California Serial Killer’s Victim Identified After 25 Years

In 1998, a man by the name of Wayne Adam Ford, who worked as a long-haul trucker, made his way to the sheriff’s office located in Humboldt County, California. It was there that he admitted to being a serial killer. The suspect was found in possession of a plastic bag that contained the breast of one of his victims.

According to investigators, Ford, a former Marine, confessed to the murder of four women, one of whom was discovered dismembered in a body of water called Ryan Slough, located north of Eureka, in October of 1997.

In January 1998, additional remains of the woman were found on Clam Beach. Following Ford’s surrender, additional remains of the victim were discovered at his campsite.

After a head trauma, Ford underwent a significant personality change. As a result, he was found guilty of murdering the women and was sentenced to death. He has been on death row for the past 25 years.

For years, a lingering mystery has persisted: Who was the woman discovered in Ryan Slough? Despite having her DNA, the police were unable to identify her as they ran it through databases on a regular basis but failed to find a match.

California justice officials collaborated with the private lab Othram to explore the potential of forensic genealogy as an investigative technique to construct a family tree for Jane Doe.

As per reports, investigators have discovered a potential close relative of the victim, who has confirmed that a female family member had been missing since the mid-1990s. Kerry Ann Cummings was the name of the individual in question.

In 1997, a 25-year-old woman named Cummings, who was reportedly struggling with mental illness, left her home and began couch-surfing in Eugene, Oregon. After losing touch with her, the family made attempts to report her missing and went as far as hiring a private detective.

According to a statement released by the sheriff on Wednesday, Kerry’s sister Kathie expressed her disappointment that during that time, Kerry was considered an adult who had willingly chosen her lifestyle.

Kathie added that law enforcement officials had stated that they could not take any action unless Kerry posed a threat to herself or others.

As the internet continued to grow, the individual searched the NamUs website in an effort to locate their missing loved one. They meticulously combed through the website’s content, specifically looking for any mention of their loved one’s tattoo and carefully examining the photos of the unidentified individuals, known as Jane Does. According to sources, she was dearly loved.

According to the sheriff’s office, efforts are underway to collaborate with the family to obtain Cummings’ remains for burial with her loved ones.