LAKE COUNTY, Fla. — The body of a suspected homicide victim found in Altoona has been identified, according to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.
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Identified previously as “Judy Doe” the victim’s body was located off a dirt road near Lake Dorr in Altoona on April 18, 1984.
Since the discovery of the body, LCSO has worked hard to crack the case.
In November 2023, the LCSO contacted Othram Inc., a private forensics lab, in an attempt to provide new leads and information.
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In November 2024, detectives contacted a suspected close relative of Judy Doe. The family member’s cooperation led to them submitting DNA for comparison, which was sent to Othram, Inc., for analysis.
In December 2024, Othram Inc. verified that Judy Doe was the sister of the family member who submitted their DNA and that her real name was Rebecca Sue Hill.
Detectives later discovered that Rebecca had been missing from Arkansas since sometime in 1981 when she was around 16 or 17 years old around the time of her disappearance.
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Rebecca was never in any database as missing due to remains being found in Little Rock, AR, being misidentified as Rebecca by a family member sometime in 1981 or 1982.
The LCSO has contacted the Little Rock Police Department regarding the findings, as it is an ongoing investigation.
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