Wilkinsburg Jane Doe Identified After 27 Years as Genelle Bradford

For 27 years, they called her the Wilkinsburg Jane Doe, but now we finally know who she is. For people who have followed this case out of Wilkinsburg, part of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, the Wilkinsburg Jane Doe identified update is a huge one. It gives a name back to a young woman whose family has waited far too long for answers.

On June 28, 1999, skeletal remains were found inside a vacant home at 604 North Avenue in Wilkinsburg. The new owner, Christopher Neiser, had purchased the abandoned property and was doing renovations when he made the discovery just after 1:00 PM. The remains were covered with plywood at the bottom of the steps leading from the cellar to the backyard. In addition, Allegheny County Police Inspector Daniel Colaizzi said the remains included bones, tissues, and clothing.

At first, investigators could not determine who the victim was, how they died, or even if the victim was male or female. The Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office responded, collected evidence, and began investigating. They estimated the remains had been there for somewhere between six and eight months before they were found. Later, they determined the remains belonged to a Black female who was 5’5″ and believed to be between 18 and 20 years old. However, what they did know for sure was that they were dealing with a homicide, because the cause of death was ligature strangulation.

From there, investigators kept working the case for years, trying to figure out who she was. The Allegheny County Police Department’s Homicide Unit, the Wilkinsburg Police Department, and the Allegheny County Office of the Medical Examiner all remained heavily involved. In addition, they even submitted fingerprints to the FBI for identification, but no match was ever found.

Then, in 2024, the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office and the Allegheny County Police Department received a Commonwealth of Pennsylvania grant and partnered with Othram to use advanced DNA analysis on more than a dozen cases, including this one. Othram scientists developed a DNA extract and used forensic-grade genome sequencing to build a comprehensive DNA profile. After that, the forensic genetic genealogy team used the profile to develop investigative leads that pointed investigators toward possible relatives. This kind of work does not spit out one name. It gives a list of possible relatives, and investigators have to work every one of those leads manually until one finally pans out. In this case, it did, and the Wilkinsburg Jane Doe identified breakthrough finally happened.

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After nearly 27 years, she was identified as Genelle Princess Bradford. Genelle Bradford was reported missing on April 24, 1999, about two months before her remains were found. Her brother, Richard Bradford, remembers it vividly. He was in the sixth grade when his sister disappeared while walking home from school. He said the seriousness did not set in until the next morning, when the family was frantic. They called people, called the school, and finally the police.

One of the hardest parts of this case is how close everything was. They found Genelle’s remains in the same neighborhood, just a block away from the Bradford family home. That raises the same question Richard Bradford asked, and it is the same question many people have now. How was a missing young Black teenager reported on April 24, and then the remains of a young black female, believed to be 18 to 20 years old, found a block away, not connected sooner?

For 27 years, Genelle’s family lived without closure while the public knew her only as Wilkinsburg Jane Doe. However, technology was different in 1999, and law enforcement did not have the forensic genetic genealogy tools that exist today. Still, this part is hard to understand. Former Wilkinsburg lead investigator Doug Yuhouse told WTAE he viewed the handling of the case as a law enforcement failure. But that does not tell the whole story, because people outside the case do not know every internal decision investigators made back then. Even so, the delay matters. What did they document? Did they do any follow up? What could or could not be proven at the time? These are questions that deserve answers. After 27 years, investigators may have a harder time finding a suspect. That person could be deceased, could have moved, or could be much harder to locate.

There is also one part of this case that deserves real credit. The original investigators preserved the evidence well enough that Othram was able to pull a sample and help identify her decades later. They had no way of knowing in 1999 where DNA science would be now, but their work mattered.

Even though investigators have identified Wilkinsburg Jane Doe as Genelle Bradford, they have not solved her homicide. Allegheny County Police Superintendent Christopher Kern said investigators will continue following every lead available in hopes of getting answers for her family. If you have any information about Genelle Bradford’s disappearance or death, contact the Allegheny County Police tip line at 833-ALL-TIPS. Callers can remain anonymous.

I will bring you updates as they become available

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