Credit: Solano County Sheriff's Office
On May 14, 1983, the Solano County Sheriff’s Office, along with the Solano County Coroner’s Office, responded to the south shore of Simmons Island after partial skeletal remains were discovered. The remains were determined to be human and were initially believed to be that of an adult male.
The decedent became known only as John Doe #5 (1983). Despite continued investigation into the identity and circumstances surrounding the death, the decedent was ultimately laid to rest without being identified.
In July 2023, as part of the Doe Cold Case Project, the body of John Doe #5 (1983) was exhumed and the case re-opened. New DNA testing revealed that the remains were female, not male as previously believed, and the decedent was reclassified as Jane Doe #5 (1983). Over the next 15 months, the dedication of the coroner investigators and forensic staff led to numerous leads and continued investigation.
After 41 years, using advanced DNA testing, forensic genetic genealogy, and forensic odontology, the decedent was positively identified as 40-year-old Patricia Ann Hertel of Tracy, Calif.
Hertel was last known to be aboard a fishing vessel in Suisun Bay on August 8, 1981, when she was 39 years old. The boat, carrying Hertel and her boyfriend, failed to return after bad weather hit that evening. A search was launched. The body of Hertel’s boyfriend was recovered several days later, and the vessel was found sunk in Suisun Bay. However, Hertel was never located and was presumed drowned. Although Jane Doe #5 (1983) has now been identified, Hertel’s missing persons case remains active, as only partial skeletal remains were recovered.
Republished courtesy of Solano County Sheriff's Office