GA NEWTON JANE DOE: WF, 15-35, found in a ditch along Highway 91 in Newton, GA - 24 May 1985 *MARY "ANGIE" COWAN*

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522UFGA - Unidentified Female
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Artistic renderings of the victim; Map on the left represents locations that are consistent with the oxygen isotope ratio. Map on the right represents geographical locations that are consistent with both the oxygen isotope ratio and strontium isotope ratio data. The areas in red represent where she most likely lived in the 8 to 10 years before her death; To view a photos of the victim while comatose, please click here.

Date of Discovery: May 24, 1985
Location of Discovery: Newton, Baker County, Georgia
Estimated Date of Death: June 1, 1985
State of Remains: Recognizable face
Cause of Death: Ruled accidental - severe head trauma

Physical Description
Estimated Age: 15-35 years old
Race: White
Gender: Female
Height: 5'2"
Weight: 110-120 pounds
Hair Color: Brown to dark blonde with highlights
Eye Color: Blue
Distinguishing Marks/Features: Stretch marks on abdomen and buttocks. Fair complexion with tan lines. Slim build

Identifiers
Dentals: Not available
Fingerprints: Available
DNA: Available

Clothing & Personal Items
Clothing: Gray T-shirt, "Britannia" blue jeans (with a laundry tag with the name "Allison Milles"), white "Keds" sneakers, white socks, and a red/white/blue bandanna
Jewelry: Unknown
Additional Personal Items: White pillow, similar to those found in hotels

Circumstances of Discovery
A school teacher driving along Highway 91 near Colquitt Ford Road discovered the victim in a ditch, 15 miles south of Albany on May 24, 1985. She was alive but unconscious when discovered. She died eight days later from her injuries. A white pillow was by her side. Investigators believe she was either thrown or fell from a vehicle, possibly the back of a truck. There was no indication that she had been raped or attacked. Her body was exhumed in 2012 for DNA collection. She is buried in the Newton Cemetery. Her headstone reads "Jane Doe - Died June 1, 1985."

In 2014, bone from the decedent was submitted for stable isotope analyses of oxygen and strontium isotope ratios. The oxygen isotope ratio provided information on the decedent's drinking water (thus location) in the 8 to 10 years preceding her death. Coupled with the strontium isotope ratio, it further narrowed the possible geographical locations which include: New England states (portions of Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine), Mid-Atlantic states (portions of New York, southwestern Pennsylvania, and eastern West Virginia), or states west of the Mississippi River (portions of New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, California, and Oregon). The predictions of the analyses excluded states in the Southeast (including Georgia), the Midwest, and the Mountain West.

Investigating Agency(s)
Agency Name: Georgia Bureau of Investigation
Agency Phone Number: 229-777-2080
Agency Case Number: M85-1518

Agency Name: Baker County Sheriff's Office
Agency Phone Number: 229-734-3002
Agency Case Number: 94722585

NCIC Case Number: U-159449883
NamUs Case Number: 11097
Former Hot Case Number: 283

Information Source(s)
NamUs
Baker County Sheriff’s Office
GBI
Albany Herald News Archive (9/21/12)
WALB News Archive (9/21/12)

 
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Why was her death ruled accidental when she was possibly thrown out of a vehicle? Couldn't that have been foul play? Maybe I'm missing something, but this isn't making sense to me. (Not trying to be rude or anything!)
 


By Alexandra Parker
Published: Jan. 31, 2023 at 4:07 PM EST|Updated: 24 hours ago

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) helped close a 37-year-long cold case, identifying a woman who went missing in 1985.

Mary Anga “Angie” Cowan of Seminole County, Florida, was found unconscious on Highway 91 north of Newton May 14, 1985. She was taken to a hospital where she later died. The GBI determined she was killed by subdural hematoma secondary to blunt force trauma to the head.

Cowan’s remains were exhumed in 2012, but leads didn’t develop until March 2022. In March 2022, the GBI Sylvester Regional Investigative Office sent a portion of her remains to have genealogical DNA analysis done. That generated a DNA profile in October. DNA obtained from one of Cowan’s children indicated a parent-child relationship with the then-unidentified remains, confirming the remains were those of Cowan.

The FBI Atlanta and Baltimore offices and Baker County Sheriff’s Office assisted the GBI in the case.
 

Summary​

In May 1985, the Baker County Sheriff’s Office requested the GBI assist with an investigation into the discovery of a woman who had been found injured and unconscious by passersby on the west side of GA Highway 91 north of Newton, GA. The woman was found alive and then was taken to the hospital in Albany, GA, where she died from her injuries. The GBI Medical Examiner’s Office findings were the manner of death was undetermined and the cause of death was subdural hematoma secondary to blunt force trauma to the head.

In 2012, the woman was exhumed, and a sample of bone fragment was obtained. The bone fragment was sent to a private company for isotope analysis, but no leads were developed. The case was logged in Namus as UP11097.

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In March 2022, the GBI Sylvester Regional Investigative Office partnered with the Federal Bureau of Investigation to have genealogical DNA analysis completed on the woman. A portion of her remains were submitted to Othram, a private DNA lab, that developed a DNA extract from the remains and used Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing® to develop a comprehensive DNA profile for the unknown woman. In October 2022, a DNA profile was successfully generated and passed to the FBI genealogy team for genealogical research. The research yielded a high probability that the unidentified woman was Mary Anga Cowan, aka “Angie”, missing out of Seminole County, Florida. Agents obtained DNA from one of Cowan’s children and the comparison confirmed a parent/child relationship.

GBI states that the assistance of the Baker County Sheriff’s Office, Othram, and the FBI Atlanta and Baltimore offices were instrumental in identifying these remains and providing closure for the family.

The services provided by Othram for this case were funded by the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs). NamUs is a national clearinghouse funded and administered by the National Institute of Justice and managed through a contract with RTI International that assists the criminal justice community with the investigation and resolution of missing, unidentified, and unclaimed persons cases across the United States and its territories. We are grateful to RTI, NamUs, and the NIJ for the support.
 
I remember her sketch. Her family finally knows, And she has her name back. Rest in peace.
 

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