Oregon state police have recently announced the closure of one of their state’s oldest cold cases. So far, they have located the remains of a woman they’ve named Oak Grove Jane Doe. Beginning in April 1946 police discovered dismembered body parts floating down the Willamette River. They think the remains are those of a small white female, 30-50 years old. After decades of investigations resolving in no discovery, recent initiatives have renewed the hope of finally being able to identify her.
At first, people found the dismembered body parts individually. Over the decades, pieces of armor and uniforms would sometimes wash up on the banks of the river. Perhaps it is no surprise then that her case went cold during the 1950s. It has since terrorized not only law enforcement but the community. The Oregon state police medical examiner’s office Human Identification Program was a key factor in identifying the remains of Oak Grove Jane Doe. They matched her remains, formerly designated with a headstone reading “Unknown Woman 1946,” at Oregon City’s Mountain View Cemetery.
The search for Oak Grove Jane Doe’s identity was far reaching. Despite this, the climate of forensic science at the time was a barrier to change. Tied up in three separate burlap sacks before being thrown in the river, her case showed many challenges for detectives.
Hailey Collord-Stalder, a state forensic anthropologist who worked on the case, was hopeful after reading the news. She stated,
“For decades, the case was presumed impossible to resolve, and now, after nearly 80 years, we are hopeful we can restore this victim’s name and return her identity to history.”
Advances in forensic technology have significantly improved the chances to identify Oak Grove Jane Doe. In recent years, law enforcement has displayed a renewed commitment to this effort. Investigators are moving forward in amazing ways with these advancements. They’re now further than ever from bringing closure to the victim and her family members who have been seeking answers.
Solving Oak Grove Jane Doe’s case would be a remarkable milestone in Oregon’s criminal history. Most importantly, it would help to illuminate the brutal history that has been shrouded in darkness for too long. Though their work is grim, the state police and forensic specialists are intensely committed to obtaining justice. They’ll follow it through, as long as it takes.