate 65, approximately 2.5 miles south of Bowling Green, Kentucky. Located in Southern Kentucky, Bowling Green is the county seat of Warren County. It was estimated that the remains were that of a young girl between the ages of 12 and 16 years at the time of her death. The girl could not be identified and she became known as Warren County Jane Doe, and was often referred to as Bowling Green Jane Doe, named for the city where her remains were found. Warren County Jane Doe’s height was estimated to be 4’11” and her weight was approximately 115 pounds.
At the time of her discovery, Warren County Jane Doe was wearing a long-sleeve multi-color blouse and red corduroy Levi pants. It was noted that the girl likely suffered an injury to the back of her head during her life. She had several dental fillings and displayed hypoplasia, a disorder affecting tooth enamel, on two of her bottom teeth.
Throughout the investigation, multiple depictions of how the girl may have looked during her life were developed. In 1984, a clay facial approximation was developed, and then in 2013 and again in 2018, facial reconstructions were released to the public in hopes that Bowling Green Jane Doe could be identified. Details of the case were entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) as UP102. Despite investigators’ efforts to identify the Jane Doe, her identification remained a mystery for four decades.
In an effort to finally identify the young woman, the Kentucky State Medical Examiner's Office teamed with Othram to determine if advanced DNA testing could help in her identification. A DNASolves crowdfund was created to raise funds for the casework costs. We are grateful for those who contributed. In 2022, forensic evidence was submitted to Othram’s laboratory in The Woodlands, Texas, where scientists successfully developed a DNA extract for use in Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing®. A comprehensive DNA profile was built for Warren County Jane Doe, enabling Othram’s Forensic Genetic Genealogy team to carry out the necessary genealogical research to develop new leads in the case.
These leads were returned to officials with the Kentucky State Medical Examiner's Office, who launched a follow-up investigation. This investigation included extensive interviews and the research of records allowing for the identification of Warren County Jane Doe, who is now known to be Patricia Armentrout. Patricia was born on April 20, 1964 in Bethesda, Maryland. An investigation into Patricia’s death and her final days is ongoing.
The identification of Patricia Armentrout represents the eighth case in the State of Kentucky where officials have publicly identified an individual using technology developed by Othram. You can learn more about other cases in Kentucky by clicking here.
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.