The site where Luzerne County Jane Doe (1973) was found

This is the location where Luzerne County Jane Doe was found.

It is situated beside the westbound lanes of the I-80 in Black Creek Township, Pennsylvania.

The remains were discovered in a wooded area just south of where Nescopeck Creek passes under the interstate.

Luzerne County Jane Doe is an unidentified Black woman who was murdered in 1973. Her case file number on the Doe Network is 814UFPA. She is listed on NamUs under #UP8924.

At around 10 a.m. on August 9, 1973, a tourist stopped their vehicle near mile marker 250 to stretch their legs.

After walking towards the woods, they found the woman's body approximately 100 feet off the shoulder of the interstate.

The victim had been doused in sulfuric acid and wrapped in a yellow and green blanket. It appeared as though the killer had pulled over to the side of the road and dumped her remains in the woods.

The use of sulfuric acid was likely an attempt to hinder her identification. This indicates that the offender believed she could be traced back to them, either because they knew each other or because they had spent time in public together.

Luzerne County coroner Dr. George Hudock estimated that she had been dead for 48 to 72 hours.

An initial autopsy failed to determine the cause of death, as x-rays did not show any signs of trauma. However, a 2016 press release from Pennsylvania Crime Stoppers categorized the incident as a homicide.

Determining the woman's age proved difficult due to decomposition and the effects of insect and animal activity. Although the original estimate placed her between 21 and 30, this was later revised to 20-30.

The victim was between 4'10" and 5'2" tall and weighed 100 pounds. She had dark hair that was pulled into a small, two-inch ponytail.

At the time of her death, she was wearing blue-green shorts, a pink blouse with white lace trim, and purple-blue slippers that featured a green, blue, yellow, and pink floral pattern on the top.

An examination of her remains revealed that she was missing upper teeth and wore a partial dental plate.

The investigation into her death went cold after three months, and she was later buried at Maple Hill Cemetery in Hanover Township.

In September 2016, she was exhumed for DNA analysis and isotope testing. The results of these tests have never been released.