I am so excited to be able to share that the Simpson County Jane Doe has a name!! Dawn Plonsky Wilkerson!!! I am in tears!! Read the story here:
My original YouTube video to bring attention to this case can be found here:
Previous Update:
Years ago I was able to ascertain that one of the rings found near her body (blue enamel with roses pictured below) was manufactured in the state of Rhode Island.
I was also able to verify that manufacturing of that specific type of ring ended by the time Jane Doe would have been about 3 years old, using the approximate age of Jane Doe determined by forensic anthropologist, Dr. Emily Craig. New information which has been added to Jane Doe's profile on Namus.gov gives us the results of stable isotope analysis on this unidentified woman.
Stable isotope analysis of bone and teeth enables scientists to determine where an individual spent the early years of their life. Further, it is also possible through this analysis to determine the general geographic locations a person has lived in for the last 10-20 years of their life. According to the information available on Namus.gov :" Stable isotope analysis suggest this individual spent significant time in the Great Lakes or New England region during adolescence and a lifetime average region of origin in same area. During final months of life, may have spent time in mid-West or mid-Atlantic regions with slight possibility in southwest." (Namus case #UP71)
This is very exciting because it is consistent with known information about the origin of the ring found near her body. It is a new lead to explore which suggests she may have a history in the New England area, and perhaps even specifically Rhode Island. One of the specific next steps I will take in investigating this case is to begin searching through newspapers and high school year books available online that would fit the appropriate years. The internet has made it possible to reach far and deep. What used to take weeks, months, or even years can now be done in a mere fraction of the time by utilizing online resources and historical databases.
And I have a message for her killer:
"I am coming for you. I will not give up. You may have taken her life but you do not get to take her name. You do not get to take her story. I will not stop until she has her name back and is reunited with her family and loved ones. I will never stop."
To all of my readers, you can be part of bringing this woman's killer to justice. Share this blog post on your social media so her face can be seen and her story told. Because she matters. Because she deserves to have her name back. Because she deserves to be have her story told and her loved ones deserve to know what has happened to her. Let's get this woman back to her roots, back to those who love and miss her.
If you have any information regarding this woman, please contact the Kentucky State Police in Bowling Green, Ky at (270) 782-2010.
THE STORY BEHIND THE STORY
Namus.gov is an initiative which is sponsored by the Department of Justice and the National Institute of Justice. The primary goal is to resolve unidentified remains cases and missing persons cases. The site contains information on both missing persons and unidentified remains cases nationwide which can be accessed by the public. The information is input by police investigators, coroners, and medical examiners, and only they can access DNA information. Namus.gov offers a litany of free services for investigators and is free for the public to use as well.
There are tens of thousands of unsolved missing persons cases each year and approximately 1,000 unidentified remains cases which remain unsolved each year. Namus.gov combines science with technology to help resolve old and new cases. Case information on missing persons is cross checked against unidentified remains cases in hopes of obtaining a match. For example, in the Simpson County Jane Doe case mentioned above, 67 missing persons cases have been compared against the information in her case, including DNA. As new cases become available they will also be checked against her.
To date Namus.gov has played a hand in resolving several thousand missing persons and unidentified remains cases. It is a formidable tool in solving cases. If you know of anyone who could benefit from knowing about this incredible service, please pass this along to them. Remember both law enforcement and the general public may use the service! Visit
www.Namus.gov for more information.