In the autumn of 1970, the remains of a young woman were discovered in a wooded area of Chester, New York, but her identity would remain a mystery for nearly half a century. For decades, she was known only as a Jane Doe, her story silenced by an unknown assailant. Investigators were able to determine that she had been the victim of a homicide, but with no name to attach to her, the case grew cold. The few details known about her were sparse, leaving law enforcement with little to go on.
For years, her case file sat among countless others, a testament to a life cut short and a name lost to time.
The woman who would eventually be known as Evelyn Moore was just 31 years old at the time of her death. Before her tragic end, she had been living a transient life, known to use several aliases, including Acey Moore, Shirlene Dixon, and Fanny Hill. This use of different names contributed to the difficulty in identifying her and notifying her family. Originally from Orangeburg, South Carolina, she had made her way to New York City, where she was involved in the city's street life. These details of her life, however, would only come to light many years after her discovery, painting a picture of a woman who was navigating a challenging world.
The breakthrough in the case finally came in 2017, a staggering 47 years after her body was found. Through advancements in investigative techniques, authorities were able to piece together the puzzle of her identity. A search of census records provided a potential name, and from there, investigators were able to locate family members who recognized her from old photographs. The identification of Evelyn Moore brought a name to the long-unidentified victim, finally allowing her story to be told. While the circumstances of her life were complex, and her death a tragedy that remained unsolved for decades, the tireless work of investigators ensured that she would not be forgotten, bringing a measure of closure to a case that had remained a mystery for far too long.Last Seen: Jun 1, 1970
