The identity of a Jane Doe found in 2018, partially buried in a mulch bed with a rose placed delicately on her chest, has been learned.  She was 71-year-old Patricia Colina Goodwin.  

Goodwin's body was discovered in a shallow grave near a playground outside of an Avondale apartment complex on Glenwood Avenue on May 31, 2018 — Memorial Day weekend, nearly seven years ago.  She'd been wrapped in cloth, a rose placed carefully on her chest.  

Since then, the Hamilton County Coroner's Office has been working to discover her identity.

Months after she was found, a sketch was released depicting what Goodwin may have looked like; one year later, in 2019, a clay sculpture of her suspected likeness was also unveiled.  Her fingerprints were taken, her DNA was uploaded and run through CODIS with no results. Then, in 2023, the coroner's office held a press conference to release digital 3D images created by BCI.  The woman was wearing gray, silky pajama bottoms and a gray tank top. A name, possibly “Schrader,” was written in permanent marker on the tag inside the pajama bottoms. A white metal hair stylist-type hair clip was in her hair. She was wearing silver hoop earrings and three hair ties on her wrist.  

During Tuesday's press conference, Sammarco pointed out that earrings Goodwin is wearing in a BMV photo taken for her driver's license match the earrings found on the woman in Avondale.  

Over four separate press conferences in the last seven years, Hamilton County Coroner Lakshmi Sammarco has said her office did not suspect Goodwin was a victim of foul play.  Goodwin's autopsy had revealed she'd had drugs in her system and her cause of death is believed to be an overdose.  That's the same cause of death determined for Goodwin's son, whose body arrived at the Hamilton County Coroner's Office one year after Goodwin was discovered.  

Elena Iatarola, special agent in charge for FBI Cincinnati, said the department's Investigative Genetic Genealogy team were able to use Goodwin's DNA to tie her more closely to family trees already in the FBI's database.  That led to Goodwin's family.  Through that connection, officials discovered Goodwin's son had died from an overdose in 2019. DNA testing performed on the Jane Doe discovered in 2018 and Goodwin's son's body showed that it was 99.99% likely the Jane Doe was his mother, Patricia Goodwin.  Sammarco said some of the other details of the case have been cleared up in speaking with Goodwin's family, and others who knew her son.  

"It's likely that they were together and that he tried to bury his mother the best that he could and left a rose on her chest," said Sammarco. "That's what we think might have happened, but it's sort of a guess at this point."  At least one person who knew Goodwin's son said that he'd mentioned being with his mother, but that she'd died a year prior.  Sammarco said unfortunately,

Goodwin's brother died a year ago, without ever learning what happened to his sister. He'd never stopped looking for her, Sammarco said.  Still, she said now the rest of Goodwin's family knows.  "This kind of closure, it's one of the things we do in this office is try and bring that peace and closure to these families," Sammarco said.

 Jennifer Lester, a criminal intelligence analyst with BCI who's worked on Goodwin's case since 2018 had a message for families who may be missing a loved one.  Even if your loved one has been reported missing to a local law enforcement agency, you can still call 855.BCI.OHIO to report them missing with BCI.  Through Ohio Project LINK, Lester said officials are working to use genealogy and DNA matching to help with the search for missing people.

California police discovered a woman's dismembered torso with multiple stab wounds on July 11, 1981.

The Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office reported that authorities discovered the victim in an empty field which currently holds the VTA Berryessa Transit Center and BART Station parking structure in San Jose, California.

"She was unidentified. We didn't know who she was. Rob Baker, the Deputy District Attorney for Santa Clara County declared that the woman suffered dismemberment before her murder remained unsolved.

The DA's office reported on Tuesday that through forensic genealogy scientists have identified Vivian Moss as the victim.

At her death Vivian Moss had reached the age of 54.

The District Attorney's office created an AI-generated image of Moss using a fuzzy family photo as reference material.

Baker stated they needed to match the unknown face to an identity.

A computer-created visual representation depicts Vivian Moss who lost her life in San Jose, Calif., during 1981.

San Jose, Calif. became the site where Vivian Moss died in 1981 and this artificial-intelligence generated image represents her.

He explained that forensic genealogists from Parabon NanoLabs collaborated with their team while EWU Media provided financial support for the project.

In 2024 investigators received information about a potential granddaughter's identity.

Baker explained how their cold case unit contacted the granddaughter who shared that her grandmother failed to pick her up in 1981 and she hasn't seen her since.

The family and investigators are hopeful that someone will provide information to help identify Moss' killer now that investigators have solved half the mystery.

Who knew Vivian Moss before she disappeared and what situation may have caused her death? Were there any individuals in her life who posed potential threats to her? Baker asked. 

According to Baker Vivian Moss participated actively in the Mt. Zion Spiritual Church of Oakland. Zion Spiritual Church in Oakland. Before her disappearance Vivian Moss might have worked at an Oakland elementary school.

Religious medallions were found with her including a round one that read "Saint Christopher protect us". The second medallion featured an oval shape with an image of the Virgin Mary encircled by "Mary conceived without sin. Pray for us who have recourse to thee." We seek your prayers because we take refuge in you.

Baker requested assistance to uncover Vivian's story since her identity has been determined. We have a name. We aim to discover what events led to her situation.

The Santa Clara County DA's Cold Case Unit requests that anyone with information contact them via (408) 792-2466 or through their email coldcasetips@dao.sccgov.org.

The following is a press release issued by the Augusta (Georgia) Genealogical Society:

2025 ​AGS Genealogical Symposium

Build New Genealogy Skills

Featuring programs by 
Judy G. Russell, The Legal Genealogist

 

Virtual Presentation

and ​Erick Montgomery

Executive Director- Historic Augusta and Past President AGS

In Person and Virtual Presentation

Saturday, August 16, 2025
10:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. EST (sign in at 9:45)  

Join the program virtually from home  
or participate in person at Brandon Wilde
Georgia Room— 4275 Owens Rd, Evans, GA 30809

Hosted by Brandon Wilde, the Augusta Premier Retirement Community

Registration Fee 
Virtual Program at Home:  $34.00
Attend the Virtual Program at Brandon Wilde, with Lunch: $49.00
Registration Deadline: August 11, 2025

Programs

Session 1: 
​Erick Montgomery  
​Finding Our Fathers (and Mothers): Using Artificial Intelligence in Genealogical Research

Artificial Intelligence is constantly in the news, but how can it assist genealogists in furthering family history research and in breaking down brick walls? Gain a very basic understanding of what AI is and how it can aid in your genealogical research. Specific step-by-step instructions will be demonstrated for using the new “FamilySearch Labs” tool to search their massive collection of digitized records that are freely available online. The handout will include an illustrated guide to ensure easy access when you try it on your own after the symposium.

Session 2: 

Judy G. Russell
​GENEALOGY & LEGAL RECORDS
NARA Mythbusters: 

​Your Family IS in the Archives

“All the military records were burned in the fire.” “There isn't any birth, marriage, or death information in federal records.” “There aren't any details about ordinary families at the National Archives.” These kinds of myth-statements stop genealogists from breaking down all kinds of brick walls using the wealth of information in NARA records. Join the Mythbusters with the treasures the National Archives holds for your family.

Session 3:

Judy G. Russell

GENEALOGY METHODOLOGY

When Worlds Collide: Resolving Conflicts in Genealogical

Records

Genealogical Proof Standard says to resolve conflicts in data... but like so many things that sound good, it’s easier said than done. What exactly are we supposed to do when we encounter conflicting evidence? What are the basic types of evidence conflicts and the methods – and tips and tricks – we can use to resolve them?

Session 4:

Judy G. Russell

GENEALOGY METHODOLOGY

Linking the Generations with Court and Land Records 

It’s the single biggest issue genealogists face: how do we connect one generation to the next with evidence we can rely on? Vital records are excellent documentation, but they often don’t exist for the time and place we’re researching. That’s when we have to find workarounds to make sure we’re not simply putting people into family lines because they share the same names. Using court and land records, we can often find the evidence we need to link the generations accurately.

Judy G. Russell, JD, CG®, CGL(sm), FUGA

Judy G. Russell, The Legal Genealogist®, is a genealogist with a law degree. She writes, teaches, and lectures on a wide variety of genealogical topics, providing expert guidance through the murky territory where law and family history intersect. A Colorado native with roots deep in the American south on her mother’s side and entirely in Germany on her father’s side, she holds a bachelor’s degree from George Washington University in Washington, D.C., and a law degree from Rutgers School of Law-Newark. Before she retired, she worked as a newspaper reporter, trade association writer, legal investigator, defense attorney, federal prosecutor, law editor, and, for more than 20 years, as an adjunct member of the faculty at Rutgers Law School.

She is a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists, the National Genealogical Society, and numerous state and regional genealogical societies. Named a Fellow of the Utah Genealogical Association in 2025, she received the 2015 UGA Silver Tray Award and the 2017 Award of Excellence from the National Genealogical Society Quarterly, where she now serves as a member of the NGSQ editorial board.
An internationally-known lecturer and course coordinator and faculty member at numerous genealogical institutes, she holds credentials as a Certified Genealogist® and Certified Genealogical Lecturer℠ from the Board for Certification of Genealogists®. Her award-winning blog appears at The Legal Genealogist® website (https://www.legalgenealogist.com).

Erick Montgomery, Executive Director– Historic Augusta, Past President– AGS  

Erick Montgomery is the Executive Director of Historic Augusta, Inc., a position he has held since 1989. Historic Augusta is an organization dedicated to the preservation
of historic sites and structures in Augusta and the Central Savannah River Area, providing technical assistance and consultation on historic rehabilitation and restoration. Genealogically, he has been an avid family historian since childhood and has published genealogical and historical articles in the National Genealogical Society Quarterly (NGSQ), The American Genealogist (TAG), Augusta-Richmond County History, the Association of Professional Genealogists Quarterly (APGQ), and the Franklin County (Tennessee) Historical Review. He formerly served as President of the Augusta Genealogical Society and was once President of the Savannah Area Genealogical Association. To advance his research skills, he has attended the Institute for Genealogical and Historical Research (IGHR) several times over the years, as well as other genealogical conferences, seminars, and workshops. 

AGS Genealogical Symposium - Augusta Genealogical Society

Vestlandslag will conduct its annual meeting next month in Spicer, bringing together several organizations of descendants of emigrants from Norway to North America.

Registration is open now for the June 11-13 meeting at Hope Presbyterian Church, 7730 North Shore Drive, Spicer.

Programs may feature a variety of Norwegian cultural and educational activities, including genealogy searches/assistance, noted speakers and displays of Norwegian arts and crafts, according to the news release announcing the meeting called a stevne.

According to the news release, speakers and topics this year include the following: author Dean Urdahl, the U.S.-Dakota War of 1862; Sandra Bestland, Norwegian pioneer women; Carolyn Sowinski, the Gabriel Stene family in Kandiyohi County; artist Andrew Nordin, Norwegian ancestors in Norway; and author Candace Simar, the lives of Scandinavians in frontier Minnesota.

Vestlandslag is an umbrella organization of eight bygdelag — Hardangerlag, Møre og Romsdalslag, Nordhordlandslag / Sunnhordlandslag, Rogalandslag, Sognalag, Sunnfjordlag, and Vosselag, according to the news release announcing the event. Each "lag" seeks to preserve and strengthen bonds with its home district or community-of-origin in Norway.

The Vestlandslag website at www.fellesraad.com/vestlandslag.htmhas more information about registration and the event's program.

For any questions, contact Ann Romo, Vestlandslag president, at 507-990-6397 or email at annromo04@gmail.com .

The following is an announcement written by Fold3:

New Korean War Era Draft Registration Cards! We are happy to announce that we’ve added 2.7 million Korean War Era Draft Registration Cards to Fold3. These newly digitized records contain 5.5 million images and have been added to the collection that previously included draft cards from Alaska and Wyoming. The newly digitized draft cards come from: Colorado District of Columbia Guam Hawaii Idaho Iowa Kansas Missouri Montana New Hampshire US Virgin Islands Utah Vermont Virginia West Virginia Learn more Korean War Draft Registration Card for Medal of Honor Recipient David B. Bleak

The following is a press release written by TheGeneallogist:

Discover the Working Lives of Scientists, Engineers and Apprentices through Rare Historical Documents

TheGenealogist is proud to announce the release of over 100,000 new names in its expanding collection of occupational records. This new addition includes a rich series of publications that offer a unique glimpse into the careers and associations of individuals from the 19th and 20th centuries, many of whom played key roles in Britain’s scientific and industrial history.

These records are drawn from a series of publications, most notably the reports and member lists of the British Association for the Advancement of Science. With reports ranging from the early 1800s to the late 1920s, researchers can now explore a wide array of academic and scientific figures from conferences held in cities including Hull, Edinburgh, Plymouth, Bristol, Dundee, and even Toronto.

In addition to these scientific records, this release features engineering and apprenticeship documents, including: 

• Register of Past Apprentices, Pupils and Students of Petters Ltd, Yeovil, 1938 – A fascinating directory of those involved with this well-known engineering firm. 

• The Junior Institution of Engineers, List of Members, 8th May 1950 – Providing details of early-career engineers across the UK. 

• The British Engineers' Association Official Directory of Members, 1917 – Highlighting professionals active during a crucial time in wartime engineering.

• And many more!

  
  

A page from Early New Zealand Engineers

These resources are invaluable to family historians and researchers alike, offering insights into the professional lives of ancestors who may have worked in the fields of science, industry and engineering. Whether your ancestor presented a paper, attended meetings, or trained as an apprentice at a major engineering firm in the 1930s, this collection could provide the key to uncovering their career history.

Mark Bayley, Head of Online Content, said:
"We’re pleased to add these fascinating science and engineering records to the growing collection of occupational resources available on TheGenealogist. From teachers to tradesmen, clergy to councillors, and now solicitors to scientists, our occupational records span an incredible range of professions and public service roles. This latest release, rich with detail from scientific societies and engineering institutions, gives researchers even more ways to uncover the working lives of their ancestors."

These records are now available to Diamond subscribers of TheGenealogist, adding to its comprehensive collection of occupational records.

The inventor Joseph Swan can be found in this release - read his story here: https://www.thegenealogist.co.uk/MGBOCC525

Don’t miss out! For a limited time, you can subscribe to TheGenealogist for just £109.95 - Save Over £100

Not only will you get a lifetime discount, but you'll also receive a 12-Month Subscription to Discover Your Ancestors Online Magazine, a Research Pack and tickets to The Family History Show (Midlands, Liverpool, London and Online)! 

Explore these new records and start your genealogical journey today with TheGenealogist by claiming this offer here:https://www.thegenealogist.co.uk/affiliate/?affid=lzupkh&page=2889

Offer expires 30th June 2025.

This new occupational records release includes: British Association for the Advancement of Science, List of Members 1838; Report of the British Association for the Advancement of Science, Plymouth, 1877; Report of the British Association for the Advancement of Science, Edinburgh, 1892; Report of the British Association for the Advancement of Science, Nottingham, 1893; Report of the British Association for the Advancement of Science, Toronto, 1897; Report of the British Association for the Advancement of Science, Bristol, 1898; Report of the British Association for the Advancement of Science, Southport, 1903; Report of the British Association for the Advancement of Science, Cambridge, 1904; Report of the British Association for the Advancement of Science, Dundee, 1912; Report of the British Association for the Advancement of Science, Manchester, 1915; Report of the British Association for the Advancement of Science, Newcastle-On-Tyne, 1916; Report of the British Association for the Advancement of Science, 1917; The British Engineers’ Association Official Directory of Members, 1917; British Association for the Advancement of Science, Report of 87th Meeting, 1919; British Association for the Advancement of Science, Report of the 90th Meeting, Hull 1922; British Association for the Advancement of Science, Report of the 93rd Meeting, 1925; British Association for the Advancement of Science, Report of 94th Meeting, 1926; British Association for the Advancement of Science, Report of the 96th Meeting, Glasgow, 1928; Register of Past Apprentices, Pupils and Students of Petters Ltd, Yeovil, 1938; The Junior Institution of Engineers, List of Members, 8th May 1950; Early New Zealand Engineers

About TheGenealogist

TheGenealogist is an award-winning online family history website, who put a wealth of information at the fingertips of family historians. Their approach is to bring hard to use physical records to life online with easy to use interfaces such as their Tithe and newly released Lloyd George Domesday collections. 

TheGenealogist’s innovative SmartSearch technology links records together to help you find your ancestors more easily. TheGenealogist is one of the leading providers of online family history records. Along with the standard Birth, Marriage, Death and Census records, they also have significant collections of Parish and Nonconformist records, PCC Will Records, Irish Records, Military records, Occupations, Newspaper record collections amongst many others.

TheGenealogist uses the latest technology to help you bring your family history to life. Use TheGenealogist to find your ancestors today!

####

As the 22nd series of the TV show Who Do You Think You Are? is broadcasting across the nation, family history website Findmypast is offering people the chance to win a free subscription to its service.

Findmypast is giving away two family history packages to help people learn more about their ancestors.

The packages include a 12-month subscription, which is worth £199.99, and a one-on-one consultation with the website's professional genealogist, Jen Baldwin.

The subscription gives people unlimited access to billions of records, including all British censuses, historical newspapers and military records.

The consultation will help the winners get started on building their family tree.

Recently, interest in genealogy is on the rise, with more people wanting to learn about their ancestry. However, research by Findmypast has found that just 10 per cent of Brits know any general information about their family history beyond their grandparents' generation. Nearly half have never even seen a photo of them.

The research also found that around a third of people have already started researching their family history, but nearly half say it is difficult to start.

Jen Baldwin, professional genealogist at Findmypast, said: "Genealogy TV shows remind us just how compelling our history can be. Just like the celebrities on screen, it’s easier than ever to have your own genealogy reveal.

"With sites like Findmypast, you can delve deeper into millions of online records to build a detailed picture of your ancestors’ lives.

"We’re giving two lucky winners a personal boost, helping them to get started and have their own family history ‘wow’ moment with our one-off competition – make sure to enter now."

To enter the giveaway, people need to register an account on the Findmypast website at findmypast.co.uk before 11.59pm on Friday, June 20.

Existing customers can enter by visiting the Findmypast Family History Forum. Terms and conditions apply.

Findmypast's collection includes billions of historical records dating back to the reign of Henry VIII, as well as more than 90 million newspaper pages stretching right up to the modern day.

The website also has guides and a Facebook community to help people get started with their family tree and delve deeper into their research.

The following article discusses a radio show broadcast in England:

Dr Michala Hulme (Image: Supplied)

DR Michala Hulme, known for her genealogy work on popular TV shows, is set to feature on The DeeBrief.

The historian, genealogist, and author will join Penny Dee on Cheshire Mix 56 for an episode focused on ancestry and family secrets.

Listeners can expect discussions on DNA surprises, the growing interest in family tree research, and historical mysteries.

Dr Hulme is noted for her ability to bring history to life, making her a fascinating guest for the show.

The episode promises to be a captivating listen for anyone interested in exploring their roots or who enjoys a historical mystery.

The DeeBrief, hosted by Penny Dee, will air the special episode this Friday at midday on Mix56.

The programme can be accessed live via mix56.co.uk or caught up with later.

Dr Hulme is widely recognised for her work on Who Do You Think You Are? and DNA Journey.

Caldwell County’s Memorial Day observance began early Monday morning with a historic walking tour of Cedar Hill Cemetery, offering a tribute to veterans of past wars and a glimpse into the area’s rich military heritage.

Carolyn Traum, the new incoming Regent for the General John Caldwell Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, narrated the cemetery walk held at 8:00 a.m. Monday. She told WPKY’s News Edge that the tradition at Cedar Hill Cemetery dates back to the early 1890s.

Traum noted that this year’s cemetery walk, which visited the grave sites of 16 soldiers, served as a fundraising event.

Traum shared that about a dozen people attended the walk, which was sponsored by the Caldwell County Genealogy Society and the Captain William Prince Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution.

With its rare books and research, genealogy and cartography, wide-ranging classes and deep outreach, it is no wonder that the Newberry Library would also present the very best of storytelling. Renowned Harvard professor and host of PBS’s Finding Your Roots, Henry Louis Gates, Jr. had guests spellbound when he shared personal stories around libraries and genetic genealogy in conversation with the Newberry’s President and Librarian Astrida Orle Tantillo at the recent annual award celebration. He received the Library’s Annual award recognizing leaders in the Humanities in the filled Drake Hotel ballroom with its magnificent lake views.

Gates is the Alphonse Fletcher University Professor and Director of the Hutchins Center for African & African American Research at Harvard University. In addition, he is an Emmy, DuPont, and Peabody Award-winning filmmaker, literary scholar, cultural critic, and institution builder. He has published numerous books and produced and hosted an array of documentary films, including The Black Church (PBS), Frederick Douglass: In Five Speeches (HBO), Gospel (PBS), and Great Migrations(PBS). Finding Your Roots, Gates’s groundbreaking genealogy and genetics series, now in its eleventh season on PBS, was nominated for a Primetime Emmy in 2024.

Henry Louis Gates, Jr. joined Newberry President and Librarian Astrida Orle Tantillo in conversation

“Among the Newberry’s greatest strengths are its collections related to genealogy and local history,” Tantillo told the audience. “Henry Louis Gates keenly understands the importance of such collections to researchers doing the deeply personal work of tracing their family’s history. It was an honor to celebrate his achievements in this area, as well as his acumen as a historian, and to reflect on the importance of institutions such as the Newberry as well as the often-transformative exploration of finding one’s roots.” 

The Newberry is home to a vast collection that intersects with Gates’ works on several fronts. From a rare set of lantern slides from the Great Migration and valuable resources for those researching African American ancestry to primary sources dating back to the early history of the United States of America, the Newberry continues to care for and grow a collection that surfaces countless important stories, both personal and historic.  

Several hundred guests gathered to celebrate Gates, who was presented the Newberry Library Award by event chair and Newberry Trustee Gregory L. Barton. In their discussion, Gates and Tantillo focused on the importance of libraries such as the Newberry to those seeking to understand history. Gates told of his early dream of being a librarian so that he could surround himself with books and spoke of libraries having a long view of history, collecting both that which is used in the current moment and that which remains shelved with the understanding that those categories will shift over time. The conversation ended with Gates discussing Finding Your Roots and recounting the powerful, personal, and sometimes emotional stories of discovery that come through genealogical research, showing clips of family mysteries solved for celebrity and other guests. 

The Newberry’s genealogy collection is an invaluable resource for anyone researching their family history, especially those whose roots trace back to Chicago or the broader Midwest. Family and local histories, city directories, biographical tools, census data, land ownership maps, and immigration information—all of this resides at the Newberry and informs from where we’ve come. 

The Newberry Library Award is presented annually to recognize achievement in the humanities in the tradition of the Newberry, which has fostered a deeper understanding of our world by inspiring research and learning in the humanities since its founding in 1887. Past recipients include Drew Gilpin Faust, Arthur Kingsley Porter University Research Professor at Harvard University; documentarian Ken Burns; Ira Glass and This American Life; and Lonnie G. Bunch III, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution.  

All proceeds from the Award Celebration support the Newberry’s collection and programs. 

For more information about the Newberry Library, visit:  newberry.org.