Missing New York teen Laura O'Malley identified after decades
- Human remains found in 1995 in Watsonville, California were recently identified as Laura O'Malley, who went missing in 1975.
- The investigation utilized advanced genetic techniques to link the remains to O'Malley's family after years of uncertainty.
- Authorities continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding her death.
In a significant breakthrough, the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office confirmed that human remains discovered nearly 30 years ago in California belong to Laura O'Malley, a 13-year-old girl who went missing from Queens, New York in 1975. The partial skeletal remains were found on March 22, 1995, in a riverbed off Highway 129 near Watsonville. For decades, the identity of the remains was undetermined despite DNA testing confirming they were female. Renewed efforts to identify the remains began in 2019, utilizing carbon dating which suggested a birth in the 1960s and a death between 1977 and 1984. The sheriff's office collaborated with forensic DNA lab Othram, employing advanced genetic genealogy techniques to track down family members of the deceased. This partnership proved crucial in successfully identifying the remains as those of O'Malley. Before her disappearance, Laura had left home due to family tensions with her stepfather, writing a note stating she wouldn't return home if he continued to live there. Her family believed she was missing, and her sisters even circulated her photo across Manhattan in search of her. Though her remains have been identified, the circumstances of her death remain unclear, and an ongoing investigation is in place to uncover the details surrounding her tragic end. The sheriff's office expressed gratitude for the advancements in forensic technology that enabled them to provide answers to O'Malley's family after years of uncertainty.