CA PINYON CREST JANE DOE: WF, 40-70, found in shallow grave in Pinyon Crest, CA - 28 Nov 1981 - Unusual skull shape *THELMA GASTON*

Unidentified Person / NamUs #UP7276
Female, White / Caucasian

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

Female, White / Caucasian
Date Body Found: November 28, 1981
Location Found: Pinyon Crest, California
Estimated Age Group: Adult - Pre 70
Estimated Age Range (Years): 40-70
Estimated Year of Death: 1981
Estimated PMI: 3 Months
Estimated Height: 5' 4"(64 inches)
Hair Color: Gray or Partially Gray
Head Hair Description: Gray blond hair found near the skull, about 6 inches long

Circumstances of Recovery: Found skull and bones in a shallow grave on mountain side. Thought to be elderly female with arthritic changes to spine and joints. The Pathologist suggested she may have had some epileptic history or mental retardation based on the unusual skull shape. No property was found with her.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

After 45 years, Jane Doe Identified as Thelma Gaston

Reporting Supervisor: Coroner Sergeant Nancy RissiFile # 48135Details:On November 28, 1981, a passerby gathering firewood in the mountainous area near Sugar Loaf Mountain and the Pinyon Crest communit

www.riversidesheriff.org

After 45 years, Jane Doe Identified as Thelma Gaston​

In May 2026, investigators utilized investigative genetic genealogy, in conjunction with dental records, to positively identify the decedent. After more than four decades, investigators with the Riverside Sheriff’s Coroner’s Bureau and the Riverside Cold Case Homicide Team have positively identified a female homicide victim as Thelma Gaston. Ms. Gaston was the victim of a 1981 homicide that occurred in Los Angeles County. The Los Angeles Police Department originally investigated the case and identified the suspect, who falsely represented her disappearance. The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office successfully prosecuted the case, and the suspect, Lawrence Remsen, was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison.

Riverside County Jane Doe (1981) is Now Identified

Riverside County Sheriff's Office Coroner's Bureau and the Riverside Cold Case Homicide Team Leverage Othram's Identity Inference Pipeline to Identify a 1981 Homicide Victim

dnasolves.com

On November 26, 2024, the victim's remains were exhumed by the Riverside County Sheriff's Office Coroner's Bureau for additional forensic examination. DNA samples from the human remains were submitted to Othram's laboratory in The Woodlands, Texas in 2026.

At Othram, scientists worked to develop a comprehensive DNA profile for the woman using Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing®. This profile was then used by law enforcement in a forensic genetic genealogy search. This yielded new leads in the case, allowing investigators to identify the victim as Thelma Gaston, who was murdered in Los Angeles County on or about June 28, 1981.

https://unidentified-awareness.fandom.com/wiki/Thelma_Gaston

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]