Author Topic: LIME LADY: WF, 18-25, found near Jones, OK - 18 April 1980 - *Identified as Tamara Tigard*  (Read 456 times)

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http://www.kten.com/story/41632871/four-decades-later-oklahomas-lime-lady-is-identified

Four decades later, Oklahoma's 'lime lady' is identified - KTEN.com - Texoma news, weather and sports

Four decades later, Oklahoma's 'lime lady' is identified

Posted: Updated:
By Walt Zwirko, KTEN News
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A photo of murder victim Tamara Lee Tigard, left, with an artist's sketch of the murder victim before she was identified. (Oklahoma County Sheriff's Office) A photo of murder victim Tamara Lee Tigard, left, with an artist's sketch of the murder victim before she was identified. (Oklahoma County Sheriff's Office)
OKLAHOMA CITY (KTEN) -- For almost 40 years, the identity of a young woman found dead along an Oklahoma County riverbank remained a baffling mystery.

Now we know who she is.

The Oklahoma County Sheriff's Office said Thursday the body discovered on April 18, 1980 is that of Tamara Lee Tigard of California. She was 21 years old at the time of her death.

Tigard came to be known as the "lime lady," because her killer left the body covered in lime in an attempt to destroy evidence.

But detectives said that actually helped preserve her body.

"I always just wanted to bring dignity to the victim in this case," said OCSO Investigations Division Capt. Bob Green in a written statement. "All of these years she has been gone without a trace, with none of her family or acquaintances knowing what happened to her. I just couldn’t give up, and now we know who she is due to the hard work of the DNA Doe Project with assistance from the Oklahoma Medical Examiner’s Office."

Detectives previously determined that Tigard had been shot at another location before her body was abandoned along the North Canadian River.

Her identity was confirmed using sophisticated DNA techniques.

"Now she can be properly recognized,” Green said. "Her life has meaning and we can respectfully honor her."

Armed with this new information, the search for Tigard's killer continues.

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Tamara Tigard

Tamara Lee Tigard, (April 18, 1959 - March or April 1980) previously known as "Lime Lady" was a young woman found murdered in 1980 in Oklahoma. She received her nickname from the quicklime poured over her body in an attempt to quicken decomposition, which had actually mummified her and preserved evidence.

She was identified on January 30, 2020, in a press conference between the DNA Doe Project and Oklahoma County's Sheriff's Office.

Background
Tamara was born in California in 1959 and later moved to Las Vegas, Nevada. She was a veteran of the United States Army.

Case
In March 1980, Tamara went for a walk near her home in Las Vegas, Nevada and never returned home. She was reported missing, but her report was cleared due to a woman in Ohio using her identity. The woman has never been named as a suspect and her true identity is unknown.

Her unclothed body was recovered on the shore of the North Canadian River on April 18, 1980. She had been shot three times with a .45 caliber revolver. Following her death, the responsible party poured quicklime on the remains in an attempt to quicken decomposition, which ended up preserving the remains. She was discovered on what would have been her 21st birthday.

When she was shot, one of the bullets hit a dime, indicating she was clothed when murdered. The shooter was facing the victim and moving toward her when they fired.

Identification

Her case was taken on by the DNA Doe Project. After her DNA was uploaded to GEDmatch, the DNA Doe Project found a suitable candidate within a day and a half. After obtaining dental records from the United States Army, the match was able to be confirmed. They were unable to confirm the match through DNA as all of her immediate relatives on the west coast were deceased.

Characteristics
A professionally done heart-shaped tattoo above her left breast.
Blond to light brown hair extending to her shoulders.
A light complexion.
Freckles.
Appendectomy scar.
Extensive dental work, although some teeth were crooked.

Tamara Tigard Cscr-featured




Name Tamara Lee Tigard
Sex Female
Found April 18, 1980
Location Jones, Oklahoma
Missing from Las Vegas, Nevada
Identified January 2020
Span 39 years
Age 20
Cause of death Gunshot (homicide)

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