In a remarkable breakthrough, Othram, a forensic laboratory specializing in Genetic Genealogy, has helped identify a woman found dead in a San Diego ravine nearly three decades ago. The woman, wearing a blue T-shirt reading “Woodruff Warriors 20-year reunion 1971–1991,” had remained unidentified for 27 years.
Thanks to DNA testing and forensic genealogy, she has now been identified as Alicia Ledezma Sanchez, according to the El Cajon Police Department.
Breakthrough Identification Through Genetic Genealogy
Read more about Othram’s work on their official site at Othram.com and follow updates from the El Cajon Police Department.
“This case is a compelling demonstration of how the combination of forensic genetic genealogy and public participation can bring resolution to even the most complex cold cases,” Othram said in a statement.
A 1998 Cold Case Revisited
The woman’s body was discovered in August 1998 in a ravine in the Avocado area of El Cajon, California. Her remains were badly decomposed, and investigators determined she had been dead for about six weeks. Police ruled the case a homicide, but no leads surfaced for years.
