Madera County seeks public help identifying 1989 Jane and 1990 John Doe

New forensic reconstructions and advances in familial genetic genealogy have given investigators fresh leads in two long-unsolved Madera County deaths, and authorities are asking the public to help put names to the victims.

The Madera County Sheriff’s Office reported that the unidentified female, long known as Jane Doe, is likely of Hispanic descent and was about 17 to 29 years old when she was killed in 1989. Genetic analysis indicates Jane Doe’s maternal lineage is of Avelar descent, with family roots traced to Nochistlán and Zacatecas, Mexico. Forensic artist PJ Puterbaugh produced a new facial reconstruction believed to closely resemble her appearance. Investigators highlighted a distinguishing dental feature: a missing tooth that never developed, a detail that could be crucial for relatives checking dental histories and childhood photos.

A separate John Doe case dates to Feb. 26, 1990, when remains of an adult male were found on the east side of the San Joaquin River in Madera County near Firebaugh. The male was estimated to be 23 to 28 years old and between 5'4" and 5'7" tall. Ancestry analysis suggests possible Native American descent, though Hispanic heritage has not been ruled out. PJ Puterbaugh also completed a facial reconstruction for this man. When his remains were recovered he was clothed in a short-sleeve white, tan, and brown plaid cowboy shirt, Levi’s blue jeans, and a brown leather belt with a silver buckle—specifics that may jog memories for people who knew him or saw him in the area.

These developments matter to anyone with family roots in the region or origins in central Mexico, and to community members who remember transient populations along the San Joaquin River corridor in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Familial genetic genealogy has closed gaps in other cold cases by connecting DNA to extended family trees; now those same techniques are pointing to Avelar maternal lines and other ancestral clues that family members can act on.

Investigators urge anyone with information—family lore, old photographs, dental records, or memories of the clothing or locations described—to come forward. Contact the Madera County Sheriff’s Office at (559) 675-7770. To remain anonymous, text TIP MaderaSO to 888777 or submit a tip via the Madera County Sheriff’s Office mobile app.

These reconstructions and genetic leads reopen two cold cases that have haunted families and the community for decades. If you have even the smallest piece of information, sharing it now could finally give these two people back their names.