After more than four decades of not knowing her name, Las Vegas police say they have identified the young woman found dead near the north end of the Strip as 19-year-old Gwenn Marie Story of Cincinnati. Story was killed in 1979, and the breakthrough is giving her relatives long-delayed answers while breathing new life into a homicide case that is still unsolved. Investigators say they still need help from anyone who might know how Story ended up in Las Vegas that August.
According to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, a passerby found Story’s body in an open field near Sahara Avenue and Las Vegas Boulevard on the evening of Aug. 14, 1979, and the Clark County coroner later ruled the death a homicide. For years she was listed in cold-case files only as "Sahara Sue Doe" as detectives chased one lead after another. LVMPD says a positive identification finally came in late 2023, when laboratory work and DNA comparisons with family members confirmed a match.
How She Was Identified
Detectives turned to forensic genealogy firm Othram in September 2022, hoping new technology could crack the lingering mystery. The lab used advanced DNA sequencing to build a detailed profile that pointed investigators toward relatives, who then provided confirming samples. Othram notified detectives of the match on Nov. 15, 2023, and authorities publicly identified Story the following month. The work fits into a wider wave of genetic genealogy breakthroughs that have helped move other decades-old cold cases forward, according to Forensic Magazine.
Investigation Remains Open
Court and family records reviewed by reporters show Story left Cincinnati that summer looking for her biological father and traveled with two male friends who, according to police and relatives, later returned home without her. Investigators say those men are persons of interest and remain a focus of the homicide investigation. LVMPD has asked anyone with information to call the Homicide Section at 702-828-3521 or email [email protected], according to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.
Local outlets have returned to the case in recent days, rolling out galleries and long-form pieces that retrace the investigation and the push to restore the victim’s identity. News 3 Las Vegas published a feature this week revisiting Story’s identification and the lingering question of who killed her. The coverage also highlights community efforts, including a memorial placed at Woodlawn Cemetery in 2018, and the organizations that helped support genealogy testing.
"She still has the right to have justice," former Clark County coroner Michael Murphy said, a remark that has been echoed in local reporting and by community advocates. Detectives stress that naming Story is a major step but not the finish line, and they say even small tips could help piece together the events that led to her death. Anyone with information is urged to contact Metro’s Homicide Section or reach out to Crime Stoppers, according to News 3 Las Vegas.
As of the department’s announcement, no arrests have been publicly reported and no suspect has been named, and the cold-case file remains active. The identification gives detectives fresh leads, but authorities say even small pieces of information could be critical in moving the case toward charges, according to AP News.
