State police in Nevada said that the human remains that were found inside a garment bag in a remote part of the state about 45 years ago have been identified.
On October 26, 1978, the Pershing County Sheriff’s Office discovered a garment bag containing both decomposed bodies and articles of women’s clothing in Imlay, a tiny town about two hours north of Reno. Police had problems finding the victim, despite the autopsy identifying her as a Caucasian woman in her 40s or older.
For years, investigators combed through the material and pursued leads, but the case remained open. It was then entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System along with a drawing of the woman’s alleged look at the time of her death. She was reported as having red or auburn hair and standing at 5 feet 5 inches.
Investigators eventually got a break in the case in March of last year when they partnered up with Othram Inc., a private laboratory that specializes in forensic genealogy analysis. As a consequence of advancements in DNA analysis, Nevada State Police said on Wednesday that their teamwork had paid off and that they had successfully identified their Jane Doe.
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Florence Charleston was a woman in her late sixties who had just moved to Portland, Oregon from Ohio. According to the authorities, she was located 535 miles from her new home in a little cemetery.
According to a second news release from Othram, the nameless lady’s DNA was used “to develop a comprehensive DNA profile for the unnamed woman.” Detectives were able to locate two of Charleston’s nieces in Ohio because of this DNA profile.
Charleston’s death and subsequent burial in such a remote location remain a mystery. The predicament is currently being investigated.
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