DNA Technology Identifies Missing Portland Teen After 54 Years

Sandra Young, missing since the late 1960s, has been identified through genetic genealogy, providing closure to her family.

Advanced DNA technology and investigative genetic genealogy have identified the remains of Sandra Young, a Portland high school student missing since the late 1960s.
The remains were discovered in a shallow grave on Sauvie Island in 1970, with trauma indicating foul play.
A breakthrough came when a distant relative of Young uploaded their DNA to the genealogy database GEDMatch, leading to a match.
The identification marks a significant moment of closure for Young's family, who also lost another daughter to gun violence in the 1970s.
The case highlights the power of DNA genealogy in solving cold cases, with Portland Police reopening the investigation into Young's death.