Linda Sue Anderson, also known as Linda Sue Andrews, was a 38-year-old woman living in Henderson, Nevada, at the time of her death. Her remains were discovered on April 18, 1993, in an area near Tropicana Avenue and Durango Drive in southwest Las Vegas. The discovery was made by a biologist conducting a survey of desert tortoises, who stumbled upon a handmade quilt half-buried in the dirt, topped with several large rocks.
Upon closer inspection, the biologist found human hair and detected the smell of decomposition, leading to the discovery of Anderson's body.
Anderson's death was determined to be a homicide by the Clark County Coroner's office, with the estimated time of death being mid- to late 1991. Despite the initial investigation, her identity remained a mystery for nearly 30 years, and she was referred to as 'Jane Tropicana Doe' during that period. Her family had last heard from her in June 1991, after which all contact ceased.
The breakthrough in identifying Anderson came in February of the previous year when investigators from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department's Cold Case Section contacted the forensic genetic genealogy company Othram for assistance. Using familial DNA and with the help of the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System and the FBI, investigators were able to contact possible family members who had submitted their DNA for comparison. On December 29, Othram notified detectives that the remains had been positively identified as Linda Sue Anderson.
As of the current date, the circumstances surrounding Anderson's death remain under investigation. There have been no arrests or suspects named in connection with her murder. The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department continues to seek information from the public and urges anyone with knowledge about Anderson's death to contact the department's Homicide Section at 828-3521 or, to remain anonymous, Crime Stoppers at 385-5555.
The case is still active, and investigators are working to uncover the facts behind her apparent murder. The identification of Anderson through DNA has brought some closure to her family but has also highlighted the need for further investigation to bring justice in this decades-old homicide case.
