KLINE TOWNSHIP — A woman whose body was discovered near Interstate 81 in Schuylkill County more than 40 years ago has been identified as Gladys T. Johnson, an 18-year-old from Washington, D.C., who disappeared after leaving home to celebrate her birthday.
Pennsylvania State Police at Frackville said Johnson, known as “Tinker,” was identified in October 2026 after a family member recognized a digital reconstruction shared by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.
Investigators are asking anyone who knew Johnson to contact state police as they continue examining the circumstances surrounding her death.
Body Discovered Near Interstate 81 in 1986
Johnson’s body was discovered on April 8, 1986, in a wooded area on the west side of southbound Interstate 81 near mile marker 137.2 in Kline Township, approximately two miles south of McAdoo…