HANOVER TOWNSHIP, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) Troop P Criminal Investigation Unit and Luzerne County District Attorney Sam Sanguedolce have announced a partnership with Othram Inc., for access to their DNA testing to investigate a cold case murder 42 years in the making and investigators are asking the public to help solve it.
State Troopers say this is all about getting justice for a newborn baby who they say was simply thrown into the trash, left to die, in a dump. They believe that someone is out there that can help solve this murder mystery.
State police say they continue to investigate the 1980 cold case murder of a baby boy John Doe who was found on August 6, 1980, at the Westside Landfill in Larksville Borough. State Police are hopeful advancements in DNA technology can help solve the case.
“With the advancements in technology over the years, the Pennsylvania State Police continue to look for new ways to support older cases,” said Major Jeremy Richard, PSP Acting Deputy Commissioner of Operations. “We are hopeful that technological advancements combined with public support will generate leads and a conclusion for this case.”
State Police say the recent solving of the 57-year-old cold case murder of Marise Chiverella in Hazleton shows cold cases are really never cold. Now they hope to bring the same justice to Baby John Doe.
The remains of Baby John Doe were buried at St. Anthony’s of Padua Cemetery in Courtdale. The body was exhumed in 2016 as part of a state police effort to use DNA to solve cold case murders. An autopsy determined the full-term, white, male infant had died within two hours of birth due to immediate neglect.
A second forensic opinion in 2000 said that the infant may have lived for several days. Baby John Doe is listed as Unidentified Person 15765 (UP-15765) in the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NAMUS).
“Baby Doe was examined, This is a facial reconstruction made by the University of South Florida Anthropology Unit (pictured directly above) to help provide and also took bone samples, different samples to assist us in DNA purposes,” said Trooper Edward Urban.
According to law enforcement, the initial investigation failed to find any leads on the Baby Doe’s birth mother. However, with the advancements in technology over the years, Baby Doe’s remains were exhumed on September 26, 2016, with other Luzerne County unidentified homicide victims. The exhumations were part of a team effort between the PSP, the Luzerne County DA, and the Luzerne County Coroner.
State police say Baby Doe was examined by the University of South Florida Anthropology Unit, in which samples of the baby’s DNA were secured for testing.
“Othram does specialize in degraded DNA sample work and due to the age of the samples and conditions Baby John Doe was interred in, the sample was degraded. We hope that Othram will be successful in developing a DNA profile that will be useable that can help us identify Baby John Doe. Who his biological parents were and maybe someone in Luzerne County may find out they are siblings of Baby Doe once this is all finished,” said Trooper Edward Urban.
“Our office is greatly looking forward to working with the State Police and Othram in pursuing this more than 40-year-old investigation,” said Luzerne County District Attorney Sam Sanguedolce. “Hopefully, new technology leads us to this infant victim’s identity and answers to this riddle. On a larger scale, we hope this work emphasizes our desire to pursue cases until justice is served. Bringing justice upon perpetrators, and some measure of closure to victims’ families is our primary responsibility and a responsibility we’d never abandon.”
Wednesday’s news conference had two goals, donations to help pay the costs of the DNA testing, and information the public might have to resolve this case.
“Unfortunately this testing is tremendously expensive. Part of the purpose of this press conference today is to generate public interest especially in the wake of the Chiverella cold case that got solved through this type of investigation that we can generate donations that will assist in paying these fees that the state police relating information to the public to invest themselves in assisting in this investigation,” said Sanguedolce.
State Police told Eyewitness News the cost of the test is about $5,000 and say rather than wait for the state’s budget process to move forward, they are hoping the public will be engaged to help out. They are also looking for any information that may help solve the murder mystery of Baby John Doe.
For more on how you can help solve these crimes DNA Solves
PSP is encouraging the public or anyone that may have any information to submit tips on the case through Pennsylvania Crime Stoppers.
Watch the Full Press Conference Below:
