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Dorothy Glanton

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

Dorothy L. Glanton was a woman whose decomposed body was found floating along a breakwater in Lake Michigan near New Buffalo, Michigan, on April 8, 1988.

She was identified by the DNA Doe Project around November 2025.

Background[]

Glanton was born in Alabama but later moved to Chicago with her family in the 1920s as part of the Great Migration.

She was last seen leaving her home on the 4700 block of South Prairie Avenue in the Bronzeville neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois, on December 9, 1987. She told a family member she was going to a drug store and was last seen wearing a blue hat and a tan jacket.

Glanton was reported missing the same day she disappeared, and her family published several newspaper ads seeking information on her whereabouts.

Case[]

After being discovered, Glanton was estimated to have died in either 1987 or 1988. She was also incorrectly determined to be white and between 43 and 53 years old. Police considered drowning to be a plausible scenario regarding the circumstances of her death, but did not know if the death was accidental, intentional, or if any foul play was involved.

On November 9, 2021, Glanton's body was exhumed from its grave at Crystal Springs Cemetery in Benton Harbor, Michigan, to collect DNA samples needed for entry into CODIS and possible forensic genetic genealogy research.

In late 2022, investigators requested assistance from the DNA Doe Project. Genealogical research in her case began the following year, and analysis determined that the woman was of black ancestry; before this, authorities believed she was white based on the visual appearance of the body, which had become bloated and unrecognizable in the water. This research eventually narrowed Glanton down as a possible identity, enabling her identification.

Characteristics[]

  • Black or dark brown hair.
  • Possibly wore braided wig or hair extensions.
  • Brown eyes.
  • Scar from navel to pelvis on abdomen.
  • Previously underwent hysterectomy; surgically removed uterus, bilateral tubes, and ovaries.
  • Possibly overweight.
  • Good dental hygiene.
  • Extensive dental work:
    • Cantilever porcelain bridge implant to replace front tooth.
    • Two gold crowns.
    • Gold inlay on unspecified tooth.
Glanton at a younger age

Glanton at a younger age

Clothing and accessories[]

  • Blue men's jeans, size 38.
  • Dark blue running shorts with red and white stripes.
  • Flesh colored pantyhose.
  • Beige heavy-duty bra with front clasp.
  • Black ankle-high zipper boots.

Sources[]

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