Unsolved Homicides
Reconstructed Image of Victim
Unidentified Female
Located on February 15, 1991 in Big Coppitt Key, Florida.
Cause of death was homicide; the victim had been strangled.
Estimated age: 16 - 25 years old
Approximate Height and Weight: 5'4"; 145 lbs.
Distinguishing Characteristics: She had dark brown straight hair cut just above the collar and brown eyes. She was a non-smoker. The victim's ears were pierced four times each. The victim may have carried a baby to full-term. She was suffering from ovarian and fallopian tube cysts, which may have been causing her abdominal pain.
Dentals: She had excellent dental care and records are available.
Tattoos: She had two tattoos; one, was the word "Love" encircled by a heart. The other tattoo was a cross with sun rays emitting from the center. It was located between the thumb and forefinger of her left hand.
Clothing: The victim's clothes were found near her body. It was a blue and red-striped Forenza sweater; Big Yank blue denim shorts; and black Clicks' moccasin-style booties with red stitching, Click brand, size 6 1/2B. Sold by Baker Shoes in 1989.
Jewelry: She wore a Times watch with silver band on the right arm and had Four cheap costume jewelry earrings in each ear.
Case History
Florida Jane Doe's body and clothing was found in a dense wooded area. Her nude body was found February 15 near a frequently used illegal campground on West Summerland Key, just south of the Bahia Honda Channel Bridge.
For over a decade, police in the Florida Keys have been trying to solve a mystery -- a mystery involving a young girl. Sadly, this girl is only known as Florida Jane Doe. After all these years, detectives are still unable to find out who she is and what happened to her.
The case began on February 15, 1991. Windsurfers camping in the area near Bahia Honda State Recreation area, located near mile marker 35 on US 1 in the Florida Keys, made the gruesome discovery of a young dead girl. Her body was laying on a dirt trail in a heavily wooded area. Police say the victim was a white female girl about 15 to 20 years old, who was beaten and strangled to death with her bikini top. Her face was bruised by a beating, apparently when she was killed. Investigators believe the victim was raped, but that has not been proved. An autopsy determined Florida Jane Doe had been killed the day before on Valentine's Day.
Monroe County Sheriff's Office opened up a homicide investigation. First, they needed to identify the body. They had few clues to go on but they hoped one item would jog someone's memory. The girl was wearing a knitted, long-sleeved sweater with wide red, black and purple horizontal stripes; long knee length denim shorts; and black ankle-high Indian-moccasin booties with red stitching.
Florida Jane Doe also has two tattoos including a large heart with the word "Love" in the middle of it on her upper left arm. The other tattoo is a cross with radiating lines of line behind it in the web of her left hand. The girl weighed about 145 pounds, had brown eyes and straight, collar-length dark brown hair. An autopsy indicated she had taken good care of her teeth and around age ten she had a molar extracted.
She was seen by another eyewitness at mile marker 15 and around 6:30 that night at mile marker 17. That was the last sighting of the mystery girl.
Detectives got tips early on and learned that Florida Jane Doe had been seen by motorists hitchhiking along US 1 in the Keys. Because of her clothing especially a sweater and moccasins, she stood out. Based on the information, police determined on Valentine's Day the girl was in Key West and walked northbound on US 1 on Big Coppitt Key, about ten miles north of Key West. She was seen by another eyewitness at mile marker 15 and around 6:30 that night at mile marker 17. That was the last sighting of the mystery girl.
In 1993, police attempted to put a face to this unknown girl by creating a computerized photo of what Florida Jane Doe may look like. To this day, police have no information indicating where this girl is from or who she is, therefore, detectives are unable to solve this horrific murder. Detectives are asking again for people all over the country to take a look at the computerized photo, the clothes and the tattoos. One small tip could give them the answers they need to solve this case.
If you have any information concerning the identity of this woman or the circumstances surrounding her homicide, please contact:
Monroe County Sheriff's Department
305-289-2410