‘The unsung hero’: How a DeSoto County cold case was kept alive
Amber Edlin, a crime scene technician with the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office holds the case history binder for Lorie Ann Mealer Pennell. She was known as “Jane Doe” for 40 years until Edlin solved the mystery. (Rob Moore/The Daily Memphian)
For decades, a modest gravestone in Olive Branch’s Blocker Cemetery bore the simple moniker of “Jane Doe.”
The marker noted she was “found” on Jan. 24, 1985, but the identity of the young woman discovered by a UPS driver along U.S. 78 — the apparent victim of a homicide — seemed lost to time.
Following a break in the case earlier this year, the non-descript “Jane Doe” memorial was replaced with one bearing her name — “Lorie Ann Mealer Pennell.”
The discovery of Pennell’s identity brought a long-dormant cold case back to life. But the story of the DeSoto County Jane Doe — of Lorie Ann Mealer Pennell —still asks plenty of questions.
For decades, the “Jane Doe” file would pass through the hands of a revolving line of investigators, some changing jobs; others retiring without ever solving the mystery.
Topics
DeSoto County Jane Doe Lorie Ann Mealer Pennell DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office Amber Edlin Subscriber OnlyAre you enjoying your subscription?
Your subscription gives you unlimited access to all of The Daily Memphian’s news, written by nearly 40 local journalists and more than 20 regular freelancers. We work around the clock to cover the issues that impact your life and our community.
You can help us reach more Memphians.
As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, we provide free news access at K-12 schools, public libraries and many community organizations. We also reach tens of thousands of people through our podcasts, and through our radio and television partnerships – all completely free to everyone who cares about Memphis.
When you subscribe, you get full access to our news. But when you donate, you help us reach all Memphians.
Pay it forward. Make a fully tax-deductible donation to The Daily Memphian today.
Thank you for reading the local news. Thank you for investing in our community.
Rob Moore
Rob Moore covers North Mississippi for The Daily Memphian. He holds a B.A. and an M.A. in English from The University of Memphis.
Public Safety on demand
Sign up to receive Public Safety stories as they’re published.
Enter your e-mail address
Want to comment on our stories or respond to others? Join the conversation by subscribing now. Only paid subscribers can add their thoughts or upvote/downvote comments. Our commenting policy can be viewed here.