After years of investigation, authorities have finally uncovered the identity of the long-unknown "Midtown Jane Doe" from New York City. This breakthrough came as a result of cutting-edge forensics, which connected her DNA to the mother of a woman who tragically lost her life during the 9/11 attacks.
The once mysterious Jane Doe has now been identified as Patricia Kathleen McGlone, a teenager who was only 16 years old when she was killed. Patricia had lived in the Sunset Park neighborhood of Brooklyn and attended school there. Detective Ryan Glas from the New York City Police Department, who has dedicated a significant amount of time to this case over the past couple of years, shared that they believe she was murdered in the latter part of 1969 or possibly in early 1970.
The mysterious case began in 2003, when construction workers unearthed human remains beneath a Manhattan building slated for demolition. Among the rubble, a skull emerged as workers broke up the floor, leading to the discovery of a young woman's skeleton. Tied in a fetal position with an electrical cord, wrapped in a carpet, and encased in concrete, the victim had met a tragic end through strangulation.
The only significant clues found with the victim were a gold signet ring engraved with "PMCG," a dime from 1969, and a green plastic toy soldier. Despite these items, the woman's identity remained a mystery, earning her the moniker "Midtown Jane Doe" due to the location of her discovery in Hell's Kitchen, New York City. The building where she was found had a history as a renowned nightclub, Steve Paul's The Scene, frequented by rock legends like The Doors and Jimi Hendrix during the late 1960s.
In 2017, New York City detectives revisited the case, leveraging modern forensic techniques and DNA analysis to create a genetic profile of the victim. Through investigative genetic genealogy, this profile was connected to potential relatives, offering a glimmer of hope in unraveling the decades-old mystery.
After uncovering that Jane Doe was born in April 1953, detectives faced the challenge of confirming her identity as Patricia McGlone. With both parents deceased and no siblings to provide a DNA sample, the process was anything but simple. Genetic specialists determined that DNA from a specific maternal cousin could establish the link to Jane Doe. Through a series of interviews with potential relatives spanning generations across the U.S., Glas eventually located the crucial DNA sample.
Despite the cousin's passing, her son recalled his mother submitting a DNA swab to the medical examiner in New York City following his sister's death on 9/11. In the aftermath of the tragedy, families of missing persons provided DNA to aid in identifying unidentified victims. Glas obtained the cousin's genetic data from the medical examiner's office and recently confirmed that the remains of "Midtown Jane Doe" were indeed those of McGlone.
Authorities have launched an active investigation into the death of McGlone in order to gain more insight into the circumstances surrounding her passing. While no suspects have been officially named by the police, it has been revealed that her ex-husband had ties to the location where her body was discovered. Investigators are urging anyone with information about McGlone, her family, or the vicinity of Steve Paul's The Scene at the time of her murder to come forward and assist with the case.
