She Was Found in a Ditch Wearing a Buckskin Poncho. For 37 Years, No One Knew Her Name

Introduction: Silent for Decades, Finally Heard

On a frigid spring morning in April 1981, the body of a young woman was discovered in a ditch off Greenlee Road, Troy, Ohio. Her identity? Unknown. Her fate? Sealed in anonymity. For 37 years, she was simply “Buckskin Girl” until science spoke her name.

This is the story of Marcia Lenore Sossoman King, a haunting cold case solved by innovation, tenacity, and human empathy. Through archival photos, DNA data, and genealogical breakthroughs, we honor her name and explore how modern techniques offer resolution where hope once faded.

The Discovery: April 24, 1981

Three young men stumbled upon her remains, noting the fringed deerskin poncho that earned her the moniker “Buckskin Girl.” She lay in a fetal position, barefoot, wearing a handmade hoodless poncho with purple lining, a turtleneck sweater, and Wrangler jeans.

Autopsy findings revealed a brutal homicide, with extensive blunt force trauma to the head and neck, strangulation, and a lacerated liver. No sexual assault had occurred. Based on forensic timing, investigators estimated she died approximately 48 hours before discovery.

Physical descriptors included: young adult between 18 and 26, about 5’4″ to 5’6″ tall, 125 to 130 lb, fair skin with freckles, light brown eyes, reddish-brown hair in braided pigtails, and well-maintained teeth except for a single porcelain crown on an upper incisor. Scars marked her chin, wrists, arms, and ankle.

The Long Road to Identity: Investigative Challenges

Despite fingerprints entered into AFIS, DNA profiles analyzed in 2001 and again via mitochondrial DNA in 2009 and 2010, no match was found in federal databases CODIS or NamUs.

Advanced forensic efforts included:

• Facial reconstructions published in 2016 by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.

• Pollen and isotope analyses suggesting she spent time in Texas or Oklahoma, far from where she was found.

Yet, the painful truth remained: she was nameless, buried without a name for nearly four decades.

The Breakthrough: DNA Genealogy Revives the Cold Case

The turning point came when Dr. Elizabeth Murray, a forensic anthropologist, connected with the fledgling DNA Doe Project at a 2017 forensic conference. “I have the cases if you have the methodology” and the rest was history.

A 37-year-old blood sample, unrefrigerated and severely degraded, was processed using advanced techniques to recover enough DNA markers to upload to the GEDmatch genealogical database.

Within four hours, volunteer genealogists identified a likely relative, a first cousin once removed. The Miami Valley Regional Crime Lab confirmed the identity through a living relative’s DNA on April 9, 2018. On April 10, the sheriff’s office officially named her as Marcia Lenore Sossoman King, a 21-year-old from Little Rock, Arkansas.

Marcia’s Life, Interrupted

Born June 9, 1959, Marcia was last seen in Arkansas in 1980. Known to hitchhike, she vanished without being officially reported missing, but her mother never gave up hope, keeping the same phone number for decades.

After her identification, a new headstone bearing her real name was placed at Riverside Cemetery in Troy, Ohio, restoring her identity to her final resting place.

Why This Case Matters: A Forensic Genealogy Revolution

Marcia King became one of the first unidentified decedents to be solved through investigative genetic genealogy, a technique now credited with linking more than 800 other cold cases to families and names.

This story signaled a seismic shift in criminal investigation, turning DNA from a silent marker into a narrative of connection, closure, and science serving justice.

Justice Still Pending

While Marcia’s identity is now restored, the mystery of who killed her remains. Investigations continue, but no arrests have been made. Her legacy, however, is no longer anonymous, it is hers.

Legacy, Reflection, and the Road Ahead

Marcia’s case underscores:

• The enduring power of human perseverance, from investigators in 1981 to genealogists in 2018.

• The importance of preserving evidence, even when answers seem impossible.

• The promise and responsibility of forensic genealogy, as it becomes a powerful tool in cold case resolution.

Final Reflection

For 37 years, she was just a jacket in a ditch. Today, she has a name. Marcia Lenore King is no longer a statistic or a file, she is a life tragically cut short, remembered. May her story be a testament to how persistence, science, and compassion can rewrite endings.