'Killing Fields' cold cases: Police hope to ID 2 women whose remains found

Bodies of women found in 1991, 1986

Left: Sketch of woman found in 1991. Right: Sketch of woman found in 1986.

LEAGUE CITY, Texas – Investigators in League City are hoping the public can help them in finding answers to questions about the 1991 and 1986 Calder Road cold cases.

Police said the most recent of the cases concerns identifying the skeletal remains of a woman whose body was found on Sept. 8, 1991, in League City.

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Police identified the incident as a homicide and enlisted the help of forensic DNA analysis to help generate leads in identifying the woman by predicting her physical appearance and ancestry.

Through the DNA phenotyping, experts predicted the woman most likely had fair skin, hazel eyes, brown hair and few or no freckles and likely has a family origin of Louisiana. In addition, a depiction of what the woman may have looked like at age 25 was sketched (shown above left).

Coroners estimated that the woman was 24 to 34 years old, between 5 feet and 5 feet, 3 inches tall and weighed 100 to 130 pounds. They also predicted the woman had died six weeks to several months prior to her body being found.

The coroners reported several old, healed injuries that were unrelated to her death, including that her first and second ribs showed healed fractures at the spine, a compression injury to her upper spine in three places and a poorly healed compression injury to her lower spine, all of which, in additional to poor dental condition, led experts to believe the injuries were likely the result of a singular injury event that happened sometime before the homicide. She may have also had problems with her head or spinal movements.

DNA results indicate the woman’s extended family may have originated in Broussard, Lafayette Parish, New Iberia, Abbeville, Breaux Bridge and St. Martin.

In an older case, investigators are also looking for information that will help them identify the remains of a woman whose body was found on Feb. 2, 1986, in League City.

With the same DNA phenotyping, experts were able to predict the woman likely had very fair skin, blue or green eyes, blonde or brown hair, few or no freckles and likely had a family origin of Tennessee.

In addition, a depiction of what the woman may have looked like at age 25 was sketched (shown above right).

Coroners estimate the woman was 22 to 30 years old, 5 feet, 5 inches to 5 feet, 8 inches tall and that she died six weeks to six months prior to her body being found.

Police said the woman had a gunshot wound to her back.

Coroners reported the woman had old, healed injuries that were unrelated to her death, including fractures to her fourth and fifth ribs that were likely the result of a singular event. They also reported she had a noticeable gap in the upper portion of her front teeth.

Anyone who has any information on either case, or knows the identity of either woman, is asked to call the League City Police Department at 281-338-8220.


About the Author:

Dawn Jorgenson, Graham Media Group Branded Content Managing Editor, began working with the group in April 2013. She graduated from Texas State University with a degree in electronic media.