Cold case cracked: burned jane doe from 1987 identified as michigan teen through dna

Cold case cracked: Burned Jane Doe from 1987 identified as Michigan teen through DNA

Posted by
1 min read
April 2, 2025

TOLEDO, OHIO — Nearly four decades after her remains were found wrapped in cloth and burned near a Toledo highway, police have identified a previously unknown murder victim as 18-year-old Tammy Lowe of Taylor, Michigan, using advanced genetic genealogy testing.

The Toledo Police Department announced Monday that the breakthrough came on March 20, 2025, after new DNA testing and collaborative efforts by law enforcement and nonprofit organizations. Lowe’s remains were discovered on June 16, 1987, near Collingwood Boulevard and Interstate 75, but all previous attempts to identify her had failed.

In October 2024, The Porchlight Project, a nonprofit supporting cold case identifications in Ohio, revealed that the Toledo Police Department had requested their assistance. Porchlight funded the case’s genetic genealogy work, which was conducted by Othram, a Texas-based forensic DNA laboratory.

Cold case cracked: burned jane doe from 1987 identified as michigan teen through dna
Photo: cold case cracked: burned jane doe from 1987 identified as michigan teen through dna

Othram’s testing led investigators to a potential relative in Michigan. Follow-up work by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Toledo Police, and the Lucas County Coroner’s Office led to family members near Detroit. A final DNA test from a close relative confirmed the victim’s identity.

“The missing was identified as 18-year-old Tammy Lowe of Taylor, MI,” authorities stated in the release.

Police credited The Porchlight Project, Othram, the Ohio BCI, the Lucas County Cold Case Unit, and the Lucas County Coroner’s Office for making the identification possible. It is unclear whether an active investigation into Lowe’s murder is ongoing.

DNA technology ends 38-year mystery in the case of a Michigan teen found dead in Toledo.

Key Points

  • Tammy Lowe, 18, of Taylor, MI, was identified as a 1987 Toledo Jane Doe using DNA testing.
  • Her burned remains were found near I-75 in June 1987; previous ID attempts had failed.
  • The identification was made possible through genetic genealogy funded by The Porchlight Project.
Phil Stilton

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.

Facebook

Breaking News

Don't Miss