This morning, I read that the Valentine Jane Doe rape/murder case had finally been solved after 29 years thanks to DNA!
Valentine Jane Doe was an unknown murder victim found Feb 14, 1991 in the Florida Keys. She had been raped, beaten and strangled to death with her own bikini top. The body was found the following day- naked, face down in some water.
Here are some composites of what they thought she would have looked like:
Up until yesterday, her identity had been a mystery. With the help of DNA, we can finally answer, who was Valentine Jane Doe?
Valentine Jane Doe is 18 year old Wanda Deann Kirkum, born about 1973.
Wanda was from Hornell, New York. Her parents never reported her as missing, which I find super strange. It wasn't like they died soon after she "disappeared"...
Wanda was the only daughter of George A. Kirkum (1939-2011) & Edith Arlene Rogers (1949-2002). Did they never wonder what happened to their daughter? Even if they had an bad relationship with her, you would think, after time, they would wonder where she was. Did she not have any cousins or aunts and uncles who wondered about her? This completely breaks my heart.
DNA also gave evidence of who her rapist/murderer could have been. The semen and blood of 31 year old Robert Lynn Bradley was found on Wanda. He has sense died, a year after she was murdered. In April 1992, Robert was found murdered in Texas.
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| 20 Apr 1992 Fort Worth Star-Telegram Fort Worth, Texas |
With evidence that outstanding, if he were alive today (aged 59 years), he would most certainly be convicted of Wanda's rape and murder. I am saddened because I feel like she has nobody alive today to know of her demise, but happy to know that another unsolved case has been solved.
Thank you for sharing her story. She mattered.
ReplyDeleteIm hoping that she had some family still living who can maybe answer the many questions we all have.
ReplyDeleteYes a cousin of hers was found and she gave an interview . She that her cousin was abused and escaped for a better life but ended up murdered.
DeleteWow I could of been me but I put my rapiest away say her name
ReplyDeletethanks for sharing; so interesting & I'm sure there are law enforcement people who were glad to be able to consider the case solved. Even if the family didn't care, I know that the hard-working detectives who work those cases get a little satisfaction from knowing that evil people can hide, but eventually the truth will out. Thank goodness for the DNA workers too.
ReplyDeleteSo tragic, but glad she has a name.
ReplyDeleteSo tragic, but glad she has a name.
ReplyDeleteLooks like her killer met his karma and won't be hurting anyone else. And that is better than no justice! I pray that her soul is now at peace.
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