Calumet City Jane Doe 1981: Strangled & Left In The Illinois Woods
Authorities believe her age is somewhere from mid-teens to early-twenties.
Someone who stumbled upon Our Black Girls brought this case to my attention. It’s peculiar, to say the least, because while a postmortem photo is available, no one has claimed to know this unidentified young woman since she was found on Easter Sunday in 1981 in Calumet City, Illinois. I will refer to her as “Calumet City Jane Doe“ throughout this article for identification purposes. She has also been referred to as the “Cook County Jane Doe.”
Our Black Girls is an independent, reader-supported publication. If you believe in amplifying the stories of missing Black women and girls, please consider making a direct gift through PayPal or Buy Me a Coffee, or by subscribing here.
The Condition Of Jane Doe’s Remains
Details about Calumet City Jane Doe are scarce. The Doe Network has reported that she was located on April 19, 1981, about 15 feet off a jogging path in Wentworth Woods. Investigators surmised that she had been there less than 24 hours. All of her remains were recovered, meaning her body was intact.
Additionally, The Doe Network lists Calumet City Jane Doe as “unrecognizable” due to the state of decomposition. Still, the photo of her face seems clear enough for someone to recognize her. The outlet also claims that her cause of death is “unknown,” but a newspaper clipping from April 23, 1981—just days after she was found—reports her death as murder by strangulation.
In all of these years, no one has come forward to say that they knew who this girl was. Even in the newspaper report from 1981 (above), investigators were dumbfounded that they’d received no calls about identifying Calumet City Jane Doe.
Police also theorized that she was killed at a separate location and later dumped in the wooded area. Where Jane Doe was found is right on the line between Illinois and Indiana, just a mile away from the latter’s Hammond High School. She may have been killed in one state, and her remains left in another to divert authorities.
Calumet City Jane Doe: What To Know
At the time of her death, Calumet City Jane Doe was measured at 5 feet 5 inches tall and 130 pounds. She had short black/dark brown hair and brown eyes. She’s believed to be in her mid-teens to early twenties, specifically 16 to 20 years old.
The only distinguishing mark listed was a scar on her right knee. Calumet City Jane Doe was found wearing a “white V-neck pullover sweater, blue jeans, and a white bra.” It wasn’t noted if any personal items or jewelry were found with her body. Her fingerprints and dental records are available for identification, but it is unknown whether her DNA is on file.
Anyone with information about this mysterious case is urged to contact the Cook County Sheriff’s Office at 708-865-4700 or their local authorities.
Please share this story about Calumet City Jane Doe to reignite the investigation into this decades-old case and help identify her after all these years. She is our sister, and her life matters.
Case Number:
Agency: Cook County Sheriff’s Office
Phone: 708-865-4700
Email:
Join the Our Black Girls conversations on Facebook, Instagram, X, and TikTok, as well as on the OBG Podcasts on Apple, Spotify, Google, and Anchor FM. Stay updated on the latest cases, developments, messages from survivors, and much more.