Washtenaw County identifies Jane Doe body discovered in 1985

A Jane Doe homicide victim from the mid-1980s was recently identified by the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office.

According to a news release, the young woman, identified as Cheryl Coates, was found dead near the area of MacArthur Boulevard and Stamford Road in Superior Township in 1985. The body was located in a shallow grave near the Woolman Oval Apartments, which were abandoned in the 1970s.

The incident, believed to have occurred between January of 1984 and 1985, led to the victim remaining unidentified for many years. After the body was exhumed, the Washtenaw County Medical Examiner’s Office believed the victim to be an African-American female between the ages of 15 and 25.

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When found, she was dressed for cold weather. It was approximated she was 5 feet tall and weighed around 115 pounds.

In 1985, the University of Michigan conducted a facial reconstruction of the victim’s skull, but that didn’t lead to identifying the individual.

However, with advanced technology becoming recently available, Michigan State Police were able to create updated 3D images which portray what the victim may have looked like around her death.

The current circumstances of Coates’ death are unknown, and the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office is currently seeking further information. Those with information are encouraged to call the office tip line at 734-973-7711.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Washtenaw County identifies Jane Doe from 1985 homicide case