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510:. Othram scientists successfully extracted DNA and then used Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing to build a DNA profile for the woman. Othram's in-house forensic genetic genealogy team used the profile in a genetic genealogy search to develop investigative leads that were returned to investigators. Las Vegas police investigators continued their investigation using these leads.
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on her clothing indicated she had spent time in Napa Valley or
Central Valley of California sometime before her murder. Another potential lead suggested that Story may have had ties to a trailer park in the area. Further investigation indicated she might have used the name "Shawna" or "Shauna" and
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in search of her biological father. Story never made contact with her family again after this time period. Her two friends returned to
Cincinnati in August of 1979 and told Story's family that they left her in Las Vegas. Investigators are currently seeking more information on Story's two friends.
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but no match was found. In 2011, her DNA was tested to see if she was a match to
Deborah Rae Meyer, who had vanished in August 1974. They both had dentures and shared similarities, but DNA testing proved they were not the same person and Meyer remains missing. Through these forms of
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Story was a white woman with brown eyes and wavy light brown hair. She was 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighed 100 – 105 pounds. Her age was estimated to be between 15 and 30. She had no teeth but wore at least one denture, as the
260:, on August 14, 1979. Her body remained unidentified for 44 years before being identified via DNA analysis and genetic genealogy in December 2023. Prior to her 2023 identification, Story was nicknamed
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Story's body was found lying face down in a parking lot on August 14, 1979. It was estimated that she had died three to four hours before being found. She had been stabbed several times in the
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On
December 19, 2023, Sahara Sue was formally identified as Story. During the course of the investigation, investigators were told by Story's family that she left her hometown of
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in Las Vegas, at the intersection of Sahara and Las Vegas
Boulevard. Developments indicated she may have used the name "
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were ruled out as possible identities for Story. Pictures of her face were released to public websites, and multiple
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were taken from Story's body and entered into national databases, but no match was found. Her body was
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In
September 2022, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department submitted forensic evidence to
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256:(February 23, 1960 – August 14, 1979) was a 19-year-old American woman who was murdered in
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It was reported that Story was seen with a white man before the discovery of her body.
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In 2016, investigation yielded several major developments in the victim's case.
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Story was also known by the fact that she was wearing a complete upper
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in the summer of 1979 with two male friends. She was traveling to
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piece was not recovered. The nails on her feet and hands had been
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piece was discovered in her mouth after the body was located. The
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DNASolves
Article pertaining to the identification of Sahara Sue
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779:"National group wants help to identify 1979 homicide victim"
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despite her young age, but the lower denture was missing.
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National Center for
Missing & Exploited Children
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National Center for
Missing & Exploited Children
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280:" when she was alive, though this proved unfounded.
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908:National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
876:"After 44 years, Sahara Sue Doe is now Identified"
723:National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
828:"Cold cases go online, with respect for victims"
688:National Missing and Unidentified Persons System
8:
850:"Missing 1979: August 14, 1979 Nevada 15-25"
618:. Clark County Coroner. 2010. Archived from
27:American ex-unidentified 1979 murder victim
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498:or another motel on Las Vegas Boulevard.
120:Learn how and when to remove this message
401:with a rose design. She was not wearing
239:Formerly unidentified victim of homicide
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357:Reconstructions of Story's face by the
338:She was wearing a shirt and hip-hugger
148:Undated high school photograph of Story
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56:Please improve this article by adding
1021:Unsolved murders in the United States
1016:Unidentified murder victims in Nevada
826:Goldman, Abigial (10 February 2008).
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221:, Clark County, Nevada, United States
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616:"Clark County Case Number: #79-0968"
268:because her body was found near the
777:Thompson, Trever (15 August 1979).
547:List of solved missing person cases
542:List of murdered American children
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976:Child murder in the United States
971:1979 murders in the United States
342:. Her shirt was blue and made of
247:5 ft 6 in (1.68 m)
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176:Identified on December 19, 2023
1001:Missing person cases in Nevada
680:"Case Report - NamUs UP # 159"
389:had a leaf design and a round
1:
458:Second profile reconstruction
393:stone. The other was made of
369:On her right hand, she had a
323:and painted with red polish.
58:secondary or tertiary sources
981:Deaths by stabbing in Nevada
494:may have been employed at a
405:, and her ears had not been
537:List of homicides in Nevada
330:Reconstruction of Story by
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956:1970s missing person cases
1011:People murdered in Nevada
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385:made of white metal. One
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781:. News 3. Archived from
552:List of unsolved murders
441:of her face also exist.
996:Formerly missing people
69:"Murder of Gwenn Story"
381:. She was wearing two
361:
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45:relies excessively on
1006:People from Las Vegas
986:Female murder victims
925:Murder of Gwenn Story
914:Murder of Gwenn Story
903:Murder of Gwenn Story
805:"Nevada Unidentified"
562:Unidentified decedent
356:
329:
266:"Jane Las Vegas Doe"
991:Forensic palynology
854:missinginamerica.us
749:"Case File: 58UFNV"
491:Forensic palynology
431:body identification
217:Woodlawn Cemetery,
200:Cause of death
1026:Women in Las Vegas
424:in 2003 to obtain
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229:Jane Las Vegas Doe
785:on 12 August 2014
622:on 12 August 2014
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433:, at least seven
383:pendant necklaces
258:Las Vegas, Nevada
254:Gwenn Marie Story
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192:Las Vegas, Nevada
157:February 23, 1960
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16:(Redirected from
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807:. 25 August 2007
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653:. 17 August 2016
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226:Other names
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856:. 16 March 2014
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719:missingkids.org
715:"Jane Doe 1979"
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184:August 14, 1979
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690:. 30 June 2007
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883:. Retrieved
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787:. Retrieved
783:the original
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726:. Retrieved
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692:. Retrieved
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655:. Retrieved
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624:. Retrieved
620:the original
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418:Fingerprints
416:
399:heart-shaped
377:without any
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309:
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277:
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270:Sahara Hotel
265:
262:"Sahara Sue"
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186:(1979-08-14)
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961:1979 deaths
951:1960 births
496:Holiday Inn
375:white metal
306:Description
162:Disappeared
136:Gwenn Story
945:Categories
885:2023-12-19
645:"New Lead"
602:References
519:California
508:Othram Inc
317:mandibular
231:Sahara Sue
80:newspapers
47:references
18:Sahara Sue
860:11 August
834:11 August
811:10 August
789:11 August
762:10 August
728:10 August
694:10 August
684:namus.gov
657:18 August
626:10 August
532:Cold case
391:turquoise
321:manicured
313:maxillary
291:Discovery
219:Las Vegas
526:See also
482:Pendants
403:earrings
397:and was
373:made of
208:stabbing
204:Homicide
905:at the
569:Portals
422:exhumed
407:pierced
395:plastic
387:pendant
365:Jewelry
348:sequins
297:abdomen
285:denture
94:scholar
278:Shauna
276:" or "
274:Shawna
244:Height
194:, U.S.
173:Status
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930:NamUs
470:Shirt
379:stone
344:linen
340:jeans
101:JSTOR
87:books
862:2014
836:2014
813:2014
791:2014
764:2014
730:2014
696:2014
659:2016
628:2014
371:ring
264:and
181:Died
168:, US
154:Born
73:news
927:at
916:at
583:Law
426:DNA
206:by
49:to
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
