26 years ago, a young woman’s body was found in a Highland Park alley -- she was never identified

Police believe woman was between 15 and 25 years old

Sketch of an unidentified woman found in a Highland Park alley. (NamUs)

HIGHLAND PARK, Mich. – The body of a young woman was found 26 years ago in an alley in Highland Park. She has never been identified.

Update: Teen found dead in Highland Park alley identified after 27 years

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At the time, police estimated that she was between 15 and 25 years old, and may have been biracial. She had brown eyes, and her hair was brown and reddish in color and tied up in a ponytail with a white bow.

She was wearing a white shirt with yellow smiley faces and red lip prints on it. She was also wearing a white skirt of the JXP Designs brand, and a white lace bra. She had black athletic shoes with white trim (size 8.5) and white socks on.

She had a teddy bear watch with a leather band on her left arm (pictured above). Officials said she had freckles and an old horizontal linear scar under her right kneecap.

According to the FBI, she had type O blood, her fingernails were painted purple, and her toenails were painted pink. She did not have drugs in her system, but may have smoked cigarettes.

Unidentified WomanDetails
SexFemale
RaceUncertain
Estimated Age Range15-25
Estimated Year of Death1996
Height5′3′'
Weight191 lbs
Date FoundMay 20, 1996
EyesBrown

If you have any information, contact the Highland Park Police Department at 313-252-0050. You can also contact the FBI ViCAP at 800-634-4097.


Read: More Michigan cold case coverage

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Kayla is a Web Producer for ClickOnDetroit. Before she joined the team in 2018 she worked at WILX in Lansing as a digital producer.