Human Remains Found in New Mexico Identified After Three Years

Human remains discovered more than three years ago in New Mexico have finally been identified as 56-year-old Lisa Marie Vernon of Albuquerque, authorities announced.

The breakthrough came thanks to a collaboration between the Valencia County Sheriff’s Office and the nonprofit DNA Doe Project, which specializes in using genetic genealogy to solve cold cases.

“With Ms. Vernon’s identity confirmed, investigators were able to piece together the circumstances surrounding her disappearance and death,” the sheriff’s office said. “No evidence of foul play has been discovered, and the case has been formally closed as a non-criminal death investigation.”

The remains were first found on July 16, 2022, under a tree on the 1700 block of Rio Communities Boulevard in Los Lunas. Alongside her remains, deputies discovered a backpack containing clothes, a water bottle, and a diary, though the diary offered no clues to her identity, the DNA Doe Project said.

At the time, authorities were unable to identify her using traditional methods, and she was temporarily referred to as “Los Lunas Jane Doe.”

In 2023, investigators turned to the DNA Doe Project for help creating a DNA profile from the remains. By May of this year, the project had generated genealogical results pointing to Lisa Marie Vernon, who was last seen on June 4, 2022.

“It didn’t take us long to figure out that Los Lunas Jane Doe had connections to both Illinois and Tennessee,” said Lisa Ivany of the DNA Doe Project. “However, we could also tell that she likely had recent ancestors from outside the U.S., especially as a number of her DNA matches were from Europe.”

Working with the Office of the Medical Investigator, authorities reached out to Vernon’s relatives to obtain DNA samples, which ultimately confirmed her identity.

“Investigative genetic genealogy is a powerful tool,” Emily Bill of the DNA Doe Project said. “Even though the DNA matches we had were from elsewhere, our research led us all the way to New Mexico and then to Lisa herself.”

Valencia County Sheriff Denise Vigil praised the team for their efforts. “Their dedication to giving names back to the unidentified has brought long-awaited answers to a grieving family and helped bring closure to the case,” she said.

The case serves as a reminder of how advanced DNA technology can bring closure to families and resolve long-standing mysteries.