Do you know who murdered Tammy Jo Alexander in 1979? In the autumn of 1979, the body of a young woman was discovered in a cornfield in Caledonia, a small town in Livingston County, New York. For more than three decades, the identity of this 16-year-old Caucasian female remained a mystery, a silent testament to a life cut short. She was known simply as 'Caledonia Jane Doe' or 'Cali Doe.' Her journey to that field began far away, in Brooksville, Florida, from where she had run away earlier that year.
She was found fully clothed on November 10, 1979, having been shot once in the head and once in the back with a. 38 caliber weapon. Heavy rains on the night of her death washed away much of the potential forensic evidence, leaving investigators with a difficult case from the very start. Her pockets had been turned inside out, suggesting that any identification she carried had been taken.
For years, investigators pursued thousands of leads in an attempt to uncover her name and find her killer. The case became the largest criminal investigation in the county's history. Despite their efforts, she was buried as 'Unidentified Girl' in Greenmount Cemetery in Dansville, New York. Over the years, there were glimmers of hope that turned into dead ends. In 1984, the notorious serial killer Henry Lee Lucas confessed to her murder, but his confession was later deemed not credible. Another potential person of interest was serial killer Christopher Wilder, but he was killed by police before he could be questioned about the case. Investigators did have a lead about a man seen with her at a diner shortly before her death, but he has never been identified.
The breakthrough in the case came in 2015, thirty-five years after her discovery, thanks to advancements in DNA technology. A DNA sample from the unidentified body was matched with that of her half-sister. On January 26, 2015, law enforcement announced that 'Caledonia Jane Doe' had been identified as Tammy Jo Alexander. It was discovered that a high school friend had inquired about her in 2014, which led to a missing person's report finally being filed. This new information was added to national databases, ultimately leading to her identification.
While her name has been restored, the identity of her killer remains unknown. The investigation into the murder of Tammy Jo Alexander is still open and active. Law enforcement officials continue to seek information from the public and have explored numerous leads since her identification. The FBI is offering a reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for her death. Her family, after decades of uncertainty, continues to hope for justice and closure.
