“Panamanian Woman Identified as Victim in 1983 Orange County Murder”

By | June 15, 2024

By Trend News Line 2024-06-15 14:33:03.

**Identification of Jane Doe**

You may also like to watch : Who Is Kamala Harris? Biography - Parents - Husband - Sister - Career - Indian - Jamaican Heritage

After more than four decades of mystery, a woman who was found dead in Orange County has finally been identified. The Orange County Sheriff’s Department revealed that the victim, known as Jane Doe since her discovery in 1983, was recently identified as Maritza Glean Grimmett.

**Discovery of Human Remains**

The case began in April 1983 when children playing in a storm drain near Canada and Old Trabuco roads in what is now Lake Forest stumbled upon a human skull. An excavation of the area led to the recovery of approximately 70% of a female’s remains. 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.

**DNA Analysis and Genetic Genealogy**

You may also like to watch: Is US-NATO Prepared For A Potential Nuclear War With Russia - China And North Korea?

Fast forward to 2022, investigators submitted a DNA sample of the unidentified victim to a laboratory working with the National Missing and Unidentified Person System. Through this collaboration, a genetic profile was successfully obtained. However, despite efforts to trace a direct family line through genetic genealogy in partnership with the FBI, the victim remained unidentified.

**Breakthrough in the Case**

In late 2023, a breakthrough came when investigators reached out to a distant relative of the victim. The relative suggested posting renderings of the victim in a Facebook group dedicated to unidentified murder victims and missing women from the 1970s and 1980s. This post led to a woman coming forward and claiming that the victim could be her missing mother, Maritza Glean Grimmett.

**Maritza Glean Grimmett’s Story**

Maritza Glean Grimmett, a native of Panama, married a U.S. Marine in 1978 and gave birth to a daughter shortly after. By the end of 1978, the family had relocated to the United States, residing in Columbus, Ohio, and later in Millington, Tennessee. Tragically, Grimmett disappeared in 1979 after beginning divorce proceedings with her husband and expressing her intention to go to California, never to be heard from again.

**Ongoing Investigation**

The Orange County Sheriff’s Department is actively investigating Maritza’s homicide as her killer remains unidentified. Anyone with information regarding her death is urged to contact Investigator Bob Taft at 714-647-7045 or submit information to coldcase@ocsheriff.gov. Anonymous tips can also be provided to O.C. Crime Stoppers at 1-855-847-6227 or through their website.

**Closure for Maritza Glean Grimmett**

The identification of Maritza Glean Grimmett after over four decades brings closure to her family and loved ones. The journey to uncover her identity highlights the importance of ongoing investigations into cold cases and the power of genetic genealogy in solving long-standing mysteries..

1. Victim of 1983 murder in Orange County identified as Panamanian woman
2. Victim of murder in Orange County identified as Panamanian woman.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *