Latest news with #KayMedin
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Yahoo
Partial human skull identified as California woman reported missing in 1987
Partial skeletal remains recovered in 1993 have been positively identified through DNA analysis as that of a Northern California woman reported missing in 1987, officials announced last week. Kay Josephine Medin, 48, was reported missing in Aug. 1987 by her husband Nikolas Medin, according to a news release from officials in Humbolt County. Her husband reportedly told investigators that he'd left on a business trip and when he returned, his wife was gone. 'The Medin property was searched, and friends and family were contacted. Her doctor was contacted, who reported she had no serious medical issues,' the release detailed. 'Kay was employed as a teacher at the Hyampom School. Her boss was contacted and reported Kay had been in good spirits. Kay's purse and personal property were found at the residence.' Investigators with the Trinity County Sheriff's Office listed her disappearance as suspicious. A little more than three months later, in Nov. 1987, the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office received a package containing skeletal remains and an anonymous letter with directions to additional remains in the eastern part of the county. Investigators followed up and located the additional remains, using dental records to positively identify Kay. A death certificate was issued in 1988, but she was still categorized as missing since her complete body had never been found, officials said. Then in 1993, a man walking the beach near Trinidad Head found a partial human skull and turned it over to authorities. DNA testing at that time did not indicate any matches. It wasn't until 2024, after receiving funding to clear up a backlog of unidentified human remains cases, that officials at HCSO sent the partial skull remains to a private lab for DNA analysis. Woman, 64, faces deportation after making wrong turn in Southern California After working up a DNA profile, the lab's in-house genealogy team used forensic genetic genealogy to see if any leads could be generated, soon releasing a report that Kay had a possible daughter. 'Investigators were able to locate the daughter and obtained a DNA sample from her,' officials said. 'The California Department of Justice later compared the two samples and confirmed the skull belonged to Kay Medin.' No arrests or charges have ever been made in connection with her disappearance and death, the Los Angeles Times reported. Her husband, Nikolas, died in 2018. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Daily Mail
11-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Skull found on California beach three decades ago connected to missing teacher
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 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.
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Yahoo
Forensic testing links skull remains to Northern California woman missing since 1987
A man was walking along a rocky, picturesque shoreline of Trinidad Head, located about 25 miles north of Eureka, when he spotted something unusual and unnerving. The unidentified man's discovery in February 1993 turned out to be a partial human skull that he handed over to the nearby Fortuna Police Department. To help identify the remains, the police forwarded them to the Humboldt County Sheriff's Department, which extracted a DNA sample and entered that into the California Missing Person DNA Database and the National Unidentified Person DNA index. The remains were unidentified until the Sheriff's Department announced this week it had linked the skull to the 1987 disappearance and death of a 48-year-old woman from Trinity County. The discovery was made through the aid of a third-party forensic tester and a federal grant. Authorities believe the skull fragments are the third set of remains belonging to Kay Josephine Medin, also known as Kay Adams, an elementary school teacher from Hyampom, who disappeared from that rural Northern California community in 1987. No witnesses, potential suspects or charges have ever filed in what authorities classified as a cold case homicide. Her husband, Nickolas, died in 2018. Read more: Man charged in cold case murder, sexual assaults could have more victims, police say While there's been no progress in finding out who killed Medin, this latest set of remains provides law enforcement another clue. Law enforcement officials credit Rep. Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael) for providing a community project grant designed to help clear a backlog of cold cases. Within a short span, the Sheriff's Department contacted Othram, a Texas-based forensic laboratory that specializes in genome sequencing that helps disentangle cold cases. The company claimed its assisted in solving 47 cases involving unsolved murders, unidentified remains or unresolved sexual assault kits over the last 90 days. The company utilized its forensic-grade genome sequencing to construct a DNA profile of the DNA sample from the discovered skull fragment. In September, Ortham generated new leads on the possible identity of the skull, which included Medin, to the Sheriff's Department. Included in the report were possible genetic relatives, including a daughter. Sheriff's investigators located the daughter, obtained a DNA sample and confirmed the skull was that of Medin. Ortham said in a release that Medin's case was the 63rd instance of individuals identified in California through its testing efforts. Read more: He found a girl's body in the snow in 1979. Nearly 50 years later, DNA shows he killed her Inquiries sent to Ortham and the Humboldt County Sheriff's Department were not returned. 'While Ms. Medin's case is tragic, I am relieved for the community that it has been brought to rest,' Huffman wrote in an emailed statement. 'Funding like this to help solve cold cases can not only bring justice, but closure to families and communities. I'm proud we were able to do some of that in this case.' The Sheriff's Department said that anyone who has tips regarding Medin should contact investigator Mike Fridley at (707) 441-3024. During the summer of 1987, Medin went missing while her husband was on a business trip. The family property was searched, while friends, family and her personal doctor were interviewed. Medin's purse and personal belongings were found in her home, and the Trinity County Sheriff's Office listed her disappearance as suspicious. Reports from the time said around 100 people, mostly volunteers, searched throughout remote and woodsy Trinity County. The local sheriff acknowledged at the time in an interview that he had run out of leads. Part of the mystery was solved in November 1987 when the Humboldt County Sheriff's office received a package of skeletal remains. A letter was included with directions leading to more, but what was found was still an incomplete set of remains. Those remains were recovered in East Humboldt County, about 45 miles from the Medin home while the skull was discovered 100 miles away on the shore of Trinidad Head. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
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.
