Body found in Louisiana lake 38 years ago identified as pregnant woman

The woman was identified as Pamela Lee Hupp, whose case was featured on America’s Most Wanted. Her killer or killers have not been found, but St. Tammany Parish authorities are not giving up.

On June 19, 1986, a fisherman found a woman’s body floating in the lake in southeast Louisiana.

For nearly four decades, the unidentified murder victim was known only as “Lake Jane Doe” until last week, when St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office in Covington announced that new DNA technology had identified the victim.

This was announced in the sheriff’s office the woman was recognized as 33-year-old Pamela Lee Happ.

As of Monday, the identity of Hupp’s killer remained unknown, the sheriff’s office told USA TODAY.

Victim in the film “America’s Most Wanted”

After Happ’s remains were discovered in Lake Pontchartrain near Slidell, about 30 miles northeast of New Orleans, they were turned over to the St. Tammany Parish Coroner’s Office.

Happ’s manner of death was ruled a homicide, coroner’s spokesman James Hartman told USA TODAY on Monday, and her death certificate indicated she died of asphyxiation. Officials also said she was pregnant.

According to the data, she was 20 to 30 years old at the time of discovery OtramDNA lab that eventually helped identify Hupp.

During the investigation, authorities reconstructed Hupp’s skull, a photograph of which was taken and released to the public, the sheriff’s office said. Her story was also included in a segment that aired on America’s Most Wanted.

Years later, in September 2022, the grant paved the way for further DNA analysis and genealogical research into the case.

Then, in April 2023, Otram’s efforts helped locate potential family members of the victim, who later helped identify her.

Who was Pamela Lee Hupp?

Born in April 1958, her last known place of residence was Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

It was not immediately known what she was doing in Florida at the time of her murder or how she was killed.

“I want to thank the many investigators over the years who worked on this case and sought the available resources and technology to identify and name the victim,” Sheriff Randy Smith said in a statement after the victim’s identity was released. “Our detectives will not stop working until the person(s) responsible for Ms. Gapp’s death are identified and arrested.”

Anyone with information about this case is asked to call the sheriff’s office at (985) 898-2341 or Detective Winston Harbin at (985) 276-1355.

Natalie Neisa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Contact her at [email protected] and follow her on X @nataliealund.