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Cold Case Solved: Joann Marie Rozelle Identified From 1990 Skeletal Remains

Quick Summary: Skeletal remains found near a creek between Geary and El Reno in January 1990 have been identified as Joann Marie Rozelle. Using advanced DNA extraction and forensic genetic genealogy in 2023, investigators traced relatives whose reference samples confirmed the match. Rozelle was last seen June 14, 1989, in the Meridian Lanes bowling-alley parking lot in Oklahoma City and was declared legally dead in 2003. Authorities request tips at (405) 297-1197.

08:25 PM, 12/04/2025Society
Cold Case Solved: Joann Marie Rozelle Identified From 1990 Skeletal Remains

Cold Case Solved: Joann Marie Rozelle Identified

Summary: Skeletal remains discovered near a creek west of Oklahoma City in January 1990 have been positively identified as Joann Marie Rozelle, a woman who vanished from a bowling-alley parking lot in June 1989. Advances in DNA technology and forensic genetic genealogy led to the identification more than three decades later.

Discovery and Initial Investigation

In January 1990, a human skull was found on a creek bank between Geary and El Reno, two rural communities along the I-40 corridor just west of Oklahoma City. A search by the Canadian County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) recovered additional skeletal remains and several items of clothing, including tan Chaus-brand pants, a white collared shirt, a baseball-style cap and a woman’s ring.

At the time, investigators estimated the remains belonged to a White woman between 18 and 35 years old who had likely been deceased for months or years. The advanced state of decomposition and the limited forensic tools available in 1990 prevented a positive identification and the case went cold.

How the Case Was Reopened and Solved

In 2023 the CCSO and the Oklahoma Office of the Chief Medical Examiner partnered with Othram, a private forensic laboratory that specializes in generating DNA profiles from degraded or limited biological samples. Othram scientists successfully extracted DNA from the evidence and built a comprehensive genetic profile despite substantial degradation.

Forensic genetic genealogy teams used that profile to develop investigative leads. Follow-up field work traced potential relatives who agreed to provide reference DNA samples, which produced a positive identification: the remains belong to Joann Marie Rozelle.

“This investigation led to the positive identification of the woman, who is now known to be Joann Marie Rozelle,” Othram said in a news release.

Victim Background and Next Steps

Rozelle was 29 years old when she was last seen on June 14, 1989, in the parking lot of Meridian Lanes, a bowling alley in Oklahoma City. Her son legally declared her deceased in 2003. Authorities say this is only the second case in Oklahoma publicly identified using Othram’s technology.

The Canadian County Sheriff’s Office did not immediately respond to request for comment. Anyone with information about Rozelle’s disappearance or death is asked to contact the Oklahoma City Police Department at (405) 297-1197.

Original reporting on this identification first appeared in PEOPLE. The identification underscores how modern DNA extraction and forensic genealogy can provide answers in long-unsolved cases.

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