Accident – death – Obituary News :

Body Found in 1979 Near Las Vegas Strip Identified as Gwenn Marie Story from Ohio

After more than four decades, the body found in 1979 near the bustling intersection of the Las Vegas Strip has finally been identified as Gwenn Marie Story, a 19-year-old teenager from Ohio. Initially known as “Sahara Sue Doe” due to the location where she was discovered, her true identity remained a mystery until recent DNA testing.

The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department confirmed on Tuesday that the advancements in DNA testing led to the identification of Gwenn Marie Story last month. Previously, she was only known by her nickname, “Sahara Sue Doe,” which was derived from the area where her body was found.

The discovery of Story’s body was made by a man on the night of August 14, 1979, while he was walking through a vacant lot near the northern edge of the Las Vegas Strip. She had distinct wavy hair and painted red fingernails and toenails.

The autopsy conducted at that time determined that Gwenn Marie Story was a victim of homicide. However, despite extensive investigation efforts, her true identity remained elusive until the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department collaborated with a private DNA testing laboratory in September last year.

Othram, a specialist in forensic genealogy analysis, played a crucial role in solving this cold case. Their scientists successfully established a comprehensive DNA profile for Gwenn Marie Story and identified possible relatives. These relatives provided DNA samples that confirmed the match between “Sahara Sue Doe” and the missing Ohio teen.

According to Story’s family, she left her Cincinnati home in the summer of 1979 in search of her biological father, who was believed to be in California. She embarked on this journey accompanied by two male friends. Unfortunately, her family never heard from her again.

Curiously, the two male friends returned to the Cincinnati area in August of the same year, coinciding with the month when Gwenn Marie Story’s lifeless body was discovered near the Las Vegas Strip. They informed the teen’s family that they had left her in Las Vegas, raising suspicions about their involvement in her death.

With the identification of Gwenn Marie Story, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department is now focusing its investigation on the two male friends and unraveling the circumstances that led to her tragic demise.

This breakthrough in Story’s case is a testament to the advancements in genetic testing, which have played a crucial role in solving long-standing mysteries. In recent years, this cutting-edge technology has led to numerous identifications and arrests in cold cases, ranging from missing persons and homicides to sexual assault cases.

Earlier this year, Othram also aided the Nevada State Police in identifying another nameless victim. This victim’s heavily decomposed remains were discovered in a garment bag in a remote area of northern Nevada in October 1978, just a year before Gwenn Marie Story’s body was found in Las Vegas. The victim, Florence Charleston, also went missing from Ohio.

As investigations continue, the identification of Gwenn Marie Story brings hope to other cold cases awaiting resolution and closure. The relentless pursuit of justice and the utilization of advanced DNA technology can provide answers even after decades of uncertainty.

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