SC MS STARTEX: WF, 40-55, found behind home in Startex Mill Village, Spartanburg, SC - 26 Oct 2011 *JOLENE WHITE*

On October 26, 2011 teenagers searching for scrap metal found human remains in a wooded area along Highway 290 behind a home in the Startex Mill Village, Spartanburg, South Carolina. The remains were skeletonized and not recognizable. Dr. Suzanne Able, a forensic anthropologist from the Charleston County Coroner’s Office called to examine the remains, determined the deceased was a 40-55 year-old White / Caucasian female who stood 5’5” tall. She had short reddish-brown hair. Her ears had been pierced at least once, and a gold stem with a red stone earring was found by the side of the head. Investigators called to the scene found evidence that she was killed before her body was hidden under debris.

DNA Doe Project Status: Research in Progress

Ms. Startex | DNA Doe Project

dnadoeproject.org

Jolene White

Jolene Lynn White (born 1976), known as Ms. Startex while unidentified, was a woman who was discovered under a couch alongside Highway 290 in Startex, South Carolina, in 2011. She was identified by the DNA Doe Project in August 2025, with her name being released in September of that year...

unidentified.wikia.org

Startex Jane Doe, also known as Ms. Startex, was a female who was discovered under a couch alongside Highway 290 in Startex, South Carolina in 2011. Over 80 women have been ruled out as being the decedent.

• A healing fracture in her sternum, possibly indicating she was injured in a vehicle accident 2-8 weeks prior to her death.
• Possibly suffered from thoracic outlet syndrome, which would have caused pain and numbness in her forearm and hand.
• Gold earrings with a red stone.

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

By bringing people, information, forensic science and technology together, NamUs helps resolve cases.

www.namus.gov

Head Hair Description - short hair, reddish-brown, up to approxmately 1 1/2 inches long ( brown /dyed auburn)
Piercing - ears pierced at least once, one earring found by the side of the head

On October 26, 2011 teenagers searching for scrap metal found human remains in a wooded area along Highway 290 in Spartanburg, South Carolina

40-55 year-old White / Caucasian female who stood 5’5” tall. She had short reddish-brown hair. Her ears had been pierced at least once, and a gold stem with a red stone earring was found by the side of the head

www.crimewatchers.net

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Human remains discovered in the Startex community

Teenagers searching for scrap metal found human remains in a wooded area behind a South Main Street home in the Startex mill village on Wednesday.

www.goupstate.com

Human remains discovered in the Startex community​

Authorities released no new information at the scene, but neighbors said teens made the grisly discovery in an area where people often search for metal to sell for scrap.

Residents said the teens lifted up an overturned couch and found a tarp, and found skeletal remains when they pulled back the tarp. There was no hair or clothes with the remains, residents said.

The sheriff’s office does not have any record of a missing persons report being filed within the last few years for anyone who may have lived in or around the Startex area, according to the release.

Investigators still trying to identify bones found in Startex

Investigators know her hair color, about how tall she was, what jewelry she wore. They know her race and that she was 40 to 50 years old when she died. But the question remains: Who was she?

www.goupstate.com

Investigators still trying to identify bones found in Startex​

Investigators know her hair color, about how tall she was, what jewelry she wore and what dental work she had done while she was alive. They know her race - white - and that she was 40 to 50 years old when she died.

Investigators also have evidence that points to how she died before her body was hidden under a couch and other debris in a wooded area in the Startex mill village five to six years ago.

But the question that motivates Spartanburg County Coroner’s Office investigator Rick Ellis the most is: Who was she?

Right now, to the investigators of the Spartanburg County sheriff’s and coroner’s offices, she’s Jane Doe Startex. But until investigators have a real name, they can’t track down her killer.

“It may not be someone I know,” Ellis said. “But she’s somebody’s family, someone’s loved one. Someone’s been missing this woman.“

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Carl has done an image for this Doe!

 

[Summer_Breeze]

After 30 years, DNA testing could identify Bone Lake Jane Doe

After 30 years, a Jane Doe discovered at Bone Lake in Scandia, Minnesota could be closer to being identified.

www.countrymessenger.com

• By Nealy Corcoran editor@countrymessenger.com
• 23 hrs ago

<snip>
In addition to Bone Lake Jane Doe, the anonymous donation to the DNA Doe Project will help cover costs associated with other cases including: Tempe, Girl, New Buffalo Jane Doe, Franklin County Jane Doe, Ms. Startex Jane Doe, Suzanne Jane Doe and Frank R. Beck (formerly Downtown Phoenix John Doe).

Ms. Startex | DNA Doe Project

dnadoeproject.org

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Remains of woman found in Upstate in 2011 have been identified

A woman’s remains found in South Carolina in 2011 have been identified.

www.wyff4.com

Remains of woman found in Upstate in 2011 have been identified​

The remains of a woman found in 2011 by a group of teenagers in Spartanburg County, South Carolina, have been identified.


In 2020, the Spartanburg County Coroner’s Office brought the case to the DNA Doe Project, which investigates genetic genealogists and work pro bono to identify Jane and John Does.

Through the project, a DNA profile was generated from the woman’s remains and uploaded to GEDmatch and FamilyTreeDNA.

They learned that the woman only had distant DNA matches but it was obvious that she had roots in Puerto Rico, where endogamy can complicate genetic genealogy research.

“The genealogy in this case was very complex,” said team leader Rebecca Somerhalder. “Our team built out family trees for hundreds of Puerto Rican DNA matches, but figuring out how they were connected to Ms. Startex was tricky because they were all very distant relatives.”

In April 2025, a new DNA match appeared on FamilyTreeDNA.

The team had identified the biological parents of the woman as a couple from Orange County, New York.

The father was originally from Puerto Rico, while the mother had deep roots in the area.

The team said they found out that none of their known children were missing and it became clear that the woman had been adopted.

Investigators spoke with the family and discovered that, after the death of their mother, two of the children had been adopted by a family who later moved to South Carolina.

They later learned Jolene Lynn White had been missing for two decades.

Follow-up DNA testing confirmed that White was, in fact, the woman whose remains were found.

“This identification was only possible because of a dedicated and collaborative team,” said researcher Janel Daniels. “It also goes to show that one DNA match can make a huge difference - anyone who uploads their DNA to GEDmatch.com, DNAJustice.org or FamilyTreeDNA.com might help solve a cold case without even realizing.”

 

[Kimster]

What a tragic life she led. I’m glad she hasn’t been forgotten!