Victim of Green River Killer is identified after nearly 40 years
(NYT News Service) — Investigators have identified a victim of the Green River Killer, one of the most prolific serial killers in U.S. history, more than four decades after the victim was last seen alive, officials in Washington state said Tuesday.
The victim, Lori Anne Razpotnik, who was known as Bones 17 for nearly 40 years after her remains were discovered, ran away from home in 1982 at age 15, according to a news release from the King County Sheriff’s Office. Her family never saw her again.
Donna Hurley, Razpotnik’s mother, said Wednesday that the news of how her daughter died was “overwhelming, but at the same time it just brought a sense of peace.”
To identify Bones 17, investigators recently tapped Parabon NanoLabs in Reston, Virginia, to conduct forensic genetic genealogy testing. Detectives in King County also contacted Razpotnik’s mother, who provided them with a saliva sample. The University of North Texas completed a DNA comparison, confirming the remains were Razpotnik’s.
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