A pregnant woman Tabetha Ann Murlin whose partially decayed body was found in a flooded basement 32 years ago has been identified through forensic genetic genealogy and DNA provided by her father, according to authorities.
Tabetha Ann Murlin was found dead by a construction worker in a Fort Wayne, Indiana, home in 1992, according to Christopher A. Meihls, chief investigator for the Allen County Coroner’s Office.
A construction worker who was doing some renovations in a house on Reynolds Street, in the basement discovered a dead individual wrapped in a blanket and in 8 to 12 inches of water and very badly decomposed at that time, Allen County Coroner John Brandenberger said at a news conference Thursday.
Based on the extent of decomposition of the 23-year-old’s body, Brandenberger said investigators initially believed that Tabetha Ann Murlin had died in 1991 or early 1992.
The Allen County coroner conducted a partial autopsy on Murlin’s body at the time and was unable to determine the cause of death.
Tabetha Ann Murlin, who at the time was identified as ‘Mary Jane Doe,’ was subsequently buried at Lindenwood Cemetery on May 21, 1992, Brandenberger said.
The Fort Wayne Police Department developed leads and investigated the case, but it eventually grew cold. Over two decades later with technological advancements in forensic analysis, the investigation was reopened in 2016, the coroner explained.
A year later, investigators decided to exhume Murlin’s body to conduct a complete autopsy by doing x-rays of her teeth for forensic odontology and “to complete an anthropology study” to submit DNA of the remains to appropriate facilities, Brandenberger said.
University of Indianapolis Forensic Anthropologist Krista Latham collected DNA samples from Murlin’s left femur and sent it to the University of North Texas’ Center for Human Identification for DNA testing.
“Seven months later, the University of Texas announced that they had developed a DNA profile, which was uploaded into DNA databases,” which Brandenberger said unfortunately did not result in any DNA matches.
The coroner shelved degraded samples of Murlin’s extracted DNA until newer technology became available.
In 2023, forensic genealogy companies Intermountain Forensics and Ignite DNA began sequencing the DNA and from there was able to find a match between Murlin and her father, her mother, who died in 2013, as well as her two aunts, Bradenberger said.
DNA obtained by a swab of the cheek confirmed Robert Bowers to be Murlin’s father, according to case documents.
Angelina Privitt, Murlin’s aunt, identified Murlin with her maiden name Tabetha Slain and said she had been adopted by her other aunt, Norma Slain, according to the coroner’s office.
Privitt claimed that the victim married her husband, Jerry Murlin, in 1987, according to case documents.
The couple separated 1988 but Murlin never filed for divorce and never reported his wife as missing, according to authorities.
While details on the woman’s death are still unclear to authorities, Bowers confirmed that he last saw his daughter in 1988, and Jerry Murlin last saw his wife in 1989, according to Meihls.