SOMERSET COUNTY, Pa. — State Police announced they have solved a 35-year-old case by identifying the victim of a deadly crash on the Pennsylvania Turnpike in Somerset County.
Linda Jean McClure, 26, of Indiana, Pennsylvania, was riding in a tractor trailer truck that crashed into the fuel tank of another tractor trailer at mile marker 119.4 in the eastbound lanes of the Turnpike on Oct. 22, 1987, State Police determined.
The truck McClure was riding in caught fire, killing her and the truck's driver, police said.
While police immediately identified the truck driver as a California man, his passenger remained unknown despite multiple attempts to identify her, according to police.
That changed in August 2022, when the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission agreed to pay for forensic genetic genealogy DNA testing, police said.
Once funding for the testing was secured, the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) teamed up with Othram to help establish an identity for the unknown woman—or to at least identify a nearest living relative. Forensic evidence was sent to Othram’s lab in The Woodlands, Texas, where forensic scientists used Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing® to produce a genealogical profile for the unknown victim.
Othram’s genealogy team then produced investigative leads from this profile, police said.
PSP Troop T investigators continued their investigation and determined that the woman was McClure, according to police. Her family told investigators they last communicated with her in the late 1980s. She was not reported as missing to law enforcement, police said.
Her brother submitted a DNA sample for comparison, which confirmed McClure was the victim of the crash.
“There were many obstacles in this case but none that deterred the outcome,” said Major Michael Carroll, commander of PSP Area II. “I commend the troopers who remained dedicated to their duty and ultimately brought closure to this case.”
“The Pennsylvania Turnpike is pleased we were able to support the State Police on this cold case,” said Pennsylvania Turnpike CEO Mark Compton. “We hope that this revelation provides long overdue comfort to Ms. McClure’s family.”
