Skull found on California beach three decades ago connected to missing teacher

Daily Mail​

11-05-2025

A human skull discovered on a California beach in 1993 has been identified as belonging to a beloved schoolteacher who vanished without a trace in 1987.
The decades-old case breakthrough came after advanced DNA testing matched the skull to 48-year-old Kay Josephine Medin through a sample provided by her daughter.
The identification was made possible by the forensic genealogy firm Othram, which specializes in solving cold cases using DNA analysis, KRCR reported.
'This week, Josephine Medin's loved ones got the answers they've needed for 32 years since her disappearance. I hope this discovery helps them find peace and closure,' US Representative Jared Huffman wrote on X.
Medin, a teacher at Hyampom School, was last seen on August 3, 1987, when her husband, Nickolas Medin, returned home from a work trip to find her missing.
Her purse and other 'personal property' were found at the residence, suggesting she had intended to return.
However, despite extensive searches by local volunteers in the rugged terrain surrounding their home, there was no sign of the missing schoolteacher.
Several months later, in November 1987, the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office (HCSO) received an anonymous package containing some of Medin's skeletal remains.
The package also included an anonymous letter directing investigators to additional remains near Ammon Ridge Road in eastern Humboldt County - about 45 miles from her home.
In February of 1993, the Fortuna Police Department contacted the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office to report the discovery of a woman's partial human skull found on the beach near Trinidad Head - about 100 miles from Medin's home. Pictured: Trinidad Beach in Humboldt County, California
The remains were positively identified through dental records, but the cause of her death remained undetermined and no suspects were arrested.
A death certificate was later issued for Medin in 1988, however, she remained listed as a missing person as there was not a complete body recovery.
Years later, in February of 1993, the Fortuna Police Department contacted the HCSO to report the discovery of a woman's partial human skull found on the beach near Trinidad Head - about 100 miles from Medin's home.
The mysterious skull however remained unidentified until recent DNA testing confirmed its identity.
The circumstances of how the beloved teacher's remains were dispersed over such a wide area remain unclear, and her death has since been considered a homicide.
Authorities have stated that Medin's husband, who reported her missing, is not considered a suspect, as he died in 2018.
The case was only reopened after Huffman secured federal funding to help clear a backlog of unidentified remains cases.
Using these funds, the HCSO submitted the mysterious skull to Othram's lab in The Woodlands, Texas, to determine if DNA testing could yield new information.
Several months later, Othram provided investigators with new leads, including the possible identity of the skull's owner.
The discovery led to a follow-up investigation and the identification of a potential relative.
The California Department of Justice compared the relative's DNA to the profile developed from the skull, confirming it belonged to Kay Josephine Medin - also known as Kay Adams at the time she was reported missing in 1987, according to DNASolves.com.
Investigators continue to seek answers in the hopes of uncovering the truth behind Medin's disappearance and death. Anyone with information is urged to contact Humboldt County Investigator Mike Fridley at 707-441-3024.