Annie Carolyn Jenkins : “Maury County Sheriff Works with Nonprofit to Solve Cold Case”

The Maury County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO), in collaboration with a nonprofit organization, has successfully identified the remains of a woman who was brutally murdered nearly five decades ago in Maury County.

Back on February 14, 1975, hunters stumbled upon the remains of a woman near Highway 99 East in Maury County, as reported by the DNA Doe Project. The woman was later labeled as the “Maury County Jane Doe,” and her identity remained a mystery for a staggering 48 years.

Forensic analysis determined that the deceased was a Black/African American female standing approximately 5 feet 4 inches tall, weighing around 132 pounds, with black hair. Authorities speculated that she may have been involved in an automobile accident or hit by a car during the autumn of 1974, 6-9 months before her remains were discovered.

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It wasn’t until 2019 that MCSO decided to enlist the help of the DNA Doe Project, a non-profit organization that specializes in genetic genealogy research. Over 530 hours were dedicated to tracing the woman’s family tree in hopes of uncovering her true identity.

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After years of painstaking research, the DNA Doe Project provided a potential sibling in April 2024. Upon contacting the sibling, it was confirmed through DNA matching that the Jane Doe was none other than Annie Carolyn Jenkins of Memphis.

MCSO revealed that Jenkins had been visiting relatives in Chicago in 1974 and was last seen boarding a flight to Tennessee, before tragically going missing. Her sister, who had been searching for her since her disappearance, finally received closure and answers after decades of uncertainty.

Traci Onders, a volunteer at the DNA Doe Project, expressed her sentiments, saying, “It’s an honor and a privilege to be a small part of this incredible team effort to return the identity of Annie Carolyn Jenkins, and to ensure that her family has some answers.”

This remarkable breakthrough was achieved independently from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation’s Unidentified Human Remains Initiative, which has been instrumental in identifying numerous cold case victims in recent years.

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Pete D’Abrosca is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Pete on Twitter/X.