A 19-year-old woman from Ohio vanished in Las Vegas; we now know what happened

LAS VEGAS, NV — Investigators have identified 19-year-old from Ohio, 44-years after she vanished.

Las Vegas Metropolitan Police say the victim is Gwenn Marie story. A man who was walking through an open field near where the El Rancho Vegas Hotel and Casino once stood found her body on August 14, 1979, according to Police.

The coroner ruled her death a homicide but the case remained unsolved for decades. The unidentified woman was known as “Sahara Sue Doe.” LVMPD Cold Case Investigators took a fresh look in September of 2022.

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Police say detectives identified and contacted possible family members after requesting a forensic genetic genealogy investigation. Those family members gave DNA samples which led to the Story’s identification.

Story left her home in Cincinnati in the summer of 1979 to find her biological father in California, according to investigators. She was traveling with two friends.

Investigators say the two men returned to Cincinnati in August of 1979, telling Story’s family they left her in the Las Vegas Area. Story’s family never heard from her again.

The LVMPD Homicide Cold Case Section is investigating the case. Anyone with information is asked to call 702-385-3521 or email homicide@lvmpd.com.

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