- The body of Michelle Louise Collier, a 15-year-old girl found in a California vineyard in 1978, has finally been identified nearly 50 years after her death.
- Her remains were discovered in a shallow grave by a tractor driver in Arvin, Kern County, and she remained a 'Jane Doe' for decades as DNA technology was not available at the time.
- Identification was made possible through advanced forensic investigative genetic genealogy, which combines DNA profiling with family tree research.
- Michelle's older sister, Cynthia Dunbar, said that the family now has “some closure” after 48 years of not knowing her whereabouts, and issued a message to her killer, saying: “Whether you are already incarcerated or dead, you will be found.”
- The Kern County Sheriff’s Department said that Michelle’s identification is a “significant milestone” in the unsolved homicide investigation, which is still ongoing.
IN FULL
Teen murder victim discovered in California vineyard identified nearly 50 years later
