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Homicide victim in 1981 cold case may have spent time in northeast

An unidentified female homicide victim was found 35 years ago on April 24, 1981, in Miami County, Ohio. She was found in a ditch along Greenlee Road located west of Troy, Ohio, and was estimated to be in her late teens to early twenties.

She was approximately 5 feet 6 inches tall and 125 pounds. She had long reddish-brown hair that was styled in two side braids and a part down the middle. The female appears Caucasian. She had a ruddy complexion with freckles on her face. The female had several scars; one beneath her chin, one on her left arm, two on her left wrist, right hand, right ankle, and right foot. The female had also been treated by a dentist as her top right central incisor had a porcelain-metal crown. She was found wearing bell bottom blue jeans, a brown turtleneck sweater with an orange crisscross design on the front, and a handmade tan buckskin pullover jacket with leather fringe around the seams with a deep purple lining.In February,Miami County Sheriff's detectives working with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children provided forensic scientists with case information on Jane Doe, who then conducted a facial reconstruction with new technology and additional lab testing on the clothing.Pollen analysis of the clothingsuggest she was from or spent a significant amount of time in the northeastern dry-oak forest region, which includes areas in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. A high level of soot from vehicle traffic and/or industrial activity was also found on her clothing suggesting that she spent a significant amount of time in an urban area within the northeastern region or possibly from hitchhiking.If anyone recognizes or has any information in regards to Jane Doe's identity, please contact Detective Steve Hickey with the Miami County Sheriff's Office, 937-440-3965 ext. 6629 or the Miami County Communication Center at 937-440-9911.

A facial reconstruction created by a forensic artist depicts what the woman may have looked like in life. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO