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Murder of Amy Yeary

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Amy Yeary
Digital images created from CT scans of skull to depict an estimation of the victim in life
Photo of Yeary provided by the Fond du Lac County Sheriff's Office
Born
Amy Marie Yeary

(1989-12-09)December 9, 1989
Rockford, Illinois, United States
Died c. August 15 or 24, 2008 (aged 18)
Body discoveredNovember 23, 2008
Cambellsport, Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin, United States
Resting placeCattaraugus Cemetery, Waupun, Wisconsin, United States
Known forFormerly unidentified victim of homicide
HeightBetween 4 ft 10 in (1.47 m)
and 5 ft 4 in (1.63 m)

Amy Marie Yeary (December 9, 1989 – c. August 15 or 24, 2008) was an American woman whose body was discovered on November 23, 2008, near Campbellsport, Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin.[1] Her body remained unidentified for 13 years before investigators announced her identification via forensic genealogy and dental records on November 23, 2021.[2][3]

Her face was reconstructed digitally by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in 2009 and again in 2018 to approximate her appearance, as decomposition ruled out visual identification. After the revised rendering was released, her remains were exhumed for additional forensic information. Isotope testing indicated she originated from New Mexico or Arizona and had lived in the Midwestern United States for about a year or less before her death. Genetic genealogy research was also utilized as a way to locate potential relatives.[4][5]

Before her identification in 2021, Yeary was known as "Fond du Lac County Jane Doe". She is believed to have been a victim of human trafficking.[2]

Discovery

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The remains of a young woman were found frozen in a creek by hunters on November 23, 2008, in Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin, near an abandoned farm.[6] To extract the body, investigators had to chisel away the ice and scuba divers searched the bottom for evidence.[7] Some articles of clothing were found, including a strapless Zoey Beth brand black-and-pink top with a pink bow, determined to have come from Family Dollar, where it had been available in the spring of 2008.[8][9][4] The underclothing that she wore, also from Family Dollar, was shipped only between July 1 and July 15, 2008.[6][10] The legs of her Angels brand jeans had been rolled up for several turns, and an elastic ponytail holder was found on her wrist.[6][11]

No socks or shoes were found at the scene. Initially, no jewelry was found, until a penny-sized St. Benedict medal was found by divers. The medal may not have belonged to her, as examiners could not be certain how long it had been in the water. However, some reports state that a bracelet with several pendants on it was also found on the girl's remains.[12] Her hair was a shoulder-length light brown of differing shades, possibly due to having been highlighted.[6][9] Because items of her clothing were in various sizes, ascertaining her build was problematic;[10] however, it has been determined that she most likely weighed around 120 pounds.[4]

Examination

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A forensic rendering of then-unidentified Yeary by Carl Koppelman, incorporating the clothing she was found wearing.

Her cause of death was inconclusive, as severe decomposition of the body had removed all signs of possible violence from the remains. However, the manner of death is believed to be homicide, as suicide was eliminated as a possibility. The location where the remains were found had also raised suspicion among authorities.[13] Toxicology tests were conducted to see if any drugs or alcohol had been in her system, but the results were never released.[8][10][14][15]

Although the body was found in autumn, she had died in the summer, two to four months previously. This was established by examining traces from insects that were found on the remains.[6] She had an overbite, and some fillings and dental sealants were found on the upper molars with no current cavities. The overbite was not described as extreme, but may have been noticeable, which could be a reliable feature depicted in her facial reconstruction. The estimated height was between 4'10" and 5'4", the victim being between fifteen and twenty-one years old and weighing between 110 and 135 pounds, at an "average frame".[6] Examiners believe she was either white or Hispanic, although the possibility that she was Native American or Asian cannot be ruled out.[10][16] She also may have been biracial. Other physical characteristics included a healed rib fracture and being pigeon toed or knock-kneed, which may have been noticeable when she walked, as her feet were slanted inward.[6][15] She also had spina bifida occulta, but may have been unaware of the condition.[17]

To obtain DNA information, her femur was transported to the University of Texas.[7] Her DNA was entered into the National DNA database and dental records were created that can be compared to those of reported missing persons.[4]

Investigation

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Facial reconstructions of Yeary by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

At least 200 leads have been explored in the effort to identify the victim.[13] A computer-generated reconstruction was created from the skull by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children from mortuary photographs and a CT scan of the skull that were submitted to the center.[8][6][10] The reconstruction of the victim generated over two hundred tips that did not produce solid leads, as the composite apparently resembled a large number of missing people.[7][18] Former missing person Amanda Berry, one of several possible identities of the Jane Doe, was ruled out by DNA analysis. She was recovered alive in 2013.[19]

Besides Amanda Berry, two other individuals who were eventually located were also ruled out of the case: Connie McCallister and Brittany Peart.[16] McCallister, native to Wisconsin, was abducted at age 16 and taken to Mexico. She was eventually recovered alive after meeting a "church missionary" who reported the information to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.[20] Brittany Peart disappeared in July 2008 from Elkton, Maryland. Peart's remains were located and identified in December 2011. Her cause of death remains unreleased.[21]

The Jane Doe's body was buried in 2011 after the investigation turned cold.[8][11] Television shows such as America's Most Wanted broadcast the case to possibly reveal new clues.[4][22] A Facebook page was also created to generate leads for the case.[15][23][24]

On April 23, 2018, a revised reconstruction was released and authorities announced that the victim would be exhumed for isotope testing and DNA phenotyping to determine geographical locations where she may have lived and to develop a clearer estimation of her ethnicity and physical characteristics.[25] Genetic genealogy, credited with identifying a suspect in the Golden State Killer case, would also be used to locate individuals biologically related to the victim.[5]

In August 2018, the results of an isotopic analysis performed by Utah's IsoForensics laboratory were released. They indicated that the Jane Doe had likely spent most of her life in the Southwestern United States, possibly in Arizona or New Mexico. She had lived in the Midwest—perhaps in southwestern Wisconsin, northern Iowa, or southern Minnesota—for less than a year preceding her death.[4] Investigators speculated that her case was related to the so-called West Mesa murders, but this was later ruled out.[26]

Identification

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Biological samples were sent to Astrea Forensics (Santa Cruz, CA), where a DNA profile was successfully generated for the purposes of investigative genetic genealogy.[27][28] On November 28, 2021, thirteen years to the date of the discovery of her remains, it was announced that Yeary was positively identified via genetic genealogy conducted by Barbara Rae-Venter.[29] The identification was confirmed with comparison of DNA from her mother, sister, and dental x-rays.[30]

Officials said Yeary was a victim of sex trafficking and would have been 18 years old when she died in 2008. They also learned she spent time in Milwaukee, Chicago, and Beloit in the weeks preceding her death. While speaking with Yeary's mother, detectives learned that Yeary made a phone call to her mother in northern Illinois in 2008 asking for a ride home from Beloit.[8][7] The mother was unable to accommodate that request at the time. Yeary was never heard from by her family again.[31]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Newsroom, WIFR (23 November 2021). "Rockford teen Amy Marie Yeary identified as Fond du Lac county 'Jane Doe'". wifr.com. Retrieved 2021-11-23. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  2. ^ a b "Fond du Lac Jane Doe from 2008 identified as Rockford woman". FOX6 News Milwaukee. 2021-11-23. Retrieved 2021-11-23.
  3. ^ "Wisconsin authorities identify body found 13 years ago". Channel 3000. 24 November 2021.
  4. ^ a b c d e f Roznik, Sharon; Razner, Sarah (21 August 2018). "Forensic testing leads investigators to Southwest in FDL Co's decade-old Jane Doe case". Fond du Lac Reporter. Retrieved 23 August 2018.
  5. ^ a b Mays, Gabrielle (29 April 2018). "Could DNA profile uploaded to genealogy site help identify Jane Doe?". WLUK. Retrieved 9 October 2019.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h Hicks, Brad (29 February 2012). "Unraveling the Jane Doe Mystery". Fox 6 Now. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
  7. ^ a b c d "Cold Cases: Wisconsin Jane Doe baffles detective". Wisconsin Rapids Tribune. 1 August 2013. Archived from the original on 27 July 2014. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
  8. ^ a b c d e Rodewald, Adam (5 August 2013). "Unidentified murder victim a 'total nightmare' case for detectives". Archived from the original on 14 July 2015. Retrieved 18 April 2014.
  9. ^ a b "Case File 764UFWI". The Doe Network. Retrieved 19 July 2014.
  10. ^ a b c d e "Fond Du Lac Wisconsin Jane Doe November 2008". Retrieved 21 April 2014.
  11. ^ a b Caron, Christina (9 December 2011). "Jane Doe Buried After Three Year Probe Hits Dead End". ABC News. 20/20 News. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
  12. ^ "Fond Du Lac Wisconsin Jane Doe November 2008". canyouidentifyme.org. Archived from the original on 9 August 2014. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
  13. ^ a b Caron, Christina (9 December 2011). "Jane Doe Buried After Three Year Probe Hits Dead End". ABC Go. ABC. Retrieved 7 March 2016.
  14. ^ Plummer, Russell. "Trail Goes Cold: No ID for Murder Victim Found in Ashford Creek". News Makers. The Reporter.
  15. ^ a b c Netter, Sarah (20 August 2009). "Detectives Get Court Order to Post Facebook Page of Dead Girl". ABC News. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
  16. ^ a b "NamUs UP # 3043". NamUs. National Missing and Unidentified Persons System. 22 January 2009. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
  17. ^ "Jane Doe 2008". missingkids.org. National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Retrieved 10 September 2014.
  18. ^ "Buried Without My Name". Missing in America. 3 December 2012. Archived from the original on 1 June 2017. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
  19. ^ "Cleveland Authorities Looked At FDL County's "Jane Doe"". News-Talk KFIZ. 9 May 2013. Archived from the original on 11 August 2014. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
  20. ^ "Connie McCallister, Wis. woman who disappeared in 2004, found in Mexico; family says she was drugged, forced there". Crimesider. CBS. 8 November 2013. Retrieved 6 August 2015.
  21. ^ Bellmyer, Jane (10 December 2011). "Body of woman, missing since '08, found near Delaware-Maryland line". Newark Post. Retrieved 6 August 2015.
  22. ^ "Jane Doe services held next month". WLUK-TV FOX 11. Fox. 27 November 2011. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
  23. ^ "Woman Known As Jane Doe Buried In Fond du Lac County". ABC News. WISN 12. 7 December 2011. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
  24. ^ Lyle, D.P. (22 August 2009). "Fond Du Lac Jane Doe: A Unique Method for Corpse ID". Retrieved 25 July 2014.
  25. ^ "New Developments in FDL County Jane Doe Investigation". Sunny997. 23 April 2018. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
  26. ^ Rose, Joshua; Domol, John (22 August 2018). "Forensic Evidence May Connect Fond du Lac 'Jane Doe' with New Mexico Murders". WEAREGREENBAY. NextStar Media Group. Retrieved 19 September 2018.[permanent dead link‍]
  27. ^ "Solved - Fond du Lac County Jane Doe using nuclear DNA profile". Astrea Forensics. 2021-12-08. Retrieved 2023-12-30.
  28. ^ "Sign Up | LinkedIn". www.linkedin.com. Retrieved 2023-12-30.
  29. ^ Lemke, Daphne (November 23, 2021). "13 years ago, 'Jane Doe' was found in southern Fond du Lac County. DNA evidence helped identify her as Amy Yeary". Retrieved November 24, 2021.
  30. ^ staff, WBAY news (23 November 2021). "Fond du Lac County's Jane Doe identified as Illinois woman". wbay.com. Retrieved 2021-11-23.
  31. ^ "VIDEO | Fond du lac County Jane Doe identified after 13 years | By Sheriff Ryan Waldschmidt - Washington County Insider". www.washingtoncountyinsider.com. 23 November 2021. Retrieved 2021-11-23.
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