New York authorities have successfully identified a woman whose body was discovered over three decades ago near a parkway intersection in Queens, utilizing cutting-edge DNA technology.

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that the collaboration between her office’s cold case team, the New York Police Department, and the Office of Chief Medical Examiner has led to the identification of the woman as 30-year-old Judy Rodriguez. She vanished from her family’s sight on January 23, 1991, the same day one of her children celebrated their first birthday. Rodriguez was reported missing shortly after her disappearance and her children were subsequently raised by their grandparents.

According to Katz, “Three decades ago, four men were convicted for a brutal murder of an unidentified woman. Although justice was delivered, the family endured a lengthy wait of 33 years without knowing the fate of their loved one.”

In April, DNA Labs International, a private laboratory, created a genealogical profile from the skeletal remains found at the scene. The profile was then entered into various public DNA databases. A detective from the NYPD’s Investigative Genealogy Squad used this information to construct a family tree, which helped narrow down potential relatives. These relatives were contacted and provided DNA samples for comparison with the remains.

Four individuals, the youngest being 18 years old at the time of the crime, were convicted in 1992 and 1993 for their involvement in the murder, despite the woman’s identity remaining a mystery at the time of their trials.