On Monday, October 23, 2023, officials announced the identification of a body discovered in a Georgia dumpster over 35 years ago. Found in rural Millen, Georgia, in February 1988, the body was that of a 26-year-old South Korean woman.
Initial investigations had remained inconclusive despite using fingerprints, dental records, and forensic sketches. DNA analysis, funded by donors and performed by Othram, a Texas-based DNA analysis company, has revealed the woman’s identity.
Chong Un Kim, who had moved to the United States in 1981, was the unfortunate person found wrapped in plastic and duct tape inside a brown canvas suitcase. Prior to her tragic death, Kim had been residing in Hinesville, Georgia, a city neighboring Fort Stewart and located 70 miles south of Millen.
The circumstances of her death remain shrouded in mystery. The cause of death was asphyxiation, though it remains uncertain if her death resulted from foul play or an accident. When discovered, Kim’s body had been in the dumpster for four to seven days. She was found by a man searching for aluminum cans to collect.
For decades, Kim’s identity remained an enigma. Efforts to identify her had been extensive yet fruitless. She became known locally as”Jane Millen Doe” and “Jenkins County Jane Doe.” Throughout the years, there were people who believed they might have seen something related to the case, but these leads never materialized into solid evidence.
The breakthrough in the case arrived in 2022 when the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) partnered with Othram. Their specialization lies in using DNA analysis to identify unknown remains and resolve cold cases. In Kim’s case, they constructed a DNA profile using genetic material from a blanket discovered with the body. This state-of-the-art methodology eventually led to her identification.
The DNA analysis, which provided closure to this long-standing mystery, was financed by Project Justice, a donor group dedicated to resolving cold cases. Their contribution underscores the value of collaboration between the private sector and public law enforcement agencies in solving such cases.
Relatives of Chong Un Kim were notified earlier this month about the identification. Amongst them is Kim’s sister, who currently resides in New York.