DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (WFLA) — A woman whose body was found 33 years ago in a wooded area of Daytona Beach has finally been identified, according to authorities.
The Volusia Sheriff’s Office said on Thursday, detectives identified the remains as Roberta “Bobbie” Lynn Weber, who would have been 32 years old at the time of her death.
On April 23, 1990, a hiker walking on a trail in the woods east of Clyde Morris Boulevard found Weber’s body, but she was in such a deteriorated state that she could not be identified. Detectives said her remains were found without clothes or personal property.
However, answers later came this year when the VSO Major Case Unit contacted Orthram Laboratories, a forensic genealogy lab in Texas, for help in identifying the remains using DNA samples.
Within a few weeks, the company constructed a family tree from public genealogical sites, allowing deputies to locate Weber’s sister.
When detectives met her in Missouri, the victim’s sister said she hadn’t seen Weber since 1989 when she divorced her husband. She was under the impression that her sister died or was living in California.
The sheriff’s office said detectives also found the victim’s three children, who also said their mother was last seen in 1989.
Using the family’s DNA, Othram Labs was able to confirm Weber was the woman who was found dead in 1990.
Detectives are still working to find the person responsible for her death. If you know anything, call the VSO Major Case Unit at 386-254-1537 or email ColdCaseUnitTips@volusiasheriff.gov.