After more than 50 years, the remains of a Portland teenager who disappeared in the late 1960s have finally been identified through advanced DNA testing, authorities announced.
Sandra Young, a student at Grant High School in Portland, vanished in 1968 or 1969. Her remains were discovered by a Boy Scout troop leader in 1970 buried in a shallow grave on Sauvie Island in Oregon. At the time, investigators were unable to identify the remains but suspected foul play due to trauma to the body.
A breakthrough in the case came in January 2023 when someone uploaded their DNA to a GEDMatch genealogy database and was recognized as a possible distant relative. Through collaboration with family members and the use of advanced DNA techniques, investigators were able to confirm that the remains were indeed those of Sandra Young.
Dr. Nici Vance of the Oregon State Medical Examiner’s Office expressed relief that Young has finally been identified after 54 years, crediting the diligent work of family members, detectives, and forensic experts. The Portland Police Bureau now plans to further investigate the circumstances of Young’s death.
The case highlights the power of investigative genetic genealogy in solving cold cases and identifying unknown remains. Before the DNA match, researchers had been able to predict Young’s gender and facial features as technology advanced.
“This technology gives investigators the powerful ability to assist all Oregon agencies with solving their cold case mysteries,” said Vance.
The case of Sandra Young serves as yet another example of how modern forensic techniques are helping families find closure and bring justice to long-forgotten cases.