Decades-Old Riverside County Cold Case: New Information Released About Mysterious Jane Doe

DESERT CENTER, CA — A young woman found dead on the side of a remote Riverside County desert road more than 30 years ago remains a "Jane Doe" today.

But information was released Tuesday by the Riverside County District Attorney's Office that may help in identifying the victim — and learning what happened to her.

On October 20, 1994, Southern California Edison employees discovered the woman's body on Eagle Mountain Road, approximately .6 miles north of Interstate 10 in Desert Center, the DA's office said. The area is about 70 miles east of Palm Springs.

At the time, investigators described the victim as between 25 and 35 years old, approximately 5 feet to 5 feet 2 inches tall, and weighing about 130-150 pounds, with shoulder-length brown hair. She was wearing a yellow metal neck-chain with a medallion in the shape of a ship’s wheel with an anchor in the center.

Despite extensive efforts over the years, including fingerprint and dental record comparisons, investigators were unable to identify the victim, and no new investigative leads emerged.

In 2023, the case was re-examined using advances in forensic science, including genetic genealogy. Bone samples from the victim were collected by the Riverside County Coroner’s Office and sent to Texas-based OTHRAM Labs, a private forensic laboratory, for DNA analysis.

The victim’s DNA profile was later developed and uploaded to a direct-to-consumer ancestry database, though her identity still remains a mystery.

In 2024, Virginia-based Parabon Nanolabs created a photo rendition of the victim and a snapshot of her ancestry. The company determined that she was of Southeast Asian descent, with brown eyes, black hair, and a light brown complexion.

The Riverside County Regional Cold Case Homicide Team is asking the community to contact investigators with any information about the identification of the victim, her jewelry, or knowledge about her disappearance or death.

Any leads, no matter how insignificant they may seem, can be reported to the Investigator Ebony Caviness at 951-955-0257 or by emailing coldcaseunit@rivcoda.org.