September 19, 2003
In July 2003
the St Tammany Perish Sheriff's Office, in Louisiana, notified the Elyria
Police Department that they had re-visited a cold-case from 1986 involving the
recovered body of a female matching the physical characteristics of Lisa Marie
Sexton. Miss Sexton had been reported
missing in 1984 to the Elyria Police Department and her description was entered
into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC), a national law enforcement
computer system. It was though the NCIC
that authorities in Louisiana found the similarities between Lisa Marie Sexton
and the case they were working.
The Elyria
Police Department had provided the National Center for Missing and Exploited
children with a DNA sample of a family member for comparison if necessary. The Elyria Police Department also provided
investigators in Louisiana with a copy of a dental impression made by Miss
Sexton's dentist before she was reported missing.
It was
determined that a dental comparison would be made using the dental impression
from Miss Sexton. If there was
conclusive evidence, using the dental impression, that the remains in Louisiana
were not Miss Sexton, a DNA test would
not be processed. The dental
comparison was completed by Dr Manhein of the Louisiana State University
Geography and Anthropology Department and there was conclusive evidence that
the remains in Louisiana were
not Lisa Marie Sexton. The DNA tests
will not be necessary.
This case will
remain a priority for the Elyria Police Department and all investigative leads
will be thoroughly investigated.
Lt A.D.
Eichenlaub
Elyria Police
Department