The Roane County Sheriff’s Office and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation have identified the remains of a woman found in 1987. The remains were identified as Betty Lou Wisley, who was living in or near Knox County at the time of her death. Authorities are seeking information about her death. ClayCoNews reported
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Betty Lou Wisley
ClayCoNews
Woman Whose Remains Were Found in Roane County in 1987 Finally Identified
ROANE COUNTY, TN – After decades of investigation, the Roane County Sheriff’s Office and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Unidentified Human Remains DNA Initiative have successfully identified a woman whose remains were discovered in 1987. The breakthrough in identification came through a partnership between the law enforcement agencies and the use of advanced DNA testing technology.
The unidentified woman’s body was found on August 29, 1987, near a garbage dumpster in the 2600 block of Highway 58 in Kingston, Roane County. Forensic experts determined that she was a white female, estimated to be between the ages of 35 and 50. Tragically, the victim had been burned after her death and discarded beside the dumpster. Despite extensive efforts by the Roane County Sheriff’s Office at the time, her identity remained a mystery and she was classified as a Jane Doe.
Years passed, and in April of 2009, the University of Tennessee Forensic Anthropology Center submitted a sample of the remains to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. With the development of a DNA profile, her information was entered into national databases in the hopes of identifying her. However, no significant leads emerged.
Recently, as part of the Unidentified Human Remains DNA Initiative, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation collaborated with Othram Inc., a private lab in Texas, for forensic genetic genealogical (FGG) DNA testing. This cutting-edge technique provided crucial information about possible relatives connected to the unidentified woman. Eventually, law enforcement agents were able to make contact with one of those family members and obtain a familial DNA standard for comparison.
The DNA comparison confirmed that the unidentified remains belonged to Betty Lou Wisley, born on December 30, 1935, originally from Clinton, Missouri. It was further determined that Wisley was living in or near the Knox County area at the time of her death. This breakthrough represents a significant step forward in solving the decades-old case.
The Roane County Sheriff’s Office Investigators and TBI special agents are now seeking the public’s assistance in piecing together the events leading up to Betty Lou Wisley’s death. They are particularly interested in any information about individuals she may have been with before her untimely demise. If you have any information, please contact the Roane County Sheriff’s Office at 865-717-4722 or email tips to .
For more information on the TBI’s Unidentified Human Remains DNA Initiative, click here.
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