Gregg County Sheriff’s Office determines ID, person of interest in 20-year-old cold case

GREGG COUNTY, Texas (KLTV) - The Gregg County Sheriff’s Office has been able to identify human remains which were found in Gregg County in 2002.

The case started in May of 2002 when an excavating team was working along Highway 135 and Swamp City Road in the Liberty City area. The team unearthed a human skull and bones while they were working.

“It was evident at the time that they had been there for quite some time. How long we didn’t know. And that’s all we had to go on. We put the word out to our neighbors , nothing came back,” said Chief Deputy Craig Harrington of the Gregg County Sheriff’s Office.

From the investigation, it was believed that the bones had been there since 1998. The case was revisited about 10 years ago as technology advanced. With 3D reconstruction, investigators were able to piece together a face.

Harrington said they have been receiving assistance from the DNA Doe Project. They have now been able to identify the person whose remains these were.

Harrington identified the remains as that of Pamela Young. Harrington said Young was not local to the area and no missing person’s report was ever filed. Harrington also said a person of interest in Young’s disappearance died in 2017.

“The bones went to a forensic lab, and the lab said the bones had been in the ground at least 2 years,” the chief deputy said.

“Through hard work and help with the DNA Doe Project we were able to finally get those answers. And they were finally able to come back with a family member,” Harrington said.

However this mystery continues.

“One of the things we learned was there as never a missing persons report done on her. She lived a transient lifestyle. We do not know a manner of death. We developed a person of interest, however, we did learn that person of interest is deceased,” says Harrington.

Investigators are asking that anyone with information on the now identified ‘Pamela Young’, call the Gregg County Sheriff’s Office.

Harrington said a relative of Young’s was able to identify her after the DNA evidence led them to the relative.

The investigation continues into Young’s cause of death.