Investigators estimate the woman was between 55 and 75 years old when she died. More than two decades later, she remains unidentified.
HOUSTON — She had graying brown hair, pierced ears and a 12-inch scar across her abdomen.
But investigators still don’t know her name.
More than 23 years after a woman’s remains were found floating in Buffalo Bayou in Houston, she remains unidentified.
Who was the woman found in Buffalo Bayou?
The woman was found around 11:30 a.m. on Dec. 3, 2002, in Buffalo Bayou near 5303 Navigation Boulevard, according to information from the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences.
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Investigators estimated she had died one to two weeks before she was found. Her cause of death remains unknown.
The woman was believed to be between 55 and 75 years old and between 5 feet, 1 inch and 5 feet, 6 inches tall. She had short, graying brown hair and pierced ears.
Several physical characteristics could potentially help someone recognize her.
She had a 12-inch abdominal scar from a cholecystectomy, or gallbladder surgery. Investigators also found evidence of healed fractures to several ribs on her left side and a healed fracture of her right hand. She had no teeth and may have worn dentures.
The woman was not found with clothing, but she was wearing a man’s Timex watch.
Her lower body had been severed. Case information notes that she may have come into contact with boat traffic and possibly been struck by a propeller, but her cause of death remains undetermined.
Forensic artist Lois Gibson created a reconstruction showing what the woman may have looked like during her life.
Investigators have DNA available for comparison, but more than two decades after she was found, no identification has been made.
Anyone with information about a possible match is asked to call the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences at 832-927-5000 and select option 1.
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What to do when someone goes missing
Tens of thousands of people go missing every year across the United States, and there are organizations and law enforcement agencies that work to bring them home to loved ones.
The first thing you should do when a loved one goes missing is alert your local law enforcement agencies. Provide a photo and key details, including when and where they were last seen.
The Texas Center for the Missing is an organization with Houston roots that works to educate loved ones and authorities on finding the lost. Click here to file a report with them.
The nonprofit has resources for families of missing children or endangered adults.