Forensic Genealogy: Polk County, Oregon, Jane Doe Cold Case—Charles McGee

On September 1st, 1996, the partial remains of Polk County Jane Doe were found by hunters near an old logging road about twenty miles west of Salem, Oregon. The victim—later determined to be a white female between the ages of 45 and 70—had been wrapped in a tarp, fastened with rope, before being discarded at the bottom of an embankment. Although the case was ruled a homicide, no cause of death could be determined and the women could not be identified. The case went cold and languished for over 20 years. But with new advances in DNA analysis and genetic genealogy, combined with tried-and-true genealogical research, a small team of researchers solved the case and a killer was brought to justice. This is the tragic story of Kathy Thomas and the genealogical methods used to help bring her family closure.