Collier County Jane Doe (1978) is now identified

Summary

In June 1978, the remains of an unidentified individual were discovered in a shallow grave one mile south of Alligator Alley in Collier County, Florida. Alligator Alley is a 80-mile stretch of I-75 that runs through the Everglades between Naples and Fort Lauderdale. The Collier County Sheriff's Office arrived at the scene and determined the remains to be those of a white female, approximately 5'4″ (163 cm) tall and weighing 180 pounds (82 kg). The woman was between 45 and 65 years old and had undergone extensive dental work on her upper and lower teeth. Evidence suggested she may have suffered from chronic ear infections, which could lead to hearing loss. No clothing or personal items were found with the woman.

In June 2007, details of the case were entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) under the number UP374. Despite extensive efforts by law enforcement investigators to identify the woman, no matches were found and the case remained dormant due to a lack of viable leads.

In 2022, the Collier County Sheriff’s Office submitted forensic evidence to Othram in The Woodlands, Texas. Othram scientists successfully developed a DNA extract from the forensic evidence and used Forensic Grade Genome Sequencing® to develop a complete DNA profile of the unknown female. Once the process was successfully completed, the DNA profile was turned over to the FBI’s Forensic Genetic Genealogy Team, who performed the necessary work to generate new investigative leads in the case.

With this new information, a further investigation was conducted, leading investigators to identify potential relatives of the woman. This investigation made it possible to positively identify the woman, who is now known to be Joan Shirley Joyce Waters, born in 1936.

Funding for the advanced DNA testing and forensic genetic genealogy used in this case was provided by NamUs, a national clearinghouse that assists the criminal justice community in investigating and resolving missing, unidentified, and unclaimed persons cases in the United States and its territories. NamUs is funded and administered by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) and managed through a contract with Research Triangle Institute International. We are grateful for the support of RTI, NamUs, and NIJ.

The identification of Joan Shirley Joyce Waters represents the 29th instance in the state of Florida where authorities have publicly identified an individual using technology developed by Othram. Most recently, in Orlando, Florida, Gregory Patrick Carpenter, who went missing in 1993, was identified 31 years later.