Identified! OH - Sandusky, Lake Erie, Wht/Fem 25-40, UP76029, Sz 12 beige cocktail party dress, Mar'80 - Patricia Eleanor Greenwood

DNA Solves
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Archived newspaper clippings are all that paints a picture of their discovery of the body.

There was minimal evidence. The only thing left intact? The dress she was wearing upon discovery.

"They don't know who this woman was, to this day," James Renner, investigative journalist and president of the Porchlight Project, says. "She's estimated to [be] between 20 and 30 years old, about 120 pounds, stood about 5 feet 5 inches. That's about all we know about her."

The body was far too decomposed to determine a cause of death, leaving no clues for motives or who did it.

"It's such a unique mystery," Renner explained.

The Porchlight Project is a non-profit organization that's pioneering an entirely new method of solving cold cases using new DNA testing and genetic genealogy.

"They kind of need to have DNA already or some sample that can be tested," Renner described. "We can do pretty much any John Doe or Jane Doe case, because you have the remains."

One of the organization’s most successful cases was that of Barbara Blatnik, who was killed at the age of 17 in December of 1987. Renner stumbled upon the case 32 years later and, while working with Cuyahoga Falls Police Department, offered to fund DNA genealogical testing.

"They had a sample of the killer's DNA and that was given to a lab," Renner said. "That directed the Cuyahoga Falls police to a family in Cleveland, [which] led to the arrest of James Zastawnik."

Using that same method with samples taken from the young woman found all dressed up and lifeless on the shores of Lake Erie, Renner and Sandusky police are hoping to learn who she was and how she got there all those long decades ago.

"Someone out there is missing a daughter, or a sister, and we are going to find that person," Renner said.

Past reports from authorities did not believe the woman was from the area.
'Someone Knows': How DNA could help identify Sandusky 'Jane Doe' | wkyc.com

 
Archived newspaper clippings are all that paints a picture of their discovery of the body.

There was minimal evidence. The only thing left intact? The dress she was wearing upon discovery.

"They don't know who this woman was, to this day," James Renner, investigative journalist and president of the Porchlight Project, says. "She's estimated to [be] between 20 and 30 years old, about 120 pounds, stood about 5 feet 5 inches. That's about all we know about her."

The body was far too decomposed to determine a cause of death, leaving no clues for motives or who did it.

"It's such a unique mystery," Renner explained.


The Porchlight Project is a non-profit organization that's pioneering an entirely new method of solving cold cases using new DNA testing and genetic genealogy.

"They kind of need to have DNA already or some sample that can be tested," Renner described. "We can do pretty much any John Doe or Jane Doe case, because you have the remains."

One of the organization’s most successful cases was that of Barbara Blatnik, who was killed at the age of 17 in December of 1987. Renner stumbled upon the case 32 years later and, while working with Cuyahoga Falls Police Department, offered to fund DNA genealogical testing.

"They had a sample of the killer's DNA and that was given to a lab," Renner said. "That directed the Cuyahoga Falls police to a family in Cleveland, [which] led to the arrest of James Zastawnik."

Using that same method with samples taken from the young woman found all dressed up and lifeless on the shores of Lake Erie, Renner and Sandusky police are hoping to learn who she was and how she got there all those long decades ago.

"Someone out there is missing a daughter, or a sister, and we are going to find that person," Renner said.

Past reports from authorities did not believe the woman was from the area.
'Someone Knows': How DNA could help identify Sandusky 'Jane Doe' | wkyc.com


Very good news! Wishing them lots of success!
 
I did note that it states she wasn't found with any jewelry on.
I find that unusual, most women who were dressed up this way would put on a necklace, bracelet and/or watch.

The fact she was found with nothing, makes me think the perp stripped it all from her before he dumped her body, probably to sell it. Heartless.
 
Archived newspaper clippings are all that paints a picture of their discovery of the body.

There was minimal evidence. The only thing left intact? The dress she was wearing upon discovery.

"They don't know who this woman was, to this day," James Renner, investigative journalist and president of the Porchlight Project, says. "She's estimated to [be] between 20 and 30 years old, about 120 pounds, stood about 5 feet 5 inches. That's about all we know about her."

The body was far too decomposed to determine a cause of death, leaving no clues for motives or who did it.

"It's such a unique mystery," Renner explained.

The Porchlight Project is a non-profit organization that's pioneering an entirely new method of solving cold cases using new DNA testing and genetic genealogy.

"They kind of need to have DNA already or some sample that can be tested," Renner described. "We can do pretty much any John Doe or Jane Doe case, because you have the remains."

One of the organization’s most successful cases was that of Barbara Blatnik, who was killed at the age of 17 in December of 1987. Renner stumbled upon the case 32 years later and, while working with Cuyahoga Falls Police Department, offered to fund DNA genealogical testing.

"They had a sample of the killer's DNA and that was given to a lab," Renner said. "That directed the Cuyahoga Falls police to a family in Cleveland, [which] led to the arrest of James Zastawnik."

Using that same method with samples taken from the young woman found all dressed up and lifeless on the shores of Lake Erie, Renner and Sandusky police are hoping to learn who she was and how she got there all those long decades ago.

"Someone out there is missing a daughter, or a sister, and we are going to find that person," Renner said.

Past reports from authorities did not believe the woman was from the area.
'Someone Knows': How DNA could help identify Sandusky 'Jane Doe' | wkyc.com

I will be very excited to see this case solved! It seems she went out for a fun night in a beautiful dress and was likely killed by someone close to her. I'd like to know her story and potentially have justice for her!
 
Any jewelry she had on could also have come off in the water, as could an evening wrap or cape. She could have been murdered by someone she knew or by going home with the wrong person. I wonder what she was dressed up for, and what kind of event she went missing from-maybe just a nightclub or something, too. She was probably never reported missing, but has a family somewhere. I wonder how far the water had carried her. They've never done a reconstruction of her face, unfortunately. The dress definitely looks 1970s, but then it was only a few months into 1980, and she could have died in late 1979.
 
If she fell into the water from a party boat or lakeside dock or something like that, she might not be listed as missing--she might be mentioned in a newspaper article somewhere as "presumed drowned."

But the lack of jewelry bothers me. Yeah, the water and waves could cause all the accessories like shoes to be lost, but it seems unlikely that it would remove every single piece of jewelry. And as other people have pointed out, it's unlikely she wasn't wearing any jewelry at all.
 
If she fell into the water from a party boat or lakeside dock or something like that, she might not be listed as missing--she might be mentioned in a newspaper article somewhere as "presumed drowned."
Funny you should say that, because I've theorised that she ended up in the water during a New Year's party, and that she had celebrated on a boat or something. Hopefully, we'll get some answers about this when she's eventually identified.
 
I find it odd that she was in a size 12 dress but only weighs 120 lbs. That would have been too big for her right? Which makes me think the dress didn't belong to her. Also, someone was concerned enough to cover her up after whatever happened took place. Someone who knew her? I hope she is identified soon.
 
I find it odd that she was in a size 12 dress but only weighs 120 lbs. That would have been too big for her right? Which makes me think the dress didn't belong to her. Also, someone was concerned enough to cover her up after whatever happened took place. Someone who knew her? I hope she is identified soon.
Vintage sizes are much different than today. Size 12 would be very small compared to what a side 12 is today. Her dress is likely equivalent to what would be a size 2 or 4 by today’s standards.
 
I completely forgot about that. Marilyn Monroe was 5'5" and 120 lbs and she wore a size 12. In my mind I was like "She always looked way smaller" but that was because the 12 I know now is not the 12 from back then. That's a drastic change is sizing. WTH.
 
I completely forgot about that. Marilyn Monroe was 5'5" and 120 lbs and she wore a size 12. In my mind I was like "She always looked way smaller" but that was because the 12 I know now is not the 12 from back then. That's a drastic change is sizing. WTH.

It took 40 years to gradually creep up. Basically they made size 12 bigger to accommodate heavier women as they aged, and added the small sizes to the bottom of the sizing. When I was in high school, size 6 was about the smallest you could get, and it was tiny.
 

Jane Doe, #3313 Unidentified remains​

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Jane Doe, #3313
  • Case number: 3313
  • Incident location: On the shores of Lake Erie near Cedar Point
    Ohio - Stark County
  • Incident date: 3/30/1980
  • Homicide date: Unknown
  • Gender: Female
  • Race/Ethnicity: White
  • Height: 5'05"
  • Weight: 120
  • Hair color: Unknown
  • Eye color: Unknown
  • Law enforcement agency: Sandusky Police Department

Details​

On March 30, 1980, an unknown 20-30yr old female was found on the shores of Lake Erie near Cedar Point. She was wearing a size 12 “disco-style” dress, and no hair, scars, jewelry or identifying items were found on or around her.

Contact​

Anyone with additional information or questions regarding this case should submit a tip.
 
April 4, 2023 - Identified as Patricia Eleanor Greenwood.

Thanks to funding for new DNA testing for cold cases, police say they have finally identified the body of a woman found on the beach near Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio on March 30, 1980 — precisely 43 years to the day of the discovery.

According to officials, the woman was Patricia Eleanor Greenwood, who was born in 1948 in Bay City and lived in Traverse City and Saginaw.

 
April 4, 2023 - Identified as Patricia Eleanor Greenwood.

Thanks to funding for new DNA testing for cold cases, police say they have finally identified the body of a woman found on the beach near Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio on March 30, 1980 — precisely 43 years to the day of the discovery.

According to officials, the woman was Patricia Eleanor Greenwood, who was born in 1948 in Bay City and lived in Traverse City and Saginaw.

"The lead generated from the DNA test led to a family of twelve children from the same family who were given up for adoption in Michigan."

I take this to mean that Patricia's mother placed 12 children for adoption, but it's a bit unclear.
 
"The lead generated from the DNA test led to a family of twelve children from the same family who were given up for adoption in Michigan."

I take this to mean that Patricia's mother placed 12 children for adoption, but it's a bit unclear.
That’s what I took away from the article as well. It sounds like all siblings were adopted out and Patricia stayed in contact with one of her brothers up until the point she went missing.
 
She was Patricia Eleanor Greenwood, who was born in 1948 and had lived in Traverse City, Bay City, and Saginaw, according to Sandusky police. The determination of her identity is a striking example of the increasing power of DNA testing to identify even decomposed human remains. But the science can be costly, and, in this case, it had to be funded by a nonprofit organization called the Porchlight Project, a group dedicated to funding DNA testing for cold cases in Ohio.

Since discovering who she was, investigators have tracked down family members, learning that Greenwood was one of "12 children from the same family who were given up for adoption in Michigan," according to a news release from the Porchlight Project. "An interview with one of Greenwood's surviving brothers revealed that he had not heard from his sister since the time that her body was found near Sandusky; and a surviving sister suggested that Patricia may have been a sex worker," according to the release.
 

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