Detectives use DNA to ID woman found dead in 2023. Did you know her?

Authorities have identified a woman found dead in rural Boynton Beach more than three years ago. They hope to solve the mystery of her death next.

Palm Beach County sheriff's deputies

 say the remains of Regina R. Hess, born in August 1948, were discovered in a wooded area near the Franklin Academy charter school on May 11, 2023. She wore a gray tank top and black pants and "appeared to have been there for a long period of time."

Using the same technology that led to the arrest of the Golden State Killer in California, investigators extracted DNA from Hess' bones and matched it with that of a distant relative. An investigative genealogist then built out the relative's family tree and found the branch that ended with the woman in the woods.

Hess

joins a growing list of people identified through the use of forensic investigative genetic genealogy. The expensive sleuthing technique has helped solve several high-profile cases in Palm Beach County, including the rape and murder of 78-year-old Mildred Matheny, and the death of Baby June, an infant found in the Boynton Inlet.

Crime Stoppers has offered a $3,000 reward for information about Hess. Tipsters can call Detective Nancy Milliner at [e-mail].

Hannah Phillips is a journalist covering public safety and criminal justice at The Palm Beach Post. You can reach her at [e-mail].

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Detectives use DNA to ID woman found dead in 2023. Did you know her?