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Human remains found in Luzerne County in 2012 have been identified as those of a 14-year-old girl who vanished in 1969, Capt. Patrick Dougherty, commanding officer for Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) said. 

Joan Marie Dymond disappeared from a park in Wilkes-Barre on June 25, 1969. And human remains were discovered in 2012.

Dougherty confirmed Tuesday that DNA technology advances finally made identification possible recently.

“We never stopped pursuing answers, and this investigation remains very active,” Capt. Dougherty said in a statement.

Dymond’s sister Suzanne Estock said she spoke to Joan Marie shortly before she disappeared.  

“She was excited about being an aunt and me having a baby and coming down to visit,” Estock said.

“She was a sweet girl and didn’t deserve what happened to her,” she added.

Genetic genealogy ID of Joan Marie 

Remains were found at an abandoned coal-mining operation in Newport Township, west of Wilkes-Barre in 2012. And they called her Jane "Newport" Doe, police said.

Investigators determined at that time, the still unidentified person died of "foul play" or suspicious circumstances. And had more than likely died in the late 1960s. 

The Criminal Investigation Unit of the PSP submitted a DNA profile to national databases for comparison to other profiles. And the results were negative.

Then the case went cold again.

In March, the remains were submitted to Texas-based Othram, Inc. to undergo new advanced genetic genealogy testing. This was funded by the Luzerne Foundation.

Othram, Inc. provided the state troopers with possible family members of Jane "Newport" Doe.  Joan Marie Dymond’s family was on the list. And they provided their DNA samples to confirm that this was the missing girl.

DNA testing has led to the identification of remains of people who died decades ago. And the science of genetic genealogy is sometimes able to track down a killer from their family tree.

Now that police know who the victim was, they are looking for her murderer. 

"After 53 years, the family of Joan Marie Dymond very much deserves closure. We will do everything in our power to see that they have it," Dougherty emphasized.