Sun. May 19th, 2024

Calif. vineyard discovery reveals ID of 17-year-old victim from 1979

Jamie Roberts By Jamie Roberts May8,2024

RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif. (TCD) — Investigators recently identified a cold case victim from Pennsylvania who was found dead in a California vineyard nearly 45 years ago.

According to a news release from the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, on June 7, 1979, at approximately 12:20 p.m., a vineyard worker found the victim’s body in the area of 8th Street and Rochester Avenue. Investigators determined the female victim sustained traumatic injuries, and her death was ruled a homicide. The sheriff’s department suspected the woman was between 18 and 30 years old, but she didn’t have any identifying marks, such as scars or tattoos. Officials exhausted all leads, and the case went cold.

Othram used forensic genealogy to create a comprehensive DNA profile and worked with the sheriff’s department to positively name the victim as 17-year-old Karen Heverly, who was born Jan. 27, 1962. Heverly, originally from Jersey Shore, Pennsylvania, reportedly left her parents’ home in 1979 “under unknown circumstances.”

The investigation remains active and ongoing.

Jamie Roberts

By Jamie Roberts

Jamie is an award-winning investigative journalist with a focus on uncovering corruption and advocating for social justice. With over a decade of experience in the field, Jamie's work has been instrumental in bringing about positive change in various communities.

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One thought on “Calif. vineyard discovery reveals ID of 17-year-old victim from 1979”
  1. Was there any specific connection between Karen Heverly and the California vineyard where she was found, or was it purely coincidental?

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