SLIDELL, La. — A woman's body was found in Lake Pontchartrain 38 years ago. Now DNA technology has identified the woman known as "Lake Lady Jane Doe" in the 1986 Slidell homicide. The St. Tammany Sheriff's Office is asking the public for help to solve her murder.
The victim was identified as Pamela Lee Hupp, a.k.a. Deborah Gail Justice, born in April 1958, according to the sheriff's office. They said Hupp was in her early twenties at the time of her murder.
On June 19, 1986, a fisherman spotted a white female's body in Lake Pontchartrain, "close to the shoreline of Slidell near the I-10 Twin Span", a release said.
Detectives revealed Hupp was also pregnant and she was living in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
After several years, detectives used DNA testing to learn her identity. Potential family members were contacted and Hupp's identity was confirmed through DNA analysis.
LSU's FACES Laboratory helped to reconstruct Hupp's skull and create a photo of what she would have looked like. Louisiana State Police Crime Lab and the St. Tammany Parish Coroner's Office DNA lab also helped in the case.
“I want to thank the many investigators over the years who worked on this case and sought out available resources and technology to identify and give a name to the victim,” Sheriff Randy Smith said. “Our detectives will not stop working until they have identified and arrested the person(s) responsible for Ms. Hupp’s death.
At this time, the investigation is active and ongoing, and the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office is asking that anyone with information into the death of Pamela Lee Hupp contact (985) 898-2341 or Detective Winston Harbin at (985) 276-1355.
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