After more than three decades as an unidentified victim, the woman known as “I‑90 Jane Doe” has been named thanks to **DNA matched to her biological mother**, solving a mystery that began in **1992** when her body was discovered on an abandoned ditch along Interstate 90 in Wyoming. UNILAD broke the story.
Back in April 1992, a trucker spotted her partially clothed body—with shoes and socks missing—face-down in two feet of snow about 15 miles north of Sheridan. A later autopsy revealed blunt force trauma and strangulation, and indicated she was around **two-and-a-half months pregnant**. She’d previously had a child, according to investigators. Cowboy State Daily’s detailed report.
The breakthrough came after state forensic teams submitted the preserved fetal tissue and body swabs to a genealogy lab that successfully matched DNA to her mother, officially identifying her as **21‑year‑old Cindi Arleen Estrada**—likely born in Torrance and possibly a Long Beach resident. UNILAD explains the DNA match.
“33 years later, Cindi Estrada finally has her name back—and a path to justice.”
But her identification didn’t stop there. New DNA profiling linked semen found on a paper towel at the crime scene to the same male profile from another Wyoming case, known as “Bitter Creek Betty”—a body found frozen off I‑80 in March 1992. Both were traced to **Clark Perry Baldwin**, a long-haul trucker convicted in 2020 for the 1991 murder of Pamela McCall in Tennessee. Cowboy State Daily links the crimes.
Authorities believe Baldwin has now been **linked to at least three murders** spanning Tennessee and Wyoming between 1991 and 1992. After obtaining his DNA from discarded items during a 2020 FBI investigation in Iowa, officials were able to confirm his involvement. UNILAD reports the confirmation.
“One breakthrough DNA match just shattered a decades-long cold-case silence.”
For decades, I‑90 Jane Doe lacked even a name; now, Estrada’s family—if still living—can finally seek closure. Investigators say they are preparing to **extradite Baldwin to Wyoming** to face murder charges for both Estrada and Irene Vasquez, the woman found off I‑80. UNILAD outlines the legal next steps.
Experts say this case highlights how **forensic genetic genealogy**—using public DNA databases—has revolutionized cold-case work. According to recent data, over **650 cases** have been solved this way by 2023. Wikipedia tracks this surge.
Still, questions linger: who Cindi truly was, what led her to Wyoming, and why she was targeted remain mysteries. Investigators are compiling background details—birth records, phone logs, travel—and urging anyone with memories or connections to come forward. Cowboy State Daily highlights the appeal.
This breakthrough brings rare resolution to families and communities haunted for generations. While identifying victims is vital, the bigger goal is preventing similar cases—by learning from patterns, timelines, and suspect movements along national transport routes.
Still, the gravity of what’s been uncovered is not lost. A **pregnant young woman, violently killed and left nameless for decades**, now has a voice—and a future chapter in justice. Investigators say Cindi Estrada’s tragic story is finally part of the legal record—and that her sacrifice has helped build a more accountable system.
LEAVE US A COMMENT
Comments
comments