GREGG COUNTY, Texas — The DNA Doe Project and Gregg County Sheriff's Office have identified a victim whose body was found in 2002 after going missing in 1998.
According to the GCSO, on May 21, 2002, officials responded to an open field near Swamp City Rd. and Highway 135, near Liberty City.
On that day, three archeologists who were collecting oil samples for the widening of Hwy. 135, found a human skull and bones.
The remains were recovered and send to the Tarrant County Medical Examiner's Office. Authorities concluded the remains were that of a petite white or Hispanic female, between the ages of 16-30. They said the remains had been there for a minimum of two years.
"There were very few leads at that time and no identity of the remains had been made," the GCSO said.
In April 2013, law enforcement had the skull scanned and a 3D reconstruction was performed. The results determined the age range of the female to be between 17-25, and stood 5'1-5'4. She had a petite build and unrepaired cleft palate.
Six years later, in February 2019, officials discovered initial DNA samples were no longer usable for modern forensic examination. Authorities contacted the DNA Doe Project and made arrangements for the remains to be send for new DNA extraction.
In April 2022, the DNA Doe Project identified the remains as Pamela Darlene Young, with a date of birth of December 11, 1971.
After speaking with her family members, authorities discovered Young was never reported missing and was last seen sometime in 1998.
A person of interest was identified with the assistance of the Texas Rangers, but they have been dead since 2017.
"At this time, there are no leads in this case, the GCSO said. Ït is not known exactly how Ms. Young came to be in the open field and no cause of death was ever determined.
Anyone with information n her disappearance and death us urged to call the GCSO or Gregg County Crimestoppers.