On April 30, 1998, skeletal remains were recovered along the Vanderbilt Parkway in Dix Hills, New York. The remains, which consisted of a skull, hands, and some vertebrae, were located inside a black plastic bag. An anthropological exam of the remains concluded that the victim was a female likely between 20 to 40 years old and approximately 5’8″ tall. It is believed the victim was murdered at least one year, and more likely more than five years, before being discovered (death occurring prior to April 1997, and more likely before 1993).
In 2024, the Cold Case Task Force, in conjunction with Danielle Gruttadaurio, a forensic artist with the SCPD, and Parabon Nanolabs were able to update the image of how the victim likely appeared prior to her death via DNA Phenotyping, i.e., the prediction of physical appearance from DNA. That image is contained herein.
Additionally, the Cold Case Task Force, in collaboration with a genetic genealogist with the FBI, has since been able to determine the victim was likely of Bosnian, Croatian, and/or Yugoslavian descent.
Anyone with information regarding this case or the identification of the victim is asked to contact contactda@suffolkcountyny.gov.
