Kern County Sheriff Donnie Youngblood identified Michelle Collier from Fresno as the 1978 Jane Doe found in an Arvin vineyard.
A teen in a 1978 cold case from Kern County has been identified as Michelle Louise Collier, a 15-year-old from Fresno who has been missing for nearly five decades, said the Kern County Sheriff’s office during a press conference Tuesday afternoon.
“Today, we can say that Jane Doe has been identified as Michelle Collier and provides long-awaited answers to a family that has lived for decades without knowing what happened to their loved one,” said Detective Ashley Thompson.
Sheriff Donnie Youngblood said several detectives have worked on the case since 1978, with Thompson the last detective on the case.
Collier went missing in February of 1978; her remains were found four months later in an Arvin vineyard in Kern County. She was then identified as Jane Doe. Her cause of death was ruled a homicide, and she was buried at Arvin Cemetery. Her case remained unsolved for nearly 50 years.
At the press conference, one of Collier’s older sisters, Cynthia Dunbar, said her family is thankful to all those involved in helping identify her sister’s remains.
Cynthia Dunbar, Michelle Louise Collier’s older sister, center, said her family is thankful to all those involved in helping identify her sister’s remains during a press conference on Tuesday.
“She disappeared 48 years ago, and it was only recently that we knew where she was. At least with this information, my family has some closure,” said Dunbar. “Due to the detective’s dedication, perseverance, and attention to detail, we can bring our sister home and have her proper buried.”
According to the Kern County Sheriff’s Office, Collier’s remains were exhumed from Arvin Cemetery in August 2007 to obtain DNA and reopen the investigation. No identification was made until August 2025, when Forensic Investigative Genetic Genealogy, known as FIGG, had a positive hit and identified her as Collier. FIGG combines advanced DNA analysis with traditional family tree genealogical research to help solve old crimes or identify unknown remains.
Deputy Coroner manager Regina Rosso said when Collier’s unidentified remains were found in 1978, DNA technology did not exist like today. Rosso said the case remained unsolved until the later development of genetic genealogy provided a new means of identification, where Collier was later positively identified.
With a positive identification, Collier’s family was notified, and her remains were disinterred from Arvin Cemetery and transported to the coroner’s office. Her siblings retrieved her remains this month, said the Kern County Sheriff’s Office.
Dunbar said DNA of relatives submitted to the genealogy database helped identify her sister’s remains.
Thompson said while the case was revisited numerous times, Collier’s identity remained unknown for 48 years, with no leads and no suspects and no arrests.
After 48 years, Kern County identified Michelle Collier from Fresno as the 1978 Jane Doe found in an Arvin vineyard, thanks to FIGG DNA and family records. Kern County Sheriff’s Office
“Identifying Michelle is an important step, but the circumstances surrounding her death remains unknown,” Thompson said. She did not provide any more information regarding suspects or arrest.
“To the person who killed our sister. The shock of finding out we lost our sister to a homicide is overwhelming to our entire family, especially our 85-year-old mother Maria,” said Dunbar with a broken voice. “Your cowardice act affected our entire family. But make no mistake; law enforcement will find you and hold you accountable. Whether you are already incarcerated or dead, you will be found.“
Collier’s case remains open, and KCSO is asking for anyone with information to come forward.
Anyone with information on the case can contact the Kern County Sheriff’s Office at (661) 861-3110 or Kern Secret Witness at (661) 322-4040.
Scene where the remains of Jane Doe were recovered in June of 1978 in an Arvin vineyard in Kern County. Kern County Sheriff’s Office
This story was originally published July 29, 2026 at 7:21 AM.
The Fresno Bee
María G. Ortiz-Briones is a reporter and photographer for McClatchy’s Vida en el Valle publication and the Fresno Bee. She covers issues that impact the Latino community in the Central Valley. She is a regular contributor to La Abeja, The Bee’s free weekly newsletter on Latino issues. | María G. Ortiz-Briones es reportera y fotógrafa de la publicación Vida en el Valle de McClatchy y el Fresno Bee. Ella cubre temas que impactan a la comunidad latina en el Valle Central. Es colaboradora habitual de La Abeja, el boletín semanal gratuito de The Bee sobre temas latinos.
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