Missing Persons News - DNA Doe Project Identifies St. Croix County Jane Doe as Alyce Peterson

DNA Doe Project Solves 23-Year Mystery of St. Croix County Jane Doe

By: Shane Lambert
Original time of writing: August 15th, 2025

In a recent release, the DNA Doe Project announced the solving of a 23-year-old Wisconsin cold case. They identified a skull found in Houlton, Wisconsin, in 2002 as belonging to Alyce Catharina Peterson, a 92-year-old woman from Stillwater, Minnesota, who died of natural causes in 2001.

The breakthrough, announced by the St. Croix County Sheriff’s Office and the DNA Doe Project, sheds light on a perplexing case that began when Boy Scouts discovered a skull in a plastic bag at a camp near Houlton on October 21st, 2002.

Source: DNA Doe Project, St. Croix County Sheriff’s Office

Initially, forensic analysis suggested the skull belonged to a woman of Asian, Asian Pacific, or Native American descent, aged 35-60. It was thought that she had been deceased for about a year. The woman was missing all her teeth and had short, mousy-brown hair. Dubbed the "St. Croix County Jane Doe," her identity remained elusive until the Sheriff’s Office partnered with the DNA Doe Project in 2021.

The estimates of her age and ethnicity were far off. One therefore has to wonder if this case would have been solved without the insights of genetic genealogy.

Using investigative genetic genealogy, the DNA Doe Project generated a profile and uploaded it to GEDmatch and FTDNA databases. Surprisingly, the results indicated the woman was Caucasian with recent Swedish ancestry, challenging earlier assumptions.

Family tree research was key in this case. A key DNA match in Stockholm, the capital of Sweden, led researchers to focus on a family tree linked to Swedish immigrants in the U.S. After tracing descendants to Stillwater, just miles from the discovery site, the team identified Alyce Peterson, born in 1909, as a potential match.

Peterson, who lived in South Dakota before moving to Stillwater, died in a St. Paul hospital in 2001. Her age at death—92—far exceeded the initial estimate, but the timeline aligned. A niece’s DNA test, sharing approximately 25% DNA with the unidentified woman, confirmed Peterson’s identity.

“This is the first time I’ve seen a Doe identified as someone with a death certificate and who was supposedly cremated,” said case manager Eric Hendershott.

Authorities are now investigating what happened to Peterson’s body after her death.

The DNA Doe Project praised the collaborative effort, crediting the St. Croix County Sheriff’s Office, Astrea Forensics, HudsonAlpha Discovery, and volunteer genealogists.

“This unexpected result turned out to be a huge lead,” said co-team leader Robin Espensen, highlighting the pivotal role of the Stockholm DNA match.

Important Takeaway From this Case

I think those that follow missing people cases should take away something important from this case. Mainly, the decadent was never really a missing person. She died of natural causes at a very old age, she reportedly was to be cremated, but somehow her skull ended up in a park.

In short, if you think about it anyone who was cross-referencing the Jane Doe report to missing persons reports would never have found a potential match. Alyce Peterson was known to be dead and thought to be cremated so her family would not have distributed any missing persons reports.

A skull found with teeth removed would suggest something clandestine to those familiar with these kinds of cases. Teeth are identifiers, just as fingerprints are. Even though DNA is the most reliable identifier, the other methods of identification remain valuable. Someone whose skull is found in a park with missing teeth would look like someone whose body was discarded in a way to prevent identification.

It will be interesting to see what news comes from this.

Another important takeaway is just how far-off age and race estimates can be. This was a woman in her 90s but the estimate of her age was put as low as 35. I don't know that I have ever seen a resolved case where the age estimate was 57 years off before. Furthermore, the individual was Swedish and that's not in the Native American, Hawaiian, or Asian groups.

When the estimates are telling you to look for a 35-year old Hawaiian instead of a 92-year old Swede, you can see how difficult it can be to help in these cases using research alone (as opposed to DNA).

Posted by Missing Persons Commentary
Source: DNA Doe Project, St. Croix County Sheriff’s Office

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Dorothy Jean Vaillancourt: A Jane Doe Cold Case Finally Solved After 59 Years

The Unsolved Mystery of Dorothy Jean Vaillancourt: A Cold Case Finally Identified After 59 Years

By: Shane Lambert
Original time of writing: March 21st, 2025

This article is part of a short-term series where I am doing deep dives at some solved cases to see what the circumstances were. Click on the label "Deep Dive at a Solved Case" to see other similar articles.

• Discover how a 59-year-old cold case was finally solved and explore the modern forensic techniques that cracked this decades-long mystery.
• Uncover the haunting details of Dorothy’s final days in 1966 and delve into the investigation that struggled to name her.
• Learn why Dorothy remained unidentified for so long and why no one reported her missing.

Investigators solved a nearly 60-year-old mystery recently. The remains of a woman found in Tiburon, California, were identified as Dorothy Jean Vaillancourt (née Williams). Known as "Marin County Jane Doe," her case had baffled investigators since her decomposed body was discovered on Sunday, December 18th, 1966.

Despite extensive efforts at the time, no missing person’s report was ever matched to her. In fact, even now knowing who she is, I could not locate any missing report for the named individual. There may be one out there but it eluded my search efforts for the time had for the task.

Clouded in ambiguity, her identity remained a mystery until modern forensic genealogy cracked the case. This blog post explores Dorothy’s story, the investigation, and why she remained unidentified for so long.

The Discovery: Sunday, December 18th, 1966 and Early Journalism from the Area

On Sunday, December 18th, 1966, 15-year-old Arthur Munoz made a grim discovery while hunting near Tiburon, California. About 25 feet down an embankment off Paradise Drive, near the 3400 block (approximate location), he found the decomposed remains of a woman. The Marin County coroner estimated she had been dead for two to three months, meaning since about late September 1966.

She was described as slight, middle-aged (30-55 years old), about five feet one inch tall, weighing around 95 pounds, with reddish-brown hair and a thin face. Her possessions included a single-jewel wristwatch, a package of cigarettes, and a woman’s scarf in her coat pocket.

I will say that a scarf is a strange possession to have in September in California. I highlight it now because it is something I will return to.

Returning to the dead body's description, a wire suture near her left eye socket was likely a metal wire used in surgery to repair a facial bone fracture. She also had full upper dentures, both of which were noted as potential identifying features in a time frame well before DNA.

Her clothing consisted of a light tan trench coat with blue plaid lining, a sleeveless red shift-type dress, and white leather loafer shoes. However, her clothing lacked labels, and there were no signs of injury or foul play, though homicide was not ruled out.

AI-Generated. Not the actual person or clothing. Image of clothing generated based on the description. Image would not reflect condition or accidental characteristics of the clothing from real life. Nor could the styles, shades, or patterns be considered authentic. The image is meant for a general idea.

The Investigation: A Search for Identity and Leads

The Marin County Sheriff’s Office, led by Sidney Stinson, launched an investigation to identify the woman and determine her cause of death. The Daily Independent Journal reported on Monday, December 19th, 1966, that deputy coroners were checking missing person’s reports, but none matched her description. By Tuesday, December 20th, 1966, the investigation escalated with skin tissue and hair samples sent to the FBI in Washington, D.C., and a state-wide bulletin was issued to police agencies.

On Tuesday, December 20th, 1966, Fireman Thomas W. Murphy of the Trestle Glen fire station in Tiburon provided a key lead. He recalled a woman matching the description who visited the station in late September 1966, asking to spend the night. When refused, she then asked to borrow a car, which was also declined.

She walked off toward Tiburon Boulevard after being denied, aligning with the autopsy’s estimated time of death. On Thursday, December 22nd, 1966, an employee at the Tiburon Lodge (1651 Tiburon Boulevard, San Rafael) reported that a woman had stayed there s few months prior. The location of this lodge, which I found in historical newspapers, was in the same general area as the fire station and the location of the dead body.

However, it’s possible that it was not Dorothy who stayed at the hotel, as you would think the registration card would be a strong identifier. Then again, maybe the hotel may not have required identification for a stay. The practice of requiring identification for checking in to a hotel has definitely become more stringent over time.

On Friday, December 23rd, 1966, an unauthenticated report suggested she may have been a patient at Langley Porter Neuropsychiatric Institute in San Francisco, where Stinson planned to take her items for potential recognition. Her association with this facility is a matter requiring further investigation. Despite these leads, the woman remained unidentified, as none matched a missing person’s report.

Dorothy’s Life: A Glimpse Before the Tragedy

Dorothy Jean Vaillancourt (née Williams) had a life that spanned continents, offering context for her potential isolation. Born in Tasmania, Australia (source: DNASolves), she immigrated to the United States before 1966, though the exact timeline remains unclear. Her maiden name was Williams, and she married into the surname Vaillancourt, though I did not readily find details of this marriage.

Assuming the reports of her sighting are true, she stayed at the Tiburon Lodge and visited the Trestle Glen fire station, asking to spend the night at the latter place on what might have been her last night alive. She claimed she lacked enough money for a taxi. Her requests were denied, and she walked off, marking her last known sighting alive.

The association in journalism with mental health challenges may have contributed to her transient lifestyle and isolation. Her presence in California, far from Tasmania, raises questions about her journey and connections in the United States.

Why Wasn’t She Reported Missing?

The absence of a matched missing person’s report in 1966 points to several possible explanations. Dorothy’s transient lifestyle, staying at motels and seeking shelter at a fire station, suggests she might have been disconnected from family or friends. The unauthenticated report of her possible mental health treatments indicates she may have been in a vulnerable state, potentially estranged from loved ones.

Her Tasmanian origins add complexity to the mystery of her disappearance. If her family remained in Australia, they might not have known she was in California or in trouble. But I didn't find a missing persons report, even in the years and decades after 1966.

One possibility is that a report was filed somewhere but lacked sufficient detail to match her remains. Conversely, she might have only been missing in word-of-mouth between associates. But the dentures and wire suture should have been enough to connect her to any kind of reasonably thorough missing persons report.

Searching for a Missing Person’s Reports

In researching Dorothy’s case, I looked for a missing person’s report in both Australia and the USA. I did not find one in the time I had for the task. Readers with behind-the-paywall memberships to databases like Newspapers.com are invited to look further for potential clues.

You have to be aware of her maiden name Williams. Also, Dorothy is occasionally abbreviated as "Dot" so that's a secondary search term. Given her Tasmanian origins and eventual presence in California, such a report might exist in historical archives or newspapers from either region.

It could offer insight into her disappearance. This search might uncover whether her family reported her missing in 1966 or even in the decades that followed. Sometimes family members don't realize something is amiss for a great span of time after last hearing from someone.

The Ambiguity of Her Final Days

The circumstances leading to Dorothy’s death remain ambiguous, leaving many questions unanswered. Her statement to the fireman that she lacked money for a taxi, despite wanting to go to a hotel, is puzzling. If she had funds for a hotel then those funds should cover a taxi.

Her request to borrow a car might be interpreted as the proverbial "call for help" from someone who is suicidal. I think a fire station is a building someone might approach in hopes of finding someone sympathetic.

Conversely, as her last sighting is described, she may have ended up reliant on hitchhiking, a dangerous mode of transportation that could have led to a clandestine fate. She certainly would not be the first female hitchhiker to end up dead on an embankment underneath some brush. Yet, one article said she had no injuries and you would expect injuries if she had been murdered.

So without a safe place to sleep, she might have rested exactly where she was found on the embankment. Maybe she poisoned herself or simply succumbed to hypothermia. I will reveal that this latter scenario is my opinion on what happened. I think she tried to find a spot to sleep, suffered in the chill of the night, and then didn't have the strength to carry on after that.

By her clothing, she doesn't look homeless to me so maybe she was on the edge of something. I do think it's a bit strange that this individual was carrying a scarf in California in what would have been the summertime or early fall. Was it a fashionable scarf or the kind meant for warmth? I think that's an odd possession to have in a region with highs around 72°F (22°C) during that time frame (yes, I looked it up).

But a scarf in her possession makes a bit more sense if she was thinking she might have to sleep outside and face the low temperatures of the night. We may never know the full story but this was someone who was in search of lodging, presumably late, and didn't find the help she needed.

She is buried at Mt. Tamalpais Cemetery and Mortuary in San Rafael, California. I did not find her Jane Doe grave on Findagrave. Perhaps she has no marker, which may change in the days, weeks, or months ahead.

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Conclusion and Sources

Source: DNASolves.com on Wednesday, March 19th, 2025.
Also: As reported by Kerry Breen for CBS News on Thursday, March 20th, 2025.

Dorothy Jean Vaillancourt: 1966 Marin County Jane Doe Newspaper Clippings Revealed

The following historical newspaper clippings from 1966 document the initial investigation into the unidentified woman later known as Marin County Jane Doe, now identified as Dorothy Jean Vaillancourt. These articles, sourced from the Daily Independent Journal and the San Francisco Examiner, provide a glimpse into the early efforts to identify her and understand her final days.

December 19th, 1966 – Daily Independent Journal: "Body Found at Tiburon Embankment"

December 20th, 1966 – San Francisco Examiner: "No Injuries Found on Dead Woman"

December 20th, 1966 – Daily Independent Journal: "Fireman Adds to Mystery of Unidentified Woman"

December 22nd, 1966 – Daily Independent Journal: "One New Lead in Identifying Woman’s Body"

December 23rd, 1966 – Daily Independent Journal: "Still Trying for Identification"

Robby Peay Cold Case Solved: An Uncollected Inheritance Suggested Tragedy

42-Year-Old Mystery Resolved: Robby Peay Identified in Arches National Park

By: Shane Lambert
March 20th, 2025

This article is part of a short-term series where I do deep dives at some solved cases to see the circumstances. Click on the label "Deep Dive at a Solved Case" to see other similar articles.

On March 20th, 2025, True Crime News reported that a decades-old cold case had been solved. The Provo Police Department identified human remains found in the Utah desert in 1983 as those of Robby Lynn Peay. He was a 17-year-old who disappeared in 1982.

Peay's historical missing person case described a runaway from a youth treatment center in Salt Lake City on October 7th, 1982. He was reported missing after failing to return.

Four months later, a body with a gunshot wound to the head was discovered in Arches National Park, Moab. However, decomposition prevented identification at the time.

The case went cold despite clues like Peay’s truck being found. It was 350 miles away in Lake Powell, which would confuse the link between the body and the truck. His family, presuming the worst, had him declared legally dead in 1990 and placed a cenotaph gravestone in Provo Cemetery.

The mystery persisted for years. In 2018, a Provo Police detective entered Peay’s information into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs). A corrected dental X-ray suggested a match with the Arches John Doe, but DNA confirmation was needed.

Since Peay was adopted at 11 months old with no direct biological relatives in his adopted family, investigators unsealed adoption records and used genealogical testing to locate a biological uncle.

Historical Clues: Newspaper Reports Highlight Peay’s Disappearance and Uncollected Inheritance

Newspaper clippings from The Daily Herald reveal the anguish of Peay’s family during the search. A profile published on February 22nd, 1990, described him as a 24-year-old white male, 5-foot-10 or taller, 150 pounds, with brown hair, blue eyes, fair complexion, and faint scars on his back from a childhood injury. Here is the original clipping from The Daily Herald (February 22, 1990):

MISSING MAN SOUGHT

A 24-year-old Provo man is still missing after seven years. On Oct. 7, 1982, Robby Lynn Peay escaped a Youth Diagnostic Center in Salt Lake City and has not been seen nor heard from since.

Peay has not made contact with his mother or friends since. On March 16, 1984, Mrs. Peay notified the Provo Police Department that she learned her son was in Boulder, Colo., using the name of Bobbert Casper.

A later article from The Daily Herald on December 29th, 1992, noted an inheritance that went uncollected. 

This uncollected money was a significant clue—Peay never claimed it, which, as history shows, often indicates a missing person is deceased. People are typically protective of financial assets with powerful feelings of entitlement. I think the police were very correct to assume he was dead after he failed to collect an inheritance.

Uncollected Money as a Clue: Comparing Peay’s Case to Phyllis Maue and Theresa Yakimchuk

Uncollected money as a clue to death is evident in other cases. Phyllis Maue, missing since 1982, never cashed her work paycheck, as noted in a Missing Persons Commentary blog. Similarly, Theresa Yakimchuk, presumed deceased by friends, never cashed a bank draft she purchased, according to another post on the same blog.

These examples, alongside Peay’s unclaimed inheritance, underscore a pattern. People rarely abandon financial assets willingly. Whether it’s a paycheck, bank draft, or inheritance, such assets are typically safeguarded, making their abandonment a strong indicator of death across all demographics.

However, I think this must be coupled with a lengthy disappearance to avoid overgeneralization. Furthermore, someone might forsake a small monetary asset.

Challenges of Identifying Adopted Missing Persons and the Impact of False Leads

Identifying an adopted missing person like Peay against a John Doe is particularly challenging. Adoption severs biological ties, complicating DNA matches without living relatives. Investigators had to unseal Peay’s adoption records and use genealogical testing, a process that took years and relied on modern forensics unavailable in the 1980s, delaying identification for over four decades. 

The 1984 “Bobbert Casper” lead, where Peay was reportedly seen in Boulder, Colorado, highlights the harm of erroneous tips. This sighting, which was offered after Peay was already dead, diverted resources and prolonged his family’s false hope. Such misinformation underscores the need for verified leads, as uncollected money remains a far more reliable clue in determining a missing person’s fate.

It is another example of how eyewitness sources are simply unreliable. But unfortunately, they must be included in cases where there's simply nothing else to go with.

I will lastly state that sometimes family members are the people most prone to believe false sightings. In my opinion, they will be prone to anything that suggests their family member is not dead. Anyone might behave this way but for those interested in resolving missing persons cases, don't buy into fanciful family stories. This is a matter I've discussed in other cases, particularly the cases of Ricky Jean Bryant and The Sodder Family.

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