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Daily Mirror
28-05-2025
- Daily Mirror
Skeletal remains posted to police 40 years ago identified as missing teacher
In a stunning discovery, skeletal remains have been identified four decades after they were sent to police as Kay Josephine Medin, who vanished from her home in 1987 The skeletal remains of a woman who vanished four decades ago have been identified, bringing a stunning end to a long-running mystery. Kay Josephine Medin, 48, vanished from her home in 1987 after husband Nickolas Medin reported she was missing when he returned from a business trip. Police frantically searched their home in Hyampom, rural Northern California, but they could find no signs of the teacher. The search hit a dead in despite multiple interviews with friends and family. 'She never showed up at school,' said Mike Fridley, a cold case investigator with the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office. 'They checked, they contacted her school, and they said that she seemed to be in good spirits and happy and didn't have any medical issues or anything. So that's what obviously made everybody wonder what the heck happened. Her stuff is still at the house. Her car's there. She just disappeared.' Kay's sudden disappearance from the quiet, rural community raised suspicions, reports Daily Record. However, a chilling twist came on November 25, 1987, when the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office received a disturbing package in the mail. Inside was a box containing skeletal remains and an anonymous letter that included a 'map leading to a location of more remains,' according to Fridley. The map pointed investigators toward an area near Ammon Ridge Road in Eastern Humboldt County. 'It's very straightforward and generic,' Fridley explained about the letter. Upon investigation, more remains were found in the location indicated on the map, and after forensic analysis, they were positively identified as Kay's, thanks to her dental records. The remains had not been buried. A death certificate for Kay was issued the following year, in 1988. To this day, the identity of the person who sent the letter remains a mystery. 'It could go either way,' said Fridley. 'It could have just been somebody that was deer hunting or didn't want to get involved, or it could be the killer. Who knows?' The case took another grim turn on February 16, 1993, when Fortuna Police discovered a partial skull on a beach near Trinidad Head, located around 150 miles from where Kay's remains were originally found. DNA testing was conducted and entered into both the California Missing Person DNA Database and the National Unidentified Person DNA Index, but there were no matches. In an effort to resolve the case, the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office received Community Project Funding from Congressman Jared Huffman's Office, which allowed them to clear the backlog of unidentified human remains cases. They sent the partial skull to a private forensic lab, Othram Inc., for genetic genealogy testing. Othram's analysis in September 2024 suggested the skull likely belonged to Kay. Investigators then reached out to Kay's daughter, obtaining a DNA sample from her. In early May 2025, the California Department of Justice confirmed that the skull did indeed belong to Kay. Now, Fridley is urging anyone with information to come forward to help bring closure to the case. 'I'm just looking for somebody that might have information that could help with the case,' Fridley said. 'Maybe somebody has some information that could get this case going again. And, you know, a lot of times as time goes by, people might come forward and talk to us that were reluctant to do that back then.' Nickolas Medin, Kay's husband, passed away in August 2018.
Daily Record
28-05-2025
- Daily Record
Skeletal remains posted to police are identified as missing teacher who vanished 40 years ago
Kay Josephine Medin, 48, disappeared from her home in in 1987. The skeletal remains of a woman who vanished almost four decades ago have finally been identified after being sent to police, solving a long-running mystery. Kay Josephine Medin, 48, disappeared from her home in 1987. Authorities were alerted to her disappearance, when her husband, Nickolas Medin, reported that after returning from a business trip, his wife was gone. The couple's home in Hyampom, located in Trinity County, rural Northern California, was thoroughly searched, with authorities combing the surrounding woods and areas, but there were no signs of the missing elementary school teacher. Despite interviews with friends and family, investigators struggled to find any clues, and the case eventually hit a dead end. 'She never showed up at school,' said Mike Fridley, a cold case investigator with the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office. 'They checked, they contacted her school, and they said that she seemed to be in good spirits and happy and didn't have any medical issues or anything. So that's what obviously made everybody wonder what the heck happened. Her stuff is still at the house. Her car's there. She just disappeared.' Kay's sudden disappearance from the quiet, rural community raised suspicions. However, a chilling twist came on November 25, 1987, when the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office received a disturbing package in the mail. Inside was a box containing skeletal remains and an anonymous letter that included a 'map leading to a location of more remains,' according to Fridley. The map pointed investigators toward an area near Ammon Ridge Road in Eastern Humboldt County. 'It's very straightforward and generic,' Fridley explained about the letter. Upon investigation, more remains were found in the location indicated on the map, and after forensic analysis, they were positively identified as Kay's, thanks to her dental records. The remains had not been buried. A death certificate for Kay was issued the following year, in 1988. To this day, the identity of the person who sent the letter remains a mystery. 'It could go either way,' said Fridley. 'It could have just been somebody that was deer hunting or didn't want to get involved, or it could be the killer. Who knows?' The case took another grim turn on February 16, 1993, when Fortuna Police discovered a partial skull on a beach near Trinidad Head, located around 150 miles from where Kay's remains were originally found. DNA testing was conducted and entered into both the California Missing Person DNA Database and the National Unidentified Person DNA Index, but there were no matches. In an effort to resolve the case, the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office received Community Project Funding from Congressman Jared Huffman's Office, which allowed them to clear the backlog of unidentified human remains cases. They sent the partial skull to a private forensic lab, Othram Inc., for genetic genealogy testing. Othram's analysis in September 2024 suggested the skull likely belonged to Kay. Investigators then reached out to Kay's daughter, obtaining a DNA sample from her. In early May 2025, the California Department of Justice confirmed that the skull did indeed belong to Kay. Now, Fridley is urging anyone with information to come forward to help bring closure to the case. 'I'm just looking for somebody that might have information that could help with the case,' Fridley said. 'Maybe somebody has some information that could get this case going again. And, you know, a lot of times as time goes by, people might come forward and talk to us that were reluctant to do that back then.' Nickolas Medin, Kay's husband, passed away in August 2018.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
She Vanished Decades Ago. Then Her Skeletal Remains Were Mailed to Police — and Now She's Been ID'd
Kay Medin, a school teacher, vanished from her rural home in Northern California in 1987 Her disappearance was deemed suspicious Medin's remains were found in rural Humboldt County and later on a beach near Trinidad HeadCalifornia authorities received the missing person report on August 3, 1987. Nickolas Medin reported that he had gone on a business trip and his 48-year-old wife Kay Josephine Medin was missing when he returned to their Hyampom home. The Trinity County Sheriff's Office searched the property and the surrounding woods and area but there were no signs of the elementary school teacher. Friends and family were interviewed but no significant clues emerged. 'She never showed up at school,' Humboldt County Sheriff's Office cold case investigator Mike Fridley, who is investigating the case, tells PEOPLE. 'They checked, they contacted her school, and they said that she seemed to be in good spirits and happy and she didn't have any medical issues or anything. So that's what obviously made everybody wonder what the heck happened. Her stuff is still at the house. Her car's there. She just disappeared.' Her disappearance from the rural Northern California community was deemed suspicious. Then, on November 25, 1987, the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office received a gruesome package in the mail. The box contained skeletal remains and an anonymous letter with a 'map leading to a location of more remains,' says Fridley. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. The map gave directions to a location near Ammon Ridge Road in Eastern Humboldt County. 'It's very straightforward and generic,' he says about the letter. There, detectives found more remains and were able to positively identify them to Kay using dental records. The remains were not buried. A death certificate was issued for Kay the following year in 1988. Who may have written the letter is still considered a mystery. 'It could go either way,' says Fridley. 'It could have just been somebody that was deer hunting or didn't want to get involved or could be the killer. Who knows.' The case took another twist on Feb. 16, 1993, when the Fortuna Police Department contacted the Humboldt County deputies with yet another gruesome discovery. This time, a partial skull was found on the beach near Trinidad Head, about 150 miles away from where Kay's earlier remains were discovered. However, a DNA sample was taken and entered in the California Missing Person DNA Database and the National Unidentified Person DNA index but there was no match. The Humboldt County Sheriff's Office received Community Project Funding from Congressman Jared Huffman's Office to clear the backlog of unidentified human remains cases and sent the partial skull found on the beach to the private forensic lab Othram Inc. for genetic genealogy testing. Othram later determined that the skull likely belonged to Kay in Sept. 2024. Investigators spoke to Kay's daughter and obtained a DNA sample from her. In early May 2025, the California Department of Justice confirmed the skull belonged to Kay. Now, says Fridley, he is hoping someone comes forward with information to help him solve the case. 'I'm just looking for somebody that might have information that could help with the case,' he says. 'That maybe somebody has some information that could get this case going again. And you know, a lot of times as time goes by people might come forward and talk to us that were reluctant to do that back then.' Nickolas Medin died in August 2018, he says. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office at 707-441-3024. Read the original article on People
Newsweek
08-05-2025
- Newsweek
Mystery Human Skull on California Beach Identified After 32 Years
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A team of forensic genetic genealogists have solved a mystery, identifying a human skull found on a California beach 32 years ago as a woman named Kay Medin. The Context The U.S. has a significant number of cold cases; the FBI's Uniform Crime Report data, which was analyzed by the Murder Accountability Project, found that nearly 346,000 homicides and non-negligent manslaughters had remained unsolved from 1965 to 2023. Trinidad Head and Little Trinidad Head with the rocky shore of Trinidad Bay. Trinidad, California Trinidad Head and Little Trinidad Head with the rocky shore of Trinidad Bay. Trinidad, California Hal Beral / VWPics via AP Images The FBI's National Crime Information Center (NCIC) reported in 2023 that there were 563,389 missing person records entered into the system, and by the end of that year, 96,955 cases remained active. The majority of cases were juveniles under the age of 21, which accounted for an approximate 39 percent of the records. What To Know In 2024 the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office in California submitted evidence to the Ortham laboratory in Texas with the hopes that the woman could be identified through advanced DNA testing. Newsweek has reached out to the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office via email for comment outside of regular working hours. The laboratory then developed a DNA extract from the skeletal evidence. They used Forensic-Grade Genome Sequence in order to build a DNA profile for the woman, and were able to identify the woman as Kay Medin, who also went by the name Kay Adams. Medin was reported missing on August 3, 1987 after she vanished from her home in Trinity County. She had worked as a schoolteacher in Hyampon. According to the Humboldt County Sheriff's office, Medin had been reported missing by her husband, Nikolas Medin, who died in 2018. He reported at the time that he had left on a business trip and returned home to find his wife gone. Medin's death is an unsolved homicide case. Her disappearance was listed as suspicious at the time. DNASolves, which is affiliated with the Ortham laboratory, shared a post about Medin having been identified on their website. This post stated that the majority of Medin's remains had been found 45 miles from her home, and her skull had been found nearly 100 miles away, adding that it is unclear how this happened. The post also said that in November of 1987, the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office had received a package in the mail which contained skeletal remains and an anonymous letter. This gave directions leading to human remains which were later identified as being Kay Medin. A death certificate was issued for Medin in 1988 when her skull was still missing. A partial skull was discovered five years later in February of 1993 on a beach near Trinidad Head. What People Are Saying Kristen Mittelman, chief development officer for Othram labs in a statement shared with media: "We're proud to be able to help investigators give these victims their names back, and hopefully move the investigation forward toward resolution. That's the most important thing." What's Next While Medin has been identified, the case remains unsolved. Anyone with information that could help the case is encouraged to call the Humboldt Sheriff's Office.
Miami Herald
07-05-2025
- Miami Herald
Skull found on beach in 1993 identified as woman who vanished in 1987, CA cops say
National Skull found on beach in 1993 identified as woman who vanished in 1987, CA cops say Nickolas Medin, who died in 2018, reported his wife, Kay Medin, missing to Trinity County Sheriff's Office on Aug. 3, 1987, deputies said. Photo from Humboldt County Sheriff's Office A skull found on a California beach in 1993 has been identified as that of a woman who was reported missing in 1987, deputies said. Using DNA testing, the remains were identified as Kay Josephine Medin, the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office said in a May 6 news release. Wife reported missing Nickolas Medin, who died in 2018, reported his wife, Kay Medin, missing to the Trinity County Sheriff's Office on Aug. 3, 1987, deputies said. He told deputies that when he returned from a business trip, he learned his wife was gone, the sheriff's office said. Investigators searched the Medin property and spoke to friends, family and her doctor, who said 'she had no serious medical issues,' deputies said. At the time of her disappearance, Kay Medin was a teacher at Hyampom School, and her boss told investigators she appeared to have 'been in good spirits,' deputies said. Kay Medin's purse and other personal items were found inside the home, deputies said. 'The Trinity County Sheriff's Office listed her disappearance as suspicious,' deputies said. Mysterious package Months after Kay Medin was reported missing, deputies got an odd package in the mail on Nov. 25, 1987, the sheriff's office said. 'The package contained skeletal remains and an anonymous letter,' deputies said. The letter directed deputies to where they could find additional human remains at an area in eastern Humboldt County, the sheriff's office said. Deputies searched the area and found more remains, according to the sheriff's office. Using dental records, deputies said the remains were identified as Kay Medin in 1988. Though she was issued a death certificate, her missing persons case remained open, as not all her remains were found, according to deputies. Skull found Five years later, a man 'found a partial human skull on the beach near Trinidad Head' on Feb. 16, 1993, deputies said. The man turned the remains over to Fortuna police, according to deputies. After getting a DNA sample from the skull, investigators entered it into the California Missing Persons DNA Database and a national DNA database, deputies said. The DNA profile was searched 'against profiles from both missing persons and other human remains in the Combined DNA Index System,' deputies said. However, no match was ever found, deputies said. Genetic genealogy to ID Then, decades later, deputies said they partnered with Othram Inc. in hopes of identifying the remains using forensic genetic genealogy. Genetic genealogy uses DNA testing coupled with 'traditional genealogical methods' to create 'family history profiles,' according to the Library of Congress. With genealogical DNA testing, researchers can determine if and how people are biologically related. Othram's scientists built 'a comprehensive DNA profile for the unknown woman,' the company said in a news release. Using the profile, Othram then found new leads for investigators, the company said. In a report, Othram said the skull may belong to Kay Medin and noted a possible daughter, deputies said. Investigators found the daughter, who gave a DNA sample, deputies said. Testing showed the skull belonged to Kay Medin, according to deputies. Kay Medin's 'case is still open and considered a cold homicide,' deputies said. Anyone with information is asked to contact Investigator Mike Fridley at 707-441-3024. Humboldt County is about a 310-mile drive northwest from Sacramento. Daniella Segura McClatchy DC Go to X Email this person Daniella Segura is a national real-time reporter with McClatchy. Previously, she's worked as a multimedia journalist for weekly and daily newspapers in the Los Angeles area. Her work has been recognized by the California News Publishers Association. She is also an alumnus of the University of Southern California and UC Berkeley.
