NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A decades-long cold case is one step closer to being solved.
On March 11 1982, Connie Christensen left her 1-year-old daughter, Misty LaBean, with a family member. Christensen grew up in the Wisconsin area.
“She supposedly was pregnant before she left," LaBean said.
Little did she know, Misty would never see her mother again.
"Once I had my own kids — and at that point I had still thought she had chosen to be gone — I was kind of like: How do you just leave your child? I guess finding out what had happened to her made me feel a little bit more understanding," LaBean said.
A month later in April 1982, Connie was in Nashville. NewsChannel 5 found out she may have gotten in trouble for theft in the city. Family wants to fill in a timeline on what happened while she was in town.
Then in December 1982, hunters in Jacksonburg, Indiana, found human remains. Fast forward 40 years, and those remains were identified as Connie Christensen. She died of a gunshot wound and her death was ruled a homicide.
“Even just knowing what happened to her I feel like has helped, although, in some ways, it’s also made it worse,” LaBean said.
Her identification was made possible through the nonprofit DNA Doe Project.
"Having the name of the victim can reopen that whole investigation for them, now they have a place to go and get answers," volunteer and genealogist Missy Koski said.
They look for matches in a database and connect the dots.
"The way this DNA technology has advanced and to be able to give her name back is really our mission," Koski said.
For LaBean it was a big break. All she has left are drawings from her mom and old pictures. But what she really wants to know is why her mom was in Nashville.
“I do feel like that would at least bring me some peace,” LaBean said.
Authorities found an opal ring with her mother's remains. She now wears it on a necklace with her ashes.
If you know why Connie Christensen was in Nashville you can contact Indiana State Police at their Pendleton Post at 765-778-2121, 317-899-8577 or call the Wayne County Coroner's office in Indiana.
Fostering Hope provides Christmas for kids in foster care. I'm delighted to see Fostering Hope expand this year to expand their reach to now include kids in Foster care in metro AND foster kids in East TN hard hit by Helene.
-Bree Smith
