After 43 years of uncertainty, the identity of a 1980 homicide victim has been uncovered thanks to advances in genetic genealogy, Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood announced. The woman, previously known only as “Jane Doe,” has now been confirmed as Pamela Kay Wittman, a 25-year-old from Indiana.
Pamela’s body was discovered on November 5, 1980, along the I-95 highway near Port Orange, Florida. Despite extensive investigations, her identity had remained unknown for decades. New developments, however, revealed that Wittman was a victim of notorious serial killer Gerald Stano, who was active in the Daytona Beach area during that period.
This breakthrough was made possible through FHD Forensics and was funded by the non-profit organization Genealogy for Justice, which supports genetic genealogy efforts in solving cold cases involving unidentified remains. Wittman’s family, particularly her younger sister, finally received the closure they had long awaited.
A memorial now marks the site where Wittman’s body was discovered, paying tribute to her memory. The inscription includes the poignant phrase, “She had the voice of an angel.”
Sheriff Chitwood commented:
For the family, this brings closure to years of uncertainty, even though it’s a heartbreaking truth. I’m deeply grateful for all those involved who worked to uncover Pamela’s identity and help her family remember her properly.
Wittman had no form of identification on her when her remains were found by a road crew in 1980. Although forensic experts at the time estimated her age to be around 30, investigators had little else to go on. Serial killer Gerald Stano, who was active in the area at the time and eventually confessed to numerous murders, was questioned about this case, but it was never fully resolved.
The turning point came in 2023 when FHD Forensics, in collaboration with the Volusia Sheriff’s Office (VSO) and the Medical Examiner’s Office, began reviewing unresolved cases that could benefit from genetic genealogy. Reference DNA samples were collected from several cases, including that of Wittman, then known only as Jane Doe 1980.
After months of detailed research, forensic genealogists identified Wittman as having been born in Indiana in 1954. Detectives contacted surviving relatives, who provided valuable information about her whereabouts during the early months of 1980, leading to the discovery of her final movements.
With the assistance of the VSO’s ANDE rapid DNA system, a familial DNA match confirmed Wittman’s identity. Further investigations confirmed that she had likely been murdered by Gerald Stano in February 1980. Stano, who was convicted of multiple murders and sentenced to death, was executed in 1998.
The genetic genealogy research in this case was funded by the Dean and Tina Linn Clouse Memorial Fund, named in memory of a couple who themselves were unidentified victims for over 40 years until their identities were confirmed in 2021. Their tragic story has helped provide hope and closure in similar cold cases.
Image Source:
- Photo by Wesley Tingey: instant images
