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DNA Breakthrough Identifies Woman Found Shot in Tennessee Woods — Murder Still Unsolved After 20 Years

Investigators have confirmed the identity of a woman found shot to death in La Vergne woods in November 2007 as 40-year-old Mary Alice Maloney. Volunteer genealogists from the DNA Doe Project produced a usable DNA profile from degraded remains and, using distant matches on GEDmatch and FamilyTreeDNA, traced a family connection that led to her identification. Detectives say the homicide remains unsolved and are asking anyone with information to contact La Vergne police.

06:40 PM, 12/03/2025Society
DNA Breakthrough Identifies Woman Found Shot in Tennessee Woods — Murder Still Unsolved After 20 Years

Nearly two decades after a decomposed body was discovered in a wooded area off Hollingdale Road in La Vergne, Tennessee, investigators have confirmed the victim’s identity as 40-year-old Mary Alice Maloney. Police say Maloney, a native of Hartford who had been living in the Nashville area, was shot in the head and found unclothed but wearing some jewelry on Nov. 14, 2007. Detectives estimate she had likely been dead at least six months before her remains were located.

Officer Rob Hayes found the body while searching for an unrelated missing person, and the case has been treated as a homicide since the discovery. Detective Steve Crotts, who took over the investigation in 2021, said the department has followed numerous leads but still lacks information about how long Maloney lived in Connecticut or who might have known her there. "This is a homicide investigation. We are looking for anyone who may have known her," Crotts said. "There's still a hope that someone knows something."

Genetic genealogy helps identify Jane Doe

The La Vergne Police Department consulted the volunteer-led DNA Doe Project to try to identify the Jane Doe. Despite significant DNA degradation, analysts produced a usable profile that was uploaded to GEDmatch Pro and FamilyTreeDNA. Initial matches were distant, but investigators were able to discern signals suggesting Puerto Rican roots and African-American ancestry, which guided further research.

In April 2021 a new match appeared on GEDmatch that led investigators to a distant cousin. That connection ultimately revealed that one of the cousin’s relatives had married Maloney’s father, enabling police to confirm the victim’s identity.

Investigation continues

With Mary Alice Maloney identified, investigators say the central questions remain: how she ended up in the Hollingdale Road woods and who was responsible for her death. Crotts said he has compared this case to known serial killings around the country but found no clear pattern — noting, for example, that shootings are less common in many serial homicide profiles. The department hopes the public announcement will generate new tips.

Anyone with information about Mary Alice Maloney is asked to contact La Vergne detectives at 615-287-8747.

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