Recent DNA breakthrough have finally restored a name to the remains discovered over 35 years ago, in a remote stretch near Florence Junction, Arizona.
The body found in 1988 was recently identified as Evelyn “Dottie” Lees.
Evelyn was an elderly woman whose tragic death and disappearance left her family and investigators with countless unanswered questions.
Today, as new details of her case emerge, we piece together the life and loss of a woman who became a victim of a crime that went unnoticed for decades.
The Life Behind the Mystery: Who Was Evelyn "Dottie" Lees?
Evelyn Lees was affectionately called “Dottie” by those who knew her.
She lived her later years in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Dottie came from a family with roots tracing back to a UK couple who immigrated to the U.S. in the early 1800s.
Despite her advanced age, friends and family likely had no idea that Dottie’s quiet disappearance in the late 1980s would spark a decades-long mystery.
While she was never reported missing, the lack of any formal death record made her absence a mystery for those who knew her.
As time went by, clues about her whereabouts faded.
This made Dottie become an unknown part of one of Arizona’s longest unsolved cold cases.
A Chilling Discovery in the Desert
On June 28, 1988, a set of human remains was unearthed along State Route 79 near Florence Junction, south of U.S. 60.
The remains were buried in a shallow grave.
Evidence indicated that Evelyn had been strangled, and her life ended in a remote area of the desert.
Investigators determined she had likely died within a year of being found.
However, her identity and story remained a mystery.
With limited resources, the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office faced obstacles in identifying her.
As a result, the case was soon classified as “cold.”
For nearly 36 years, Evelyn Lees was an unnamed victim whose tragic end haunted the Arizona desert.
The Long Road to Justice: Decades of Cold Silence
For years, the investigation into Evelyn’s death seemed at a standstill.
No witnesses, no missing persons report, and no concrete leads kept detectives from moving forward.
However, clues about Evelyn's life were hidden in plain sight, as there was a pension fraud scheme that continued even after her death.
Authorities suspect that her benefits continued to be collected for over a decade, potentially by individuals who knew of her death and exploited her absence for financial gain.
These individuals are no longer alive.
This has left lingering questions about who profited from her death and why no one raised suspicions sooner.
The DNA Doe Project and a Breakthrough in Forensic Science
In 2023, a significant breakthrough brought the case back to life.
Dr. Bruce Anderson, a forensic anthropologist from the Pima County Office of the Medical Examiner, sought assistance from the DNA Doe Project.
This is a nonprofit organization dedicated to identifying unknown victims through genetic genealogy.
Using advanced DNA extraction techniques, the team created a detailed DNA profile from Evelyn’s bones.
This finding initiated a search that spanned the globe.
Volunteer genealogists, including Lance Daly and team leader Matthew Waterfield, uncovered family connections across the U.S., Canada, the UK, and Australia, painstakingly tracing the branches of Evelyn’s family tree.
Eventually, they zeroed in on her family history and identified her as the granddaughter of the UK immigrants.
This helped solve the mystery of her missing death certificate and unclear burial records.
The absence of a concrete death date and placeholder information in family records hinted at foul play.
No one seemed aware of Evelyn's tragic end.
Restoring Evelyn's Legacy: Closure After 36 Years
Finally, on October 26, 2024, the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office announced the identification of Evelyn “Dottie” Lees.
Sheriff Mark Lamb commended the DNA Doe Project, Dr. Anderson, and all contributors.
He expressed gratitude that Evelyn's identity had finally been restored after so many years.
“For an elderly grandmother to be the victim of a violent crime, and then to remain unidentified for 36 years is a tragedy,” he stated.
Retired cold case detective Stuart Somershoe offered a poignant reminder about cases like Evelyn’s.
“If your loved one is missing, report them, even if it feels like it’s been too long,” he said.
His advice underscores a crucial takeaway from Evelyn’s story—a tragedy that may have been resolved much sooner if someone had reported her absence.
Today, we honor Evelyn “Dottie” Lees memory, knowing that her name and story will no longer be forgotten.
We also hope this case will encourage others to look out for those who may slip through the cracks of society.
In another breakthrough in an unsolved mystery, a body found in 1987, killed execution-style, has been identified using DNA.
Click here for more details on that case.
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