“Teenager from Ohio Identified as Victim Found Dead in Las Vegas Field in 1979”

Accident – death – Obituary News : LAS VEGAS (AP) — In a remarkable development, authorities in Las Vegas have finally identified the body of a teenage girl who was found in an open field back in 1979. The discovery was made near what is now a bustling intersection of the Las Vegas Strip. The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department has revealed that the young girl was Gwenn Marie Story, a 19-year-old from Ohio who had left home that year in search of her biological father. For the past 44 years, she had been known only as “Sahara Sue Doe,” a nickname given to her based on the location where her body was found.

Thanks to advancements in DNA testing, the authorities were able to identify Gwenn Marie Story last month. This breakthrough comes after decades of relentless efforts to uncover her identity. It was on the night of August 14, 1979, when a man stumbled upon her lifeless body while walking through a vacant lot near the northern edge of the Las Vegas Strip. The authorities determined that she had wavy hair and her fingernails and toenails were painted red. Today, the iconic Strat Hotel overlooks the very intersection where she was discovered, which is also home to the Sahara hotel-casino.

According to an entry in the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children’s database, it is believed that Gwenn Marie Story had died within 24 hours prior to her discovery. An autopsy confirmed that she had been the victim of a homicide. However, despite exhaustive investigations, the authorities were unable to identify her until they collaborated with a private DNA testing laboratory last September. Othram, a renowned forensic genealogy analysis company, played a pivotal role in this process. Their scientists managed to create a comprehensive DNA profile for the deceased, which led to the identification of possible relatives. DNA samples provided by these relatives confirmed that “Sahara Sue Doe” was indeed the missing Ohio teenager.

The family of Gwenn Marie Story disclosed to the police that she had left her home in Cincinnati during the summer of 1979. Her aim was to find her father in California, and she embarked on this journey accompanied by two male friends. Tragically, her family never heard from her again. When the two friends returned to the Cincinnati area in August of the same year, they informed the teen’s family that they had left her in Las Vegas. This revelation has now shifted the focus of the investigation towards these two friends and the circumstances that led to Gwenn Marie Story’s untimely demise near the Las Vegas Strip.

This breakthrough in solving Gwenn Marie Story’s case comes in the wake of significant advancements in genetic testing. These advancements have played a crucial role in solving long-unsolved cases, ranging from missing persons and homicide investigations to sexual assault cases. Earlier this year, Othram assisted the Nevada State Police in identifying another victim who had remained nameless for 45 years. The victim, Florence Charleston, was discovered in a heavily decayed state inside a garment bag in a remote area of northern Nevada in October 1978, less than a year before Gwenn Marie Story was found dead in Las Vegas. Remarkably, Florence Charleston had also gone missing from Ohio.

The identification of Gwenn Marie Story after all these years brings a glimmer of hope to countless families who are still searching for answers regarding their missing loved ones. It serves as a testament to the importance of continued advancements in forensic science and DNA testing, providing closure and justice to those affected by unsolved cases..