In June 1978, the remains of an unidentified female were discovered in Kern County near South Wheeler Ridge Road. Without an identity for the victim, the case went cold. For 48 years, detectives knew her only as Jane Doe.
Despite the efforts of detectives and forensic specialists, her identity remained unknown. Without her identity, there were no leads, no suspects, and no arrests.
Today, we can say that Jane Doe has been identified as Michelle Collier and provide long-awaited answers to a family that has lived for decades without knowing what happened to their loved one.
This was made possible due to the ongoing commitment of homicide detectives, the coroner’s office, along with the utilization of Forensic Investigative Genetic Genealogy, also known as FIGG. FIGG is a powerful investigative tool that combines advanced DNA analysis with traditional genealogical research. It has helped generate new leads in cases that had long reached investigative dead ends and opened doors that were not available decades ago.
The Kern County Sheriff’s Office is seeking information from anyone who knew Michelle Collier. Michelle was recently identified after nearly 50 years, any information about Michelle is beneficial to the investigation. Detectives urge anyone with information, no matter how minor, to contact Detective Thompson at (661)861-3110 or the secret witness line at (661)322-4040