How Could You? Hall of Shame-Kathy Ann Smith case-Adult death

This will be an archive of heinous actions by those involved in child welfare, foster care and adoption. We forewarn you that these are deeply disturbing stories that may involve sex abuse, murder, kidnapping and other horrendous actions.

From Bastrop County, Texas, “a family now has closure after their loved one who was killed over 40 years ago was finally identified. In a press conference on Thursday, the Bastrop County Sheriff’s Office gave an update on Kathy Ann Smith who was found dead in Elgin back in 1979.

“She’s a white female and was 22 years of age when she died,” said Bastrop County Sheriff Maurice Cook.

The Bastrop County Sheriff’s Office says on June 29, 1979, Smith was located deceased on Highway 290 near FM 696 in Elgin.

“She was buried, and remained unidentified all these years,” Cook said.

During Thursday afternoon’s press conference, Cook explained how investigators re-opened the case in 2019 and exhumed her body to look for DNA evidence but were unsuccessful.

“The problem was she was adopted. So that really played with us on our DNA because we had an adoptive family involved in this,” said Cook.

In 2022, investigators exhumed Smith’s body again, and this time was able to use DNA evidence and genetic genealogy to match her to a family tree. That information was entered into a database and several weeks ago officials finally learned her identity.

The Sheriff’s Office worked with Texas-based company Othram to process the DNA pulled from Smith’s body. Othram has helped law enforcement on thousands of cases and their work has led to 200 being solved since 2018.

“We’re the only company in the world that uses forensic grade genome sequencing to actually build a DNA profile. That DNA profile can then be uploaded to genealogical databases consented for law enforcement use and it can be compared to anyone that has given consent for their DNA to be in those databases,” said Kristen Mittelman, chief development officer at Othram.”

Decades-long mystery solved: Bastrop County homicide victim identified 44 years later
[CBS Austin 7/27/23 by Paige Hubbard]

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