More than four decades after a murdered woman’s body was found in the Florida Everglades in Broward, authorities have discovered her identity.
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The remains had been found by a truck driver off U.S. 27 in September 1983.
Broward Sheriff’s Office officials said she’d been brutally murdered and had her remains “callously discarded.”
Who she was remained a mystery, even as detectives followed leads and evidence and even made a model of her face to try to identify her.
But recent DNA testing done through a grant from the Missing and Unidentified Human Remains Program helped BSO’s Cold Case Homicide Unit and Crime Lab identify her 43 years later as Shelia Ann Nichols from Decatur, Georgia.
Following a DNA match to her father last year, detectives confirmed that the woman was Nichols, who had vanished in May of 1983.
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“It’s unspeakable how somebody could dispose of this young lady with such disregard,” BSO Cold Case Homicide Unit Det. Andrew Gianino said. “It’s just heart-wrenching.”
Detectives are still working to find her killer, and are hoping someone will come forward with more information.
A reward of up to $5,000 is being offered for information leading to an arrest in the case. Anyone with info is asked to call BSO at 954-321-4376.
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