‘Marin County Jane Doe' identified after six decades of mystery
(KRON) — A body that was found on a Tiburon cliff in 1966 by a hunter was recently identified after six decades of mystery. The red-haired woman, who was called 'Marin County Jane Doe' while her identity was unknown, was wearing a red cotton dress and a white trench coat when she died, according to DNASolves.com.
Using advanced DNA testing and samples stored by the Marin County Sheriff's Office, investigators at Othram's laboratory in Texas determined that her name was Dorothy Jean Williams, DNASolves.com wrote.
Williams was found deceased by a hunter who alerted authorities on December 18, 1966. Her cause of death was never determined.
The case was entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System. Through the initial investigation, investigators learned that a woman who matched 'Marin County Jane Doe's' description was seen at a fire station three months before the body was found. 'At the station, the woman stated that she was stranded and had no money for a taxi. After asking if she could sleep at the fire station, firefighters refused, and the woman walked away,' DNASolves.com wrote.
In 2022, the Marin County Sheriff's Office submitted forensic evidence to Othram's laboratory, where scientists created a DNA profile using Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing. The DNA led to relatives of Williams.
'Dorothy was buried at Mt. Tamalpais Cemetery and Mortuary in San Rafael, California prior to her identification,' DNASolves.com wrote. Her married name was Dorothy Jean Vaillancourt and she was born in Tasmania.
Kristen Mittelman, chief development officer for Othram, said, 'From the perspective of the family of this woman, she just disappeared, and they may have thought they'd never know where she went. It doesn't matter how old a case is, or whether it was hopeless in the past, there is technology here today that works, and it is able to give answers to a lot of families.'
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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