By Trend News Line 2024-06-15 22:12:45.
Identification of Victim
In a breakthrough discovery, a woman whose body was found in Orange County over four decades ago has finally been identified. The victim, initially known as the Lake Forest Jane Doe, was discovered when children playing in a storm drain stumbled upon a human skull back in April 1983.
Anthropology Examination
After an excavation, approximately 70% of the remains of a female were recovered. An anthropology examination revealed that the victim was a Black or mixed-race female aged between 18 to 24 years old with a slight build and a distinctive gold tooth.
Genetic Profile
In 2022, investigators submitted a DNA sample of the unidentified victim to a laboratory in collaboration with the National Missing and Unidentified Person System. A genetic profile was successfully obtained, leading to a new phase of the investigation.
Genetic Genealogy
Following the genetic profile, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department’s Cold Case investigators, in partnership with the FBI, embarked on genetic genealogy to trace the victim’s lineage. Despite issuing multiple forensic renderings over the years, a direct family connection remained elusive.
Breakthrough Discovery
In a turn of events in late 2023, investigators reached out to a distant relative of the victim, who suggested posting renderings on a Facebook group dedicated to unidentified murder victims and missing women from the 1970s and 1980s.
Positive Identification
Approximately a month after the renderings were shared, a woman came forward identifying the Lake Forest Jane Doe as her missing mother. DNA samples provided by her and other relatives confirmed the victim’s identity as Maritza Glean Grimmett, a Panamanian native.
Maritza’s Background
Maritza Glean Grimmett married a U.S. Marine in 1978 and had a daughter shortly after. The family moved to the United States, residing in Columbus, Ohio, and Millington, Tennessee. By mid-1979, Grimmett, then 20, informed her sister of her intention to travel to California, after which she was never heard from again.
Ongoing Investigation
The Orange County Sheriff’s Department is actively investigating Maritza’s homicide, as her killer remains unidentified. Individuals with any information regarding her death are urged to contact Investigator Bob Taft at 714-647-7045 or submit information to coldcase@ocsheriff.gov. Anonymous tips can be provided to O.C. Crime Stoppers at 1-855-847-6227 or through their website.
With the identification of Maritza Glean Grimmett, the case of the Lake Forest Jane Doe takes a significant step towards closure, shedding light on a long-standing mystery surrounding a young woman’s tragic fate..
– Victim of 1983 murder in California identified as Panamanian woman Maritza Glean Grimmett
– 1983 murder victim in California identified as Panamanian woman Maritza Glean Grimmett.