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Girl buried beneath vineyard identified after 48 years as cops hunt killer
Fox News • • nation
Key Points:
- Michelle Louise Collier, a 15-year-old girl who disappeared in Fresno in 1978, was identified in 2025 as the previously unidentified homicide victim known as "Arvin Jane Doe," whose remains were found buried beneath a California vineyard nearly 48 years ago.
- Despite initial forensic efforts, Collier's case went cold for decades until advances in forensic investigative genetic genealogy enabled investigators to develop a DNA profile and identify her through relatives' DNA submitted to genealogy databases.
- Collier's family expressed emotional relief and called for justice, with her sister condemning the killer and affirming that law enforcement will hold them accountable, while authorities emphasized that the homicide investigation is ongoing.
- The victim's remains were reburied with her family in 2026, providing closure after nearly five decades, and law enforcement is seeking information from the public to help solve the circumstances surrounding her death.
- This case marks the 86th instance in California where forensic genetic genealogy technology was used to identify unknown human remains, highlighting the growing impact of this investigative method.
