Photo: Commonwealth Media Services

The last known photograph of Joan Marie Dymond, taken in 1968 at her sister’s wedding

Joan Marie Dymond was 14 when she went missing in 1969 from a park in Wilkes-Barre, Penn. This Tuesday, more than five decades later, her remains were identified.

“We never stopped pursuing answers, and this investigation remains very active,” said Captain Patrick Dougherty, commanding officer of PSP Troop P, in anews releasefrom Pennsylvania state police. “After 53 years, the family of Joan Marie Dymond very much deserves closure. We will do everything in our power to see that they have it.”

At the time, authorities determined the remains to be female and calculated that her age at her time of death was mid-teens to early 20s. The investigation also pointed toward foul play. Labs also indicated a high probability she died in the late 1960s.

After that, the remains were submitted to Othram, Inc. in March 2022 to undergo genetic genealogy testing, the statement detailed.

At Othram, Inc., Dymond’s family members provided DNA samples. When those samples were analyzed, Dymond was finally identified.

“It didn’t reduce the sadness at all or the missing of her,” Dymond’s older sister, Suzanne Estock, said following thePennsylvania state police press conference. “I’m glad she was found so that maybe we could have a service for her.”

Commonwealth Media Services: Natalie Kolb

Suzanne Estock, looks at the last known photograph of her late sister, Joan Marie Dymond, taken in 1968 at Estock’s wedding, during a press conference which announced that human remains discovered in Luzerne County nearly 10 years ago have been identified as Joane Marie Dymond, who went missing four decades earlier, inside Pennsylvania State Police Troop P Headquarters in Wilkes-Barre on Tuesday, October 4, 2022

Estock also added that their parents, who have since died, would be “happy to have a little bit of her anyway.” She also shared that her parents “never gave up hope” when looking for her, and believed that Dymond “would be found somewhere alive.”

“She was a sweet girl, didn’t deserve what happened to her,” Estock said. “I’m grateful for the state police for all they’ve done, I never expected her to be found after this period of time.”

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Although Dymond’s remains have been identified, law enforcement is still investigating her death. Anyone with information regarding the case are asked to call the Shickshinny station at 570-542-4117.

source: people.com