Description:
On August 8, 1993, two men were hiking along a creek bed in a remote area off of Pine Flat Road in Healdsburg, California, when they discovered the skeletonized remains of a woman, approximately 30-40 years old, and about 5’5” -5’7” tall.
Jane Doe was wearing two yellow metal bracelets. One bracelet was ¼” wide with a repeating pattern and %25 (possibly 825) engraved on the inside. The second bracelet was inset with mother-of-pearl and was approximately ½” wide.
NamUs ID: UP65610
Date Body Found: August 8, 1993
Race: White
Gender: Female
Estimated Age: 30-40
Estimated PMI: 6 months – 1 year
Agency of Jurisdiction:
Sonoma County Coroner’s Office
707 565-5070
More Information:
https://www.namus.gov/UnidentifiedPersons/Case#/65610?nav
Status: Identified
The DNA Doe Project, a non-profit organization dedicated to identifying Jane and John Doe unidentified remains using investigative genetic genealogy, is pleased to announce the successful identification of Robin Fay Hedrick, formerly known as Pine Flat Jane Doe 1993.
Robin Hedrick
On August 8, 1993, two men were hiking along a creek bed in a remote area off of Pine Flat Road in Healdsburg, California, when they discovered the skeletonized remains of a woman. The case went cold when investigators were unable to match the remains to missing persons reports, and it would remain cold until the Sonoma County Sheriff-Coroner’s Office brought it to the DNA Doe Project in 2022.
Born on September 15, 1953, Robin Fay Hedrick’s identity remained a mystery until recent breakthroughs in investigative genetic genealogy provided the missing pieces to this puzzling case.
Investigative genetic genealogy is an innovative technique that combines DNA and traditional genealogical research to identify unknown individuals. It involves extracting DNA from unidentified remains to create a genetic profile, which is then uploaded to the public genetic databases GEDmatch, DNAJustice, and FamilyTreeDNA.
Once uploaded, skilled genetic genealogists meticulously analyze the DNA data to identify matches. By constructing family trees and tracing ancestral lines, researchers can narrow the list of potential candidates and ultimately identify the individual.
This groundbreaking approach has revolutionized the field of forensic science, offering new hope for resolving cold cases and bringing closure to families of missing persons. The successful identification of Robin Fay Hedrick exemplifies the power of collaborative efforts between law enforcement agencies, forensic DNA experts, and dedicated volunteers skilled in genetic genealogy..
“My team was honored to collaborate with the Sonoma County Sheriff’s office to restore Robin’s name and return her to her family. We were aided in the efforts of her DNA relatives who had uploaded their DNA to the database we can use to give Jane Does their identities – GedMatch,” said team leader Gwen Knapp. “We hope her family can have closure knowing what happened to their loved one.”
“This case was aided by identifiable relationships in the GedMatch database. The team was able to restore Robin’s name in roughly three days given the close relationships,” Knapp explained. “If your loved one is missing, please consider taking a consumer DNA test and upload it to GedMatch so that DNA Doe Project and other organizations doing this important work can restore their identity more quickly.”
The investigation into the circumstances of Robin’s death is ongoing. The public is encouraged to contact the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Department if they have any information about her life or her suspicious death. Tips can be submitted to the Cold Case Unit at (707) 565-2727 or [email protected].
The DNA Doe Project is grateful to the groups and individuals who helped solve this case: the Sonoma County Sheriff-Coroner’s Office, who entrusted the case to the DNA Doe Project; Astrea Forensics for extraction of DNA and whole-genome sequencing; Kevin Lord for bioinformatics; GEDmatch Pro and FTDNA for providing their databases; and DDP’s dedicated teams of volunteer investigative genetic genealogists who work tirelessly to bring all our Jane and John Does home.
Last Updated: February 14, 2024
