The Michigan State Police have identified a woman whose remains were found along Lake Michigan nearly four decades ago.
Investigators say the woman long known as “New Buffalo Jane Doe” is 71-year-old Dorothy Glanton of Chicago, Illinois. Glanton was reported missing after leaving her Chicago home on December 9, 1987. Her remains were discovered on April 8, 1988, near New Buffalo, but her identity could not be determined at the time.
In 2023, detectives from the MSP Niles Post reopened the case and partnered with the DNA Doe Project, a nonprofit that uses investigative genetic genealogy to identify unknown individuals. DNA extracted from Glanton’s remains was analyzed and uploaded to genealogical databases, which allowed researchers to build a family tree leading to her identification.
Initial assessments in 1988 suggested the remains belonged to a white woman in her 40s or 50s. The new findings revealed Glanton was African American and in her early 70s when she died.
“This identification brings closure to a family that has wondered for nearly four decades what happened to their loved one,” said Detective Sergeant John Moore, who led the investigation. “We’re grateful for the dedication of all those who worked tirelessly on this case.”
The Michigan State Police thanked the DNA Doe Project, Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine, Astrea Forensics, HudsonAlpha Discovery, Kevin Lord, and several law enforcement partners in Michigan and Illinois for their roles in solving the case.
MSP officials say it remains committed to identifying all unidentified persons and returning them to their families.
