Amore Joveah Wiggins was a young girl who was brutally murdered and left unidentified for nearly 11 years. Her skeletal remains were found in a trailer park in Opelika, Alabama, in 2012, but her name and story remained unknown until January 2023.
The Discovery of Opelika Jane Doe
On January 28, 2012, a resident of Brook Haven Trailer Park, Yvonne Johnson, discovered a human skull in her backyard. She alerted the police, who searched the surrounding area and found more bones, including a pink, long-sleeve shirt with heart buttons and ruffles, on a nearby creek bank.
The remains were sent to the FBI Laboratory in Quantico, Virginia, where forensic experts determined that they belonged to a young African American girl, aged between 4 and 7 years old. The bones showed evidence of 15 fractures caused by blunt force trauma, indicating that she was a victim of homicide. The girl was given the name Opelika Jane Doe, as her identity was unknown.
The Investigation of Opelika Jane Doe
The Opelika Police Department launched an extensive investigation to find out who Opelika Jane Doe was and what happened to her. They looked at school and birth records but found no matches. They contacted local churches, schools, daycares, and social services, but no one recognized her.
They also reached out to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), which created a facial reconstruction image of what she might have looked like. The image was widely circulated in the media and online, but still no leads came forward.
In 2016, a breakthrough occurred when a former Vacation Bible School teacher at Greater Peace Church in Opelika provided photos of a child who resembled Opelika Jane Doe. The photos were taken in the summer of 2011 when the child attended the church program. The teacher said the child had a slightly unkempt appearance, had trouble communicating with other children, and stayed to herself. The teacher did not remember her name, and the church did not formally register children, so there were no records.
In 2017, the University of South Florida Institute for Forensic Anthropology & Applied Science performed isotope testing on her bones. The results indicated that she had lived in the Southeastern United States. These clues still weren't enough to identify her or find her killer.
In January 2022, the Opelika Police Department enlisted the help of forensic genetic genealogists at Firebird Forensics Group, including Barbara Rae-Venter — who had previously helped identify the Golden State Killer — along with additional lab support to build a usable DNA profile. Using advanced DNA technology and genealogy research, they were able to trace her biological relatives and narrow down her identity.
The Identification of Amore Wiggins
On January 19, 2023, the Opelika Police Department announced that they had finally identified Opelika Jane Doe as Amore Joveah Wiggins. She was born on January 1, 2006, to Sherry Wiggins and Lamar Vickerstaff Jr. in Norfolk, Virginia.
In 2009, Lamar and his wife Ruth Vickerstaff obtained legal and physical custody of Amore from Sherry. Sherry continued to pay child support for years afterward, never knowing her daughter had been killed.
Amore's father, Lamar Vickerstaff Jr., was an Opelika native and a long-term U.S. Navy officer stationed in various places, including Norfolk, Honolulu, and Jacksonville. He had married Ruth Vickerstaff in 2006. Lamar was questioned by police in December 2022 but did not provide information about Amore. Ruth claimed she did not know Lamar had another daughter.
The Arrest of Lamar and Ruth Vickerstaff
On January 17, 2023, days before Amore's identity was publicly revealed, Lamar Vickerstaff Jr. was arrested and charged with felony murder. Ruth Vickerstaff was arrested and charged with failure to report a missing child.
At a March 2023 preliminary hearing, a detective testified that Ruth had admitted lying during her initial arrest, saying she'd become overwhelmed caring for Amore and asked Lamar to "take Amore to his family," which she said was the last time she saw her. The same detective testified that Lamar had confessed to killing Amore during a taped interview, though he denied causing the injuries found on her remains and said he had attempted to revive her afterward. He reportedly asked investigators not to charge Ruth in exchange for his cooperation.
Following the hearing, Lamar was denied bail. Ruth was later granted bond and returned to Jacksonville, Florida, required to wear an ankle monitor while awaiting trial.
Where the Case Stands Now
As of early 2026, neither Lamar nor Ruth Vickerstaff has gone to trial. Lamar remains held without bond on the felony murder charge, which could carry life imprisonment without parole or the death penalty if he's convicted; Ruth remains free on bond, restricted to Duval County, Florida, on her lesser charge. A trial was tentatively scheduled for April 2026. The Opelika Police Department has continued to publicly honor Amore's memory on her birthday each year, including commissioning a bronze statue in her likeness.
Frequently Asked Questions
Has Lamar Vickerstaff been convicted?
Not as of early 2026. He remains held without bond awaiting trial, tentatively scheduled for April 2026.
How was Opelika Jane Doe finally identified?
Through investigative genetic genealogy conducted by Firebird Forensics Group, including genealogist Barbara Rae-Venter, who helped trace her biological family through DNA database matches.
What happened to Amore's biological mother?
Sherry Wiggins lost custody of Amore to the Vickerstaffs in 2009 and continued paying child support for over a decade without knowing her daughter had been killed. She later helped confirm Amore's identity through DNA testing.