A logging crew found her skeletal remains in the Alabama woods in 1990. It took 33 years, a genetic genealogy lab, and a retired deputy who refused to let the case go cold to learn her name.
The Discovery
In February 1990, a logging crew found skeletal human remains in a wooded area of Heflin, Alabama. Investigators determined the remains belonged to a white female in her late twenties to late thirties who had died by homicide, but with dental records turning up no matches and DNA technology far less advanced than it is today, the case went cold. She became known as "Cleburne County Jane Doe."
A Renewed Effort
Decades later, a retired Cleburne County Sheriff's Office chief deputy, who had been an active deputy when the remains were first found, reached out to Heflin Police Captain Scott Bonner and asked him to take another look at the case. Bonner sent some of the remains to Othram, a forensic genetic genealogy lab that has helped law enforcement solve numerous decades-old cases through advanced genome sequencing.
Finding a Name
Othram developed a DNA profile from the remains, generating new leads that helped Bonner trace a possible family connection. He eventually contacted a woman named Katherine Reynolds Haydel, asking whether she had a family member who went missing in 1989. It was her mother. When Bonner asked specifically about dental work, Haydel mentioned her mother had gotten braces later in life, in her forties -- consistent with a removable retainer found with the remains.
Clara Kopp Reynolds
Othram confirmed the remains belonged to Clara Kopp Reynolds of Peachtree City, Georgia, who was 42 and married to Douglas Reynolds when she vanished in 1989. Bonner described her as well-liked, with a wide circle of friends and family. Her husband died without ever learning what happened to her.
A Person of Interest
Investigators have said Reynolds was last seen with a male friend around her age, with whom she was reportedly planning a trip to Florida; Bonner said there's no indication the relationship was anything beyond friendship. That man would now be in his mid-seventies and is believed to still live in the metro Atlanta or west Georgia area. Bonner has said investigators have a potential person of interest in mind but have not released further details about why the death is being investigated as a homicide.
FAQ
How was Clara Kopp Reynolds finally identified?
Forensic genetic genealogy conducted by Othram developed a DNA profile that helped investigators trace her family, aided by a matching dental detail about a retainer found with her remains.
Has anyone been charged in her death?
No. Investigators have said they have a potential person of interest but have not named or charged anyone.
Who should be contacted with information?
Captain Scott Bonner at 256-463-2291 or sbonner@cityofheflin.org.