Victim of 1981 Los Angeles County homicide identified by Riverside County investigators after 45 years

After nearly 45 years, Riverside County investigators have identified the Jane Doe whose remains were discovered in 1981 as the victim of a Los Angeles County murder. 

The woman's remains were discovered on Nov. 28, 1981, when someone gathering wood in the mountain region near Sugar Loaf Mountain and the Pinyon Crest community "discovered a shallow grave containing the remains of a severely decomposed female," a news release from the Riverside County Sheriff's Office said. 

"Due to the condition of the remains, investigators were unable to establish her identity despite extensive investigative efforts," the release said. "For more than 40 years, she remained unidentified."

In May, investigators used genetic genealogy and dental records to positively identify the woman as Thelma Gaston. 

"Ms. Gaston was the victim of a 1981 homicide that occurred in Los Angeles County," the release said. "The Los Angeles Police Department originally investigated the case and identified the suspect, who falsely represented her disappearance."

According to the RSO's release, the suspect, Lawrence Ramsen, was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison by the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office. 

Deputies said that the identification was made possible through funding provided by the Missing and Unidentified Human Remains Grant in 2022, which provided them with new opportunities to reexamine longstanding unsolved cases. 

"The successful identification of Ms. Gaston was made possible through the collaborative efforts of the Riverside Sheriff's Coroner's Bureau, the Riverside Cold Case Homicide Team, and Othram Labs, Inc., a private forensic laboratory specializing in advanced DNA testing," the release said. "The Riverside Sheriff's Coroner's Bureau extends its sincere appreciation to everyone whose dedication, expertise, and perseverance made this identification possible. Together, these efforts have ensured that Ms. Gaston has a name —and her story—returned to her."

The announcement comes just hours after the Riverside County Sheriff's Office positively identified the victim of a 1981 car crash in Riverside using forensic genetic genealogy.