CA CA- Pacific Ocean, floating near Point Reyes Peninsula, Sonoma County Jane Doe, Jan; '98, DNA- Deborah Mitchell Cordier, born 25 July,'52, 2025.

[dotr]

Sonoma County Jane Doe (1998) is now identified

Sonoma County Sheriff's Office & California DOJ Team with Othram to Identify a 1998 Jane Doe

dnasolves.com

''In January 1998, the remains of an unknown individual were found floating in the Pacific Ocean several miles out from Point Reyes Peninsula in California. Investigators determined that it was a woman, but she had been in the water for an unknown amount of time and her body was badly decomposed. The Sonoma County Sheriff's Office continued to investigate but despite their best efforts, the woman could not be identified and she became known as Sonoma County Jane Doe.

In 2023, the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office and California Department of Justice partnered with Othram to employ advanced forensic DNA analysis to try to identify the woman. Forensic evidence was sent to Othram and Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing® was used to build a comprehensive DNA profile suitable for forensic genetic genealogy. Othram’s in-house forensic genetic genealogy team then used the profile in a genetic genealogy investigation to develop new leads in the case. During the course of an investigation, detectives were able to confirm the identity of the unknown woman as Deborah Mitchell Cordier, who was born on July 25, 1952.''

 

[Mary-Belle]

I wonder if she was reported missing. I’m glad she has her name back.

 

[The4TierBridge]

I wonder if she was reported missing. I’m glad she has her name back.

I haven’t been able to find many details about her life but I think this might have been somebody who was known to have drowned or been lost at sea (can’t say this for certain though). She’s on ancestry (same name and birthdate and if you click on pictures you can see several that are clearly of the same woman as the one in Othram’s picture) and it says that she died in November 1997 in Richmond, which is 50 miles away from where the body was found. https://www.ancestry.com/genealogy/records/deborah-mitchell-cordier-24-zg4zrl

 

[Mary-Belle]

I haven’t been able to find many details about her life but I think this might have been somebody who was known to have drowned or been lost at sea (can’t say this for certain though). She’s on ancestry (same name and birthdate and if you click on pictures you can see several that are clearly of the same woman as the one in Othram’s picture) and it says that she died in November 1997 in Richmond, which is 50 miles away from where the body was found. https://www.ancestry.com/genealogy/records/deborah-mitchell-cordier-24-zg4zrl

That’s interesting that they have the month and year listed before her body was even found.

Your “lost at sea” theory would make sense!

 

[victoriarobinson642]

Deborah Mitchell was born in Atlanta in 1952 and married a man named P J Cordier Jr. in Reno, Nevada, in 1975, records show. It remains unclear how she died.

https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/unidentified-bodies-found-north-bay-1998-named-20255054.php

 

[victoriarobinson642]

That’s interesting that they have the month and year listed before her body was even found.

Your “lost at sea” theory would make sense!

Reginald Mitchell

Closure is necessary, no matter the distance or how much time has past... Peace to my FAMILY, my Mother, Aunts and cousins... I love you all and I'm sad but happy for the closure... Thank you to my...

www.facebook.com

Beverly Mitchell-Briscoe

Deborah Mitchell - Cordier, missing since around the end of November 1997.

www.facebook.com

It doesn't seem like that was the case, maybe they had her declared deceased in absentia. Her sister's DNA was in CODIS, but since her Doe case never even made it to NAMUS, there was no way to connect them until genetic genealogy was involved.

 

[Melt71]

Relatives in the messages quoted by Vic above say that she is survived by 'a host of family in Atlanta, California, and Texas'.