Show Notes
Episode 186 Tracy Whitney In 1988, Teenager Tracy Whitney was trying to figure out her complicated life. She was living with one boyfriend, and seeing another guy on the side – there was drama. When she vanished after walking out of a Federal Way, WA Burger King in August, no one had any idea where she could have gone. She was found miles away in the Puyallup River the next day – and remained a Jane Doe for two months. Once she was identified as the missing teen, police were months behind on their homicide investigation. But even if the investigation had been timely, it's unlikely that her killer would have been identified – for he had no known connection to Tracy whatsoever. This episode is sponsored by Mint Mobile. DNA ID listeners can get Mint Mobile plans starting at just $15 per month when they use our special link. This episode is sponsored by Thrive Market. DNA ID listeners can receive $20 off of their first 3 orders from Thrive Market, PLUS receive a $60 gift when they use our special link. To listen to every episode of DNA: ID ad-free and get other benefits, simply visit our channel page on Apple Podcasts to get started with an AbJack Insider subscription. Of course, you can also support DNA: ID with a Patreon subscription. Follow us on social media; find all of our social media links in one spot at our Linktree: linktr.ee/dnaidpodcast Visit this link to buy DNA ID Merch ©2026 AbJack Entertainment -All rights reserved. This content is the sole property of AbJack Entertainment. Any unauthorized re-selling, re-purposing, or re-distribution, is strictly prohibited, and will be subject to legal action.
More from DNA: ID
Caroline Bolen’s 1988 death in Silsbee, TX presented a real conundrum to investigators. No one, including the pathologist, was even certain that her death was a homicide. “Carol” had been found dead in her bed, nude and posed, with blood on the bedding and her young son alive next to her. The bizarre case had suspects coming out of the woodwork, but police followed the evidence, which led to none of the men in Caroline’s life. When IGG finally pointed to Caroline’s killer, the answer was surprising… because he had been there all along.
In 1995, a violently murdered Jane Doe who came to be known as the Danforth Lady was found under a building excavation at the old Robertson Motors in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. TPS efforts to identify her went nowhere, even when they finally obtained DNA, which was degraded and heavily contaminated due to the age of the remains. Earlier this year, a final attempt to extract precious genetic material paid off, and Danforth Lady was identified as Mary McLeod Davidson Moffatt. TPS Det. Const. Mike Kelly was able to reconstruct Mary’s story, and to identify a prime suspect in her murder. The answers were shocking, but also meant justice at long last for Mary.
In 2001, an 84 year old woman was raped in her home in Manchester, CT. In 2004, another Manchester woman was raped. In 2007, another. In 2008, a fourth woman from the neighboring town of Vernon was victimized. A recognizable pattern emerged, and investigators knew they had a serial rapist on their hands. But they didn’t know who he was. A John Doe warrant provided probable cause for arrest, but 10 years elapsed before IGG gave a name to John Doe. And the identity of the suspect would shock the community to its core.
In July 1971, a living Jane Doe was found beaten and unconscious on a rural dirt road in Howard County, MD. The woman lingered for nearly two months before succumbing to her injuries, but was never able to communicate, so her identity remained unknown. Not until a determined investigator applied IGG to her case was her name revealed: Sarah Sharkey. While news of her identification reunited long lost family members, there remain a lot of questions about who killed Sarah.