Karen Kay Knippers (December 5, 1948 - May 24, 1981) was a woman found murdered in Missouri in 1981.
She was tentatively identified by the DNA Doe Project in December 2019, with legal confirmation taking place on May 25, 2021.
Case[]
On May 25, 1981, law enforcement recovered the decedent from a low water crossing on Highway MM near Dixon, Missouri. She had suffered trauma to the face and was strangled with pantyhose.
Isotope testing later showed that the decedent hadn't lived in Missouri for more than a few years, and most likely spent most of her life in the southeastern region of the United States.
Clothing and accessories[]
- A bra with a written word (Possibly Jubel, Julie, Juliel, or Juliet), which was initially speculated as a potential first name for the victim.
- The decedent was found clothed but without shoes.
Gallery[]
Reconstruction by Harvey Pratt
Reconstruction by Carl Koppelman
Bra
Crime scene