r/gratefuldoe • u/blinkycosmocat • 20h ago
Resolved Ventura County, CA Jane Doe (7/1990) has been identified as Patricia Diana (Hunt) Fielding
From DNASolves.com: "On July 23, 1990, rescue crews responding to a vehicle accident on California Highway 33 in Ventura County, California discovered the remains of an unidentified woman on a steep hillside near the intersection of Creek Road. The woman's partial remains were found about 60 feet down the hillside, and subsequent searches recovered additional skeletal elements and five teeth. Near the remains, investigators found a hairbrush, a metal clasp, and two small pieces of cloth.
Efforts to identify the woman, including area searches, dental comparisons, and a facial reconstruction drawing created from the skull, were unsuccessful. Despite continued investigative work, the case went cold, and she remained unidentified for decades. The case was entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) as UP15158."
In 2025, investigators with the Ventura County Sheriff's Office-Major Crimes Investigations working with the Ventura County Medical Examiner's Office, submitted evidence to Othram, where scientists developed a comprehensive genetic profile for the woman.
Law enforcement then used the profile in a genetic genealogy search and developed new leads. A follow-up investigation resulted in the identification of the woman as 57-year-old Patricia Diana (Hunt) Fielding. Patricia was born on October 15, 1933 in Taft, Kern County, California and was a mother of four. However, little is known about Fielding's life before her remains were discovered or the circumstances surrounding her death.
"The Ventura County Sheriff's Office-Major Crimes Investigations is seeking public assistance from anyone who knew Patricia during the relevant time period or who has information about her associates, whereabouts, or activities. Investigators can be contacted by referencing case number 90-55883."
Rest in peace Patricia.
Links
DNASolves.com: https://dnasolves.com/articles/ventura-county-1990-patricia-diane-hunt-fielding/
NBC4 Los Angeles: https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/human-remains-found-in-ojai-35-years-ago-identified-as-mother-of-four/3956302/
Archived NamUs: https://web.archive.org/web/20260304132829/https://www.namus.gov/UnidentifiedPersons/Case#/15158#%2F15158