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The remains of a Georgia woman have been identified as the earliest known victim of Samuel Little, the most prolific serial killer in American history. Yvonne Pless was 20 years old at the time of her murder in 1977.

 Pless had been reported missing decades ago. And her family didn’t know she was dead until authorities confirmed the identity of "Macon Jane Doe."

After 46 years the remains were confirmed through forensic and genetic analysis. For years, her identity remained a mystery until advances in forensic technology and genealogy allowed investigators to make a positive identification. And her discovery sheds more light on the dark crimes of Samuel Little.

Little was 80 years old when he died in a California prison in December 2020. 

Before his death, he confessed to killing eight Georgia women, including two in Macon, in 2018. 

This prompted investigators from Georgia to travel to Texas to interview him, where they discovered that his confessions matched the unsolved cold case of Pless.

Prolific serial killer tied to more than 30 bodies 

The Bibb County Sheriff's Office and the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council announced that the remains found off Arkwright Road in Macon belonged to Yvonne Pless. Her remains had been previously unidentified, and she was known only as "Macon Jane Doe." 

Samuel Little, once a semi-pro boxer, confessed to a total of 93 murders between 1970 and 2014. Most of his killings occurred in Florida and Southern California, but eight of his victims were from Georgia. Authorities also discovered the remains of a Tennessee woman in Georgia.

Little had a long history of criminal activity including theft, assault, and drug-related offenses. And he spent years off-and-on incarcerated. But he had always denied his involvement in any murders until 2018.

 It was during an interrogation by Texas Ranger James Holland that Little's admissions began to unfold. Over approximately 700 hours of interviews, he provided chilling details about his crimes, often accompanied by paintings and drawings of his victims.

Ranger Holland formed a unique bond with Little. They shared snacks and discussed their mutual interest in sports. Holland even assured Little that he would not be executed. This allowed a level of trust and openness between the Ranger and the violent killer.

Little expressed hope that his confessions would help exonerate anyone wrongly convicted of his crimes.

Little chose victims carefully

 So far, the FBI has confirmed his involvement in 60 of the murders he confessed to. 

His victims were predominantly women. He chose people, on the fringes of society such as prostitutes and drug addicts. And often when they disappeared no one noticed.

 He would strangle someone shortly after a chance encounter. And left little evidence behind for the police. Law enforcement initially misclassified many of the deaths as accidents or drug overdoses. This allowed Little to evade capture for decades.

His photographic memory and meticulous recollections of his crimes stunned investigators as they rushed to reexamine old cases and provide closure to the families of his victims.

Although Samuel Little's reign of terror is over, the identification of Yvonne Pless as his earliest known victim serves as a reminder of the devastating impact he had on countless lives. As law enforcement continues to unravel the mysteries surrounding his other crimes, the hope is that the victims' families can find solace and justice in the truth coming to light.

The number of victims attributed to Samuel Little far surpasses infamous serial killers such as Gary Ridgway, John Wayne Gacy, and Ted Bundy.