Princess Doe

Princess Doe
Reconstructions created by the NCMEC as an estimation of Princess Doe in life.
Born	approx. 1962–1968
Status	Unidentified for 34 years, 7 months and 5 days
Died	c. July 1982 (aged 14–20)
Cause of death	Homicide by beating
Resting place	Cedar Ridge Cemetery, Blairstown, New Jersey, United States
Nationality	American
Known for	Unidentified victim of homicide
Height	5 ft 2 in (1.57 m) - 5 ft 4 in (1.63 m) (approximate)
Weight	100 lb (45 kg) - 110 lb (50 kg) (approximate)
Website	www.princessdoe.org

Princess Doe is the name given to an unidentified homicide victim found in Blairstown, New Jersey, United States, in 1982. The body was a young white female between the ages of 15 and 20, although she has also been stated to be as young as 14. Her face had been bludgeoned beyond recognition. The approximate height of the victim was 5 feet 2 inches (157 cm) and her weight was 110 lbs (50 kg). The body was discovered at the Cedar Ridge Cemetery in Blairstown early on the morning of 15 July 1982. She was the first unidentified decedent to be entered in the National Crime Information Center.

Currently, Princess Doe still remains unidentified. No arrests were ever made in the case, although a married couple have claimed responsibility for the victim's death. The Warren County Prosecutor's Office is the law enforcement agency investigating the case and still considers the case active. The body was buried in the Cedar Ridge Cemetery, not far from where she was discovered, in January 1983. The remains of Princess Doe were exhumed in 1999 so that samples could be collected for DNA testing, which was extracted from her femur in Baltimore, Maryland. The body was reburied in the same grave.

On the morning of July 15, 1982, gravedigger George Kise discovered the body of Princess Doe in the rear of Cedar Ridge Cemetery in Blairstown, New Jersey. The body was found lying on its back just over a steep bank that leads to a creek below. The victim's face had been beaten beyond recognition with a yet-to-be-determined object. Due to the condition of her body, her eye color could not be discerned.

The body was clad in a red short-sleeved shirt. A peasant-style skirt was found lying on top of the victim's legs. No undergarments were found. Despite this, no conclusive evidence of sexual assault was found, but this was difficult to determine because of the exposure of the body. A golden cross necklace was found tangled in the victim's hair. Two earrings were found in her left ear. Red nail polish was found on the right hand only and she had no known surgical scars, distinct birth marks or tattoos. Scars or marks on the head/face area would not be known due to the condition of the body. The front two teeth were slightly darker than the other teeth. The victim's appendix and tonsils were intact. Forensic anthropologists determined that the victim was not pregnant and had never given birth, and was most likely between the ages of 14 and 18 years old at the time of death. Toxicology did not reveal any traces of drugs but was not entirely conclusive because of the time lapse between the death and discovery of the body. It is believed that the body was discovered after 2 to 3 days or possibly weeks of exposure. This was difficult to determine because of the hot and humid weather in the area at the time.