The Box Lady of Benton County cold case
Jane Hart, a 69-year-old woman born in Ohio in 1906 and last known to reside in Chicago, was identified on July 22, 2026, as the unidentified woman found shot and placed in a box in a Benton County cornfield in 1976. As of July 22, 2026, her murder remains unsolved, though her identification was made possible in 2024 through DNA analysis and genealogical research by the DNA Doe Project. Authorities are moving away from the theory that the box was dropped from a helicopter, and the box itself was manufactured in Melrose Park, Illinois, between May and October 1976. The Benton County Coroner obtained a search warrant to exhume her body in 2019, and DNA sequencing in 2024 revealed she was largely Croatian.
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July 2026 — 1 developments
Jane Hart Identified as 'Box Lady' in 1976 Benton County Cold Case
The unidentified woman found in a Benton County cornfield in 1976 has been identified as Jane Hart, a 69-year-old who was shot and placed in a box. The identification was made possible in 2024 through DNA analysis and genealogical research by the DNA Doe Project, with confirmation from surviving relatives. Hart, born in Ohio in 1906, was last known to reside in Chicago before her death, though her murder remains unsolved.
April 2026 — 1 developments
Authorities abandon helicopter theory in 1976 'Box Lady' cold case
Authorities are reportedly moving away from the theory that the box containing the "Box Lady" was dropped from a helicopter. The DNA Doe Project continues to work on identifying the woman, who was found in 1976 with a gunshot wound to the head. The box was manufactured in Melrose Park, Illinois, between May and October 1976.
December 2025 — 1 developments
Rosa Elia Vargas Jiminez Everts Identified as 'Parker Doe' After 37 Years Using DNA
A crime victim known as 'Parker Doe' was identified as Rosa Elia Vargas Jiminez Everts after 37 years using DNA technology.
December 2024 — 2 developments
Police estimate victim killed 7-10 days before discovery, body in cornfield 12-18 hours
Police estimated the victim had been killed 7 to 10 days before discovery, and the box containing her body had been in the cornfield for 12 to 18 hours.
Investigators send evidence to crime lab, issue bulletin, and probe helicopter theory in woman's death
Initial investigation efforts included sending the woman's clothes, fingerprints, and dental X-rays to the state crime lab, and issuing a nationwide all-points bulletin. Additionally, three witness statements and ground damage suggest the box containing the body may have been dropped by a helicopter.
January 2024 — 1 developments
Scott McCord reveals 'Box Lady' DNA shows Croatian heritage, possible Chicago ties
DNA sequencing of a bone from the 'Box Lady' revealed she is largely Croatian and possibly from the Chicago area. This new information was obtained by Scott McCord, Coroner of Newton County, Indiana, and a Case Manager for the Identify Indiana Initiative.
April 2023 — 1 developments
Authorities release updated reconstruction image of 'Box Lady' in Benton County cold case
An updated reconstruction image of the unidentified woman was released on February 6, 2022, as part of ongoing efforts to identify the 'Box Lady' of Benton County. This new image aims to generate public recognition and new leads in the cold case.
March 2022 — 1 developments
My Favorite Murder podcast features 'Box Lady of Benton County' case, renewing public attention
The 'Box Lady of Benton County' case was featured on the popular podcast 'My Favorite Murder' in March 2022, bringing renewed public attention to the unsolved mystery.
September 2021 — 1 developments
DNA Doe Project takes on 'Box Lady' case for genetic genealogy identification
The DNA Doe Project officially took on 'The Box Lady's' case, aiming to use genetic genealogy testing to identify her.
June 2019 — 1 developments
Benton County Coroner Exhumes 'Box Lady' Remains After Decades-Old Cold Case
After decades of the case remaining cold, the Benton County Coroner obtained a search warrant and order to exhume the 'Box Lady's' body. A team from the Human Identification Center at the University of Indianapolis carefully excavated the grave, finding her remains in a body bag, as the wooden coffin had disintegrated.
October 1976 — 4 developments
Unidentified Woman Receives Pauper's Burial, Remains Forgotten for 43 Years
The unidentified woman was given a pauper's burial in Fowler Cemetery, without a headstone, where her body remained largely forgotten for 43 years.
Investigators theorize helicopter dropped box in cornfield
Investigators theorized the box had been dropped into the cornfield by a helicopter, as there were no tire tracks leading to the box despite recent rain, and witnesses reported seeing a white and gold 1976 Bell Jet Ranger helicopter in the area around the time of the discovery.
Authorities release description of unidentified woman, including physical characteristics and scar
Authorities determined the woman was white, between 55-65 years old, approximately 5'2" tall, and weighed around 160 pounds. She had sandy, partially graying hair, brown eyes, and a significant scar from a right-side radical mastectomy. She also had callouses on her hands, suggesting a history of manual labor.
Farmer Norman Skoog discovers woman's body in cornfield
Norman Skoog, a farmer in rural Benton County, Indiana, discovered a large, heavy cardboard box in his cornfield. Upon opening it with his family, they found the body of a woman, later known as 'The Box Lady,' wrapped in plastic and bound with rope. She was wearing a green pantsuit and had been shot in the back of the head. The box also contained a broken perfume bottle, seemingly used to mask the smell of decomposition.