The term Jane Doe is used when referring to a female victim who has not been identified. John Doe is used for an unidentified male. While there is no exact number, it is estimated that there are thousands of unidentified human remains in the U.S. The first usage of the term Jane and John Doe was in 1703. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, it was first used in English law and medicine.
One of the oldest Jane Doe cases in the U.S. is the Oak Grove Jane Doe case in 1947, in Portland, Oregon. This was one of the earliest cases that received wide media attention. When examined, it was revealed that “the victim was a middle-aged white woman, likely between 30 and 50 years old, and petite in stature. The cause of death was blunt-force trauma to the head.”
In the 1950s, important pieces of this case went missing from law enforcement, including the victim’s remains and critical evidence. While the case was reopened in 2008, little progress has been made due to the victim’s decomposing state.
“For decades, this case was presumed impossible to resolve, and now, after nearly 80 years, we are hopeful we can restore this victim’s name and return her identity to history,” said State Forensic Anthropologist Hailey Collord-Stalder to ABC news
While forensic scientists have not identified Oak Grove Jane Doe, they may have solved a John Doe case that has been a mystery for over 100 years.
The Somerton Man was found dead in December 1948 in southern Australia. This body was found in a dress suit, slumped by the sea. There were also cryptic messages found near the body, a jacket the tie cut off, unused bus tickets, and a piece of paper that had the words “tamám shud,” which translates to “is finished” in Persian.
The doctor who did the autopsy at the time declared that the man died from poisoning, but the coroner did not rule out murder.
In 2022, it was declared that Carl “Charlie” Webb was the Somerton Man and died by ingesting poison, but with the intent of suicide. Scientists have identified the name of this body through forensic DNA testing. DNA testing is a major reason why many Jane and John Doe cases are being solved.
While the 1900s were the foundation for modern forensic genealogy, they still lacked many advancements.In 1901, fingerprinting became a reliable form of identification by Edward Richard Henry. In 1910, Dr. Edmond Locard formed the world’s first crime lab in Lyon, France.
In the 1920s, the comparison microscope became a popular tool. By comparing markings on bullets and casing, experts were able to match a bullet to the specific gun it was shot from.
However, forensic science experienced significant advancements in the 2000s. With the internet growing, so did digital forensics. Softwares such as Oxygen Forensics were created to analyze data from the spike in mobile phones.
Advancements in DNA analysis were also made during this time. The SRT method allowed the identification of much smaller DNA samples, such as a decomposing body.
Using forensics services and investigation reports, National Missing and unidentified Person System (NamUS) was able to solve over 46,000 cases. This was able to bring hope to many families. Even with 40,000 bodies still unidentified, advancements in forensics give hope that everyone missing a loved one will eventually find peace knowing their loved one is recovered.
