A decades-old Phoenix murder case gets a significant break as new DNA technology helps to finally identify human remains found in a dumpster in 1984. The Maricopa County Medical Examiner's Office in partnership with the DNA Doe Project, has identified the partial remains as those of 14-year-old Renee Isabel Nilsson, originally dubbed "Del Rey Jane Doe" after being discovered over forty years ago in an industrial area in Phoenix.
Nilsson was first reported missing in May 1984 when she failed to return home after going swimming. The efforts to positively identify her took a leap forward in 2023 when the case was brought to the attention of the DNA Doe Project. By May of the following year, they were able to successfully develop a DNA profile for the girl. This advancement in investigative genetic genealogy allowed authorities to eventually connect the DNA to two distinct families, unraveling the mystery of her identity.
Further investigation revealed unusual circumstances surrounding Nilsson's identity. According to ABC15, officials discovered that someone else had used her identity to get married in 1987, raising questions about the events that followed her disappearance. The DNA Doe Project, as noted by FOX10 Phoenix, also managed to link her DNA to a marriage record between families in Los Angeles from 1968, leading them to identify Nilsson as the daughter from that union.
Even though four decades have passed, the efforts to piece together Nilsson's story continue. The confirmation that "Del Rey Jane Doe" was indeed the missing teen brought closure to one chapter of this tragic case, but her murder still remains unsolved. Authorities are now pressing to find the person or persons responsible for her death. With DNA sparking new leads, the investigation has been given a new impetus to finally seek justice for Nilsson. Officials are urging anyone with information related to the case to reach out to the Maricopa County Medical Examiner's Office at 602-506-3322.
