Unraveling the Mystery: DNA Reveals Identity of Oregon Woman Missing Since 1974 After Remains Found

The Long Road to Answers: A Sister’s Search for Truth

Valerie Nagle always wondered what happened to her older sister, Marion Vinetta Nagle McWhorter, who vanished in Oregon back in 1974. After years of searching through online databases and submitting DNA samples to ancestry websites, she finally received a call from authorities in June. They wanted to compare her DNA to a cold case known as “Swamp Mountain Jane Doe.” The results confirmed that the remains found in 1976 were Marion’s.

Oregon State Police released this information publicly for the first time this week. Valerie shared her shock and gratitude upon the news. “I was really glad they found me through DNA,” she said, recalling how she was just 11 years old when her sister went missing.

Marion was last seen at a mall in Tigard when she was 21. As the oldest of five siblings, her disappearance left a void in the family. Valerie remembers her mother, an Alaska Native, always speaking of Marion with love and longing. Unfortunately, stories like theirs are not unique. Indigenous women face disproportionately high rates of disappearance, often due to inadequate public safety resources.

The remains were discovered by a moss hunter in 1976, who immediately alerted law enforcement. Investigators later found additional items, including a shoe and a leather coat.

Valerie’s family made efforts to find Marion, but those were limited. As she grew older, Valerie became more determined. “I spent a lot of time scrolling through databases, looking for answers,” she recalled. In 2010, DNA from Marion’s remains was sent to the University of North Texas for analysis, and a profile was created in the missing persons database, NamUs.

The breakthrough came in April when a distant cousin uploaded their DNA profile to FamilyTreeDNA. This match led investigators to Valerie, giving her family the closure they had long sought.

State Forensic Anthropologist Hailey Collord-Stalder emphasized the importance of persistence in such cases. “This case was cold for 49 years. Family members lived and died without knowing what happened to their loved ones,” she said.

As for Valerie, she finally has a piece of history—and a sister—back. “I never forgot about her,” she shared, highlighting the profound impact that this journey has had on her life.

For further information, you can read more about similar cold cases and the challenges faced by Indigenous communities in the United States here.

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