A girl went missing in 1975. Her remains, found cross-country, have finally been identified.
Skeletal remains found in the 1990s in California have been finally identified as a New York teenager who went missing 20 years earlier, police announced last week.
The remains belong to Laura O’Malley, 13, who was reported missing from Queens in August of 1975, according to authorities. Investigators aren’t sure how or when she ended up in California.
The partial skeletal remains were found on March 22, 1995, in a riverbed off Highway 129 in Santa Cruz County, about 29 miles south of San Jose, said the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office.
Although the remains went unidentified for decades, investigators picked up clues along the way thanks to DNA and a partnership with Othram, a company specializing in forensic genetic genealogy, the sheriff’s office said.
Team initially thought remains were part of homestead burial
Investigators tested the remains and confirmed that the victim was female in 2016, although she still remained unidentified, the sheriff’s office said.
Investigators thought the unidentified remains were part of a homestead burial rather than a missing person’s remains, Othram said in a news release.
After conducting radiocarbon dating on the remains, the team learned the victim was likely born between 1964 and 1967. They also learned she likely died between 1977 and 1984.
Then, the case shifted to an active forensic investigation.
According to Othram, they knew the victim was between 13 and 17 years old when she died and stood between 5-feet-1 inches and 5-feet-7 inches.
Investigators created DNA profile using degraded remains
She likely had brown hair and possible European ancestry, and the next step was finding family members.
Othram was able to conduct advanced forensic DNA testing, including Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing, to take the degraded remains and create a DNA profile.
Othram’s forensic genetic genealogy team used the profile to create new investigative leads in the case, the lab said. Investigators took those leads and found living relatives of the victim, identifying her as Laura Ann O’Malley.
“Although the circumstances of her disappearance remain unclear, her identification marks a crucial step in resolving her case,” Othram said. “Investigators are now working to piece together the details of her life and the events that led to her discovery in the Santa Cruz County riverbed.”
The sheriff’s office thanked volunteer genealogist Deborah Medina and Deputy Casandra Galotti for their work in identifying O’Malley.
'Long-awaited answers to Laura's family'
“We are deeply grateful for our partnership with Othram and the use of forensic advancements that have provided long-awaited answers to Laura’s family,” the sheriff’s office wrote.
The sheriff’s office said her case is still under investigation, and anyone with information can call (831) 471-1121.
This story has been updated with new information.
Saleen Martin is a reporter on Paste BN's NOW team. She is from Norfolk, Virginia – the 757. Email her at sdmartin@usatoday.com.