HANCOCK COUNTY — A woman whose remains were discovered in Hancock County in 1994 have been identified nearly 30 years after the fact.
Doreen M. Tiedman would have been 34 years old at the time of her death. She was from Cleveland and was known to hitchhike across the country, according to a news release from the Hancock County Sheriff's Office.
An investigation into her death was opened in October 1994, when her remains were found in a wooded area under a bridge. Investigators at the time thought the remains had likely been there for months prior to being discovered.
"The unknown woman was eventually referred to as Hancock County Jane Doe. With few clues to the woman’s identity, the case went cold," the release states.
It continues, "Although early investigation into the case was hampered by a lack of basic information or viable clues, members of the Hancock County Sheriff’s Department remained open to new methods and opportunities to identify the deceased."
The deceased woman, still unidentified at the time, was entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) in 2009 but investigators couldn't find answers to the case at the time through traditional forensic methods.
There were no major developments until August 2021, when Hancock County Sheriff's investigator Ted Munden contacted an Indiana State Police forensic scientist to inquire about genetic genealogy.
From there, leads were established and the deceased woman's identity was confirmed as Tiedman.
Tiedman was officially listed as missing in May 1996 with the Cleveland Police Department and entered into NamUs in 2013.
The sheriff's office is now asking anyone who may have information on what led to Tiedman's death to come forward. Tips can be shared with the sheriff's office by calling 317-477-1199.
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