When drought drove a California river to historic lows in 2015, it revealed a mystery.
That October, human remains were discovered in the Stanislaus River below Parrotts Ferry Bridge, according to a Sept. 14 Facebook post from the Calaveras County Sheriff's Office.
Despite an investigation, authorities were unable to identify the remains, and the case eventually went cold.
Now, advances in DNA technology have helped investigators identify the woman as Anita Kathleen Ranker, who was born Feb. 18, 1969, in Santa Clara County, deputies said.
“Through the continued efforts of the Calaveras Cold Case Task Force and the use of modern forensic technology, investigators have been able to provide long-awaited answers regarding the identity of a woman who
remained unknown for far too long,” the sheriff’s office said.
Case reopened
In 2021, the woman's case was reopened after the creation of the Calaveras Cold Case Task Force, deputies said, adding that they hoped advancements in forensic science would help bring answers to the case.
Over the next few years, deputies said they sent the remains to different laboratories, which each used “cutting-edge technology to attempt to extract DNA suitable for Forensic Genetic Genealogy.”
Genetic genealogy couples DNA testing with “traditional genealogical methods” to create “family history profiles," according to the Library of Congress. Through genealogical DNA testing, researchers can determine how people may be biologically related.
The DNA extraction, however, was complicated, as the remains were severely deteriorated from being underwater for many years, deputies said.
Resolve Forensics of Utah worked on the case for three years and made significant progress extracting DNA suitable for forensic genetic genealogy, according to the sheriff's office.
In June, Astrea Forensics in California successfully extracted usable DNA, deputies said.
From there, Identifinders International — a private consulting firm — used forensic investigative genetic genealogy and found potential relatives for the woman, who provided a DNA reference sample.
When the samples were compared with those of the unidentified woman, it confirmed the remains belonged to Ranker, deputies said.
“Every unidentified person represents a family, friends, and a life story that deserves to be known,” Sheriff Rachelle Whiting said in a statement. “The identification of Parrotts Ferry Jane Doe is a testament to the dedication and perseverance of the Cold Case Task Force and the forensic partners who continued working toward the goal of restoring Anita Ranker’s name.”
Case ongoing, deputies seek tips
An investigation into Ranker’s death is ongoing, but a person of interest has been identified, according to the sheriff’s office.
Cold case task force members are still trying to “gather additional information, identify those responsible, and bring accountability for the crime committed against her," deputies said.
Ranker was never reported missing, but deputies said they believed she went missing before the year 2000. At the time of her death, she was living in the Murphys area, an unincorporated community the Sierra Nevada foothills.
Anyone with information about Ranker or her death is asked to contact the sheriff’s office at 209-754-6500, or anonymously through the department’s tip line: 209-754-6030.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Drought exposed human remains in CA river in 2015. Now, DNA leads to ID
