It took exactly 52 years, but the Special Investigations Division of the Mojave County Sheriff’s Office finally tracked down the name of the woman murdered in 1971.
On January 23, 1971, police found the body of a woman in a canvas bag near a dirt road just two miles east of U.S. Route 93 on Hackberry Road outside Kingman. bottom.
Decades passed and the woman remained unidentified.
In 2022, mojave county sheriff’s office cold case investigators decided to use advanced DNA testing and forensic-grade genome sequencing in hopes of shedding light on the possible identities of victims. Partnered with Othram Inc.
The sheriff’s office promised $1,000 in expenses and asked the community for help in providing both closure and justice for her family. Othram Inc. launched her DNA Solves fundraiser to raise her remaining $6,500 for her DNA testing. This goal was achieved in her 5 days.
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Testing will begin in late 2022, and all we can do now is wait. Until Monday.
“On January 23, 2023, the victim discovered her voice. Through the use of forensic genetic genealogy, the victim was identified as Colleen Audrey Rice,” the Mojave County Sheriff’s Office said Tuesday. said in a statement.
Confirmation was made after DNA testing of relatives confirmed a match.
Rice was born on March 17, 1931 in Portsmouth, Ohio to James C. Rice and Frothy Root, according to a Sheriff’s Office statement. She attended Portsmouth High School and she married William Davis in 1946 in Ohio.
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There are still many unknowns about Rice’s life, including how he came to live in Arizona.
As the investigation continues, officials are seeking the help of members of the public to provide any information they may know about Rice’s later years.
If you have information about Colleen Audrey Rice or the incident, please contact the Mojave County Sheriff’s Office SIU at extension 928-753-0753. Call 4408 or toll-free 1-800-522-4312 and see DR# 71-0383.
