A cold case in Miami County, Ohio may be one step closer to being solved. After thirty-seven years, the body of the "Buckskin Girl" has been identified. Investigators claim that 21-year-old Marcia L. King of Arkansas was the woman whose body was first discovered on Greenlee Road back on April 24, 1981. King earned her nickname after she was found wearing a Native American-style buckskin jacket and jeans.

Despite this finding, police have still not yet found King's killer. Even more maddening is the fact that investigators still have no clue as to why King was in Ohio in the first place.

At best, it is known that King had some connections to the cities of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Louisville, Kentucky. King's body was found a mere 20 miles north of the city of Dayton, which is close to the border with Kentucky.

DNA testing ultimately helped to solve the mystery of the "Buckskin Girl." More specifically, the DNA Doe Project, which uses the latest in forensic science to help identify unidentified murder victims, used hair and fiber samples to unveil the true identity of "Buckskin Girl." Miami County police are hopeful that this new information will help to solve this ice-cold case.

The facts

What is known about King's life and death is very limited. When her body was found on that April day, she had only been dead for a few hours.

King's killer had strangled her and used a blunt force object to strike King's head. Beyond these autopsy findings, police know next to nothing about King's killer or what actually transpired that day. King's body was found without any shoes, socks, or any form of identification. Furthermore, King was never reported missing, and little was known about her until Greg Bridenbaugh, a farmer on Greenlee Road, found her corpse.

Since 1981, a full-time detective has been assigned to the case. The case is still ongoing, and Miami County officials have set up a tip line (937-440-3990) so that members of the general public can contact the Miami County Sheriff's Department with any information regarding King's disappearance or murder.

In summing up the long investigation, Sheriff Dave Duchak told the Dayton Daily News that "Law enforcement never forgets."

Family continues on

King's relatives have mostly kept their feelings private. It has been reported in the Ohio media that King's mother is now seeking to get her daughter's headstone updated. As of this writing, King's headstone reads simply: "Jane Doe."

Investigators attached to the case are now focused on tracking King's last known whereabouts in Pittsburgh and Louisville.
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