793UFKY - Unidentified Female

Identified...Identified...Identified

Reconstructions of the victim (1-3 by the Texas Rangers Evidential Art & Facial Identification Division; middle by Catyana Falsetti); victim's tattoo.

Date of Discovery: May 6, 1988
Location of Discovery: Owenton, Owen County, Kentucky
Estimated Date of Death: 6-10 days prior
State of Remains: Decomposed
Cause of Death: Homicide by strangulation

Physical Description

Estimated Age: 25-40 years old
Race: White
Sex: Female
Height: 5'0 to 5'7
Weight: 120 lbs.
Hair: Dark brown/black hair with some gray, in a bob-style cut.
Eye Color: Unknown
Distinguishing Marks/Features: Possibly gave birth in the past. Healed fractures of face and rib (L2); A crude homemade tattoo "STEVE" on upper right arm.

Identifiers

Dentals: Not available. Victim had no teeth.
Fingerprints: Available. At least one print from the right hand was obtained.
DNA: Available.

Clothing & Personal Items

Clothing: The body was clothed only in men's black or dark brown dress socks with green toes. Near the body, investigators found a brown nylon blouse; white men's, Winner's Choice tennis shoes, size 5 1/2; faded jeans; and a blue bra.
Jewelry: Unknown.
Additional Personal Items: Unknown.

Circumstances of Discovery

The remains of this victim were located on Highway 330, 18 miles South of Owenton in Owen County, Kentucky on May 6, 1988. The remains were in an open field, not far from the roadway. Her left arm and hand were not recovered.

Police received tips after the case was initially publicized. One witness claimed to have seen the woman on a freeway, not far from a diner that was popular with truckers. No sightings could be confirmed.

It is believed the victim was sexually assaulted, based on the circumstances of her discovery. DNA testing on her remains was funded by a grant providing aid to victims of crimes of this nature.

In 2019, the Parabon NanoLabs offerred to take the case to provide genetic genealogy research on the remains, as well as provide estimations on her complexion, eye color, and other features currently undetermined, resulting from the condition of her body.

The victim is buried in an unmarked grave in Monterey Cemetery in Owenton. The exact location of her body is unknown, but a DNA profile was obtained from hair samples taken before she was interred.

In January 2020, new leads suggested she may have had ties to areas around Columbus, Ohio or Miami, Florida.

Investigating Agency(s)

Agency Name: Kentucky Medical Examiner's Office
Agency Contact Person: Amy Burrows-Beckham, M.D.
Agency Phone Number: 502-489-5209
Agency E-Mail: Amy.Burrows(at)ky.gov
Agency Case Number: ME-88-305

Agency Name: Kentucky State Police
Agency Contact Person: Det. Paul Johnson or Det. Endre Samu
Agency Phone Number: 859-428-1212 (Johnson) or 502-532-6363 (Samu)
Agency E-Mail: N/A
Agency Case Number: 05-88-0277

NCIC Case Number: U341690847
NamUs Case Number: 101
Former Hot Case Number: 195

Information Source(s)

NamUs
Lex18 News
WCPO News
WHAS11 News (10/24/18)
WHAS11 News (2/11/19)
WHAS 11 (1/9/20)
NBC News
Sun Sentinel