On May 14, 1983, the Solano County Sheriff’s Office, along with the Solano County Coroner’s Office, responded to the south shore of Simmons Island after partial skeletal remains were discovered. The remains were determined to be human and were initially believed to be that of an adult male.
The decedent became known only as John Doe #5 (1983). Despite continued investigation into the identity and circumstances surrounding the death, the decedent was ultimately laid to rest without being identified.
In July 2023, as part of the Doe Cold Case Project, the body of John Doe #5 (1983) was exhumed and the case re-opened. New DNA testing revealed that the remains were female, not male as previously believed, and the decedent was reclassified as Jane Doe #5 (1983). Over the next 15 months, the dedication of the coroner investigators and forensic staff led to numerous leads and continued investigation…