Sketch and photo courtesy of Berks County, PA County Coroner’s Office/the family of Nuria C. Rodriguez
The Berks County Coroner's Office (Pennsylvania) has positively identified human remains discovered in Windsor Township, Berks County, more than three decades ago, bringing long-awaited answers to a family who never stopped searching for their loved one.
On June 3, 1992, a farmer working in a field along Christman Road in Windsor Township discovered a human skull lying atop freshly turned soil. Authorities were immediately notified, and a subsequent search revealed a shallow grave containing partial skeletal remains.
An examination of the remains determined they belonged to a white female believed to be between 25 and 40 years of age and approximately 5 feet 3 inches tall. Investigators estimated that the remains had been buried for at least one year prior to their discovery. Due to the condition of the remains, an exact cause and manner of death could not be determined.
A forensic facial sketch was created in an effort to identify the woman, and investigators utilized every available resource at the time, including DNA analysis, media outreach and entry into national databases, such as the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs). Despite these efforts, the woman remained unidentified and became known as "Christman Jane Doe."
For 34 years, investigators from the Berks County Coroner's Office and Pennsylvania State Police remained committed to identifying her. In 2024, the Berks County Coroner's Office partnered with Parabon NanoLabs to initiate a forensic investigative genetic genealogy examination, utilizing advanced DNA technology to trace potential family connections through ancestral DNA.
Over the next two years, the Berks County Coroner's Office and Pennsylvania State Police worked closely with Parabon NanoLabs and forensic specialists to develop investigative leads. Their efforts ultimately led investigators to a family in the Bronx, New York, who had been searching for their missing loved one since the early 1990s.
On April 14, 2026, through the combined efforts of forensic genetic genealogy, investigative research, and the cooperation of surviving family members, Christman Jane Doe was positively identified as Nuria C. Rodriguez.
No longer known only as Jane Doe, she is once again recognized by her name and remembered by those who loved her.
She was a daughter, a sister, and, most importantly, a mother. She was only 25 years old when she disappeared from the Bronx. Her family knew something was wrong when she failed to appear for her child's birthday—a day they say she would never have missed. For more than three decades, they searched for answers and held onto hope that one day they would learn what happened to her.
This identification is the result of decades of dedication by investigators, forensic specialists and partner agencies who refused to let the case be forgotten.
While Rodriguez’s identity has now been restored, the investigation into the circumstances surrounding her death remains active. Anyone with information regarding Nuria C. Rodriguez or the circumstance of her disappearance is encouraged to contact Pennsylvania State Police Troop L, Hamburg, at (610) 562-6885.
Republished courtesy of Berks County Coroner