In 1969, a 16-year-old girl was found strangled inside a Calif. hotel room. 57 years later, her body has finally been identified
Officials confirmed the victim had been identified as Joanne Yvonne Burdick on Thursday, Oct. 1, one day before the 57th anniversary of the incident
NEED TO KNOW
- A teenage girl has been identified 57 years after she was found dead inside a California hotel room
- Genetic genealogy and DNA from her brother identified the victim of the cold case as 16-year-old Joanne Yvonne Burdick, known as “Joanie” to her family
- The Oakland Police Department announced the breakthrough one day before the 57th anniversary of the 1969 killing
A 16-year-old girl has been identified 57 years after she was found dead inside a California hotel room.
The Oakland Police Department announced the cold case breakthrough in a press release and press conference on Thursday, Oct. 1 — a day before the 57th anniversary of the incident.
On Oct. 2, 1969, at around 3:30 p.m. local time, Oakland Police officers responded to the former Hotel St. Louis at 539 7th Street, where a teen was found deceased, per the release.
It was reported by witnesses and hotel staff that the victim had entered the room with an unidentified male just after 2:45 p.m. that day.
Less than 30 minutes later, staff said they heard a scream, with the release stating that the suspect had left the scene before officers arrived. The cause of death was ruled as strangulation.
Because the victim had no identification, her identity remained unknown for decades.
After being known as “Jane Doe” for over 50 years, the police department announced that she had been positively identified as Joanne Yvonne Burdick, known as “Joanie,” to her family, born Feb. 3, 1953.
She was only 16 years old when she was killed.
At the time, Taylor Morris Teaford was a potential suspect, but he was never formally charged.
Oakland Police Chief James Beere said identifying Burdick wouldn’t have been possible without the assistance of the FBI and the department’s homicide investigators.
FBI Special Agent in Charge Scott Schelble said during the press conference that the FBI’s San Francisco field office formally joined the investigation in 2020 to assist with forensic analysis and genealogical expertise.
Schelble said investigative genetic genealogy provided new leads after traditional investigative avenues had been exhausted.
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“Those genealogical leads helped investigators locate Joanie’s brother, who voluntarily provided a DNA sample, which enabled the final identification of Joanie,” said Schelbe.
He also explained that Burdick’s remains were identified “a few weeks ago,” but authorities wanted time to share the news with her surviving family.
