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Solving the Silent Mystery of 1980: Jane Doe Remains Identified as Sandra Morden, Missing Since 1977
Investigators are still looking for any information on Sandra and what may have happened
On February 28, 1980, two men, a father, and son duo, told investigators they had been sifting for gold and were making their way along Fly Creek in Clark County, Washington, when they came across human remains.
The body’s exact location was close to NF-54, where it split with Canyon Creek. According to reports, the remains were almost intact, aside from the torso and hands being missed, and the remains were said to be mostly skeletal.
In their report, the Medical Examiner concluded that the remains likely belonged to a young woman aged thirteen to eighteen, although most likely in the fifteen to sixteen-year-old range. Her cause of death remained undetermined, and there was very little information the medical examiner could garner from her remains. She was believed to have been Native American or Hispanic and had ‘well-developed neck muscles,’ indicating she was likely involved in sports or manual labor.
The case quickly went cold, and investigators were eventually assigned to other cases. In 2016, NCMEC and Dr. Nikki Costa of the Clark County Medical Examiner’s Office created a new 3D rendering of her face from her skull, giving us the first lifelike shot. This photo was widely circulated but, again, generated no leads.
Then, in 2019, the Clark County Sheriff’s Office made a shocking announcement. The Fly Creek Jane Doe had been identified as 16-year-old Sandra ‘Sandy’ Morden. According to reports, Parabon NanoLabs aided in Sandy’s identification, although the exact methods used have not been released. It was also announced that Sandy is likely not a victim of infamous serial killer Ted Bundy, and anyone who may have known Sandy around the time of her disappearance is asked to come forward.
Sandy was born on April 29, 1962, in San Francisco, California, with the family moving to Washington State when she was still young. In 1971, Sandy’s parents divorced, and she went to live with her father, Andy Morden, who lived and worked in Vancouver, Washington. Andy’s job often saw him out of town, so Sandy often lived with friends and family. According to KOIN News, Sandy last attended Wilson High School in 1976–77. She was due to enroll at Newburg High School in late 1977 but failed to attend her first classes.
Ever since then, her whereabouts have been unknown. Sandy’s family had no idea that her remains lay just miles from where she disappeared, and it has not been stated whether she was officially reported missing. Investigators ask anyone with information to contact the Clark County Sheriff’s Office Cold Case Unit at 654–397–2036.
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Sources: Oregon Live, CBS News
