The remains of a 14-year-old girl who went missing more than half a century ago were identified on Tuesday, almost a decade after they were first found in northeastern Pennsylvania, according to local officials.
According to a press release from the Pennsylvania State Police, the remains belonged to Joan Marie Dymond, who had gone missing from Andover Street Park in 1969.
The girl's remains were found in Wilkes-Barre, where Dymond was from a decade ago, according to the release. Capt. Patrick Dougherty shared in a statement that the department had "never stopped pursuing answers, and this investigation remains very active."
"After 53 years, the family of Joan Marie Dymond very much deserves closure. We will do everything in our power to see that they have it," Dougherty said.
The remains were found in November 2012 when a group of people were digging for relics in a depression filled with trash on a coal-mining operation in Newport Township.
The victim's DNA was sent to national databases to try and find a match, but investigators came up short as it had no matches.
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Investigators were able to find that foul play was involved in the young woman's death and that she most likely died in the 1960s. However, her identity remained a mystery to the police until now.
Thanks to the Luzerne Foundation, which launched a "Closing Cases" fund that assists in funding laboratory testing for cold cases, possible family members of the victim were provided to troopers by Othram, Inc.
After finding the potential family members, DNA samples were provided, and tests were able to confirm that the remains were hers.
Now, state police are asking for the public's help in identifying those responsible for her death. Those with information are asked to call the Shickshinny station at 570-542-4117.
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