The dismembered body parts of an unknown Oregon woman found along the Willamette River in April 1946 are thought to be the remains of Oak Grove Jane Doe, Oregon state police said on Monday.
The remains of a woman had been wrapped in multiple burlap sacks before being dropped into the river, and over the years, several parts or clothing would be found along the shores. Authorities said Oak Grove Jane Doe was a petite white woman between the ages of 30 and 50. She is Oregon’s oldest unidentified victim.
Oregon state police said the case went cold in the 1950s.
“Critical evidence, including the victim’s remains, went missing from law enforcement custody, with no documentation of their disposition,” state police said.
Discovery of the remains’ location was attributed to the Oregon state police medical examiner’s office’s Human Identification Program; Oak Grove Jane Doe was found under a headstone reading “Unknown Woman 1946” at Mountain View Cemetery in Oregon City.
State police said that the remains would be subject to “advanced forensic testing and analysis”.
The case received national attention at the time due to its grisly nature. Parts of the body were found one by one. A group of fishers who found the torso told local press they initially thought it was a bag of drowned cats. Other