PINAL COUNTY, Ariz. — Human remains found buried in a shallow, clandestine grave near Florence Junction in 1988 have been identified as belonging to a Scottsdale woman.
The DNA Doe Project announced Thursday they had positively identified the remains as belonging to Evelyn “Dottie” Lees, who was living in Scottsdale before she disappeared. Lees was born in Utah in 1898.
Evidence shows the deceased was likely the victim of a homicide due to strangulation, the Pinal County Sheriff's Office said.
The woman was believed to have died within a year of her remains being discovered in June 1988 in a remote area along State Route 79 south of the US 60.
Bone samples from the remains were used to create a DNA profile that could be linked to other DNA profiles and generate a family tree for the unidentified person.
The DNA Doe Project was able to identify the remains after making a connection with a married couple who had lived during the 19th century.
PCSO said Lees was never reported missing and there's no death certificate for her on file. Investigative leads were identified during the investigation but those individuals have since died, PCSO said.
“For an elderly grandmother to be the victim of a violent crime, and then to remain unidentified for 36 years is a tragedy,” Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb said in a statement. “We are grateful to the DNA Doe Project, its donors, and Dr. Bruce Anderson with the Pima County Office of the Medical Examiner who all helped give this woman some peace in death.”
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