Woman found beaten, stabbed and burned 42 years ago now identified, California cops say
A body found beaten, stabbed and burned 42 years ago in San Diego has now been identified with the help of DNA testing, California police reported.
The remains of an unknown woman were found behind an office supply store near Pacific Beach on Oct. 16, 1981, San Diego police said in a news release.
Authorities estimated that she died only hours before her body was found, DNASolves said.
The woman, estimated to be in her 50s, was known to be homeless in the area at the time, but no one knew her name, police said.
Her purse contained her ID, but it was too badly burned to be readable, DNASolves said. People in the area called her “The Bag Lady” after the paper bag in which she carried her clothing.
“Investigators have been working together on this case exhausting all possible leads hoping identification of the victim will assist with finding the identity of her killer,” police said.
With financial help from Project Justice, a private, forensic biotechnology company established a DNA profile of the woman, police said.
The profile led to the identification of Elaine Armstrong of Kalamazoo, Michigan, who was 51 at the time of her death, police said. Her identity was confirmed by the medical examiner’s office.
Born in 1930, Armstrong was originally from Manistee, Michigan, and also lived in Midland, Michigan, DNASolves said. Her family has been notified.
“Elaine can now be buried in the place where her family can find her, in a place where they can visit her,” Kristen Mittelman, chief business development officer for Othram, the company that did the DNA testing, told WOOD. “(They) no longer have to sit out there searching for her wondering what has happened, is she out there, is she safe?”
Police ask anyone with information on her death to call 619-531-2293 or Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477.
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