On Sunday morning, September 12, 1976, behind the serene wooded perimeter of Lorraine Park Cemetery in Woodlawn, Baltimore County, Maryland, a passing motorist spotted a body wrapped in an orange-and-white patterned bedsheet near Dogwood Road. For forty-five years, she was known as "Woodlawn Jane Doe"—a fixture of forensic art retrospectives and cold-case databases.
Discovery & Distinctive Evidence
The victim had been bound with rope, severely beaten, sexually assaulted, and strangled; a rag soaked in chloroform was stuffed into her mouth. She was estimated between 15 and 20 years old, standing 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighing 159 pounds, with dark brown shoulder-length hair.
Forensic anthropologists noted several extraordinary identifiers:
- Orthopedic Surgical Scars: A distinct 6-inch linear surgical scar along her right hip and proximal femur, resulting from a childhood orthopedic operation to correct a congenital hip dysplasia or bone fracture.
- Handmade Seed-Beaded Jewelry: Around her neck was a delicate handmade choker necklace strung with alternating turquoise, red, and yellow glass seed beads.
- Clothing Artifacts: She wore blue Levi's jeans fastened with two brass safety pins in place of a broken zipper button, and a distinctive white floral-print blouse.
Chronological Case Timeline
| Date / Year | Location | Event / Investigative Milestone |
|---|---|---|
| Sept 12, 1976 | Woodlawn, Baltimore Co., MD | Body discovered wrapped in sheet behind Lorraine Park Cemetery. |
| 2006 & 2011 | Doe Network & Websleuths | Volunteer forensic artist Carl Koppelman releases digital composite portraits of Woodlawn Jane Doe. |
| 2016 | National Center (NCMEC) | Pollen testing on sheet detects trace minerals from the Boston/New York northeastern corridor. |
| 2021 | Lorton, VA | Baltimore County PD partners with Bode Technology for forensic genetic genealogy. |
| Sept 15, 2021 | Towson, MD | Baltimore County Police announce identification as 16-year-old Margaret Fetterolf of Alexandria, VA. |