After nearly 34 years of unanswered questions, the Baca County Sheriff's Department has positively identified the "Jane Doe" whose remains were found on a local farm in 1988.
In June of that year a farmer that lived approximately 20 miles southwest of the Town of Springfield, reported finding what he believed were human remains on his property. Officials determined that the body had been there for one to three years before being discovered.
"After the extensive investigation, the remains were still unidentified and the case became cold. As such, the remains were given the name "Jane Doe" and were buried in the Springfield Cemetery. Buried along with the remains were copies of pertinent case information in hopes someday something would happen that would make it possible to identify the deceased person and bring closure for the family. All the records about the case and efforts made to identify the person were retained by the coroner’s office and sheriff’s office," the sheriff's office said in a news release.
In May 2021, "Jane Doe"'s information was entered into NamUs, a national database for missing and unidentified persons.
"In August 2021, the Baca County Sheriff’s Office and Baca County Coroner’s Office were notified that a possible familial DNA match had been located. Through their research, Solved by DNA had been able to locate a person with DNA markers that indicated that they were a family member of "Jane Doe"," the release said.
Through this process "Jane Doe" was officially identified as Nora Elia Castillo, a mother who went missing from McAllen, Texas in 1986.
"Nora Elia Castillo’s family was located and notified that she was found and where her remains are buried in Baca County. After almost 36 years, the family of Nora Elia Castillo finally knows where she is! Family members have now had the opportunity to visit Nora Elia Castillo’s (aka "Jane Doe"’s) burial site and also the scene where she was located in 1988," officials said.
The circumstances surrounding Castillo's death are still unknown. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Baca County Sheriff’s Office (719) 523-4511 or the McAllen Texas Police Department at (956) 681-2221.
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