DNA PROVIDES NEW INFO ON 1998 HOMICIDE VICTIM FOUND IN EL CAJON: POLICE SEEK HELP TO IDENTIFY HER

East County News Service

August 19, 2025 (El Cajon) – El Cajon Police Department needs your help; DNA may hold the key to uncovering the identity of a woman lost to time—and justice.

On August 13, 1998, the body of an unidentified woman was found in the brush near the 1300 block of Avocado Ave in El Cajon, CA. The victim, believed to be a white or Hispanic female in her 30s, stood around 5’2” and weighed approximately 110 lbs. She had brown hair and signs of at least one prior pregnancy.

She wore a silver herringbone bracelet, black shoes, and a blue t-shirt that read: “Woodruff Warriors 20 Year Reunion 1971–1991.”

She is believed to be a victim of a homicide.

Thanks to advancements in forensic technology, her DNA was submitted to Othram Labs for genetic genealogy and Parabon Labs for phenotyping — revealing ancestral roots in Michoacán, Mexico and a possible relative in the San Diego area.

Someone out there knows who she is. More than two decades have passed, but her story is still waiting for an ending.

If you recognize this person or have any information on this homicide, please contact the El Cajon Police Department’s Cold Case Unit at 619-593-5774 or coldcaseunit@elcajon.gov.