Cold Cases in Nevada: Mystery in the Desert

Cold Cases in Nevada that Perplex

May 27, 2025

Nevada isn't just famous for the bright lights of Las Vegas or the serenity of Lake Tahoe—it’s also home to some of the nation’s most haunting cold cases 😢. Beneath the glitz and glamor of the Silver State lies a darker, unresolved history: families waiting for justice, lives cut short, and killers still at large.

In this deep dive from TheColdCases.com, we explore the stories of Nevada’s most disturbing cold cases, breakthroughs that gave families closure, and the evolving technology breathing new life into old files 💻🧬.

📊 Nevada by the Numbers: How Many Cases Are Still Cold?

Between 1980 and 2019, Nevada recorded approximately 7,203 homicides 😳. Out of those, around 4,852 have been solved, leaving 2,351 cases unsolved—many of which remain ice cold 🧊.

🧾 Las Vegas and Clark County carry the lion’s share, but remote areas like Ely, Tonopah, and Elko also hold decades-old mysteries. And because Nevada has one of the fastest-growing populations in the U.S., the influx of people makes tracking patterns and suspects even harder 😔.

💔 Notorious Cold Cases That Still Haunt Nevada

1. "Sahara Sue" – The Nameless Teen Near the Strip

📍Las Vegas, 1979

In August 1979, the body of a young woman was discovered off Sahara Avenue, near the Strip 🌆. With no ID and few clues, she was nicknamed “Sahara Sue” by investigators. Despite sketches and outreach, no family came forward for over 40 years.

🔬Then in 2023, through DNA and forensic genealogy, she was identified as Gwenn Marie Story, a 19-year-old from Cincinnati. Her killer remains unknown, but this ID opened a new chapter in the investigation 🧬❤️.

➡️ Still unsolved: Who killed Gwenn Marie Story?

2. Tammy Terrell – The Arroyo Grande Jane Doe

📍Henderson, 1980

She was just 17 years old when her body was found in the Nevada desert. Known only as “Arroyo Grande Jane Doe,” she remained unidentified for over 40 years.

In 2021, genetic genealogy revealed her identity: Tammy Corrine Terrell, a teenager from Roswell, New Mexico 🌌. This case’s success helped inspire new legislation and the formation of cold case units throughout southern Nevada.

🧩 What’s still missing? The identity of her killer.

3. Mary Edith Silvani – Sheep’s Flat Jane Doe

📍Lake Tahoe, 1982

In the tranquil pine forests near Lake Tahoe, hikers found the body of a woman later known as Sheep’s Flat Jane Doe🌲. The mystery gripped the small town of Incline Village for decades.

Through the DNA Doe Project in 2019, she was identified as Mary Edith Silvani. Investigators tied her murder to serial killer James Richard Curry, who had already died in prison. While justice came too late for court, it brought closure to those who remembered her 🌺.

4. Stephanie Isaacson – Murder Solved After 37 Years

📍Las Vegas, 1989

At just 14 years old, Stephanie was brutally murdered while walking to school. For years, her family endured silence and dead ends.

But in 2021, the case became historic—solved using only 0.12 nanograms of DNA, the smallest amount ever used in a cold case! 🚀 This led to the identification of her killer, Darren Roy Marchand, who died in 1995.

✨ Her case gave renewed hope to thousands of other families waiting for breakthroughs.

🧪 How Science is Solving the Unspeakable

Cold cases once considered unsolvable are now being reopened thanks to powerful new tools:

🔬 Genetic Genealogy

Sites like GEDmatch and advancements in forensic DNA are making it possible to identify John and Jane Does and even unknown suspects. Nevada law enforcement now routinely works with private labs to crack cases previously left in boxes 📦.

🧠 Behavioral Profiling and AI

Programs like ViCAP (Violent Criminal Apprehension Program) compare patterns nationwide. In Nevada, serial crimes from Reno to Laughlin can now be cross-referenced with data from other states 🧮📍.

🗃️ Database Expansions

The Nevada State Police and FBI are digitizing records, helping match evidence with names and faces faster than ever before.

🏛️ Nevada’s Cold Case Units: Who’s Working Behind the Scenes?

🕵️‍♀️ Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) launched a dedicated Cold Case Homicide Unit in 2022, leading to active reinvestigations of more than 1,000 unsolved murders 😲.

🛑 Henderson Police Department also formed a similar unit. In 2024, they solved the cold case of Vicki Radig, who had been murdered in 1981.

💬 These units work closely with community members, often reopening cases based on fresh tips or newly submitted DNA.

🧊 Cold Cases That Still Need Your Help

❗ Kim Bryant – 16-Year-Old Abducted from Las Vegas

In 1979, Kim was abducted from her high school and later found dead. In 2022, DNA evidence linked her murder to Johnny Blake Peterson, another deceased suspect. This case was closed, but it highlighted the importance of preservation and new technology 🔗.

❗ Belinda Pata – Unsolved Murder from 2001

Shot to death at a Las Vegas park in front of her child, Belinda's case has gone cold despite numerous leads. Investigators believe someone in the community knows more 🔎.

❗ The Duck Creek Jane Doe (1990s)

Found in a drainage channel near Duck Creek, Las Vegas, this young woman has never been identified. Facial reconstructions haven’t yielded answers. Someone somewhere must recognize her 😔.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Impact on Families

Each unsolved case is not just a statistic—it’s a story of broken families, frozen memories, and prayers for closure. Parents pass away not knowing what happened to their children 💔. Siblings grow older searching for answers that never come.

🌈 Yet with every solved case, hope spreads. Nevada families like those of Tammy Terrell and Stephanie Isaacson show that persistence, community, and science can triumph over silence.

✊ How You Can Help Solve Cold Cases

👁️‍🗨️ Share These Stories – Many cold cases are solved because someone recognized a face, recalled a detail, or remembered a missing friend.

🧬 Submit Your DNA – If you’ve taken a DNA test, consider uploading your data to GEDmatch to help identify unknown victims or suspects.

💬 Call in a Tip – Even if it’s from decades ago, the Nevada State Police, LVMPD, and FBI are open to all new leads.

🧡 Support Ethical True Crime Journalism – Outlets like TheColdCases.com keep these stories in the public eye and advocate for the forgotten.

🎙️ Nevada Cold Cases in the Media

Cold cases from Nevada are increasingly featured in podcasts, documentaries, and news articles. Some notable appearances:

🎧 Unresolved – Featured the case of “Sahara Sue”

📺 Cold Case Files – Covered Mary Silvani’s story

📻 TheColdCases.com Podcast – Highlights unsolved stories and interviews with victim families and investigators

🔚 Final Thoughts: Nevada’s Hope for Justice

Nevada’s deserts are wide and its history deep. But each name, each photograph, and each unfinished file deserves justice 🕯️. Thanks to evolving technology and grassroots efforts, we’re now seeing a path forward.

Together—investigators, scientists, journalists, and YOU—we can solve what was once unsolvable 🧩.