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Carol Hemphill

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This individual was recently confirmed to have been identified. Some details may change as more information is released publicly.

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Carol Jean Hemphill (born June 10, 1962) was a woman whose remains were discovered on March 28, 2002, in Columbia, Illinois. She is suspected to be a victim of serial killer Maury Troy Travis.

Disappearance[]

Hemphill was born on June 10, 1962, and was described as a loving, happy, and wonderful person. 39-year-old Hemphill was last seen in St. Louis, Missouri, on the night of July 27, 2001. According to her husband, she told their daughter that she was going to the store and never returned.

Case[]

IDOT workers later discovered Hemphill's remains in a creek bed on Route 3 near Gall Road in Columbia, Illinois, on March 28, 2002. Authorities were unable to identify her at the time but suspected she was a victim of serial killer and rapist Maury Troy Travis. According to Hemphill's husband, Travis was a known individual in the neighborhood that his family lived in. Hemphill's daughter said a close acquaintance of a family member had seen him in the area. Travis is believed to have murdered between twelve and twenty women in Missouri and Illinois from 2000 to 2002.

However, he never confessed to any involvement in these crimes. Travis later committed suicide in his cell at the St. Louis County Jail in Clayton, Missouri, on June 10, 2002, at the age of 36.

Identification[]

In 2022, a grant provided funding for genetic genealogy research in hopes of finding Hemphill's relatives. Parts of her remains were then sent to a lab at the University of North Texas Center for Human Identification. In late October 2024, a lab report revealed a close connection between Hemphill's remains and her deceased biological son's DNA sample. Her living family members also submitted DNA for further comparison. Final lab results confirmed Hemphill’s identification on February 24, 2025.

The Columbia Police Department later announced the news on March 14, 2025. Authorities still suspect her to be a victim of Maury Travis, and her case is an ongoing investigation. Three unidentified women are also thought to be victims of Travis: Madison County Jane Doe, St. Clair County Jane Doe and St. Charles County Jane Doe.

Characteristics[]

  • Healed fracture on forehead, determined to be from a childhood injury, possibly left a scar.
  • No evidence of childbirth.
  • Dark brown hair.

Clothing and accessories[]

  • Green shirt with the letter "M" in orange and "Mavericks" in orange and yellow printed on the front, size XL.
  • Khaki Chazzz Credential brand canvas shorts, size 3.
  • Brown leather belt with a silver buckle.
  • Underwear.

Gallery[]

Sources[]

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