They found the skeletal remains of a young woman.
For nearly three decades, criminal investigators couldn't identify her, so they referred to her as "Falls Road Jane Doe."
Now, advancements in Forensic DNA analysis have finally given a name to the victim: Leoria Smith.
She was a 20-year-old Baltimore woman who vanished in 1984.
However, she was never reported missing, as reported by CBS News.
Decades-old mystery is Unraveled
It all began In March 1996, when a group of tree trimmers working in the 17800 block of Falls Road found human skeletal remains.
The victim was dressed in blue jeans, a light-colored pinstriped blouse with pearl buttons, a leather jacket, and high-top shoes.
Two gold hoop earrings were also found close to the remains.
Forensic investigations estimated that the body had been there for at least five years.
With no missing persons reports matching the victim's description, investigators named her "Falls Road Jane Doe."
The case went cold and remained unsolved until 2021 when advancements in DNA testing revived the investigation.
In April 2021, Baltimore County Police partnered with DNA Labs International (DLI) to apply cutting-edge forensic investigative genetic genealogy (FIGG) techniques to the cold case.
This sophisticated DNA analysis method has helped in solving hundreds of cold cases nationwide.
This method combines the use of traditional forensic DNA testing and investigative genetic genealogy to identify victims and suspects through familial connections.
After years of painstaking work, the breakthrough came in March 2025.
The unidentified woman was finally given back her name - Leoria Smith.
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| The location where Leoria Smith's remains were found |
Who was Leoria Smith?
Leoria Smith was a 20-year-old Baltimore resident who had disappeared in 1984.
However, her remains were found twelve years later in 1996.
She had attended Gwynns Falls Park Junior High School in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
According to criminal investigators, Leoria Smith was last seen celebrating her birthday at the "Underground" club on Edmondson Avenue in November 1984.
After this confirmed sighting she mysteriously vanished and nobody reported her missing.
At the time of her disappearance, Leoria Smith left behind an infant daughter, Tierra Ashby.
Ashby, who is now 40 years old, grew up without knowing what happened to her mother.
"I wanted answers for a very long time, but this still came as a shock," Ashby said at a recent press conference with her voice trembling with emotion.
"My children never got to experience having a grandmother. While this brings some closure, we still need justice for my mother."
Ashby's daughter, Kierra Merton, added, "It would have been so meaningful to know who she was, to have had a grandmother in our lives."
How Advanced DNA Technology Cracked the Case
The identification process of Leoria Smith involved multiple forensic techniques.
Earlier in the investigation, forensic experts built a facial reconstruction from the victim's skeletal remains.
The reconstructed figure described the victim as a 5-foot-1 Black woman who had a noticeable mark on the right side of her skull.
Despite these initial efforts, the skeletal remains were not identified until advancements in DNA testing ultimately cracked the case.
Using advanced DNA screening, forensic experts from DNA Labs International (DLI)
developed a comprehensive DNA profile from the remains.
Then they used investigative genetic genealogy to trace potential relatives through public ancestry databases.
This led detectives to conduct targeted interviews and collect additional DNA samples that confirmed Smith's identity.
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| Leoria Smith's family |
Justice For Leoria Smith
Baltimore County Police have emphasized that identifying Smith is just the beginning.
"Now that we know who she was, we're focusing on how she died and who might be responsible," said Cpl. Dona Carter of the Cold Case Unit.
"No piece of information is too small at this point."
The circumstances surrounding Smith's death remain suspicious, though the exact cause of death hasn't been determined.
While advanced DNA technology can now solve cold cases, traditional police work and community cooperation are still needed for some critical answers
Detectives are particularly interested in speaking with anyone who might have known Smith in the 1980s, especially those who might have photographs of her or remember her from the Underground club.
"We're essentially reconstructing a life that's been lost to history for nearly 40 years," explained one investigator.
Smith's case was particularly challenging because her disappearance was never officially reported to authorities.
This is a fact that still puzzles investigators.
"If her disappearance had been reported in 1984, we might have solved this case years ago," noted Cpl. Carter.
As the investigation continues, Smith's family is left with mixed emotions - relief at finally knowing what happened to their loved one, but anger that it took so long, and determination to see justice served.
"The person who did this shouldn't be walking around free," Ashby said firmly.
"We deserve answers, and my mother deserves justice."
Authorities are urging anyone with information about Leoria Smith or who might have known her in the early 1980s to contact Baltimore County detectives at 410-887-3943.
Tips can also be submitted anonymously through the Baltimore County iWATCH program.
For forensic scientists and law enforcement, this case is another powerful example of how persistent investigative work combined with evolving DNA technology can finally bring closure to families, no matter how much time has passed.
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