() Investigators in Oregon are hoping they’re one step closer to solving the state’s oldest unidentified person case.
The origins of the case trace back to a 1946 murder involving a woman known as “Oak Grove Jane Doe.” Her dismembered remains were discovered in a burlap sack along the Willamette River, south of Portland in Clackamas County. Additional body parts were found later that year near Willamette Falls and the McLoughlin Bridge.
Investigators suspect the victim was a white woman in her 30s to 50s. Her remains displayed signs of blunt-force trauma to the head.
“The case garnered national headlines at the time, but her identity remained unverified,” stated Oregon State Police. “By the 1950s, significant evidence, including the victim’s remains, disappeared from police custody, with no records explaining their disposal. This effectively stalled any further developments in the investigation.”
The case was reopened in 2008, but no progress was made.
local affiliate KOIN in Portland contributed to this report.
