CA EL CAJON JANE DOE: WF, 30s, found on Avocado Rd in El Cajon, CA - 13 Aug 1998 - Woodruff HS Class of '71 T-Shirt *ALICIA SANCHEZ LEDESMA*

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344UFCA - Unidentified Female​

Reconstructions by Wesley Neville.

Date of Discovery: August 13, 1998
Location of Discovery: El Cajon, San Diego County, California
Estimated Date of Death: 6 weeks prior
State of Remains: Unknown
Cause of Death: Unknown

Physical Description​

Estimated Age: Mid 30s
Race: White with possible Asian or Hispanic admixture.
Sex: Female
Height: 5'2"
Weight: 120 lbs.
Hair Color: Light brown
Eye Color: Unknown
Distinguishing Marks/Features: She gave birth at least once.

Identifiers​

Dentals: Unknown.
Fingerprints: Unknown.
DNA: Unknown.

Clothing & Personal Items​

Clothing: Beige floral patterned bra and three pairs of pants. The outer pair of pants were black Docker-type pants with pleats, middle pair were white pants with an elastic waistband and the inner pants were black with an elastic waistband. One dark blue men's t-shirt. The second shirt was a light blue men's extra large with a yellow logo printed on front and back. The logo read, "Woodruff Warriors 20 Year Reunion 1971-1991." Black pair of Route 66 shoes, size 6 1/2.
Jewelry: 6" herringbone bracelet on her left wrist.
Additional Personal Items: Unknown

Circumstances of Discovery​

The decedent was located on August 13, 1998 in the 1300 block of Avocado, partially covered in heavy vegetation at the edge of a private driveway.

Investigating Agency(s)​

Agency Name: San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office
Agency Contact Person: Jennifer Wright
Agency Phone Number: 858-694-2895
Agency E-Mail: Jennifer.Wright(at)sdcounty.ca.gov
Agency Case Number: Unknown

Agency Name: San Diego Medical Examiner's Office
Agency Contact Person: Tessa Lee, Medical Examiner Investigator III
Agency Phone Number: 858-694-2895
Agency E-Mail: Unknown
Agency Case Number: 98-01510

Agency Name: El Cajon Police Department
Agency Contact Person: Unknown
Agency Phone Number: 619-579-3311
Agency E-Mail: ecpd@cityofelcajon.us
Agency Case Number: 98-014800

NCIC Case Number: U167461965
NamUs Case Number: 56678

Information Source(s)​

NamUs
Wesley Neville
El Cajon Police Department

344UFCA

#JaneDoe was located on August 13, 1998 partially covered in heavy vegetation in El Cajon, #CALIFORNIA

Beige floral patterned bra and three pairs of pants. The outer pair of pants were black Docker-type pants with pleats, middle pair were white pants with an elastic waistband and the inner pants were black with an elastic waistband.

www.crimewatchers.net

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

New images based on DNA from January 2025.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

After 27 Years, El Cajon Jane Doe (1998) is Now Identified

El Cajon Police Department Teams with Othram to Identify a 1998 Homicide Victim

dnasolves.com

In May 2022, the El Cajon Police Department partnered with Othram, a forensic laboratory specializing in advanced forensic DNA testing, to reanalyze the skeletal remains using Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing®. Othram's scientists successfully built a comprehensive DNA profile from skeletal remains, and Othram’s in-house forensic genetic genealogy team began a search to identify genetic relatives. Due to the unknown woman’s unique biogeographical ancestry, efforts to find close relatives were challenging. However, forensic genetic genealogical research revealed likely family ties to Michoacán de Ocampo, Mexico, and potential relatives in the San Diego area.

One of the distant relatives identified through the initial forensic genetic genealogy search was contacted by law enforcement during the investigation. In an effort to assist, that individual shared the inquiry in a Facebook group focused on the Tumbiscatío region of Michoacán, Mexico, where the family was believed to have ancestral ties. This post led to a critical development: a member of the group reached out to authorities to suggest that the unidentified woman might be his mother’s sister, Alicia Sanchez Ledesma, who had been missing since 1998. Investigators followed up on the tip, obtained a reference DNA sample from the family, and conducted traditional short tandem repeat (STR) testing, which confirmed the identification. This case is a compelling demonstration of how the combination of forensic genetic genealogy and public participation can bring resolution to even the most complex cold cases.