Washoe County sheriff’s investigators have a new theory in the unsolved murder of a woman found off the Mount Rose Highway in 1982.

On July 17, 1982, a white female was found dead near the Sheep’s Flat area a few miles above Incline Village. The victim was wearing a powder blue T-shirt, blue jeans and yellow tennis shoes, and wore a bathing suit under her clothing. There was no identification.

An artist’s rendering of the victim.

Initially the victim was believed to be of European decent based upon her inoculation scar and unique dental work. The victim’s identification remains a mystery.

After taking a fresh look at the case, Washoe’s cold case unit investigators now believe the victim may have come from somewhere in the Western United States. Investigators believe she may never have been reported as missing to law enforcement because she may have become voluntarily estranged from her family and/or friends in the years prior to the murder.

Based on this new theory, investigators are hoping that someone may know of a situation where a young woman left her family in the late 1970s early 1980s and has not been heard from since.

The victim was estimated to have been between the ages of 25 and 35 in 1982. She was a Caucasian female with a medium colored complexion; 5-feet-5 to 5-feet-6; slender build; straight medium length light brown hair; and hazel eyes.

More unique descriptors include a vaccination scar on her right shoulder and a 4 to 5 inch horizontal surgical scar (possibly from a cesarean section birth) on her lower abdomen.

Although the victim’s dental health appears to have been in decline for a couple of years prior to her murder, the victim previously had extensive dental work by more than one dentist which included a unique porcelain faced three tooth gold bridge on the upper left side of her mouth as well as several other permanent and temporary fillings and crowns. One of the victim’s lower teeth was noticeably rotated and her upper front teeth were not symmetrical in appearance.

Detectives did not say how she died.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Investigators Dave Jenkins at DJenkins@washoecounty.us or Rick Bjelke at RBjelke@washoecounty.us, or call 775.328.6225.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report