1. Pregnant woman found dead in basement
2. Woman identified through her dad’s DNA.

Accident – Death – Obituary News :

Pregnant Woman Found Dead 32 Years Ago Identified Through Forensic Genetic Genealogy

Fort Wayne, Indiana
CNN —

A pregnant woman, whose partially decayed body was discovered in a flooded basement 32 years ago, has been identified through the use of forensic genetic genealogy and DNA provided by her father, authorities have revealed.

The woman has been identified as Tabetha Ann Murlin, and her body was found by a construction worker in a Fort Wayne, Indiana, home in 1992, according to Christopher A. Meihls, chief investigator for the Allen County Coroner’s Office.

The construction worker, who was carrying out renovations in a house on Reynolds Street, made the gruesome discovery of Murlin’s body wrapped in a blanket. The basement was submerged in 8 to 12 inches of water, and the body was severely decomposed, said Allen County Coroner John Brandenberger at a news conference held on Thursday.

Due to the advanced state of decomposition, investigators initially believed that Murlin had died in 1991 or early 1992, Brandenberger explained.

A partial autopsy was conducted on Murlin’s body at the time, but the cause of death could not be determined, according to the Allen County coroner.

Initially identified as ‘Mary Jane Doe,’ Murlin was buried at Lindenwood Cemetery on May 21, 1992, the coroner added.

The case remained unsolved for over two decades until it was reopened in 2016 with advancements in forensic analysis. A year later, Murlin’s body was exhumed for a complete autopsy, including x-rays of her teeth for forensic odontology, as well as an anthropology study to extract DNA from the remains, Brandenberger disclosed.

Forensic Anthropologist Krista Latham from the University of Indianapolis collected DNA samples from Murlin’s left femur, which were then sent to the University of North Texas’ Center for Human Identification for DNA testing.

“Seven months later, the University of Texas announced that they had successfully developed a DNA profile, which was uploaded into DNA databases,” Brandenberger said. However, no DNA matches were found at the time.

The extracted DNA samples were stored until newer technology became available, and in 2023, forensic genealogy companies Intermountain Forensics and Ignite DNA began sequencing the DNA. Through this process, a match was found between Murlin’s DNA and her father’s, as well as her deceased mother’s and two aunts’, according to Brandenberger.

The DNA obtained from a swab of Robert Bowers’ cheek confirmed him as Murlin’s father, as stated in the case documents.

Murlin’s aunt, Angelina Privitt, identified her with her maiden name, Tabetha Slain, and revealed that she had been adopted by another aunt, Norma Slain, said the coroner’s office.

Privitt claimed that Murlin married her husband, Jerry Murlin, in 1987, according to case documents. However, the couple separated in 1988, and Jerry Murlin never filed for divorce or reported his wife as missing, according to authorities.

While the exact details surrounding Murlin’s death remain unclear, Bowers confirmed that he last saw his daughter in 1988, and Jerry Murlin last saw his wife in 1989, Meihls reported.

CNN has reached out to both Murlin and Bowers for comment, as well as the Fort Wayne Police Department for further information.

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1. “Pregnant woman found dead in basement identified through dad’s DNA”
2. “Identification of pregnant woman’s body in basement after 32 years using father’s DNA”.