After 37 Years, Lake Michigan Remains Identified as Missing Chicago Woman
Human remains discovered along Lake Michigan more than three decades ago have been confirmed to belong to a 71-year-old Chicago woman who vanished in 1987, according to authorities.
Michigan State Police, working with the DNA Doe Project — a nonprofit group focused on genetic genealogy — announced Wednesday, Nov. 12, that the remains were identified as those of Dorothy Glanton.
“Thanks to the commitment of Michigan State Police detectives and our partnership with the DNA Doe Project, the woman known for decades as ‘New Buffalo Jane Doe’ has finally been identified, bringing closure to a case that spanned 37 years,” the agency shared in a statement. “Great assistance by all involved!”
Officials said Glanton was last seen after leaving her Chicago home on Dec. 9, 1987.
On April 8, 1988, her remains were found along the Lake Michigan shoreline near New Buffalo, Michigan. At that time, investigators were unable to identify her, and the case went cold for decades.
In 2023, the case was reopened and the DNA Doe Project was brought in to assist. A DNA profile was created and uploaded to genealogy databases, where experts constructed a family tree to narrow down possible identities.
According to the organization, the new findings revealed that earlier assessments were incorrect: investigators initially believed the woman was a white victim in her 40s or 50s, but further analysis showed she was African American and in her 70s when she died. The group noted that such misidentifications were more common before advances in DNA and forensic anthropology.
The effort ultimately led to Glanton’s family, uncovering details about her early life in Alabama before moving to Chicago in the 1920s.
During the search, investigators found a heartbreaking plea — a 1988 newspaper notice from a relative of Glanton’s elderly mother that read: “your mother is ill, lonely & afraid” and “she needs you desperately.” Sadly, Glanton’s remains had already been discovered months earlier.
Authorities say recent forensic technology was key to closing the case and expressed gratitude to all who contributed.
“This identification brings closure to a family that has wondered for nearly four decades what happened to their loved one,” said Detective Sgt. John Moore of the MSP Niles Post. “We’re grateful for the dedication of all those who worked tirelessly on this case.”
