This individual was recently confirmed to have been identified. Some details may change as more information is released publicly.
Rebecca Sue Hill was a teenage girl found murdered in Altoona, Florida, in 1984. While unidentified, she was known as “Judy,” based on a potential lead that developed during the latter years of attempting to identify her.
She was identified by Othram in January 2025.
Case[]
Hill disappeared in 1981 from Arkansas at the age of 16 or 17. Her partially skeletonized remains were discovered in 1984 in Lake County, Florida, within Ocala National Forest, approximately three miles north of Highway 42 in Altoona and about 450 feet east of Highway 19. Investigators at the time believed she was new to the area, possibly from California, and used the name Judy.
Hill was never reported missing because a different set of remains discovered in Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1981 or 1982 had been misidentified as her by her family.
Police are investigating whether she was a victim of serial killer Michael Ronning, who was in Lake County, Florida at the time of Rebecca's death, and left again within 10 days of her body being found.
Ronning was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of a young woman in Arkansas in 1986. While imprisoned, Ronning admitted to a further six murders, and offered to tell police about a body found in Lake County, Florida, as long as they wouldn't consider the death penalty. He died in prison in 2022.
Characteristics[]
- Fine, straight reddish-brown hair.
- Two upper teeth missing.
- Some remaining teeth were discolored reddish-purple.
- Fingernails painted coral or orange.
- Possible healed fractures to her ribs.
- Left ear pierced with no earring present. Unknown if the right ear was pierced.
Clothing and accessories[]
- Wrangler blue jeans, 24-inch waist.
- Tan panties with brown trim.
- Black T-shirt with "Here Comes Trouble".
- Light-colored shirt with "Have You Kissed Your Child Tonite" on the front.
- Tan canvas shoes with blue trim.
- 15-inch metal necklace chain.
Gallery[]
