A woman's remains are found in a shallow grave In the late summer of 1975, a young Caucasian woman named Joanna Robinson, aged 23, vanished. She was last seen in Oregon on or about August 9, 1975. More than a month later, on September 21, 1975, her remains were discovered in a shallow grave near Derby Dam, an exit off Interstate 80 to the east of Reno, Nevada.
The discovery was made by two young deer hunters. Due to the condition of her remains, a definitive cause of death could not be determined.
However, the circumstances surrounding her disappearance and the discovery of her body led investigators to treat the case as a homicide. At the time of her discovery, Robinson was wearing a gold turtleneck, blue jeans, and tan slip-on shoes. She also had three rings.
Further investigation revealed that Robinson's vehicle had been found abandoned in a Reno parking lot. This discovery fueled speculation that she may have been abducted. A witness came forward, reporting to have seen a woman who matched Robinson's description driving south on U.S. 101 with a male passenger. The witness stated that it appeared the woman was being forced to drive.
Despite these early leads, the investigation into Joanna Robinson's death has grown cold. The identity of the male passenger, if he was indeed with Robinson, remains unknown, and no arrests have ever been made in connection with her death. The case remains an unsolved homicide, with the Washoe County Sheriff's Office continuing to seek any information that might shed light on the circumstances of her disappearance and death.
