Catherine Rusoff
Skeletal remains found in a plastic bag in California in 1985 have been identified as those of a woman who was born during the American Civil War and died more than a century ago, according to a laboratory that works with law enforcement to solve cold cases. all over the country. .
The partial skeletal remains were found in October 1985, in a plastic bag near the Channel Islands harbor west of Los Angeles, Othram, a laboratory specializing in forensic genetic genealogy, said in a press release. At the time, it was determined that the bones belonged to a woman who was between 35 and 50 years old when she died, but no other information was available. Officers from the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
The case remained cold for decades. In 2016, case information was entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System and facial reconstruction was performed in clay. A photo of the reconstruction was released publicly to try to generate new leads, but no matches were made despite “extensive efforts” by authorities, Othram said.
Othram
The Ventura County Sheriff’s Cold Case Unit worked with the county coroner’s office in May 2023 to send forensic evidence in the case to Othram. The Texas-based laboratory uses DNA evidence and other analyzes such as forensic genetic genealogyto help identify remains like those found in this case.
Othram scientists developed a DNA extract, the company said, and conducted forensic-grade genome sequencing, which requires only a small sample of DNA to create a more complete profile. From this DNA profile, the company’s genetic genealogy team began carrying out extensive research, which provided new clues.
Investigators connected with possible relatives and ultimately a DNA reference sample was collected from a possible family member. This DNA sample allowed police to identify the remains as those of Gertrude Elliott-Littlehale, who was born in 1864 and died in 1915.
Othram
Elliott-Littlehale was buried, but her grave was robbed, Othram said. The company did not specify when the tomb was desecrated, but said his skull was taken and the resting place was “disturbed.” Plastic bags like those in which Elliott-Littlehale’s remains were found were first adapted in the 1960s and 70s, according to the United Nations Environment Programbefore proliferating in the 1980s.
Othram did not say what the sheriff’s office plans to do with the now-identified remains.
This is the 38th case in which California authorities have publicly identified an individual using Othram’s technology, the company said.
Similar searches have helped authorities identify decades-old remains, such as those of Rodney Rumseywho disappeared in the 1980s, and the body of Sherman Georgea California resident who died in Arizona in 1996 and whose body was not identified until last year.
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