The Lost and the Found

Michigan police hope DNA tests will ID remains found in '92
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) - Michigan State Police are hoping DNA testing will reveal the identity of woman whose remains were found nearly 30 years ago. The police are turning to the DNA Doe Project, an organization that uses a DNA database to make comparisons and reconstruct family trees...
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Michigan police hope DNA tests will ID remains found in '92

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) — Michigan State Police are hoping DNA testing will reveal the identity of woman whose remains were found nearly 30 years ago.

The police are turning to the DNA Doe Project, an organization that uses a DNA database to make comparisons and reconstruct family trees. After decades of investigating, authorities are hoping to bring justice to the woman whose remains were found inside two garbage bags in 1992, WOOD-TV reported.

Detective Sgt. Douglas Kill said he is optimistic given the success of the DNA organization.

“This is going to be great for identifying this woman, maybe bringing some closure to some family members who just never knew what happened to her,” Kill noted.

Missing from the remains were the woman's hands and a set of dentures. Kill said the level of decomposition made it impossible to determine how she died.

“It was obvious to the detective at the time that somebody was trying to disguise her identity or keep her from being identified, and that makes it really difficult," Kill said.

Police know the woman was white, from 65 to 70 years old and had been deceased about a week before her body was dropped in New Buffalo.

The DNA Doe Project "has sent out their investigators to follow up on the leads they have, so to me that indicates that they’ve found some family members someplace and they’re working on it,” Kill said.

The person who found the remains and told police, Mark Henshaw, says he wants justice to be served.

“If they did it once, who’s to say they haven’t done it again?” Henshaw told WOOD-TV.