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Cases In Progress

Contact

IGG Center

Ramapo College

505 Ramapo Valley Road
Mahwah, New Jersey 07430

e: igg@ramapo.edu

This page will be updated with cases being worked on or that have been solved by staff and students at the Ramapo College Investigative Genetic Genealogy Center.

We do not list cases of violent crime in which we are working to identify the suspect, due to the sensitive nature of such cases.

ARIZONA CASES
Bagdad Betty Jane Doe 1986 (AZ)

silhoutte of a women standing in front of a ranch scene

The skeletal remains of Bagdad Betty were located by a hiker on September 8, 1986 near a ranch in Bagdad, Arizona.

She was estimated to be 24-31 years or age and 5’6″ in height. She had medium to dark brown hair and was found with a green halter top bra, a green and white shirt with “Julie Girl” label and athletic shoes.

The RCNJ IGG Center is assisting the Yavapai County Medical Examiner’s Office and the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office to identify Bagdad Betty Jane Doe.

Our team partnered with Genologue and Intermountain Forensics to generate an investigative genetic genealogy profile for this case, which will be worked by students in our Investigative Genetic Genealogy Certificate Program.

Missouri Street John Doe 2004 (AZ)

silhouette of a male looking over a city

The remains of Missouri Street John Doe were found April 3, 2004 in a dumpster on Missouri Street in Tucson, Arizona.

The decedent was 5’4″ and 115 pounds at the time of death, and is thought to be of Latin American descent. He wore a removable denture and wore Bosse brand denim pants (size 30), two pairs of socks (one black, one white), and black HGH brand tennis shoes.

The RCNJ IGG center is teaming up with the DNA Doe Project and Pima County Office of the Medical Examiner to identify this John Doe.

 

 

 

 

Limberlost Park John Doe 2008 (AZ)

pair of black tennis shoes and a prayer book from "Priests of the Sacred Heart" in Hales Corner, Wisconsin.

The remains of Limberlost Park John Doe were found April 17, 2008 in Tucson, Arizona.

John Doe was 5’11” tall and weighed 150 lbs. He was clothed in a white shirt, blue jeans, black tennis shoes and had in his possession a prayer book from “Priests of the Sacred Heart” in Hales Corner, Wisconsin.

The RCNJ IGG Center is teaming up with the DNA Doe Project and Pima County Office of the Medical Examiner to identify this John Doe.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ajo Tattoos John Doe 2014 (AZ)
tattoo of a nautical star and a clown with "Smile Now Cry Later"

nautical star tattoo courtesy of NCMEC

Update 12/7/23: Students in our Fall IGG Certificate Program have discovered new information about Ajo Tattoos John Doe. This man, whose remains were found near the town of Why, Arizona in 2014, is now believed to be of Mexican descent.

Possible Familial Surnamces: Ahumada, Cadena, Garcia, Gonzales, Leal, Leyva, Lopez, Montemayor
Possible Regions: Southern California, Arizona, Guasave & El Amole, Sinaloa, Mexico, Nuevo Leon, Mexico.

If you’d like to help identity this man, please upload to GEDmatch and/or FamilyTreeDNA if these surnames or regions are in your family tree.
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The remains of Ajo Tattoos John Doe were discovered April 18, 2014 near the town of Why, Arizona. He is believed to have been 6’1″-6’4″ in height and 18-25 years old at his time of death and had distinctive tattoos including multicolored nautical stars and a clown with “Smile Now, Cry Later”

The RCNJ IGG Center is once again teaming up with Pima County Office of the Medical Examiner to identify Ajo Tattoos John Doe 2014. Intermountain Forensics has successfully extracted DNA from skeletal remains of this John Doe which will soon undergo sequencing to obtain a profile suitable for genealogy.

El Mirage Jane Doe 2022 (AZ)

Sketch of El Mirage Jane Does face

The remains of El Mirage Jane Doe were discovered behind a remote desert area at a local golf course in El Mirage, Arizona on December 22, 2022.

She was estimated to be between 56 and 80 years old, 5’7” in height, and weighed 114 lbs. She had brown hair and no obvious scarring or tattoos.

We are excited to partner with the Maricopa County Medical Examiners Office to identify El Mirage Jane Doe.

 

CALIFORNIA CASES
San Juan Capistrano Jane Doe 2014 (CA)

The remains of San Juan Capistrano Jane Doe were found in Casper’s Wilderness Park in Orange County, California in 2014.

She was estimated to be 30-60 years of age with shoulder-length, wavy, dark brown hair with light colored highlights. With her remains, investigators discovered a bright green hair scrunchie band and dark colored windbreaker with “Coach Williams” embroidered on the chest.

We are honored to partner with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department to help restore Jane Doe’s identity.

FLORIDA CASES
Altamonte Springs Jane Doe 1974 (FL)

Reconstruction image of Altamonte Springs Jane Doe 1974

 

The remains of an unidentified woman, known as Altamonte Springs Jane Doe, were discovered behind what would later become the Interstate Mall near the intersection of I-4 and Hwy 436 in 1974. Estimated to be between 30 and 50 years old, she was about 5 feet 2 inches tall and weighed approximately 160 lbs, with light brown hair. Her attire at the time of discovery included a a light-colored, crew neck sleeveless knit shirt with a 10″ zipper in the back, metal yellow rings (pictured), and a white bra labeled “exquisite form”.

According to a report in The Orlando Sentinel dated November 26, 1974, the metal yellow rings were described as a “gold wedding band that contained three diamonds: a three-carat diamond in the center with one carat stone on each side. The other ring, also gold, contained three one-carat diamonds.”

We are partnering with the Florida District 9 & 25 Medical Examiners Office and the Altamonte Springs Police Department to restore Altamonte Springs Jane Doe’s identity.

Orange County John Doe 1996 (FL)
Reconstruction image of Orange County John Doe 1996.

Reconstruction image courtesy of NCMEC.

The remains of Orange County, Florida John Doe were found on March 21, 1996 in Orlando, Florida. Due to features of his skeletal remains, it was believed that John Doe may have fallen or jumped from a great height, perhaps from an airplane.

John Doe was estimated to be 16-20 years of age at the time of his death. He is thought to have been a black male standing 5 feet 5 inches to 5 feet 11 inches tall. It is believed that he died 1-2 years prior to the discovery of his remains in 1996.

DNA testing and upload to accessible genetic genealogy databases has revealed that John Doe may have been from the islands of St. Maarten or Anguilla.

We are partnering with the Florida District 9 & 25 Medical Examiners Office and Florida’s Orange County Sheriff’s Office to identify Orange County John Doe.

MAINE CASES
Unity John Doe 2020 (ME)

Silhouette of a man standing over a creek bed in Maine.

The jaw bone belonging to Unity John Doe was discovered in a creek bed in Unity, Maine in 2020. John Doe’s height and weight could not be estimated as only his jaw bone was recovered. However, his age was estimated to be 25-35 years old at the time of death.

Our team is collaborating with the Maine State Office of the Chief Medical Examiner to restore John Doe’s identity.

Scarborough Jane and John Doe 2008 (ME)

Silhouette of a woman and man looking over the water in Scarborough, Maine.

Ramapo College IGG Center will partner with the Maine Office of the Chief Medical Examiner to identify Scarborough Jane and John Doe. The remains of these two individuals were found during excavation of a property in Maine in 2008. One skull recovered belonged to a female, and the other to a male. It is unknown whether their deaths are related.

 

MISSOURI CASES
St. Louis John Doe October 2021 (MO)

Silhouette of a man standing on the banks of a river

The remains of St. Louis John Doe October 2021 were found on October 8, 2021, in Coldwater Creek near Finchdale Court in St. Louis, Missouri. He is estimated to have been 5′ 11″-6′ 5″ tall and was wearing a Size 10.5 Skechers shoe.

Our team is collaborating with the St. Louis County Medical Examiner’s Office to restore John Doe’s identity.

St. Louis John Doe November 2021 (MO)

silhouette of a man walking on a path in the woods

The remains of a partially buried adult male were found off of Grant’s Trail in St. Louis County, Missouri on November 27, 2021. He is estimated to have been between 5′ 7″ and 6′ 1″ tall, but his approximate age, hair color, and eye color are unknown.

Our team is collaborating with the St. Louis County Medical Examiner’s Office to restore the identify of St. Louis John Doe November 2021.

NEW JERSEY CASES
Oldmans Township John Doe 1978 (NJ)

silhoutte of a man standing in front of marsh lands

The remains of Oldmans Township John Doe were discovered in marshlands located a short distance from Route 130 in Oldmans Township, Salem County, New Jersey in December 1978.

John Doe was estimated to be 35-45 years of age at his time of death. He had black, tightly curled hair and was wearing a long sleeved green and red plaid shirt made by Monzini. In pants pocket were butane lighter, one 25 cent piece, one amber vial with a white top, and one amber vial with a white top which contained orange pills – the markings on the pills were T21 on one side and W on the other side and identified as a prescription drug.

Salem County John Doe 1979 (NJ)

facial reconstruction of Salem County John Doe.

Salem County John Doe‘s remains were discovered June 2, 1979, in Quinton Township, Salem County, New Jersey. They were found in a shallow grave off of Jericho Road. It is believed he was between 18-22 years old when he died in the winter of 1978-1979.

He was wearing were white Madewell painters pants, “Lee” dark blue jacket (size S) with a gold colored metal “R” on the right and a quarter inch gold cross on the left jacket pocket.Michaelangelo heavy knit V-neck sweater, black Pro Ked sneakers and a gray metal 14 1/2″ chain with decorative gray metal horn ornament.

Montague Jane Doe 1980 (NJ)

sketch of Montague Jane Doe

The partial skeletal remains of Montague Jane Doe were found near High Point State Park in Sussex County, New Jersey in 1980. She was estimated to be 15-20 years of age and 5’1″ in height. She had dark brown hair, bleached blonde at the time of her death. Blue jeans (34-35 waist, 29-30 inseam) were found near the remains.

The RCNJ IGG Center has partnered with the New Jersey State Police Cold Case Unit to identify Montague Jane Doe. Astrea Forensics is performing necessary laboratory testing to develop a genealogy profile for this Jane Doe. We offer our thanks to NJSP for their trust in our team to restore Jane Doe’s identity.

Scattered Man John Doe 1995 (NJ)

photo of a beach in south new jersey

The skeletal remains of Scattered Man John Doe were found on beaches in South Jersey between 1995 and 2013.

His skull fragment washed up in Longport in 1995, and additional bones were later found in Margate in 1999 and Ocean City in 2013. At the time of his death, he was believed to have been between 30-40 years of age.

 

 

 

Burlington County Jane Doe 2004 (NJ)

sketch of Burlington County Jane doe. photo of her leopard print scarf and shoes.

Burlington County Jane Doe‘s remains were discovered on October 26, 2004 in a wooded area off of Fellowship Road in Mount Laurel, Burlington County, New Jersey.

She was estimated to be 25-35 years old at the time of her death. She was found wearing distinctive clothing including a leopard print scarf, Hilfiger jean shorts or skirt, white Nike youth sneakers size 5.5 and a black purse or black pocketbook containing Kleenex pack and nail file.

Old Bridge Jane Doe 2008 (NJ)

Photo of an old nike missile base and the silhouette of a women in the foreground

The remains of Old Bridge Jane Doe were found in a wooded area at the abandoned Nike Missile Base in Old Bridge, Middlesex County, New Jersey on February 14, 2008. She likely had brown hair and is estimated to have been 5’5″ tall, 120 – 130 lbs. and between 35-45 years old at the time of her death.

 

 

Hudson River Shore John Doe 2011 (NJ)

Clothing found with Hudson Shore John Doe. A pair of discolored socks and black shoes.

The remains of Hudson River Shore John Doe were found April 21, 2011 on the west shore of the Hudson River, Bergen County, New Jersey, after being washed up during a storm. His age was estimated to be 31-51 at the time of his death, and he is estimated to have measured 6’1″ and 225lbs.

Pictured are the white socks with the letters “TH” on sides and black, size 12 Rockport tie shoes that he was wearing at the time of his death.

Students in the inaugural Investigative Genetic Genealogy Certificate Program will assist in the investigative genetic genealogy work to identify Hudson River Shore John Doe.

This cases represent the first collaborative efforts between Ramapo College of New Jersey IGG Center, DNA Doe Project, and the Palisades Interstate Parkway Police.

Mercer County John Doe 2011 (NJ)

Sketch of Mercer County John Doe. Also included is an image of his watch and a gold ring.

John Doe’s remains were discovered in a wooded area off Route 295 in Hamilton, New Jersey, on July 20, 2011.

He was estimated to have been 5′ 9″ tall and 35-56 years of age, with grey hair. He was discovered wearing plaid pajama bottoms and a pin-striped blue and white shirt. Additionally, a gold ring and a watch with a distinctive face plate design were recovered with him.

The NJ Cold Case Regional Task Force, Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office and RCNJ IGG Center are collaborating to identify Mercer County John Doe 2011.

 

 

Warren County Foot Jane Doe 2017 (NJ)

Photograph of a Reebok sneaker

A foot washed ashore the Delaware River in Pohatcong Township, Warren County, New Jersey and was found by a resident there on May 21, 2017. The foot, inside an ankle sock and Reebok shoe, was determined to have belonged to an adult woman. The rest of Jane Doe’s remains have never been recovered.

New Jersey State Police Cold Case Unit and RCNJ IGG Center are collaborating to identify Warren County Foot Jane Doe. We thank Astrea Forensics for their assistance in performing lab work in this case.

 

WISCONSIN CASES
Harshaw John Doe 2000 (WI)

hemp necklace, gold ring with monogram of "HFM"and white bunny

The remains of Harshaw John Doe were found on October 4, 2000 in Harshaw, Wisconsin. He was estimated to be 45-60 years of age at the time of his death. He carried personal items including a possible portion of Pennsylvania drivers license or ID card, hemp necklace with a gold colored ring attached etched with the monogram “HFM” and a stuffed bunny rabbit.

The RCNJ IGG Center is thrilled to announce that we are once again partnering with the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office to identify Harshaw John Doe 2000. As always, we are incredibly thankful for the trust placed in our staff and students to assist in resolving this case.

Last updated 4/18/2024