Found Deceased WA - Daisy Mae (Tallman) Heath, 29, Toppenish, 30 Aug 1987

[Bit of hope]

Daisy's mentioned in this news article from March 2022: A newspaper shines a light on missing Indigenous women with the help of technology - Stories

Thank you for posting. Very interesting read. They created an interactive map of the Yakima Valley "ingenious" cases. If I do this right its accessible through this link. You can click on the bullets and read the story.

The Vanished: Mapping decades of missing and murdered on Yakama Reservation

 

[worldwatcher]

The Disappearance of Daisy Tallman

 

[HopeRains]

Yakima County Coroner’s Office Teams with Othram to Identify 2008 Jane Doe

The unidentified woman is now identified as 29-year-old Daisy Mae Tallman, reported missing in 1987.​

Summary​

In November 2008, skeletal remains, belonging to an unknown female, were found west of White Swan. The Yakama Nation Tribal Police and Yakima County Coroner's Office investigated the case and worked to pursue all leads available. Traditional forensic DNA testing was attempted, but the skeletal remains were not productive in yielding a usable DNA profile. Without a DNA profile and with all leads exhausted, the case eventually went cold.

In 2022, the Yakima County Coroner’s Office teamed with Othram to leveraged advanced DNA testing to identify the unknown woman. Skeletal remains were sent to Othram and Othram scientists were able to produce a usable DNA extract from the skeletal remains. The lab then used Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing® to develop a comprehensive DNA profile. Through an investigation by the Yakima County Coroner's Office, a familial reference DNA sample was provided and Othram used KinSNP® familial testing to confirm the suspected relationship between the reference sample and the DNA profile of the unknown woman.

The Yakima County Coroner's office then confirmed that the unknown woman was in fact, Daisy Mae Tallman, also known as Daisy Mae Heath. She was born January 10th, 1958. According to her missing persons record at NamUs (MP52320), Daisy was staying with family in the White Swan area of the Yakama Indian Reservation at the time of her disappearance. Her keys and backpack were later found in the closed area of the reservation, known as Soda Springs, which is a remote part of the reservation. Daisy was last seen around the end of August, and was reported missing on October 29th, 1987. She would have been 29 years old at the time she went missing.

The Yakima County Coroner’s Office offers their condolences to the family and friends of Mrs. Heath-Tallman. Daisy’s cause and manner of death will remain undetermined until further information may be provided. Funding for Othram's DNA testing work was provided by the Washington State Attorney General’s Office.

 

[cheemsg]

Remains found after all these years. What a trip.

 

[HmmMysterious]

In 2008 skeletal remains which were thought may be those of Daisy Mae were found and subjected to DNA testing (this is referenced in the FBI link in #3 above). Interestingly there is an update in a Seattle Times story from 2019 at ‘We have so many missing people’: Coroner tests remains found on Yakima River island as families wait, hope. It seems that, even 12 years later, those remains could be Daisy Mae as the story states;

"Also unidentified are skeletal remains of a Native woman found in late 2008 in a remote part of the Yakama reservation. In the spring of 2009, FBI agents were awaiting mitochondrial DNA test results on the remains, which they said may be of Tallman. But the FBI lab determined there was insufficient evidence to conclude the remains were hers, and the FBI will not release further information on the remains."

It seems that Othram confirmed today that those remains did indeed belong to Tallman.

 

[YaYa_521]

Rest in peace, Daisy.

 

[Bit of hope]

Yakima County Coroner’s Office Teams with Othram to Identify 2008 Jane Doe

The unidentified woman is now identified as 29-year-old Daisy Mae Tallman, reported missing in 1987.​

View attachment 392381

Summary​

In November 2008, skeletal remains, belonging to an unknown female, were found west of White Swan. The Yakama Nation Tribal Police and Yakima County Coroner's Office investigated the case and worked to pursue all leads available. Traditional forensic DNA testing was attempted, but the skeletal remains were not productive in yielding a usable DNA profile. Without a DNA profile and with all leads exhausted, the case eventually went cold.

In 2022, the Yakima County Coroner’s Office teamed with Othram to leveraged advanced DNA testing to identify the unknown woman. Skeletal remains were sent to Othram and Othram scientists were able to produce a usable DNA extract from the skeletal remains. The lab then used Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing® to develop a comprehensive DNA profile. Through an investigation by the Yakima County Coroner's Office, a familial reference DNA sample was provided and Othram used KinSNP® familial testing to confirm the suspected relationship between the reference sample and the DNA profile of the unknown woman.

The Yakima County Coroner's office then confirmed that the unknown woman was in fact, Daisy Mae Tallman, also known as Daisy Mae Heath. She was born January 10th, 1958. According to her missing persons record at NamUs (MP52320), Daisy was staying with family in the White Swan area of the Yakama Indian Reservation at the time of her disappearance. Her keys and backpack were later found in the closed area of the reservation, known as Soda Springs, which is a remote part of the reservation. Daisy was last seen around the end of August, and was reported missing on October 29th, 1987. She would have been 29 years old at the time she went missing.

The Yakima County Coroner’s Office offers their condolences to the family and friends of Mrs. Heath-Tallman. Daisy’s cause and manner of death will remain undetermined until further information may be provided. Funding for Othram's DNA testing work was provided by the Washington State Attorney General’s Office.

Finally. Thanks to all the people who were involved.

May you rest easy now Daisy. God speed. Condolences to her family and friends.