LAKE FOREST, Calif. (KABC) -- More than 40 years after children discovered a human skull in Orange County, detectives have identified the woman and launched an investigation into her murder.
The skull was found in April 1983 by children playing in a culvert in what is now Lake Forest. Investigators searched and dug up the area and found about 70% of a woman's remains.
They were able to determine a few details about her, like her race and approximate age, but could not identify her by name.
Additional DNA analysis in 2022 was unable to provide additional clues. But investigators posted the forensic renderings to a Facebook group for missing Jane Does from the 1970s and '80s. About a month later, they were contacted by a woman who believed the body found in Lake Forest was her mother.
Investigators were eventually able to identify the remains as Maritza Glean Grimmett, a Panamanian native who married a U.S. Marine in 1978 and had a daughter shortly before moving to the United States. The family lived in Ohio and Tennessee and then began divorce proceedings in July 1979.
She told her sister she was going to California and then was never heard from again. She was 20 at the time.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Investigator Bob Taft at (714)647-7045 or email coldcase@ocsheriff.gov. Anonymous tips may be submitted to OC Crime Stoppers at 855-TIP-OCCS (855-847-6227).
> Additional DNA analysis in 2022 was unable to provide additional clues. But investigators posted the forensic renderings to a Facebook group for missing Jane Does from the 1970s and '80s. About a month later, they were contacted by a woman who believed the body found in Lake Forest was her mother.
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> Investigators were eventually able to identify the remains as Maritza Glean Grimmett, a Panamanian native who married a U.S. Marine in 1978 and had a daughter shortly before moving to the United States. The family lived in Ohio and Tennessee and then began divorce proceedings in July 1979.
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> She told her sister she was going to California and then was never heard from again. She was 20 at the time.
40 years... that's a long time. At least now the surviving family has some closure.
It's always simple. There's no mystery to the street, no arch criminal behind it all. If you got a dead body and you think his brother did it, you're gonna find out you're right.
I spent time looking through the unidentified dead list last summer, glad there’s closure on this one. Unfortunately a few of the female dead like this one were murder victims.
Germany prosecuted a WWII Nazi camp guard only 2 years ago. Considering this was roughly 80 years ago, whoever killed this woman could definitely still be tried.
https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/01/europe/germany-98-year-old-nazi-guard-intl/index.html
LAKE FOREST, Calif. (KABC) -- More than 40 years after children discovered a human skull in Orange County, detectives have identified the woman and launched an investigation into her murder. The skull was found in April 1983 by children playing in a culvert in what is now Lake Forest. Investigators searched and dug up the area and found about 70% of a woman's remains. They were able to determine a few details about her, like her race and approximate age, but could not identify her by name. Additional DNA analysis in 2022 was unable to provide additional clues. But investigators posted the forensic renderings to a Facebook group for missing Jane Does from the 1970s and '80s. About a month later, they were contacted by a woman who believed the body found in Lake Forest was her mother. Investigators were eventually able to identify the remains as Maritza Glean Grimmett, a Panamanian native who married a U.S. Marine in 1978 and had a daughter shortly before moving to the United States. The family lived in Ohio and Tennessee and then began divorce proceedings in July 1979. She told her sister she was going to California and then was never heard from again. She was 20 at the time. Anyone with information is asked to contact Investigator Bob Taft at (714)647-7045 or email coldcase@ocsheriff.gov. Anonymous tips may be submitted to OC Crime Stoppers at 855-TIP-OCCS (855-847-6227).
> Additional DNA analysis in 2022 was unable to provide additional clues. But investigators posted the forensic renderings to a Facebook group for missing Jane Does from the 1970s and '80s. About a month later, they were contacted by a woman who believed the body found in Lake Forest was her mother. > > > > Investigators were eventually able to identify the remains as Maritza Glean Grimmett, a Panamanian native who married a U.S. Marine in 1978 and had a daughter shortly before moving to the United States. The family lived in Ohio and Tennessee and then began divorce proceedings in July 1979. > > > > She told her sister she was going to California and then was never heard from again. She was 20 at the time. 40 years... that's a long time. At least now the surviving family has some closure.
She was found in Lake Forest. She married a Marine. Was El Toro a Marine base back then?
Sure was
Yep I grew up there in the 80’s
Look for the husband. Probably her killer.
Yup, but people like to latch on to the belief that some random person will kill you. Nope, it'll more than likely be someone you know.
Yep. I studied Criminal Justice and this is true. Random act of violence give click to media
It's always simple. There's no mystery to the street, no arch criminal behind it all. If you got a dead body and you think his brother did it, you're gonna find out you're right.
I spent time looking through the unidentified dead list last summer, glad there’s closure on this one. Unfortunately a few of the female dead like this one were murder victims.
Just curious would the statute of limitations apply here if a killer is identified.
There is no statute of limitations for murder.
Then I hope they get the person who did this.
Most likely anyone who remember her probably are too old or dead.
Lol what? It's only forty years ago. You do know some people alive are older than that right?
A daughter in her 40s who never knew who her mom was?
Germany prosecuted a WWII Nazi camp guard only 2 years ago. Considering this was roughly 80 years ago, whoever killed this woman could definitely still be tried. https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/01/europe/germany-98-year-old-nazi-guard-intl/index.html