Charlotte Roberta Henry, who had been missing since August 1974, was finally identified with the help of forensic genetic genealogy testing from Othram. The skeletal remains of the unidentified woman were submitted to Othram, who produced a suitable DNA extract and used Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing® to produce a comprehensive DNA profile. Othram’s in-house genetic genealogy team produced investigative leads, which were transmitted back to the agency, and investigators were able to identify a potential relative residing in Arkansas. Ms. Henry was last seen by her relatives at her father’s funeral in April 1974 and had sent a letter to her family in August 1974 from 2124 Vinton, Memphis Tennessee.
This breakthrough is a result of the relentless determination of the Investigative Division of the Gatlinburg Police Department, particularly Detective Cindy Myers, who worked tirelessly to solve the case. The case had remained unsolved for 49 long years, and numerous attempts had been made by investigators to identify the remains, but they were unsuccessful. However, with the help of advanced DNA analysis techniques from Othram, the Gatlinburg Jane Doe was identified after 49 years of being unidentified.
Gatlinburg Jane Doe Identified After 49 Years
The Gatlinburg Police Department and Othram, a private laboratory that utilizes advanced DNA analysis techniques to identify the unidentified, have finally identified the remains of Gatlinburg Jane Doe (1974) after 49 long years.
The remains of the woman were discovered in December 1974 by a group of friends taking a shortcut back to their chalet near the Gatlinburg Ski Lodge. Upon discovering the body, they immediately reported it to the police. The police responded to the scene, which was a remote area just east of the tramway and untraveled. The woman’s body was lying face down on a coat, which had been spread when she was apparently sitting against a tree. No identifying information was found near the body or the scene.
Dr. John Hickey, Sevier County Medical Examiner, was called in to aid in the identification of the body that was in an advanced stage of decay. Dr. Hickey and Dr. William M. Bass, State Forensic Anthropologist, met at Atchley Funeral Home and decided to take the body to the morgue of the University of Tennessee Memorial Research Center and Hospital to have an autopsy performed. The case was assigned number 74-11, and the autopsy report did not indicate the cause of death.
In January 1975, letters were sent to various police agencies requesting assistance in identifying the remains or providing information on missing persons. The FBI, TBI, and the states of South Carolina, Kentucky, Virginia, North Carolina, Alabama, and Georgia were contacted, but no identification could be made.
Over the years, several investigators attempted to identify the remains, but their efforts were unsuccessful. In 2007, computerized technology produced a composite of the deceased, but no identity was ever discovered. In the same year, a new dental identification was utilized through the National Crime Information Center (NCIC), but once again, no identification was discovered. The case was submitted to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) as UP1589.
Finally, with the help of advanced DNA analysis techniques from Othram, the Gatlinburg Jane Doe was identified after 49 years of being unidentified. This is an incredible breakthrough that highlights the power of technology in solving even the most challenging of cases.
Othram Identifies Charlotte Roberta Henry after 49 Years
Charlotte Roberta Henry, who had been missing since August 1974, was finally identified in 2021 with the help of forensic genetic genealogy testing from Othram. The skeletal remains of the unidentified woman were submitted to Othram, who produced a suitable DNA extract and used Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing® to produce a comprehensive DNA profile. Othram’s in-house genetic genealogy team produced investigative leads, which were transmitted back to the agency, and investigators were able to identify a potential relative residing in Arkansas.
After contacting the relative, they confirmed having a sister who had been missing since August 1974 and was last believed to be in Tennessee. A DNA sample was submitted for direct comparison to the unidentified remains, and the results positively identified her as Charlotte Roberta Henry, born on January 4, 1939, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Ms. Henry was last seen by her relatives at her father’s funeral in April 1974 and had sent a letter to her family in August 1974 from 2124 Vinton, Memphis Tennessee.
This breakthrough is a result of the relentless determination of the Investigative Division of the Gatlinburg Police Department, particularly Detective Cindy Myers, who worked tirelessly to solve the case.
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