Fond du Lac Jane Doe
Wisconsin in late November sees temperatures drop below freezing, but many hunters brave the frozen woods for the chance to bring home a trophy rack and cooler full of meat. A few days before Thanksgiving in 2008, three men were out in a rural part of Fond du Lac County, near Ashford, Wisconsin to kick off opening day of dear season. They walked through the wooded area that morning, near an abandoned farm, reaching a frozen creek around 9:15 am and noticed something unusual on the surface. Looking closer, they realized that they had stumbled upon a young woman's decomposed remains, mostly submerged in the icy grave. The peaceful morning's silent trek through the woods became much more significant than any of them could have expected.
They rushed to call the police and, soon, efforts to get her remains out of the pond were underway. The team had to chisel through the ice to free the remains while a dive team searched below for any evidence or effects. Though the investigation began in a timely manner, and was considered a top-priority homicide case from the beginning, 11 years have passed with no legitimate leads to this Jane's identity. Thankfully, the investigating agencies submitted samples for a variety of tests that many Janes never get, so we know more about her possible history than most. |
What We KnowWhite, possible Native American, Asian or Hispanic genealogy 15 - 21 years old 4' 10" - 5' 4" 110 - 135 lbs Light brown to dark blonde hair, 12-14" long with highlights She was likely pigeon-toed or knock-kneed, and had spina bifida occulta (may have been asymptomatic). Healed fracture to one of the left ribs. Overbite with fillings & sealants on back teeth. Cause of Death: Unknown Estimated TIme of Death: Summer to Fall 2008 She was wearing Angels brand blue jeans which were rolled up slightly at the bottom, a strapless black Zoey Beth brand top with a bright pink band across the top and a band below the bust that tied into a bow in the back (sold at Family Dollar, distributed in Spring 2008), a pink bra (also sold at Family Dollar, distributed in July 2008), a charm bracelet, and a hairband on her wrist. No shoes were found with her remains or at the scene. |
Forensic Analysis & Testing Results
Once it became clear that identifying this Jane wouldn't be as simple as everyone originally hoped, and as new forensic technology became more widely available, samples were sent off for analysis that could help answer at least some of the questions they had.
Stable Isotope Analysis
Results from isotope testing suggested that she was a native of the Southwestern United States, such as Arizona or New Mexico, and had only spent a year or less living in the Midwestern U.S. in Southwestern Wisconsin, Northern Iowa, or Southern Minnesota.
DNA Phenotyping
The process of DNA phenotyping began in April 2018 and, due to the lack of reports online, I assume that the results have not yet come back. They hope that it will help give a clearer picture of her ethnic background, eye color, face shape, and skin tone.
Comparative Samples/Records
This Jane has both dental records and DNA samples available for comparison, should a possible match come up.
Stable Isotope Analysis
Results from isotope testing suggested that she was a native of the Southwestern United States, such as Arizona or New Mexico, and had only spent a year or less living in the Midwestern U.S. in Southwestern Wisconsin, Northern Iowa, or Southern Minnesota.
DNA Phenotyping
The process of DNA phenotyping began in April 2018 and, due to the lack of reports online, I assume that the results have not yet come back. They hope that it will help give a clearer picture of her ethnic background, eye color, face shape, and skin tone.
Comparative Samples/Records
This Jane has both dental records and DNA samples available for comparison, should a possible match come up.
Want to learn more about Fond du Lac Jane?
My Two Cents
I'm truly surprised that this case is coming up on 11 years unsolved. To be fair, investigators spent the first 10 years of the investigation with significantly less information to work with and have only recently gained more insight to aid them in their search. Unfortunately, this new information has not led to the identification of this Jane...yet. But it has helped to narrow down the search locations and provided us with a facial reconstruction that everyone is more confident in.
Knowing that FDL Jane had only lived in the Midwest for a year or less, that she was from the Southwestern region originally, and that she was only 15 to 21 years old paints a few pictures of possible scenarios that could have led up to her death in 2008. Hop on the brain train, destination Theorytown.
Knowing that FDL Jane had only lived in the Midwest for a year or less, that she was from the Southwestern region originally, and that she was only 15 to 21 years old paints a few pictures of possible scenarios that could have led up to her death in 2008. Hop on the brain train, destination Theorytown.
- Young teenage girl living in the Southwest, moves to Wisconsin/Iowa/Minnesota in the summer of 2007 to live with a relative
- Teenager moves away from home for college. The University of Wisconsin - Madison isn't very far from where Jane was found. She may have been enjoying her summer, going to the city for clubs or parties, and became a victim of an opportunistic killer.
- Young teen/teen moves halfway across the country with her family, has a history of behavioral issues and running away. When she leaves home and doesn't return, maybe her family had finally had enough and didn't bother to report her missing.
- Young woman moves to the Midwest with a boyfriend/husband, things don't go as well as she'd hoped, he doesn't intend to let her leave him, and he explains her absence to her family by saying that she ran off and he hasn't seen her. We do know that most assaults/homicides of women are perpetrated by someone close to them, primarily their partner.
I don't know where to start the search, but I'm hopeful that I can at least add to the list of rule-outs and whittle down the possibilities to a more manageable list. From there, I'm not sure where the search will lead me. Maybe contacting class president alumni from schools in AZ and NM from the classes of 2005 to 2011 to see if anyone recognizes the composite or knew a girl who moved to the Midwest during or soon after graduation. Thankfully, it's only been 11 years, and social media was becoming increasingly popular at that time (hello, MySpace and Facebook!). There has to be someone out there who has spent the last decade wondering what became of her, missing her, praying for her. How many pigeon-toed/knock-kneed girls with light brown hair and an overbite were really wandering around the Southwest in the early to mid-2000's? She was someone's daughter, sister, and friend. Someone has a cheesy middle school selfie with her, taken with a disposable camera and taped to a binder or locker door for a while. Someone rode the bus or walked home from school with her. Someone had a class with her and didn't know her well, but noticed her obviously different accent. I just wonder how long it will take for someone to come forward with the key to her case and give law enforcement and her family some long overdue closure.