A 33-year-old Heflin cold case is warming up with the identification of the victim.

Authorities named Clara Kopp Reynolds, from Georgia, during a Wednesday afternoon press conference in Heflin as the victim of a homicide whose identity has been a mystery until now.

In February 1990, The Anniston Star reported the discovery of a “badly decomposed” body which had been found by pulpwood workers as they cleared timber off Evans Bridge Road in Heflin. The body was transferred to the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences in Birmingham for a forensic report.

Last year the Heflin Police Department reopened the case in hopes of giving Jane Doe a name and attempt to find her family and hopefully bring some justice to her and her family, said Capt. Scott Bonner during the press conference.

“Due to it being an open investigation some details cannot be disclosed at this time. DNA from the remains were sent to a private lab. Just days ago I was contacted by Orthram Labs and through DNA and genealogy, a possible relative of Jane Doe was identified,” Bonner said.

Bonner said that the daughter of Jane Doe was contacted.

“During that conversation it was determined that certain details match for a missing persons case out of Georgia and our unidentified female,” Bonner said.

Bonner said that Reynolds was born in 1947 and went missing in the summer of 1989, when she would have been approximately 42.

“She was last seen with a male friend and was supposed to be traveling to Florida,” he said.

Bonner thanked David Mittelman and his team at Othram Labs for their excellent work and commitment to assisting law enforcement and families of the unidentified.

Bonner said that retired Chief Deputy Tim Gossage contacted him a couple of years ago asking the police department to look into the case.

“Tim was involved in this case at the beginning and it never left his mind. He wanted some justice for this family and closure for the family,” Bonner said, “He wanted the lady that was never identified to have a name and proper burial.”

During the press conference Bonner released a photo of Reynolds the summer before she went missing and a facial reconstruction drawing done by LSU based on skeletal remains.

“If anybody has any information about this case, the last time she was heard from was the summer of 1989, please contact us, we have an email set up on our Facebook page if you don’t want to call in person… if you want to remain anonymous you can,” Bonner said.

“Unfortunately back then we don’t have cell phone records, we don’t have phone pings, we don’t have video surveillance like we normally have,” he said.

“We’re focusing on anywhere from Birmingham to Atlanta for any kind of information that may come in,” he said.

Bonner said the daughter of Reynolds has been very appreciative of the efforts by authorities to bring the cold case to an end and hopes the person responsible is held accountable.

“I’m sure it was a mixed emotional time for her, she was glad she could know what happened to her mom, she wouldn’t have to wonder if her mom abandoned her or if she was alive somewhere,” Bonner said.

Staff writer Bill Wilson: 256-235-3562. On Twitter @bwilson_star.

___

(c)2023 The Anniston Star (Anniston, Ala.)

Visit The Anniston Star (Anniston, Ala.) at www.annistonstar.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.