Connecticut police identify 1974 cold case victim after DNA breakthrough

State police have solved a 50-year-old cold case and identified the remains of a woman found dead in a shallow grave in Ledyard in 1974.

DNA led police to her family and police have identified the victim as Linda Sue Childers, of Kentucky.

The investigation started on May 30, 1974, when police found the remains of two shooting victims after someone who witnessed a double homicide on Dec. 31, 1970, provided them with the location.

But one of the victims used an alias and police said they were not able to verify her identity.

They determined that she had been shot in the head and her death was ruled a homicide.

State police said they arrested the homicide suspects, who were convicted and have since died.

However, no one knew who the female victim was for more than 50 years.

“Found different aliases, found different possible leads we looked at, but nothing we could pinpoint who she actually was," CT State Police Detective Michael Hamel said.

In 2011, the case data was entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System.

Investigators entered her dental X-rays and a description that she was a white woman between 18 and 30 years old.

Then in 2012, the Connecticut Department of Scientific Services entered the DNA into the Combined DNA Index System, but there were no matches.

Over the years, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner and State Police had a few leads, but there was no success.

In July 2022, samples were sent to Othram for Forensic Investigative Genetic Genealogy, a private company working with the state, and DNA from the remains was extracted, sequenced and uploaded into a forensic investigative genetic genealogy database, GEDMatch Pro.

Michelle Clark, of the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, worked on the genealogy component of the investigation and collaborated with Connecticut State Police Detective Michael Hamel to reopen the case, state police said.

“We had remains sent to us, skeletal remains, and we were able to build a very good profile," Clark said.

Earlier this year, in January, authorities found the identity of the victim’s sister and Clark contacted her.

The woman told Clark that her sister had a daughter.

When the daughter provided DNA in February, authorities were able to confirm the identity of the woman found in Ledyard as Linda Sue Childers, of Kentucky.

“She said, I sat on that front porch and waited for my mom to come home. And she never did. Again, that’s the hardest part of my job, but that’s why we do what we do so we can give these families some peace," Clark said.

Police said her family confirmed her whereabouts in the northeast throughout the years before she disappeared.

Cark said this is the fourth case solved using this technique and there are still 14 to go.