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.
